Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott uncut: What Jerry Jones says in media doesn't 'hold weight with me'

FRISCO — Jerry Jones has had his say on the ongoing negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott and his future with the Dallas Cowboys.

If you thought Jones was negotiating in the media with his comments about not needing to get a extension done with Prescott before the start of the 2024 season, then get a load of what the quarterback had to say.

And while Prescott maintains he is blessed to be the position he is in heading into the Sept. 8 season opener against the Cleveland Browns and is focused on doing everything he can to help the team, he has admittedly grown numb to Jones’ chatter.

“I stopped listening to things that he says to the media a long time ago,” Prescott said. “Doesn’t really hold weight with me.”

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Is @Dak Prescott negotiating through the media? What is the latest update on a new deal? Could he really start the season without 2025 locked up?#NFL #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/tyePZM6Xai

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Prescott’s cold-blooded words came during a press conference that started with general happiness about receiver CeeDee Lamb signing a four-year, $136 million contract on Monday, ending a five-week hold out from training camp.

Prescott has had three practices with Lamb and he says they are ready to go for the season.

“Yeah, excited. Obviously, I’ve been in contact with him all of training camp,” Prescott said. “The moment it happened, FaceTimed him. Just to see his excitement, see, I guess you could say, the weight off his shoulders, how pumped he was to get back and then obviously him being in the building, have a couple practices now with him. The guy’s the best receiver: super athletic, elite, so that makes that whole connection of us getting back on the same page that much easier.

“Not going to be too difficult when you got a guy like that that’s smart, knows how to get open. I just got to make the throws.”

So the natural question was whether Prescott was next on the list to get a deal done. And his joy for Lamb turned to stoicism.

“Not really sure. Not my focus anymore to be honest with you. Told you guys that,” Prescott said. “Really can’t say ever was really my focus. It’s about making myself and this team better, getting us in the nest position and the most confident to go up to Cleveland and start the season off with a win.”

Prescott’s agent, Todd France, has been engaged in contract talks with the Cowboys throughout training camp.

Both sides have acknowledged progress being made.

But there is still no deal for Prescott, who is heading into the final year of a four-year, $160 contract he signed in 2021.

Prescott said he is not shutting down contract talks once the season starts but he is no longer be part of them.

“No, I mean, that’s up to Todd and those guys,” Prescott said. “Once again, I’m not going to be a part of them here as the season starts. And they’ve been going. They’ve been going on heavily through Todd and [Cowboys vice president] Stephen [Jones] both. So yeah. it’s just all a part of it. As I said my job and my focus is control what I can and as I said well back in camp, it’s two parts to this. Both sides have to come to the agreement.”

By all accounts, the baseline for any deal for Prescott is $55 million annually. He could potentially get as much as $60 million or more as a free agent on the open market next spring if a deal doesn’t get done.

Jones said it was unlikely that a deal would get done before the season.

And Prescott said it doesn’t need to happen.

“I don’t need it,” Prescott said “No, I don’t.”

But something about his words says he wants it to happen before the season and it could play a role in future talks and possibly his ultimate decision.

“I think it says a lot if it is or if it isn’t,” Prescott said. “But however, doesn’t really matter to me, to be honest with you.”

So what does it say if it isn’t done? What does it say?

“Just how people feel,” Prescott said.

When told he just opened a new door to speculation about his relationship with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, Prescott didn’t blink.

“Yeah, I know,” Prescott said.

And then came the money line when he was reminded that Jerry Jones termed the Cowboys issues with the contract were more about their salary cap than any questions about him as their quarterback.

“Yeah, I understand that. That’s the business and the nature of this game that we play,” Prescott said before snapping. “I stopped, honestly, listening to things that he says to the media a long time ago. Doesn’t really hold weight with me.”

Prescott is simply tired of the games regarding his contract. He had to prove himself twice on the franchise tag before getting his deal in 2021.

And now coming off the best season of his career — he led the league in touchdown passes with 36 and finished second in NFL MVP voting in 2023 — Prescott has resigned himself to fact that this might be his last season of his childhood dream of playing on his favorite team.

“Yeah I mean I’m blessed man,” Prescott said. “I’m super blessed to play this game, to be in Year 9, to feel as I do, healthy as I do, as confident as I am, the experience that I’ve had. I’m blessed to play this game. I’m getting paid a lot of money to do it. I’ve already got paid. To get paid again that’s just part of it.

“I’m due up for that whether it’s signing here or whether it’s somewhere else that I don’t care to think about at this moment. It’s all part of it.”

Prescott also holds all the cards in the negotiations with a no franchise tag clause and a no trade clause.

The Cowboys need to present a deal that is amenable to him or he will test free agency.

He has bet on himself before. And he says it won’t be a distraction heading into the season. He is focused on this season, starting with Week 1 against Cleveland.

“For me, it’s like I said, it’s about controlling what I can and being the best version of myself, best leader and make sure all these guys in here understand that we’re on a mission,” Prescott said. “It’s not about next year right now. It’s not about my contract. It’s not about anything but getting ready for Game 1 against the Browns. Simple as that.”