Dan Orlovsky argues Dak Prescott is QB under most pressure in NFL

Being a member of the Dallas Cowboys, in any capacity, always comes with a huge spotlight and a lot of public opinions. Whether you’re a coach, a veteran, a newly drafted rookie, or a franchise quarterback, all eyes are on you. Those eyes get even more critical and severe when one of the world’s most-watched, profitable, and loved sports franchises hasn’t won a Super Bowl in over 26 years.

We’ve talked about the pressure and “unusual narratives” that head coach Mike McCarthy has had to go through in the last few months. Someone who knows that intensity very well is McCarthy’s quarterback Dak Prescott. The QB has had a rocky time in the NFL. He made two Pro Bowl appearances in his first three years in the league. From there, injuries and talks of slumps have plagued his time with the Cowboys. His four-year, $160 million contract certainly doesn’t sit well with fans either.

Despite the fact that, in the grand scheme of things, Prescott is arguably a top 10 quarterback out of the 32 in the league, anytime this quarterback makes a miscue, the critics are on his back. Every team leader experiences this pressure, but the weight and intensity seem a bit heavier when you’re the playmaker for the Cowboys.

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky agrees. The former NFL quarterback recently did a segment on “Get Up” where he gave his opinion on the five quarterbacks in the league who are under the most pressure. Although Orlovsky initially had Aaron Rodgers as his No. 1, he made a live on-air decision to switch that choice to Prescott.

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said Dak Prescott is the NFL QB under the most pressure in the league

Here’s the NFL analyst’s list:

5. Zach Wilson (he believes Wilson now has a ton of offensive weapons and it’s on Wilson to make those weapons succeed)

4. Jalen Hurts (Orlovsky said the offensive line is one of the best in football which gives Hurts little excuses)

3. Tua Tagovailoa (Having Tyreek Hill and Mike Gesicki as receivers should make Tagovailoa’s job pretty easy)

2. Aaron Rodgers (Can the back-to-back MVP make it work without Davante Adams?)

1. Dak Prescott

Orlovsky made some valid points about Prescott’s contract. He pointed out that after quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes signed massive contracts, they immediately had major postseason success the next season. That’s not something the Cowboys’ QB achieved last year.

Jeff Saturday seemed to disagree with Orlovsky. Saturday felt that Hurts was clearly the quarterback under the most pressure. Why? People are expecting the Eagles to have a turnaround year with their stellar draft class. Plus, Hurts hasn’t received that “big contract” yet. He still has to prove himself to get the money that Prescott and Rodgers are currently earning. Who do you think is under the most pressure?