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Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Faces Mounting Challenge After Announcing Retirement Timeline

Originally posted on EssentiallySports
By Pritish Ganguly | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 5:04 AM ET

After battling through an injury-plagued season last year, the Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott finally seems to be in his true element. Well, the current season may still be too young to predict the MVP, but in the past five weeks, Prescott has been right there among the top-3 contenders. On Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the chants rolled in — “M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!” And honestly, it felt deserved. Ten years in, and somehow, he’s never looked more in control. So, is this finally the year when Dak breaks through and claims that elusive crown?

On a team with arguably the NFL’s weakest defense, Prescott’s brilliance is perhaps one of the reasons Dallas has two wins and even managed to tie the Packers. Yet that’s also what hurts his MVP talk.

“The award usually goes to a player on one of the league’s top teams,” Cowboys insider Jon Machota pointed out. “At the very least, the Cowboys would have to make the playoffs for Prescott to have any chance at the award. As currently constructed, Dallas looks more like a middle-of-the-pack group than one that will be playing meaningful games in January.” Still, Prescott is locked in.

Through five games, he ranks second in passing yards with 1,356 and tied for third with 10 touchdowns — all while tossing just three interceptions. He’s sitting third in QBR at 76.5 and completing a smooth 71.3 percent of his throws. Numbers like that don’t lie. So while Machota stays cautious, not everyone’s holding back.

SI.com’s Gilbert Manzano thinks Prescott’s already near the front of the MVP pack. “Prescott didn’t have to learn a new offense, and not having that transition period has allowed the Cowboys to flourish into one of the best offenses in the league,” he wrote. But Dak? He’s staying grounded, at least for now.

After the Jets game, when asked about the MVP chants, Prescott said, “My ears work.” Then came the follow-up that showed his mindset: “It’s Week 5. I don’t care if it’s Week 17.” That’s vintage Dak: confident, composed, and focused on the long haul. Yet there’s one more thing stirring talk around The Star: the quarterback’s own hint about when he plans to call it a career.

Dak Prescott wants to play into his 40s

Dak Prescott, 32 and in his 10th season with America’s Team, has a plan regarding his retirement. “Forties would be a good number,” Prescott said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “Obviously, I’ve been through some injuries; played very physical in college, so if I can get to 40 playing at the standard that I want, yeah, that would be awesome.” However, the road won’t be easy.

For context, Cowboys legends like Troy Aikman and Tony Romo both called it a career at 34 and 37, respectively, after their own injury battles. Even Roger Staubach only made it to 37. Prescott, signed through 2028 when he’ll be 35, has missed 26 games in five seasons. Yet, quarterbacks today are lasting longer. Just look at Aaron Rodgers at 42 or Joe Flacco still spinning it at 40.

Prescott knows that longevity takes passion. ” [My perspective] has definitely changed,” he admitted. “I can see it more realistically now. Just as much as anything, the fun and the peace this game still gives me 10 years in is going to be hard [to replace]. You can’t supplement it. As long as I can do this at a level that I’m proud and happy with, I’ll keep trying.” However, he did impress everyone.

And he’s got records to chase before he hangs it up. He’s only 150 passing yards away from surpassing Aikman (32,942) for second all-time in Cowboys history. One more win breaks his tie with Romo, giving him 79 career victories — trailing only Aikman (94) and Staubach (85). He’s already the all-time leader in completions (2,919) and ranks second in both attempts (4,354) and touchdown passes (223). So, let’s see how many records Dak can crush before he finally hangs his cleats.

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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