2025 Stat Challenges Narrative Surrounding Cowboys' Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott signals towards the sideline following a play against the Los Angeles Chargers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025 Stat Challenges Narrative Surrounding Cowboys' Dak Prescott

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jul 2, 2026 10:30 AM ET

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Dak Prescott has become one of the most polarizing players in the entire NFL. The Dallas Cowboys star quarterback is often the one who takes the blame when the team fails. Even if he leads an elite offense, and the defense can't stop a nosebleed, somehow it's Prescott who gets called the choke artist.

That comes with a territory when quarterbacking the most visible team in all of sports. Prescott understands this, but it doesn't mean that the criticism is fair. It's also often based in opinion rather than fact.

Mark Chichester of PFF is the latest to prove that the Prescott slander has absolutely no fact behind it. Chichester looked at the most clutch quarterbacks from the 2025 season, and said that Dak edged out Matthew Stafford for the number one spot. He also said clutch play from Dak is the norm, despite the outside narrative.

"Prescott earned an 87.8 passing grade in clutch situations in 2025, the second-highest mark of his career and nearly 10 grading points better than his previous best (78.3 in 2021). The Cowboys quarterback recorded nine big-time throws against just four turnover-worthy plays while averaging 8.1 yards per attempt. More importantly, he consistently stacked positive plays, earning a positive grade on 31.2% of his snaps, the fifth-highest rate among 43 qualifiers," Chichester wrote.

"Prescott has now cleared a 70.0 grade in clutch situations in six of his 10 qualifying seasons, giving him a stronger long-term track record in these situations than his public reputation often suggests."

Dak Prescott has exceeded all expectations

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 10 years as a starter, Prescott has led the Cowboys to a record of 83-55-1. He was a fourth -round pick in 2016, who was labeled a developmental prospect. Instead of being a player who took time to learn the nuances of the NFL game, Prescott was thrust into a starting role as a rookie. He led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record and took the job from Tony Romo.

Despite all of his success, the national narrative around Prescott is that he somebody who has never lived up to expectations. That's pretty comical, considering the fact that he was never supposed to be a sure -fire starter in the NFL.

That said, the only way Prescott is ever truly going to change the narrative is if he takes the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and wins it all. They haven't been able to do that since the 1995 season, which is proof that the issues with the team are well beyond Prescott's control.

Sadly, if Prescott is unable to overcome all the drama that surrounds this franchise, he will never get the credit he truly deserves. Even though he ends every season with stats that compare favorably to players such as Matthew Stafford, Lamar Jackson, and even Patrick Mahomes, he will continue to be unfavorably labeled as somebody who couldn't handle the spotlight.