Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Dak Prescott

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Dak Prescott made an impact.

Rayne Dakota "Dak" Prescott is the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He played college football at Mississippi State, earning All-SEC honors twice. Drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, Prescott has achieved notable success. He currently ranks among the top ten quarterbacks in NFL history for both completion percentage and regular season career passer rating.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1952: Tied School Record

In 2015, during the game against Kentucky, Dak Prescott tied the school record set by Jackie Parker in 1952 of six touchdowns in a single contest.

1966: Longest Pass

In 1966, Don Meredith and Bob Hayes recorded a 95-yard pass, the longest in franchise history, surpassing Prescott's pass to CeeDee Lamb in 2023 which was for 92 yards.

1966: Don Meredith's Touchdown Passes

In 1966, Don Meredith set a precedent as the Dallas quarterback to compile seven touchdown passes in the first two regular season games.

October 5, 1969: Morton's Perfect Passer Rating

Dak Prescott's performance in the season-opening game against the New York Giants gave him a perfect passer rating, the first Dallas quarterback to achieve the feat since Craig Morton on October 5, 1969.

1989: Joined Troy Aikman

In 2017, after his spectacular rookie season, Prescott was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, becoming the second Cowboys quarterback to receive this award, joining Troy Aikman in 1989.

2001: First Rookie Quarterback Since 2001

Dak Prescott's first regular-season start was on September 11th and he became the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Cowboys since Quincy Carter in 2001.

2004: Ben Roethlisberger's Record

In 2004, Ben Roethlisberger won 13 games as a starter, a rookie record which was tied by Dak Prescott in 2016.

2009: Cowboys Last Quarterback Selection

In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys selected Dak Prescott in the fourth round (135th overall) of the NFL draft, making him the first quarterback selected by the Cowboys since the 2009 NFL draft.

2010: District 1-AAAA Champions

In 2010, as a senior at Haughton High School, Dak Prescott led the Buccaneers to become 2010 District 1-AAAA Champions, completing 159 of 258 passes for 2,860 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also rushed for 951 yards on 90 attempts with 17 touchdowns.

2011: Redshirted at Mississippi State

In 2011, Dak Prescott was redshirted as a true freshman with Mississippi State.

2012: Backup Quarterback

In 2012, Dak Prescott played in 12 games as a backup to Tyler Russell, completing 18 of 29 passes for 194 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

2012: Previous Rookie Records

In 2012, Russell Wilson set a rookie record of nine games with an over 100 NFL passer rating, a record which was then broken by Dak Prescott in 2016. Also, Robert Griffin III set the NFL passer rating of 102.4 in 2012, a record later broken by Dak Prescott in 2016.

2013: Became Starting Quarterback and Liberty Bowl MVP

In 2013, Dak Prescott took over as the starting quarterback for Mississippi State and was named MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl after leading the Bulldogs to a 44–7 win over the Rice Owls.

2014: Record-Breaking Season at Mississippi State

In 2014, Dak Prescott led the Bulldogs to a 10–2 regular season record, their first #1 ranking, and broke 10 school records, including single-season passing yards (3,449) and total touchdowns (41).

2015: Continued Success at Mississippi State

In 2015, Dak Prescott continued his success at Mississippi State, becoming the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and rush for 40 touchdowns in a career and earned several national awards.

2016: Named Cowboys Starter

In 2016, Dak Prescott was named the Cowboys starter after Tony Romo suffered an injury during a preseason game.

2016: Drafted by Dallas Cowboys

In 2016, Dak Prescott was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

2016: Successful Rookie Season

In 2016, as a rookie, Dak Prescott started all 16 games with 3,667 passing yards, 282 rushing yards, 29 total touchdowns, and only four interceptions, leading to a 13-3 record for the Cowboys.

2016: Record-Breaking Rookie Season

In his 2016 rookie season, Dak Prescott set a record by achieving an NFL passer rating over 100 in 11 games and tied Ben Roethlisberger's 2004 rookie record of winning 13 games as a starter.

2017: Awarded the 2017 NCAA Today's Top 10 Award

In 2015, Dak Prescott won the Senior CLASS Award as well as being awarded the 2017 NCAA Today's Top 10 Award.

2017: Pro Bowl Selection and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

In 2017, after his spectacular rookie season, Dak Prescott was selected to the Pro Bowl and named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

2018: Second NFC East Title

In 2018, Dak Prescott helped the Dallas Cowboys win the NFC East for the second time in three years, finishing the season with a 10-6 record.

2019: NFC Offensive Player of the Week

In 2019, Dak Prescott was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time after a stellar performance against the Detroit Lions, where he achieved 444 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns in a 35-27 victory.

March 16, 2020: Cowboys Place Franchise Tag on Prescott

On March 16, 2020, the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Dak Prescott, setting his worth at $31.4 million for the 2020 season.

June 22, 2020: Prescott Signs Franchise Tender

On June 22, 2020, Dak Prescott signed the franchise tender offered by the Cowboys, committing him to the team for the 2020 season under the terms of the franchise tag.

October 19, 2020: Prescott Placed on Injured Reserve

On October 19, 2020, Dak Prescott was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle suffered in Week 5.

2020: NFL Top 100 Players of 2020

In 2020, Dak Prescott's performance in the previous season led to him being ranked 46th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

March 9, 2021: Prescott Receives Second Franchise Tag

On March 9, 2021, the Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on Dak Prescott for the second consecutive season.

June 2021: Prescott Signs with Jordan

In June 2021, Dak Prescott ended his deal with Adidas and signed a five-year endorsement deal with Jordan.

2022: Won Walter Payton Man of the Year

In 2022, Dak Prescott won the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

2023: NFL MVP Finalist

In 2023, Dak Prescott concluded the regular season with notable statistics, including a 69.5% completion rate, 4,516 passing yards, and a league-leading 36 passing touchdowns, earning him a nomination for NFL MVP. Ultimately, he finished second in the voting, trailing behind Lamar Jackson.

2023: Lamar Jackson's Contract

In 2023, Lamar Jackson's contract with the Baltimore Ravens surpassed Dak Prescott's signing bonus record.

September 8, 2024: Four-Year Contract Extension

On September 8, 2024, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension valued at $240 million. This deal includes $231 million in guarantees and an $80 million signing bonus, making Prescott the highest-paid player in the NFL with an average annual value of $60 million.