In 2025, for the second time in three seasons, Dak Prescott started every game of the NFL season for the Dallas Cowboys.
It was also the second time he’d done son in the last five seasons. In 10 NFL seasons, he’s started every game in six of them.
Prior to this season, the Cowboys hadn’t finished below .500.
If you ignored the won-loss record and focused on Prescott’s numbers alone, you might have expected him to be a leading candidate for MVP.
But 7-9-1 records don’t win MVP hardware for quarterbacks in the NFL.
An Incredible Season
Prescott was 404-for-600 passing for a 67.3 completion percentage. That was his third-highest completions and highest attempts for a season.
It was his sixth-highest completion percentage.
Prescott threw for 4,552 yards in 2025. It was his second-highest only to 2019’s 4,902 yards.
His 30 touchdown passes tied for his third-highest.
Prescott threw 10 interceptions in 2025. It was the fifth time he’s reached double-digits in that category.
In six of the 17 games, Prescott threw for over 300 yards.
He only played in the first half of the season finale.
In only two of those six games did Prescott avoid throwing an interception, however.
Prescott had two four-touchdown games in 2025, both coming against the two worst defenses, the Raiders and the Jets.
In four of the games, Prescott failed to throw a touchdown. The Cowboys lost all four games.
His best game overall statistically might have come in Las Vegas.
He was 25-of-33 (75.8%) for 268 yards and the four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Overall, it might have been his best season ever. The shame of it is that the Cowboys wasted it.
The Mysterious Mr. Milton
In 2024, the New England Patriots drafted two quarterbacks, Milton and Drake Maye. By the end of that season, New England knew which of the two was its franchise quarterback.
Milton was sent to Dallas to back up Prescott.
In his lone appearance in 2024, Milton relieved Maye after the opening series of the season finale. He was 22-of-29 (75.9%) for 241 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
Not nearly enough to know what kind of a quarterback he might become.
Milton played in four games for Dallas this year, three of them in garbage time of games that were long lost.
He relieved Prescott after halftime in the season finale against the Giants. For the year, he finished 15-of-24 (62.5%) for 183 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Milton will go into the 2026 season with a huge question mark over his head.
There simply isn’t enough of a sample to draw any firm conclusions.
The QB Room In 2026
The Cowboys have their starting quarterback in Prescott. However, he’ll carry a $74 million cap hit in 2026.
That number will likely come down as Dallas will have to restructure that down to a more livable number.
They will also have to hope Prescott can repeat in 2026 what he did in 2025.
Milton will be in the third-year of a rookie contract that pays an average of $1.13 million a year. Will they ride with Milton one more year, possibly signing a journeyman veteran to push Milton for QB2?
Or will Dallas eye a quarterback in the later rounds in April and hope to develop him?
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With the amount of money, and the needs on defense, I just don’t see Dallas drafting a QB in the later rounds. Jerry will stick with Milton as a backup. Neither will they sign a veteran QB to push Milton for the first QB backup.
Meant to say “with the amount of money tied to Dak”……
Interesting how when QB1 has a “bad” game or season, some will say “well it’s a team sport”. But when he has a “good/great” season, but the overall results were not good, well then, the “Cowboys wasted it”.
This year it’s the defense. In the other nine years, it’s whatever excuses that could be inserted to defend the highest paid player in the NFL.
But remember, it’s NEVER EVER QB1.
2 in 10
I don’t think anyone is defending Dak. Especially when he’s playing bad. Two truths:
1: There are ONLY a handful of Bradys, Elways, Mahomes and Montanas. QB’s that can carry a team.
2: Dak is a top 10 QB in this league.
I’d like to see how Dak performs with a Andy Reid calling plays or a defense coached by Brian Flores for example.
This team IS wasting Dak, just like they wasted Romo. They never gave them enough (coaching or playcalling) to get over the hump despite good-to-great play. IMO
#facts
What a waste. I can’t think of a QB that has been let down more than Dak. Especially in the playoffs. I also think he was wasted during the McCarty years as well…
I agree that Backup-QB is a sneaky need for this team going into next season. Milton will need to get a lot of PT to keep developing or they need to look elsewhere.