Dak Prescott Inks Long-Term Deal with Cowboys

He had to wait more than two years for it, but Dak Prescott finally has a new long-term deal with the Dallas Cowboys. The quarterback inked a four-year, $160 million deal with a record $126 million guaranteed, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Prescott’s $66 million signing bonus and $75 million in year one are the highest in NFL history.

DAK IS BACK
The #DallasCowboys have agreed to terms on new contract

Breaking News | @lgus → https://t.co/iv619g694Y pic.twitter.com/6KDiLvbo0s

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) March 9, 2021

Prescott’s rookie contract expired in 2019, a year where he showed his worth to the Cowboys organization. He threw for 4,902 yards, a yard short of the franchise record set by Tony Romo, and 30 touchdowns.

Negotiations

Despite Prescott’s success, he and the Cowboys were at a stalemate, unable to negotiate for a long-term deal. Prescott was eventually franchise tagged in 2020.

This was a disappointment for the Prescott camp and agent Todd France, who were hoping to get a deal done before the July 15 deadline. But in his first press conference after returning to camp, he emphasized his commitment to the Cowboys organization and to getting a long-term deal.

“I believe something will get done, and I believe I’ll be a Dallas Cowboy for the rest of my career,” he said.

The quarterback’s situation would become increasingly unclear as he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in week 5 of 2020. A unique season due to the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help, with salary cap numbers for 2021 up in the air. Prescott would undergo ankle surgery in October of 2020 and a second surgery in February to further strengthen his ankle.

In Prescott’s absence, the Dallas Cowboys struggled, going 4-7 to finish the season 3rd in a weak NFC East division. Andy Dalton, who came to the Cowboys on a one-year deal in 2020, was a serviceable starting replacement, but Prescott’s impact on the team was undeniable. Prior to his injury, Prescott had averaged 321.8 passing yards per game since the start of the 2019 season, leading all NFL quarterbacks.

Reactions

Tad Prescott, Dak’s brother, shared a photo of the two of them after Prescott received the call that a long-term deal had been reached. Cowboys teammates and other NFL stars tweeted their support for the quarterback as well. Prescott himself has yet to make a comment.

https://twitter.com/86Prescott/status/1369073961607249926?s=20

https://twitter.com/TankLawrence/status/1369074211357028352?s=20

It’s always earned.. nobody just giving out free money lol.. Congrats @dak https://t.co/5d6DIXz9Hn

— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) March 9, 2021