The NFL decision-makers have the same Dak Prescott problem that Dallas Cowboys and football fans do going into 2026
Football fans are no strangers to debating about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. It turns out he’s a difficult player to agree on even for NFL coaches, execs, and scouts.
When I go to parties, people who know what I do (close friends and not-so-close friends or even some who I have never talked to, will often bring up the Dallas Cowboys. And inevitably, they will offer some opinion.
Often, that opinion is, “the Cowboys will win when Dak Prescott is no longer their quarterback.”
Not too long ago, I immediately went into full debate mode. I threw stats their way. I explained how football is the ultimate team and not winning the Super Bowl is never just about the quarterback. I used examples—Nick Foles won it all, look at Matthew Stafford since he left Detroit, etc. Here and then, I got mad about the conversation.
But 2026 will Dak Prescott’s eleventh season in the NFL. I’ve said my piece. Now I just shrug on and move on. Often, as much as I love talking and writing about football, the Cowboys aren’t really what I want to talk about when I’m out with friends. Let alone if someone is just blindly criticizing one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
But it turns out this problem isn’t exclusive to Cowboys and football fans. It’s a problem shared by decision-makers in the NFL.
NFL coaches, execs, and scouts rank Dak Prescott
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler published his quarterback rankings made by compiling ballots from annonymous NFL coaches, execs, and scouts. Prescott ranked sixth on the league, behind Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson. That group combines for six league MVPs.
“Prescott was a fixture in the voting, appearing on nearly 75% of ballots with a healthy number of top-five votes,” Fowler wrote. “In fact, a gulf existed between him and the seventh spot on the list. This is long overdue for Prescott, who has mostly been a fringe top-10 QB on these lists.”
Though Fowler points toward a higher consensus in the NFL, that’s still over one quarter of voters not ranking him in the Top 10 despite some voters ranking him Top 5. So what makes him a quarterback so hard to agree on?
What Prescott is missing for a spot in the elite
The obvious answer is the correct answer. Lack of playoff success. With Prescott leading the charge, the Cowboys haven’t made it past the Divisional Round. That includes a couple a painful early exit against the seven seed Green Bay Packers in the 2023-2024 playoffs.
Prescott has found consistent success in the regular season, but it feels like the football world has to see him win in the biggest stages before giving him the respect he’s due.
Another aspect of it is consistent long-term success. Be it because of injuries or overall team woes, Prescott’s stat sheet has many ups and downs. It’s tough to blame it all on him, sure, but it contributes to the way people talk about him.
2026 is a unique opportunity for the Cowboys QB
In two of the last three seasons, Prescott has played at a near-MVP level. That includes second-place in voting in 2023. Now he has George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb for the second consecutive season.
Can he provide outstanding back-to-back years and playoff success this year?
As long as the defense improves one year after being the NFL’s worst, he should be in a spot to win a ticket to the playoffs. The NFC East is up for grabs as the Philadelphia Eagles navigate their struggles on offense. The range of outcomes is large for the Cowboys, but Prescott should at least have a chance to improve his standing around the league with another big year.