After an offseason with a running narrative of Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys sitting on opposite sides of a negotiating table, Prescott spoke to reporters in his first official (and virtual) press conference of the 2020 NFL season. If anyone expected him to express any degree of animosity towards the organization that placed the franchise tag on him, they would have been mistaken.
"Business is business, and once I'm in the locker room and part of what's going on now, I don't focus too much about the future," Prescott said. "It's more about today. So with that being said, I'm excited to be a Dallas Cowboy. I've been a fan of this organization. I've been a fan of this program for years. I love every bit of the opportunity and the platform that I get to be the quarterback here. I love this team. I'm excited about what we can do and accomplish this year. No frustration as far as that. Once again, I believe something will get done, and I also believe I'll be a Dallas Cowboy for the rest of my career."
Moments before Prescott's press conference started, Jerry Jones said that "sitting down and talking about money" is "part of professional sports." In Prescott's case, it was a very public part. But the quarterback claimed that he's not frustrated by the contract negotiations. He said that "business is business" and he has moved past that stage and is focused on the present rather than the future. With a revamped roster of offensive weapons, Prescott says he's excited about the team he'll be leading in 2020.
Jones had stated that the backdrop of COVID-19 and its potential economic repercussions in the coming years made it a "less than stable time to talk about generational money." Perhaps a less uncertain time exists in the future, and Prescott stated plainly, "I believe something will get done," on a long-term contract when negotiations can open back up after this season.
Despite never reaching an agreement, one point of consistency from both sides remained throughout the process: the desire for Prescott to be a Dallas Cowboy for many years to come. Stephen Jones claimed Wednesday that he was "more convinced than ever" that a deal would be worked out in the future. As far as Prescott's hopes? He didn't mince words with what he wanted out of his career.
"I grew up wanting to be a Dallas Cowboy and I have dreams of being a Dallas Cowboys until I'm done throwing a football."
