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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott wears a vintage Cowboys with the phrase “CHAMPIONS” above the team’s logo paying tribute to the team’s Super Bowl XXX victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996. as the team arrives for training camp on Monday, July 27, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
OXNARD, Calif. \u2014 The Super Bowl\u00a0XXX T-shirt\u00a0Dak Prescott wore when he arrived at Cowboys training camp<\/a> wasn\u2019t meant to set the tone for the 2026 season, but in some ways it has.<\/p>\n Prescott said the vintage tee had been sitting in his closet for a few years and that he’d thought about wearing it last year. He didn\u2019t believe it was appropriate to wear it during the regular season.<\/p>\n “I looked at it and said, \u2018Why in the hell haven\u2019t I worn this?\u2019”\u00a0Prescott said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n So wearing it as the team boarded a chartered flight to Southern California seemed like the right thing to do.<\/p>\n \u201cSet the tone, I think the tone\u2019s been set,\u201d\u00a0Prescott said after Thursday\u2019s second day of training camp practice. \u201cTo say a T-shirt is going to do it, it would be, I knew you guys would like it. Didn\u2019t know how many of the teammates would see it. It\u2019s just the manifesting thing. When we want stuff in life a lot of times, but then you know when people start talking about it, you kinda hesitate. ‘Should I say that? They\u2019re going to hold me to it.’\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer watches players run on the field during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys tight ends Brevyn Spann-Ford (89) and Jake Ferguson toss balls back and forth during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys offensive assistant coach Will Grier talks with quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys players stretch during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb catches a ball during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) high fives teammates during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott towles off during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer laughs with wide receiver Ceedee Lamb (88) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens catches a ball during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Drew Shelton works against linebacker Malachi Lawrence (57) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys running back Israel Abanikanda carries the ball during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive back Shavon Revel participates in a drill during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens catches a pass during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) runs down the sideline after a catch past defensive backs Markquese Bell (14) and Malik Hooker (24) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford catches a pass during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens sits on an exercise ball between drills during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tyler Johnson hurdles an exercise ball tossed toward him after catching a pass during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive back Shavon Revel (28) breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (81) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III (10) leaps past defensive back Josh Butler (31) during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III (10) high fives defensive back Josh Butler during a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News A Dallas Cowboys looks for an autograph after a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive back Daron Bland signs autographs after a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Kenny Clark talks with reporters after a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Quinnen Williams signs autographs after a training camp practice on Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n The Cowboys have not only failed to reach\u00a0the Super Bowl since the 1995 season<\/a>, but the franchise has also missed the postseason the last two seasons<\/a>. Prescott enters his 11th season<\/a> trying to achieve something his predecessor, Tony Romo, couldn\u2019t, and that\u2019s reached a Super Bowl.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cWell absolutely. Playing in this organization being in it 10 years right, going into Year 11 I\u2019m not going to shy away from it, when you don\u2019t have it, it sucks. When you don\u2019t get to play for it, when you watching other teams play in the playoff, there\u2019s nothing worse than that.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED: Now 33, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is venturing into mostly forbidden territory<\/a><\/p>\n Pickens feeling good<\/p>\n The decision by wide receiver George Pickens to sign his $27.2 million franchise tag<\/a> and not conduct either a hold-in or holdout has been noticed by many in the organization. Pickens has even been prompt for team and individual meetings, something that was a problem last year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen it, I\u2019ve watched it, I\u2019ve seen him take notes,\u201d Dak Prescott said. \u201cIt\u2019s impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Pickens understands what this 2026 season means. While he\u2019s without a long-term future, how he plays this season could dictate a large financial contract with the Cowboys or another team.<\/p>\n \u201cI left it up to my agent,\u201d\u00a0Pickens said. \u201cEven when we were nine, 10 months from training camp, I was always thinking about ball. I was already training.\u201d<\/p>\n Pickens said he\u2019s not the only player seeking a long-term contract. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown<\/a> enters the final year of his rookie deal in addition to tight end Luke Schoonmaker.<\/p>\n Team co-owner Stephen Jones said defensive tackle\u00a0Quinnen Williams is deserving of a contract extension<\/a> as well. If that happens, it will be Williams\u2019 third contract, since he got a highly paid second deal when he played for the Jets.<\/p>\n With Pickens\u2019 contract status secure for this season,\u00a0the focus is on the field<\/a>, where he\u2019s looked good in two training camp practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, just for a lot of guys, whether you know them or not or whether you know his number or not, I feel like some guys are in the same situation that I am,\u201d he said. \u201cFor the collective, we\u2019re doing pretty good, putting one foot forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Overshown wants to average 10\u00a0tackles<\/p>\n In two NFL seasons,\u00a0Overshown has averaged 6.2 tackles per game. Two knee surgeries have limited him to 19 games.<\/p>\n Now fully healthy and playing the middle linebacker position,\u00a0Overshown is confident he can average 10 tackles a game.<\/p>\n The Cowboys haven\u2019t officially given\u00a0Overshown the middle linebacker spot, he\u2019s been in a rotation with Curtis Robinson, Justin Barron and Shemar James at the position.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n After just two days of practices,\u00a0Overshown has picked up the most reps with the first-team. He\u2019s also spending quality time with defensive coordinator Christian\u00a0Parker and linebackers coach Scott Symons after practices. After the first practice on Wednesday, Overshon and Symons were going over techniques.<\/p>\n Overshown said the communication part of playing middle linebacker is easy.<\/p>\n \u201cI do a lot of extra meetings with Coach CP and Coach Scott,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I come out on the field I\u2019m comfortable, [and] able to relay the calls and what to expect from the offense easily to the defense. That\u2019s what they\u2019re going to be looking for me to do this year.”<\/p>\n READ MORE:\u00a0Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown starts camp with confidence, comfort in middle linebacker spot<\/a><\/p>\n First-round pick impressions<\/p>\n Coach Brian Schottenheimer noted first-round picks Caleb Downs, the safety, and rush end Malachi Lawrence had a productive first day of practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cI thought there was a play that Caleb got beat on in the spring. I showed it to the team where\u00a0CeeDee [Lamb] got him on a little maneuver route in the slot and the same route came up [Wednesday] and Caleb loved it. And it was to the point that I made about Caleb, he doesn’t repeat mistakes. So that was great to see.<\/p>\n “And then with Malachi, again, I noticed him more [Wednesday] in setting the edge in the run game using his length than I did as a pass rusher. Obviously there’s a halo around the quarterback so they can’t get close anyway, but I did think he did a hell of a job of setting edges, using his length and kind of creating that knock back that limits running lanes for the offense.\u201d<\/p>\n Downs has played different spots along the defense, from deep safety to slot corner, lining up opposite Lamb a few times and fielding punts.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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