3 things that Dallas Cowboys fans can be thankful for

2. Dak Prescott, QB

If there is one thing fans takeaway from 2020 it should be just how valuable quarterback Dak Prescott is to the Dallas Cowboys. Dak has always largely been a good (or better) player for Dallas, but prior to his injury this season, he firmly cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League.

I mean has any quarterback ever upped their value by not playing the way Dak Prescott has this season? Watching the revolving door of Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci, and Garrett Gilbert struggle to move the ball for Dallas when Dak made it look so effortless has shown just how much of a difference he can make for the Cowboys.

Dak was on pace to shatter the single-season passing record this year before his injury in week five against the New York Giants. In fact, he was so prolific passing the ball this season, that as I write this he still has more passing yards than quarterbacks like the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Cam Newton of the New England Patriots, and Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.

Dak truly did it all for the Cowboys this season. He even managed to become the first Dallas quarterback to be on the receiving end of a touchdown in 35 years.

It’s no secret that by and large, the Cowboys defense has been atrocious this season. Even after back-to-back solid showings, they are still allowing over 32 points per game. For the first quarter of the season, Prescott was the only reason they were in games.

The value that Dak holds for Dallas Cowboys has been crystal clear for a while now. In just four and a half years as the starting quarterback, fans have seen the good and bad of Dak Prescott. Maybe the pace he was on this year wasn’t sustainable, but does it really matter? There is enough tape out there over the past four and a half seasons to show you just good he has been on a consistent basis.

Prescott has been the team’s starting quarterback for less than half a decade, and yet for a franchise that is celebrating its 60th anniversary this season and has boasted some of the best signal-callers in NFL history, he already ranks among the top five or six in team history for almost every major passing record. He’s first in completion percentage, first in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, fourth in game-winning drives, fifth in passing yards, sixth in wins, and sixth in touchdown passes.

At just 27 years old, Prescott is just now entering his prime and looks to be the face of the Dallas Cowboys for years to come. His growth as a leader and a quarterback has been evident throughout his time at the helm of America’s Team and once he returns to the game action, should continue. He’s also a true leader on and off the gridiron. Off the field, his mental health advocacy is both courageous and inspiring.

Before the comments get flooded with questions about his long-term future with the team it’s worth saying that yes, this off-season Prescott and the Cowboys still need to figure out his contract situation. However, both sides have been vocal that they want him to remain in Dallas.

Back in August, Prescott was quoted as saying this via Pro Football Talk …

"“Once again, I believe something will get done, and I also believe I’ll be a Dallas Cowboy for the rest of my career.”"

Earlier this month, Cowboys’ executive vice president Stephen Jones even said that the team is excited about Prescott’s future with them. Considering they can always fall back and use the franchise tag one more time as an absolute last resort, it would be a shocker if he wasn’t back under center in Dallas in 2021 and beyond.

With every reason to believe that he will come back just as strong, if not stronger than he was before the injury, fans can rest easy knowing that the Dallas Cowboys are good in hands with Dak Prescott as their quarterback of the future.