Dak Prescott excited for Dallas Cowboys changes under Mike McCarthy, possible new deal
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott began with the obvious.
“It sucks” losing long-time friend, teammate and coach Kellen Moore as the team’s offensive coordinator among the slew of staff changes instituted by head coach Mike McCarthy since the season-ending loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoffs.
But Prescott, speaking at Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Beacon of Hope Community Luncheon Tuesday at the Omni in Dallas, told reporters that the moves will be good fro the Cowboys and he is excited to work more closely with McCarthy as the new play caller.
“Change is inevitable,” Prescott said of Moore’s departure. “It happens and I’m a guy that’s excited for what’s next. I’m always optimistic. Knowing Mike’s history and calling the plays, he’s had a lot of success. So I’m excited for that. I know he’s excited to get back into it, to dive into it to be able to call the plays and and just be so engaged. So it’s a change but it’s gonna be good.”
McCarthy called plays for much of his 13 years as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, including a Super Bowl title in 2010, before being fired in 2018. He was hired by the Cowboys and 2020 and kept Moore as the offensive coordinator the past three seasons.
Prescott has two years left on the four-year, $160 million he signed in 2021. But with a cap figure of $49 million in 2023 and $52 million in 2024, vice president Stephen Jones said the team plans to looking at signing Prescott to an extension to hopefully clear some cap room to sign other players.
Jones said he wants Prescott to be with the Cowboys for another 10 years and owner Jerry Jones said the franchise will not have another quarterback for years to come.
It all fits Prescott’s lifelong dream.
“100% I’m excited to be a Dallas Cowboys,” Prescott said. “I always dreamed to be here. Now, I don;t expect to play for any other team. Just to hear the front office say they are looking forward to an extension so when that time comes, it’ll happen. It may just happen overnight. But when it happens it will be great.”
Prescott is primary focus is winning and he’s trying hard to get that done. But he believes the Cowboys are close after back-to-back 12-win seasons that ended with playoffs losses to the 49ers.
“Just having these these these back to back years 12 wins and getting to the playoffs. Something that I hadn’t been able to do in my career,” Prescott said. “It just gives us a lot to build off of...Yeah, we’re close.”
The luncheon supported Grant Halliburton Foundation’s work to provide education, resources, and support for children, teen, and young adult mental health.
And Prescott, who has been advocate of mental health since dealing with depression in 2020 and losing his brother Jace by suicide that same year, was a featured keynote speaker along with Solomon Thomas of the New York Jets.
Prescott established the Faith Fight Finish Foundation as a tribute to his mother, Peggy, who lost her battle against colon cancer in 2013. One of pillars of the foundation’s work is mental health and suicide prevention.
