OXNARD, Calif. – Dak Prescott heard more than 7,000 Cowboys fans sing him "Happy Birthday" during Saturday's training camp practice.
Among them in attendance: his father, Nathaniel Prescott, a lifelong Cowboys fan who grew up in Louisiana, Saints country.
Nathaniel surprised Dak here in Oxnard for his 24th birthday. He recently moved to Dallas from Austin, Texas, where he worked as a city bus driver.
He has remained in Dak's life since he and Dak's late mother, Peggy, divorced when Dak was young.
Needless to say, Nathaniel is proud of his son's accomplishments on the field. He's most proud of Dak's character off the field.
"He hasn't changed. He's still Dak," Nathaniel said. "I texted him last year before every game and my text simply said, 'Be Dak.' If I get Dak, then I know what I've got. And I simply got a response back that said, 'Pops, I don't know how to be anything else.' I'm thankful to God that he's stayed grounded."
Nathaniel comes from a football background. He said he played outside linebacker and defensive end at Grambling until injuries to both his knees ended his football career.
He knew the pains that come with playing the game, but as his sons grew up, "football was just in them," he said. "It wasn't going to be denied."
Dak's older brothers, Tad and Jace, starred at Haughton High School in Louisiana. Jace played college ball at Northwestern State.
Dak initially wanted to play defense, too, "but he was too good" at quarterback, Nathaniel said.
It's turned out pretty well for the Cowboys.
