Inside The Star
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is heading into his tenth and most important NFL season. The 31-year-old is set to break franchise records, return from a brutal hamstring injury, and start playing with the third head coach of his career.
That is quite a bit to carry on its own, but when you factor in an increasingly tight Super Bowl window and newfound pressure from an improved supporting cast, things get real tense.
We will be faced with some very uncomfortable conversations if Prescott fails to deliver a strong 2025 campaign.
There is no question that the former MVP runner-up has the talent; this season, and the question marks around it, solely rely on whether he can come through in a few key areas.
So, let’s take a quick look at the three keys to success that will determine a critical year for the face of the franchise.
Over the last five seasons, Dak Prescott has played every regular-season game just once. That was in 2023, when he eclipsed career highs in nearly every statistical category.
Outside of that year, we’ve seen the ankle break in 2020, that nagging shoulder strain in 2021, the hand fracture in 2022, and the 2024 season-ending hamstring tear.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1858661862570668115
The list of injuries at this point has simply gotten too long.
For Prescott to have the kind of season the Cowboys need, he absolutely must stay healthy. We’ve seen how poorly backup quarterback-led years tend to go.
It’s easier said than done; you can’t entirely prevent an injury, but the fact is, you can’t continue to be relied on so heavily if you can’t stay on the field. This will be a huge year for the health of Prescott.
The Dallas Cowboys are at their best when Dak Prescott is delivering the ball to a slew of weapons. In 2024, that wasn’t all that possible due to the weakness of his supporting cast, but that tide has turned heading into this season.
George Pickens’ arrival has given Prescott his strongest WR2 in years, and he’s paired with a top-three wide receiver in the league.
Not to mention, Jake Ferguson still has Pro Bowl potential.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had a solid day in the final full-speed mandatory minicamp practice.
He went 9-for-12 in the team period and led a 70-yard TD drive during a 2-minute drill on 6-for-8 passing.
Highlight of the day came on a 22-yard seam route TD to TE Jake Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/nWA62cyD7w
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) June 11, 2025
CeeDee Lamb is fantastic, of course, but a major key to Prescott’s success will be his ability to get everybody involved. The entire offense opens up when he does that.
Lamb, Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Ferguson; all of these guys should be seeing the ball and opening up opportunities for one another. If that happens, you’re going...
