Does Dak Prescott have to carry the Cowboys to the Super Bowl?

This past week, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and Hall of Famer, Jimmy Johnson, went on The Herd with Colin Cowherd to discuss the recent contract signing of quarterback Dak Prescott. Johnson continued to push the narrative that Prescott will not be able to carry the team to a Super Bowl without having great players placed around him.

The question that should follow is, “When has that ever happened?” Show me the quarterback who wins Super Bowls without help.

The most recent proof of this fallacy should be well-remembered. Just last season, all-world quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, looked downright pedestrian in the Super Bowl.

When the Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by the score of 31-9, Mahomes finished with a 52.3 quarterback rating. Why? One big reason was injuries to the offensive line.

Mahomes is not alone. No quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl by himself. No quarterback should ever be expected to win anything by himself.

Prescott has received a contract that accurately reflects his abilities, and where the quarterback market is headed. It’s not his task to “carry” the Cowboys to the Super Bowl. It’s his task to perform up to his standards and lead his team.

But what about all the greats who carried their teams? This is not an exhaustive list, but consider a few of the greats.

Troy Aikman and the 90s Cowboys

I will always contend that Troy Aikman was the best quarterback of his era. Many would say that Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers or Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers would fit that description as well. But Aikman’s Cowboys were dominant in the early 90s.

Who did Aikman have to help him? The best offensive line in football. The best running back in football (Emmitt Smith). The best defense in football (in the 1992 season). The best receiving tight end in football (Jay Novacek). I would argue, the best wide receiver in football (Michael Irvin). Many of whom are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joe Montana and the 80s 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers won four championships with Montana at the helm in the 1980s. Did Montana have help? Was he surrounded by great teams?

Over those years he played with multiple Hall of Famers like safety Ronnie Lott, defensive end Charles Haley, and wide receiver  Jerry Rice (some would argue the best ever). He also played with Pro Bowl wide receiver John Taylor and running back Roger Craig who was voted the Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1988, and to the Hall of Fame All-1980s Team.

Roger Staubach and the 70s Cowboys

Surely “Roger the Dodger,” “Captain America,” carried his team! Right? Roger was fantastic, but he had lots of help. The names are familiar. Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, Rayfield Wright, Cliff Harris, Randy White, Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes, are all players that Staubach played with. And they are all in the Hall of Fame.

The quarterbacks who didn’t win Super Bowls

But what if the Dallas Cowboys don’t win a Super Bowl with Prescott? Will that necessarily mean that his contract was a mistake? Will it mean that he didn’t earn it?

Remember some quarterbacks who are in the Hall of Fame but never won championships. That list includes Dan Marino (Dolphins), Jim Kelly (Bills), Fran Tarkenton (Vikings), Warren Moon (who played most of his career with the Houston Oilers).

The Dallas Cowboys are tasked with winning a Super Bowl

Winning the NFL title is not Dak Prescott’s job alone. That is a team goal. After receiving his mammoth contract, Prescott’s job is to do his job. If he does that job to the best of his ability, he will have done his part to help the Cowboys add a sixth Lombardi Trophy to their mantle.