PFT’s Mike Florio recently dropped his list of NFL quarterbacks on the hot seat this fall. There are the usual suspects you’d expect to see there.
There was one quarterback, however, that Florio has proclaimed not to be on the hot seat.
His reason why this is so might come as a surprise. But is Florio right?
First, the player in question is Dak Prescott.
Now let’s examine Florio’s thinking.
Too Big To Cut
Florio points to the contract Prescott signed a few hours before the 2024 season kicked off. In all fairness, Florio does hedge his bet a little by saying “He’s probably not on the hot seat.”
Florio thinks that the $60 million per year albatross around the Cowboys’ neck would “wreak havoc on the salary cap if the Cowboys were to cut or trade him.”
As Florio noted, yes, Prescott could still be traded if he waved his no-trade clause.
Another issue for Dallas is that the contract fully guarantees Prescott’s $45 million salary for 2027, just five days into the 2026 league year.
They would have to cut him well before June 1, 2026, to save any money.
As Florio points out: “They’re basically stuck — all because they waited too long to give him his second contract, and then waited too long to give him his third contract.”
He hits the nail right on the head there. The Cowboys Front Office’s constant bungling of contracts continually puts them in these kinds of binds.
While Florio seems to think that alone keeps Prescott off the hot seat in 2025, I disagree.
Set On Broil
Prescott’s seat isn’t just hot, it should be fully engulfed in flames right now.
He’s been saying he’s fully recovered from yet another leg injury and in great shape going into camp. He was fully healthy going into camp last year too.
He lasted less than eight games and was 3-5 when his season ended.
He was also on pace to have a career high in interceptions before the leg injury saved him.
As Jimmy Johnson pointed out, Prescott should have been told to prove it in his final contract year in 2024 before being handed a contract that criminally overpays him.
Cue the Dak Defenders pointing to his regular season stats. Watch them flee when you bring up his postseason record.
Hot Seat Or Not?
Prescott’s contract may have to be eaten as Dallas goes through a rebuild if he doesn’t put it all together this year and at least make the Super Bowl.
He’s the NFL’s highest paid player. That player should be leading his team to deep playoff runs annually.
Prescott has not done so.
That alone should have him firmly seated upon the hottest of hot seats among any NFL player this fall.
