OXNARD, California -- Many things have changed for the Dallas Cowboys in the eight years since three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott (135th overall pick in the fourth round) and three-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott (fourth overall pick) became the team's starting backfield as rookies 2016.
For one, Prescott, 31, is now a dad after he and his girlfriend had their daughter, MJ, back in February.
"I look forward to it," Prescottsaid of fatherhood on Friday. "Obviously, I talk about being present and how present I am in anything I do. When I'm on the field and I'm locked in, that's where all my focus and energy goes. But the moment that whistle blows, that horn goes off and I get to see my family ... it's not a moment that I take for granted. I'm super blessed."
Zeke says it's made Prescott "even more of a leader."
"We've all matured with age and grown to be more mature. Just taken more steps as a leader, which is kind of crazy to say that [since] he came into this thing with such unbelievable leadership skills," Elliott said of Prescott on Tuesday.
Perhaps Prescott's leadership growth following the birth of his child has something to do with the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up tapping into his softer side more often off the field.
"Definitely fun to see the softer side of him," Elliott said. "I think that's probably the biggest thing. Great to see a little MJ out here and, she's so cute. I am the uncle. She's only like five months, so she's not talking yet, but that would be awesome if her first words were Zeke. I doubt it."
MJ's first year of life could coincide with her father and uncle's final year as Dallas Cowboys with both entering the last season of their current contracts in 2024. Almost every quarterback who was up for a major contract extension this offseason -- Packers QB Jordan Love, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, Lions QB Jared Goff, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa -- got paid. Except for Prescott, the 2023 NFL leader in touchdown passes with 36. That has led to Prescott publicly contemplating life on another team since he mentioned many of the great quarterbacks he has watched finished up in different places than their original NFL home.
That uncertainty, which would make many people uncomfortable, could be the reason Prescott's game lifts to even higher heights in 2024, according to Elliott.
"I think a guy like Dak who's been through so much adversity in his life [seeing his mother and his mother pass at early ages] and every time step up to the plate and answer the call," Elliott said Tuesday. "So I don't think it will affect him at all. He's just such a strong person mentally. I don't think it will affect him. I think honestly, it might bring the best out of him, which I know that's going to give us his best anyway. But you get what I'm saying."
Prescott expressed an air of calm the last time he spoke about his contract negotiations. It probably helps that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has been unvarnished in his desire to eventually re-sign his quarterback, saying,"We want Dak Prescott, that's that" days prior to the 2024 NFL Draft at the end of April.
"I'm not worried about the talk," Prescott said on Friday. "I've got a great team, and I'm confident in getting something done. Confident in the front office here, and I don't really think about it to be honest with you. As I said the first day, I'm under contract right now, so all I need to do is be the best that I can be for my job and this year. Whatever happens whether it's in a couple weeks, who knows when it is if it does happen, it will happen. I'm not worried about that. I have people that are handling that with the front office, and I have a lot of confidence in them."
Elliott may be on to something in terms of the uncertainty potentially lifting his quarterback to higher levels of production given Prescott was able to acknowledge he needed a better work-life balance as he ages into his thirties. That type of balance can energize a person, particularly someone working in the maniacal manner required to achieve high level quarterback play in the NFL.
"Going from being so locked in to forgetting about football so fast is something that I've never done," Prescott said when talking about being both an NFL starting quarterback and a new dad. "That is the balance that I need. … Nine years into this thing, getting to do what I love, but just being able to add that component to it makes it all worth it. And I feel younger than I ever have, to be honest."
Coming off the most efficient season of his eight-year career in 2023 with a career high in passer rating (105.9) and becoming the first Cowboys quarterback to lead the NFL outright in passing touchdowns (36), there's validity to Prescott's sentiment of feeling younger than ever being more than just a training camp trope.
| Prescott (2023 season) | NFL QB RANK | |
|---|---|---|
Completion Pct. | 69.5% | 2nd |
| Pass Yards | 4,516 | 3rd |
Pass Yards per att. | 7.7 | 6th |
Pass TD | 36 | 1st* |
TD-INT | 36-9 | 2nd |
Passer Rating | 105.9 | 2nd |
| Expected Points Added/Play | 0.18 | 2nd |
* First in Cowboys history to be outrightNFLpass TD leader in a season
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy raved about Prescott's production at the end of Dallas' spring offseason program in June, declaring his QB was having"his best offseason program that we've had" together. McCarthy feels just as strongly three weeks into training camp.
"That's what I really appreciate about him: He's always working on his game," McCarthy said. "You can break it down in the pocket and out of the pocket. Look at his footwork, the adjustments from the system before to now and some of the new footwork. … I look at his flexibility, his shoulders and elbows. I think his (personal physical therapist, Luke Miller) does a phenomenal job there with flexibility. You can see the different arm slot throws that he does on a daily basis. I've seen some improvement there [compared] to 2020."
The only flaw McCarthy, who called offensive plays for Prescott for the first time in four seasons together in 2023, sees in his quarterback is one that many coaches may dream about: A ravenous work ethic.
"The understanding of the offense, he's just going to keep getting better," McCarthy said. … "Love him in the classroom. He's a sponge. Can't get enough. Frankly, if he does anything wrong, he probably does a little bit too much away from here, because he's always working on his game. He's a guy that's always looking to improve, and you're seeing it."
"That's who I am," Prescott said. "It's a fine line that I'm always toeing, but I've got to push it to feel like I'm getting better and making myself better, so that's just pushing that limit, and it's the risk versus reward. Obviously, I've got a great, great guy in (Miller) and just being able to help me balance that understanding where we are and where we're trying to get to, what days that we can push it and other days that we can back off. It's something that I'm sure that I will toe until I hang up the cleats. And that's because that's the only way I know to get better."
That type of mindset could lead to Prescott retaining the position of Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback throughout his daughter MJ's childhood following another big year in 2024.
