Cowboys’ Stephen Jones: Dak Prescott ‘can lead us’ to a Super Bowl

Even though the Dallas Cowboys have yet to make a long-term commitment to Dak Prescott, they still maintain the belief that he can quarterback them to a Super Bowl title.

In fact, the Cowboys insist that they’re close to getting that sixth Lombardi Trophy that’s eluded them for nearly three decades. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones reiterated both sentiments about Prescott and the team’s contender status in an interview with Mad Dog Sports Radio.

“Absolutely. I mean, I totally think Dak can lead us to a championship,” Jones said. “He does everything the right way. He’s certainly the leader of this football team. He keeps everybody motivated in the offseason. He’s got everybody working out and doing all the things that it takes to put in the work to give yourself every opportunity to win a championship. It just so happens that sometimes, you know, that old oblong football doesn’t bounce your way. And we’ve had some tough breaks and tough games there in the postseason.

“But, you know, we’ve won 12 games three years in a row. I think that’s right at the top in terms of what teams have done over a three-year period. And, you know, we’re hanging around the rim. We’ve just gotta go up there and grab it, to use a basketball term, and dunk it in. We’re hanging around the rim. We just gotta get the job done.”

Prescott has quarterbacked the Cowboys to one of their better stretches since their last Super Bowl win in 1995. They’ve made the playoffs in five of the eight seasons Prescott has been in Dallas (including 2020, when his season ended early due to a gruesome ankle injury). As Jones mentioned, they’ve also made the postseason in each of the last three years, winning the NFC East twice with 12 wins each year.

But the ending to each season has been too similar for Prescott and the Cowboys. After a pair of Divisional Round losses in Prescott’s first three years, Dallas has struggled again to get past that round in the last three seasons. The Cowboys fell to the San Francisco 49ers in back-to-back years, losing in the Wild Card Round in 2021 and the Divisional Round in 2022.

Prescott had a career year in 2023, throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 105.9 passer rating. But even after they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC, the Cowboys fell short again of their ultimate goal. They decisively lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, becoming the first team to lose to a No. 7 seed in the NFL playoffs.

Cowboys face contract mess with Dak, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons

That has led to uncertainty about Prescott’s future in Dallas. He’s entering the last year of his four-year deal, potentially making him a rare lame-duck as an established starting quarterback. Prescott has stated a desire to get a deal done, which Jones said is a “priority.” However, he added that deals for franchise quarterbacks “just take time.”

Prescott is the only notable figure in Dallas whose future is uncertain beyond 2024. Head coach Mike McCarthy was kept on as head coach following the playoff loss, but the Cowboys didn’t give him an extension as he also enters the final year of his contract.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has insisted the team is “all-in” for 2024. If that’s the case, Prescott might have one last shot to prove he’s still the right quarterback in Dallas.