Jerry Jones, Cowboys Make Decision After Dak Prescott’s Request

Kirby Lee-IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jerry Jones, Cowboys Make Decision After Dak Prescott’s Request

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Shubham Bajpai | Last updated Sep 2, 2026 11:03 AM ET

Jerry Jones, Dak Prescott and Brian Schottenheimer enter the 2026 NFL season with the goal of ending the Dallas Cowboys’ 30-year Super Bowl drought. The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, finishing the campaign with a 7-9-1 record. While Prescott, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb had the offense covered, the defense was a serious issue for the Cowboys throughout the season.

Prescott, with the support of Lamb and Pickens, helped the Cowboys score 471 points, the seventh-highest total in the NFL. While offenses win you games, stout defenses win you championships. That’s exactly what “America’s Team” lacked in 2025. The Cowboys conceded 511 points during the season, the most in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and owner Jerry Jones (right) before a game against the San Francisco 49ersKyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Jones drafted Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, with the goal of winning the Super Bowl. Jones also gave the Cowboys quarterback a massive $240 million contract extension in September 2024 that runs through 2028. While the investment in Prescott has paid off, the dream is yet to be fulfilled.

Understanding the depth of the Cowboys’ defensive issues, Prescott requested the franchise to address those issues first and not focus on his contract extension. That request has been fulfilled by Jones and the Cowboys. The Cowboys have revamped the defense by trading Micah Parsons and bringing in the likes of Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, and Von Miller.

However, this has pushed Prescott’s contract situation into the background. Cowboys Executive Vice President, Stephen Jones, addressing Prescott’s contract situation, said, “we hadn’t thought a lot about that. I think Dak’s wanted to be— if you’re going to let— if you’re going to listen to Dak, what he wanted was us to improve this defense.”

“And improve the guys on the defensive side of the ball, keep a guy like Quinnen Williams, guys like that. So certainly hadn’t been on our radar right now,” he added.

The Cowboys have made significant changes on defense and will open the 2026 regular season against the New York Giants on September 13.