Inside The Star
Every NFL offseason brings its fair share of debates, controversies, and hot takes. But few players find themselves more heavily scrutinized than Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Despite consistently putting up strong numbers and leading his team to multiple playoff appearances, the narrative surrounding Prescott continues to evolve in a contradictory and, frankly, unfair way.
This offseason, many analysts and fans have repeated the same talking points:
Yet somehow, those same critics also claim that Dak Prescott has no excuse to reach the NFC Championship game in 2025—and if he doesn’t, the franchise should move on.
Make it make sense.
This article examines the flawed logic behind this argument, the current state of the Cowboys’ roster, and why the “Dak Prescott tax” is a very real phenomenon.
Critics love to question whether Dak Prescott is a “top 10 quarterback“, but the stats say otherwise.
In 2023, Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes and finished with a 105.9 passer rating. He has multiple 4,000+ yard seasons and consistently ranks among the league’s best in QBR, completion percentage, and efficiency.
While he’s not Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, he’s statistically better than a large chunk of starters across the league, and that includes quarterbacks with far better supporting casts.
So why the skepticism?
Because he wears the star.
Despite CeeDee Lamb signing a massive extension in 2024 and George Pickens entering 2025 as the projected WR2, many analysts refuse to consider them a top-10 duo. That’s debatable at best.
Lamb is a legitimate WR1 and a top-5 hideout in the league.
Pickens is a big-play threat with elite ball-tracking skills who gives the Cowboys the vertical stretch they missed in recent seasons. Add in Jalen Tolbert as a developing WR3, and this group is far from average.
The lack of recognition has less to do with production and more to do with perception.
It’s true that the Cowboys no longer have a dominant bell-cow back. Gone are the days of Ezekiel Elliott dominating touches. In 2025, the backfield consists of:
No, this isn’t a top-5 RB unit, but it’s functional and deeper than many realize. Offensive success depends more on scheme and execution than just one superstar RB in today’s NFL.
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