Dak Prescott Becomes Highest-Paid Player in NFL History with New Deal

In a bold move, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have committed to their quarterback Dak Prescott by securing a groundbreaking contract this offseason. The Cowboys and Prescott have finalized a record-breaking four-year deal worth $240 million, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.

With this new contract, Prescott has become the league’s first player to average $60 million per year. He surpasses quarterbacks Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers, all of whom had received extensions averaging $55 million annually.

The contract includes a staggering $231 million in guaranteed money, a detail reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“What it means is a big commitment to our next five years and our future as well,” Jones stated to reporters in Cleveland, where he confirmed the terms of the deal. He expressed strong confidence in Prescott’s abilities, stating, “I hope Dak is our quarterback for the rest of my time.”

This announcement coincides with the start of the regular season for the Cowboys as they face off against the Cleveland Browns. Although Prescott previously mentioned that he did not view the kickoff of Week 1 as a deadline for finalizing the deal, he did underscore on August 29 that reaching an agreement would hold significant implications.

Prescott was set to enter the last year of his previous four-year, $160 million contract, which carried an NFL-high cap hit of $55 million.

Despite his history of reluctance to reset the market during contract negotiations, Jones acknowledged that Prescott had a unique bargaining position. His contract contained clauses that would allow him to avoid a trade or franchise tag, effectively paving the way for potential free agency in 2025 unless an agreement was reached.

Jones assured that the negotiations did not stem from any doubts regarding Prescott’s performance. “When you look at a situation, you’ve also got to weigh, ‘OK, what are the consequences of the other side of the coin?’” he remarked to the media on Wednesday. “And so Dak’s situation right now for me, from my mirror, has more to do with our situation than it does with the merits of Dak Prescott being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.”

This contract marks the second significant agreement the Cowboys have made with a prominent player in just two weeks. On August 26, All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb also secured a new four-year deal worth $136 million.

As Prescott embarks on this new phase with his substantial contract, he and the Cowboys now have their sights set on achieving the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory—and at the very least, a return to the NFC Championship game—since the 1995 season.

Source: USA TODAY