Dak Prescott: Focused on the Game | Dallas Cowboys 2025

Dak Prescott: Focused on the Game | Dallas Cowboys 2025

reaction to Micah. You surprised? Yeah, I was. Um I I can’t say I was completely surprised. Um uh but I I I did I definitely didn’t think he was going to get traded. I’ll say that. Um but just with the way that their negotiations went down, obviously to some extent, I mean, hell, y’all were asking me questions. It seemed like it got personal on their ends. Um so like that’s why I wasn’t surprised. Um but yeah, from a team standpoint, is it a disappointment? Do you just we’re better or how do you how do you how do you look at it? I mean, we added a great player. Um, obviously got some picks for the future. I’m not going to say we’re better. We’ve got to go out there and prove it. Um, we’d have to prove it even if he was on this team. So, so I’m not going to say that by any means. Um, but but I know adding a guy like Kenny Clark, adding a true leader, a real man that’s um going to only elevate this team who’s been a Pro Bowl player um and and is excited about being here. I know our focus right now is Philly. I think that’s everybody’s focus in that locker room. I don’t think anybody’s hung up on that. As I said, there was enough news and enough media about it. I think as much as anything, we’re it’s it’s good that a solution happened and obviously Micah got paid. He got paid very well and great for him and his family and um and we’ll see her see him here in about a month. So, um just honestly glad that uh I can’t say glad, but yeah, glad that we’re moved past that and everybody’s seems happy because of it. You kind of alluded to it a little bit, but if there wasn’t resolution, I guess would that have been hard to kind of those things went on? Yeah, for sure. I mean, um, if nothing would have been done, we’d sit here and y’all still would have been asking me whether he was playing in a couple of days or or when he was going to be playing, that would be a lot more of a headache and distraction than, um, getting a solution to it. What does it mean to Michael? Yeah, we just shared messages right after. Wished him good luck. What does it mean for you as a leader? Did it change much in terms of the your voice, your leading voice on this team and moving on? Not at all. Dak, with the timing of the trade and everything, what was the message to the guys given that you guys have a game in just a few days against the Eagles? My message to the guys immediately after the I I mean, I don’t I don’t know if there was a necessary meeting or things needed to be said or or handled or had. I mean, it was a very public issue that that everybody could look on the internet or or or ask somebody or ask one of y’all and get a lot of intel or feelings about it that um like I said, it’s just good to be past it. Um and and as I said, both parties are happy. Probably not surprised you, but you get picked by your your teammates to be one of the captains. Just what does that mean to you? Yeah, something I don’t take for granted. Um means a lot. One, just to to get back to the year-long captains. um getting to put the C on my chest. um something that I always before I got to the league or you know when I was a kid watching this game used to love watching the quarterbacks and the players that had to see on their jerseys understand what it means but um yeah to be selected as as that and really uh to be one of the six elected I think uh just that number growing and and you know I don’t know if Shotty alluded to it but he initially said like three or four and right then the number doubled pretty much and I just think that’s that’s a credit to each and every guy on on that group and being picked by their peers and just means they’re handling business doing things the right way and Um, as I said, something I don’t take for granted and and move forward each and every day, uh, with a lot of, um, responsibility because of it. What’s the benefit you gained from having gone through it against Tampa Bay when they got their banner and all that kind of celebration before the game that you’re going to see that now here on Thursday that you’ve been through this, you kind of know what to expect? What’s the benefit of that? What do you tell the guys like what what is that weight like for kickoff? Yeah, focus on the game. Uh, focus on the game. I mean, you we we’re here in Dallas and there’s there’s usually a lot of good um pregame festivities here, too. So, um you you just got to focus. Got to focus on yourself. Pay attention to to to your keys or keep reminding yourself of those type of things. And everything else is just a distraction. Um so so so just be focused and I I’ll be something that I guess I’ll I’ll be doing and attending to during that time, right? when those things are going on is keeping the guys locked in, making sure they’re with their coach or their players, stay or and staying loose and um feeling good about their approach and us starting the game fast and and not sluggish because of it. As a captain and certainly you were a leader before you were named captain, uh the pulse in the locker room, what’s the feeling some of these young guys were close certainly guys on defense were close with Micah. What’s how do you get them to divorce from those feelings and focused on we got to get ready to feed Philadelphia and I don’t know what the locker room is feeling right now. Um yeah once again I from what I got from the fill of the locker room I don’t think there has was needed a talk or or lifting guys up over the divorce or feeling down about themselves I mean or or about the situation. and it’s a business. And I think a lot of guys in that locker room know that, have felt that to some extent or not. And I just think that was just another realization of it of of this is a business. And hell, if anything, I hope it was a wakeup call to some guys, right? Like this this is for our life. And every day you come in here and you approach it as it is for your life. Uh we’re blessed to to do to play a game for a living. So, um yeah, the locker room seemed have seemed upbeat. The ping pong games have still been going on and um yeah, we’re focused on Philly. Life goes on. D, what kind of example, what kind of an example does Don Bland give to the the younger guys as a fifth round pick to to get paid like he did today? Yeah. Uh, proud of him. Um, super deserving, uh, guy that just comes in each and every day. Not your most talkative guy, but, uh, leads with his action, leads with his approach. Um, one of the easiest guys if you’re trying to figure out what should I do here, look up and see what DB is doing. And I guarantee he’s going to lead you into the right direction. So, um, that’s a huge statement for those young guys is you don’t have to be a rah, you don’t have to open your mouth and say a lot, but, um, you have to focus and do and do your things and bring others along. And he’s doing been doing that. Young guys on the offensive line, Thomas and Booker, your confidence level and then going into week one. Yeah, very high. Um, I mean, I go back to Nate just in the offseason, as I’ve alluded to before, of working with him and and the rehab process, understanding how athletic he is and how talented he is, and then, um, just him getting that that opportunity and, uh, got his mind right for it, and he has taken advantage of every snap and every rep that he’s gotten. So, um, yeah, super super confident him. And then Booker, you can turn on his college tape, turn on tape of him already in the league, preseason or whatever it is. It’s a true professional. He’s young, but he’s a professional. Um and and no doubt that he’s going to go out there and and be ready. Big shot. You been building this offense all off seasonason. How excited are you just on the field buying? Yeah, very excited. Um very excited. Hell of a game plan that we started off with. Obviously just a day into it. Um but super excited the way that that he’s approaching this thing, him, the whole coaching staff. Um the way that we’re going to attack these guys, um a lot of excitement. How do you think your rapport has grown with George Pickkins from let’s go back to when you guys went on the uh vacation you and all the receivers and other to where it is now? Yeah, I mean from day one he made it easy. I mean he’s a guy that gets open um big target uh runs hard. Um plays uh like a team player. So whether it’s the run or not, he’s doing his job and um it it’s it’s been easy and it’s only gotten better and better and better. Uh, and that’s really because the player he is and the buyin that he’s had into this offense and whether it’s uh learning learning more and asking for more because he’s, you know, mastered that. Um, super excited to to have another guy like uh like that out there. Does it put more pressure on you in the offense? More pressure. Loic. Yeah. Not that you can have any more, but do you feel that? No, not necessarily. Um, we got to go out there and do our job. Uh, regardless regardless. Um, we got to trust our defense in doing theirs. And so, um, can’t say can’t say more or less. You got asked about this in Oxnard, but now that the opener’s just a few days away, year 10, what’s going through your mind? I’m excited. I’m blessed. Um, it’s crazy just the way that you see I’ve grown to see this game year in and year out and where I am now to the way I’m viewing this game plan with the game plan that they’re putting together. um experience is just the best teacher and uh super thankful to be in year 10. Super thankful to get here and to be healthy and in this position um and excited just to go out there and and show the work that I’ve put into this thing. What’s the most important part of face to be ready for when you’re facing the Fang Gio defense? Yeah. Um the most important part is uh they’re good, they’re sound, they don’t do a lot. Uh so you’ve got to you’ve got to be disciplined. You’ve got to be fundamental. You’ve got to be as a quarterback great with your eyes. um understanding when to move people, how to move people. Um and we’ve just got to come out and throw the first punch. Um he’s obviously Super Bowl winning team. He’s been a successful DC. Um he’s had success against us and myself. Um so it’s about us going out there throwing that first punch, understanding that we’ve got to be their aggressors uh cuz they’re confident in the few things that they do. We didn’t see Javante Williams in preseason. What have you seen from him just in training camp and since you got to know him? Yeah, just a true pro. Um, another guy that whether it be in the locker room, in meetings, or on the field, um, doesn’t say a lot, but but is always doing the right thing, finishing the right way. I mean, seen in camp when he gets the ball and, you know, he he he can he’s going to finish to to 30, 40 yards or whatever it is, and just practicing, does everything the right way, super super smart. I mean, I call him validictorian Tay. So, um, and that’s what he is. That’s not just a saying. I mean, he was a validictorian. So, um, yeah, the guy the guy’s smart at running back and and can make plays and super excited for him to to play. Super excited. Can’t you tell? So, that is that first punch a jab, a right cross, uppercut. What’s jab? Start with jab. Always jab. Jab jab. Set the reach. What are your thoughts on uh the Eagles secondary? Got a lot younger. They had deer slay for a long time. He’s gone and now it’s a lot different back there. What are your thoughts on what you’ve seen? Yeah, I mean, once again, not a group that that does over complicated things. Um, but I’m confident in my guys. Um, respect and credit to them. I mean, they’re Super Bowl winning group and a lot of those guys in the back end are even if they even if they’ve added someone new, they’re going into a group of a lot of confidence being a Super Bowl winning team that um give them all the respect and credit. Uh, but I feel great about my guys and the guys in the perimeter and the plays that we’re going to be able to make in attack. How do you calm yourself then with a night game? Like what do you do during the day before you have to get It’s a long day. Uh, you better be calm or all that adrenaline is going to die out early. So, um, a lot of different things. I’m usually looking just look through watch a little bit more film, look over my play sheet. Um, maybe watch a movie. Obviously, I get a lot of body work done during that time. Um, and just really tell myself to relax, understand that that the importance is later. And honestly, being in this long enough, like your body almost knows it at times. It preserves some of the energy. And so, for me, it’s about not fighting that. If I’m tired and relaxed well before, that’s fine because um I’ll be ready when it’s time to go. You mentioned last time that we talked with you that you do pregame breathing. Has that always been kind of a routine or is that something you’re doing? Yeah. No, I can’t say it’s always been a been a routine. Um obviously I’ve known how important breath work is and and practice and trial it here and there. Um, but that’s something that, yeah, I’ve taken on this off seasonason and done it every day before practice, I think, going back to training camp and, um, something that has gotten me just in a very peaceful place that I need to be, um, before playing this game. What’s next on the movie list? Movie list? What’s next on you got something? I need something for the plane for sure. America’s team gambling is Oh, I’ve seen that. I’ll watch that. Yeah, appreciate it. America, send them

QB Dak Prescott speaks with the media about his reaction to the Micah Parsons trade, his thoughts on Kenny Clark, what being voted a 2025 team captain means to him, and more.

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