America’s Team, baby!
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys flamed out in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs in an embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers, but head coach Mike McCarthy somehow kept his job. Well, not “somehow.” He does have three straight 12-win seasons. It’s just that, when you’re the Cowboys and you haven’t gone to an NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, patience is as thin as can be.
Unfortunately, the brother of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, Tad, is on the receiving end of many fans projecting their anger and trauma onto him. It’s gotten so bad that Tad wants Dak to get out of town and seek a greener-pastures fresh start.
Not to say that Dak leaving Dallas would solve anything for either party, but both parties have officially reached a crossroads. Does Dak really want to hitch his wagon to McCarthy, or better yet, another new head coach if and when McCarthy’s contract isn’t renewed after the 2024 season? And does Jerry Jones really want to pay Dak top-five QB money? He’s due to be a free agent next offseason. I’m sure Jerry wants to pay Dak, because he loves him almost like a son. Tad even speaks of how well the team and organization have treated his bro.
It’s highly likely that Dak will get paid this offseason because of how wonky his current contract structure is with two void years and what have you. It behooves Dallas to rework the deal anyway, since they’re almost $20 million in the red in salary cap space as things stand now.
Talk about a pressure cooker, man. Tad has had it up to here with the DMs.
I can’t imagine being in the frame of mind to message a family member of my team’s starting QB and vent about his struggles. Who does that benefit? What does that accomplish? Who is that a good look for? It’s just peak idiocy.
Anyway, it’s not an easy situation any way you slice it in Dallas. Dak has a no-trade clause and a clause that prevents him from being franchise tagged. As an objective non-fan of the team, I’d love to see some new blood under center for the Cowboys and watch Dak play for somebody else. The reality is, Jerry Jones is loyal to a fault, and the contract structure almost forces Dak to stay put. Kind of a bummer all the way around.
Look like Tad won’t get his wish to see his sib in a different uniform, at least for the time being. One more disappointing postseason exit, and we might be having a different conversation a year from now.
Oh yeah, just happened to stumble upon this: Had no idea CeeDee Lamb’s mom was out here calling for Dak’s head!
You can’t exactly say the Cowboys are a bad football operation if they’re winning double-digit games with regularity and continue on as the most highly valued professional sports franchise. IDK though. Weird vibes. Still somehow sort of toxic. The fans evidently expect more. There’s no easy path to upgrade over Dak in the next couple seasons, yet it seems like with him, the team has a clear ceiling.
I don’t envy the people in that front office who have to figure this mess out. Rough out here.
