"Win That Last Game" Is Dak Prescott's Obsession, And It's Still Haunting the Cowboys

Whoa, hold up! As we're just getting this NFL season rolling, a veteran like Dak Prescott is already laying it all out there, and what he said this week is a straight-up gut punch. The man came right out and admitted, "If you play this position, I've said it before, how you’re judged is winning that last game." Talk about putting all your cards on the table early in the year! He even said if you don't win that final game, "you’re warranted to get the criticism" because you simply "not won that game." For any QB in this league, especially one with his tenure, that's a heavy, heavy statement right out of the gate.

The Ring That Still Glitters Elsewhere

Prescott knows the score, and honestly, we all do too. He and Tony Romo, they own all of the major passing records for the Cowboys. Prescott is even just six touchdown passes away from blowing past Romo's team record of 248. Incredible stuff, right? But here’s the cold, hard fact from the source: neither of them have a Super Bowl ring. Romo finished his postseason career 2-4. Prescott, still playing, sits at 2-5. That's a tough look, and it clearly weighs on him. For us in the Emerald City, we know what it's like to chase that ultimate prize. The Cowboys haven't even sniffed an NFC Championship Game since way back in 1995. That's the longest drought in the entire conference. It’s why guys like Prescott and Romo, for all their records, just aren't put in the same class as the legends like Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. The pressure is on, big time, and Prescott’s words tell you he feels every ounce of it as he kicks off his 11th season.

An Obsession That Drives Everything

You might think Prescott is alone in this championship pursuit, but he's not. Pro Bowl quarterbacks like Buffalo's Josh Allen, Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow are also without a championship ring. But here’s where Prescott stands out: he’s actually played longer than all of them. Burrow has at least played in a Super Bowl, and Allen and Jackson have both reached conference championship games. Prescott's journey from a fourth-round pick to the highest-paid player in NFL history, with a deal running through 2028, has been wild. It feels like "yesterday at times," he says, yet watching old game clips makes him realize "it feels like a long time ago." This man is driven, calling winning that last game an "obsession." He believes if you're not wired that way, "you should probably find a different job and a different position." That's the fire you want from your leader. For Prescott, it’s all about "making sure that you give everything that you can to this team and give them the chance to do it."

As the season unfolds, every snap will be seen through that lens for Dak Prescott. He's the longest-tenured player on that team, and he's made it clear what defines success in his mind. The stakes for his legacy are sky-high right now. What will this renewed "obsession" mean for the Cowboys' early performance, and for his season ahead?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.