Debating if Dak Prescott is overrated is very polarizing.
On one side of the fence, you’ve got Dak defenders that will excuse every wrong decision he makes. And there’s nothing wrong with having your QB’s back.
On the other side, you’ve got those who pin every shortcoming from the Cowboys offense on Prescott. They say QB is the most important position in sports, so maybe Dak does deserve the blame when things go bad.
Regardless of where you fall on Dak, we know it’s no easy task to flip someone’s opinion on him. We’d have better luck building Rome in a day.
We’re just here to present information to help you make an informed decision when someone asks if you think Prescott is overrated.
How Dak Prescott stacks up league wide
Prescott was a fourth round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. Not many players, especially QBs, drafted in the mid-rounds build 7+ year careers.
Here’s how Prescott’s stats compare to other NFL QBs since his rookie season. For reference, his 97 games played is the ninth-most since 2016.
- 2,185 completions (ninth-most)
- 24,943 passing yards (ninth-most)
- 257 passing yards per game (12th-most)
- 164 passing TDs (eighth-most)
- 65 interceptions (10th-most)
Dak’s numbers show he’s been a top 10 QB for the entirety of his career. But not in the upper echelon with the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes.
Evaluating Dak Prescott’s playoff success
Regular season numbers are a good measuring stick, but getting into the elite tier of QBs requires postseason success. Afterall, they don’t Tom Brady the GOAT because he’s got the most passing yards in NFL history. He earned that nickname by winning seven Super Bowls.
Dak holds a 2-4 record in the playoffs, with both wins coming in the Wild Card Round. Three losses happened in the Divisional Round, and the fourth in the WC.
Here’s Prescott’s stat line from those six games:
- 2017 Divisional: 24/38 passing for 302 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT (Cowboys lose 34-31)
- 2019 Wild Card: 22/33 passing for 226 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (Cowboys win 24-22)
- 2019 Divisional: 20/32 passing for 266 yards, 1 TD (Cowboys lose 30-22)
- 2022 Wild Card: 23/43 passing for 254 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (Cowboys lose 23-17)
- 2023 Wild Card: 25/33 passing for 305 yards, 4 TDs (Cowboys win 31-14)
- 2023 Divisional: 23/37 passing for 206 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs (Cowboys lose 19-12)
Prescott’s inability to advance past the Divisional Round is certainly a stain on his resume. He’s had a few strong postseason performances, but it hasn’t lifted the team to any deep runs.
In conclusion
Dak isn’t on the same level as QBs like Mahomes, Joe Burrow or Josh Allen. But that doesn’t make him a bad player.
The Cowboys are one of the most popular franchises in sports. In the 2022 regular season, Dallas played in four of the five most watched games. The Cowboys beatdown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the most watched playoff game since 1999, according to ESPN.
With that comes higher expectations for the Cowboys; especially the QB. Fair or not, Prescott will face more scrutiny than most QBs if he underperforms.
Through Dak’s career, he’s proven to be a solid QB that faces expectations beyond what he’s capable of. That doesn’t mean he can’t bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Dallas someday. But it’s time fans stop expecting him to win MVPs as he strives to get there.
