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. After a successful college football career at Mississippi State, where he earned All-SEC honors twice, he was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He is notable for ranking high in completion percentage and passer rating among NFL quarterbacks.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1952: Ties School Record set by Jackie Parker

In 2015, Dak Prescott tied the school record for touchdowns in a single contest, matching the record set by Jackie Parker in 1952.

1966: First Dallas QB to Compile Seven Touchdown Passes

In 1966, Dak Prescott became the first Dallas quarterback since Don Meredith to compile seven touchdown passes in the first two regular-season games.

October 5, 1969: Perfect Passer Rating since Craig Morton

In a game in 2019, Dak Prescott became the first Dallas quarterback since Craig Morton on October 5, 1969, to achieve a perfect passer rating.

1989: Joins Troy Aikman as Cowboys Quarterbacks to Receive PFWA All-Rookie Team Award

In 2017, Dak Prescott became the second Cowboys quarterback to receive the PFWA All-Rookie Team award, joining Troy Aikman, who received the award in 1989.

2001: First Rookie Starter Since Quincy Carter

On September 11, 2016, Dak Prescott became the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Cowboys since Quincy Carter in 2001, marking his first regular-season start against the New York Giants.

2009: Cowboys' Last Quarterback Draft

In 2016, Dak Prescott became the first quarterback drafted by the Dallas Cowboys since the 2009 NFL draft.

2010: Haughton High School District Champions

In 2010, Dak Prescott led Haughton High School to become District 1-AAAA Champions, completing 159 of 258 passes for 2,860 yards and 39 touchdowns, and rushing for 951 yards with 17 touchdowns.

2011: Redshirted at Mississippi State

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

2012: Backup Quarterback at Mississippi State

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, also scoring four rushing touchdowns.

November 2013: Death of Dak Prescott's Mother

In November 2013, Dak Prescott's mother, Peggy Prescott, passed away due to colon cancer. In her honor, Dak established The Faith Fight Finish Foundation to help people deal with adversity.

2013: Named MVP of the Liberty Bowl

In 2013, Dak Prescott became the starting quarterback for Mississippi State after Tyler Russell's injury, leading the team to a 44-7 win over the Rice Owls in the Liberty Bowl, where he was named MVP. His performance included 1,940 passing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, and a spot on the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2014: Record-Breaking Season and Accolades

In 2014, Dak Prescott broke 10 school records, including single season passing yards (3,449), total yards of total offense (4,435), passing touchdowns (27), and total touchdowns (41), led the Bulldogs to a 10–2 regular season record and multiple awards such as Manning Award Player of the Week, SEC Offensive Player of the Week, Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com, and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, and the Manning Award.

2015: Breaks Records and Earns Awards

In 2015, Dak Prescott achieved milestones including becoming the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and rush for 40 touchdowns in a career and setting a school single-game record and tied the SEC single-game record for touchdowns responsible. He was named the AutoNation National Offensive Player of the Week and won the Senior CLASS Award.

2016: Prescott Sets Multiple Rookie Records

In 2016, Dak Prescott finished his rookie regular season with a record of 11 games with an over 100 NFL passer rating, tied Ben Roethlisberger's record of winning 13 games as a starter, broke Robert Griffin III's passer rating record and interception to attempts record, and also set a rookie record with an 88.9% completion percentage in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2016: Named Cowboys Starter

In 2016, Dak Prescott was named the Cowboys starter for the beginning of the season after Tony Romo suffered an injury.

2016: Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys

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

2016: Rookie Season Statistics

In 2016, as a rookie, Dak Prescott started all 16 games, achieving 3,667 passing yards, 282 rushing yards, 29 total touchdowns, and only four interceptions, with a 67.8% completion percentage, ranking fourth among NFL quarterbacks.

2017: Selected to the Pro Bowl and Named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

In 2017, following his rookie season, Dak Prescott was selected to the Pro Bowl and named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, receiving 28 of 50 votes. He also ranked 14th on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2018: Third professional season

In 2018, Dak Prescott had a season with notable performances including a career-high 455 passing yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East for the second time in three years. He threw for 387 passing yards and four touchdowns in the regular season finale against the New York Giants.

2019: Named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

In 2019, after a strong performance including 444 passing yards, 28 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns against the Detroit Lions, Dak Prescott was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time that year.

March 16, 2020: Cowboys Place Franchise Tag on Prescott

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

June 22, 2020: Prescott Signs Franchise Tag Tender

On June 22, 2020, Dak Prescott officially signed the tender for the franchise tag placed on him by the Cowboys.

March 9, 2021: Cowboys Place Franchise Tag on Prescott for Second Year

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 Brand

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

2023: Finishes the 2023 Regular Season Leading the NFL in Passing Touchdowns

Dak Prescott finished his 2023 regular season with a 69.5% completion percentage, 4,516 passing yards, and an NFL-leading 36 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a career-high passer rating of 105.9.

September 8, 2024: Prescott Agrees to Contract Extension with Cowboys

On September 8, 2024, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension worth $240 million, including $231 million guaranteed and an $80 million signing bonus. This deal makes Prescott the highest-paid player in the NFL based on average annual value.