Dak Prescott facts for kids
Prescott in 2024
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| No. 4 – Dallas Cowboys | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | July 29, 1993 Sulphur, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 238 lb (108 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Haughton (Haughton, Louisiana) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Mississippi State (2011–2015) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2016 / Round: 4 / Pick: 135 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Rayne Dakota Prescott, known as Dak Prescott, is an American professional football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). Born on July 29, 1993, he played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He was chosen by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Dak Prescott quickly became the Cowboys' starting quarterback in his first year. He led the team to a top spot in their conference. He also set several records for a rookie quarterback. For his amazing first season, he was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Prescott has helped the Cowboys win four division titles and has been selected for the Pro Bowl three times.
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Dak's Early Life
Prescott was born in Sulphur, Louisiana. He was the youngest of three sons. His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother, Peggy, raised him. She worked as a manager at a truck stop.
Dak went to Haughton High School in Haughton, Louisiana. He played football for the Buccaneers. In his final year, he threw for 2,860 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also ran for 951 yards and 17 touchdowns. He led Haughton to win the 2010 District 1-AAAA Championship. Prescott received a scholarship to play for Mississippi State.
College Football Career
Prescott started his college career at Mississippi State in 2011. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced but did not play in games.
In 2012, he was a backup quarterback. He played in 12 games, throwing for 194 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for four touchdowns.
Becoming a Starter
In 2013, Prescott became the main quarterback when the starter was injured. He played in 11 games, throwing for 1,940 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also ran for 829 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was named the MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl. This was after he led the Bulldogs to a big 44–7 win.
In 2014, Prescott became the full-time starter. He led the Bulldogs to a 10–2 record. They even reached the #1 ranking in college football for the first time ever. He broke 10 school records that year. These included most passing yards (3,449) and total touchdowns (41) in a single season. He also won the Conerly Trophy. He was a finalist for other major awards and finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Final College Seasons
Before the 2015 season, Prescott was named a top player to watch. He became one of only four players in college history to throw for 60 touchdowns and run for 40 touchdowns in his career. He also set a school record for touchdowns in a single game with seven. This included five passing and two rushing touchdowns. He was the first player in school history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game.
For his entire college career, Prescott set 38 school records. He finished third in total yards and fourth in total touchdowns in the SEC conference.
College Statistics
| Season | Team | GP | Passing | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2011 | Mississippi State | 0 |  Redshirt |
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| 2012 | Mississippi State | 12 | 18 | 29 | 62.1 | 194 | 6.7 | 4 | 0 | 163.8 | 32 | 118 | 3.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2013 | Mississippi State | 11 | 156 | 267 | 58.4 | 1,940 | 7.3 | 10 | 7 | 126.6 | 134 | 829 | 6.2 | 13 | 2 | 53 | 26.5 | 2 |
| 2014 | Mississippi State | 13 | 244 | 396 | 61.6 | 3,449 | 8.7 | 27 | 11 | 151.7 | 210 | 986 | 4.7 | 14 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 1 |
| 2015 | Mississippi State | 13 | 316 | 477 | 66.2 | 3,793 | 8.0 | 29 | 5 | 151.0 | 160 | 588 | 3.7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Career | 49 | 734 | 1,169 | 62.8 | 9,376 | 8.0 | 70 | 23 | 146.0 | 536 | 2,521 | 4.0 | 41 | 4 | 88 | 22.0 | 3 | |
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1.89 m) |
226 lb (103 kg) |
32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) |
10+7⁄8 in (0.28 m) |
4.79 s | 1.66 s | 2.78 s | 4.32 s | 7.11 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) |
9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
25 | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys picked Dak Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was the 135th player chosen overall. He signed a four-year contract with the team.
Prescott chose to wear jersey number 4 to honor his mother, whose birthday is September 4. He is the first Cowboys quarterback to wear this number.
Rookie Season (2016)
Prescott was supposed to be a backup quarterback. But the starting quarterback, Tony Romo, got injured before the season began. This meant Prescott became the Cowboys' starting quarterback for the 2016 season.
He had an amazing first regular season. He threw for 3,667 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also ran for six touchdowns. He only threw four interceptions all season. The Cowboys finished with a great 13–3 record and won their division.
In the playoffs, the Cowboys played the Green Bay Packers. Prescott threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Even with his strong play, the Cowboys lost a close game 34–31. After this incredible rookie year, Prescott was chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was also named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Second Season (2017)
Prescott started his second season strong with a win over the New York Giants. He had some ups and downs during the year. When star running back Ezekiel Elliott was suspended, Prescott faced more pressure.
He finished the season with 3,324 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns. He also ran for 357 yards and six rushing touchdowns. The Cowboys finished with a 9–7 record and missed the playoffs.
Third Season (2018)
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In 2018, Prescott continued to lead the Cowboys. He threw for 3,885 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also rushed for 305 yards and six touchdowns. The Cowboys acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper during the season, which helped Prescott's passing game.
The Cowboys won their division again with a 10–6 record. In the playoffs, they beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round. Prescott threw for a touchdown and ran for a crucial touchdown late in the game. They then lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the next round. Prescott was selected for his second Pro Bowl.
2019 Season
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Prescott had a fantastic start to the 2019 season. In Week 1, he threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns against the New York Giants. He even achieved a perfect passer rating in that game. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
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He finished the season with a career-high 4,902 passing yards, which was second-most in the league. He also threw 30 touchdowns. Despite his strong performance, the Cowboys finished with an 8–8 record and did not make the playoffs.
2020 Season
The Cowboys placed the "franchise tag" on Prescott for the 2020 season. This meant he played under a one-year contract worth $31.4 million.
In Week 2, Prescott had an incredible game against the Atlanta Falcons. He threw for 450 yards and one touchdown, and ran for three more touchdowns. He became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 400 yards and rush for three touchdowns in the same game.
Sadly, in Week 5, Prescott suffered a serious injury to his right ankle. He had surgery and missed the rest of the season.
2021 Season
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After his injury, Prescott signed a big four-year contract extension with the Cowboys. It was worth $160 million.
He returned strong in Week 1, throwing for 403 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 16, he threw four touchdowns in a big 56–14 win. The Cowboys won the NFC East division title. Prescott finished the season with a career-high 37 passing touchdowns.
In the playoffs, the Cowboys lost to the San Francisco 49ers. Prescott completed 23 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a touchdown.
2022 Season
In Week 1 of the 2022 season, Prescott injured his right thumb and missed several weeks. He returned in Week 7. He finished the season with 2,860 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in 12 games.
In the playoffs, Prescott led the Cowboys to a big win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran for a touchdown. However, they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the next round. Prescott won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his work off the field.
2023 Season
In 2023, Prescott had another excellent season. He led the Cowboys to a 12–5 record and another NFC East title. He threw for 4,516 yards and led the NFL with 36 passing touchdowns. His passer rating of 105.9 was a career high.
He was named a finalist for the NFL MVP award, finishing second in the voting. In the playoffs, the Cowboys faced the Green Bay Packers. Prescott threw for 403 yards and three touchdowns, but the Cowboys lost the game.
2024 Season
On September 8, 2024, Prescott signed a new four-year contract extension with the Cowboys. This deal made him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time, with an average of $60 million per year.
He started the season well, but in Week 9, he injured his hamstring. On November 12, it was announced that Prescott would need surgery and miss the rest of the season. He finished his ninth season with 1,978 passing yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games.
2025 Season
As of the 2025 season, Dak Prescott became the longest-serving active member of the Dallas Cowboys. This happened after Zack Martin retired and DeMarcus Lawrence left the team.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Y/G | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2016 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 13–3 | 311 | 459 | 67.8 | 3,667 | 8.0 | 229.2 | 83 | 23 | 4 | 104.9 | 57 | 282 | 4.9 | 18 | 6 | 25 | 143 | 9 | 4 |
| 2017 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 9–7 | 308 | 490 | 62.9 | 3,324 | 6.8 | 207.8 | 81 | 22 | 13 | 86.6 | 57 | 357 | 6.3 | 21 | 6 | 32 | 185 | 4 | 3 |
| 2018 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 10–6 | 356 | 526 | 67.7 | 3,885 | 7.4 | 242.8 | 90 | 22 | 8 | 96.9 | 75 | 305 | 4.1 | 28 | 6 | 56 | 347 | 12 | 6 |
| 2019 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 8–8 | 388 | 596 | 65.1 | 4,902 | 8.2 | 306.4 | 62 | 30 | 11 | 99.7 | 52 | 277 | 5.3 | 42 | 3 | 23 | 151 | 6 | 2 |
| 2020 | DAL | 5 | 5 | 2–3 | 151 | 222 | 68.0 | 1,856 | 8.4 | 371.2 | 58 | 9 | 4 | 99.6 | 18 | 93 | 5.2 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 66 | 3 | 3 |
| 2021 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 11–5 | 410 | 596 | 68.8 | 4,449 | 7.5 | 278.1 | 51 | 37 | 10 | 104.2 | 48 | 146 | 3.0 | 21 | 1 | 30 | 144 | 14 | 6 |
| 2022 | DAL | 12 | 12 | 8–4 | 261 | 394 | 66.2 | 2,860 | 7.3 | 238.3 | 68 | 23 | 15 | 91.1 | 45 | 182 | 4.0 | 25 | 1 | 20 | 126 | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 | DAL | 17 | 17 | 12–5 | 410 | 590 | 69.5 | 4,516 | 7.7 | 265.6 | 92 | 36 | 9 | 105.9 | 55 | 242 | 4.4 | 22 | 2 | 39 | 255 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 | DAL | 8 | 8 | 3–5 | 185 | 286 | 64.7 | 1,978 | 6.9 | 247.3 | 65 | 11 | 8 | 86.0 | 13 | 54 | 4.2 | 22 | 1 | 21 | 112 | 4 | 1 |
| Career | 122 | 122 | 76–46 | 2,780 | 4,159 | 66.8 | 31,437 | 7.6 | 257.7 | 92 | 213 | 82 | 98.1 | 420 | 1,938 | 4.6 | 42 | 29 | 256 | 1,529 | 60 | 28 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2016 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 24 | 38 | 63.2 | 302 | 7.9 | 40 | 3 | 1 | 103.2 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | DAL | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 42 | 65 | 64.6 | 492 | 7.6 | 44 | 2 | 1 | 91.3 | 8 | 32 | 4.0 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 23 | 43 | 53.5 | 254 | 5.9 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 69.3 | 4 | 27 | 6.8 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 40 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | DAL | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 48 | 70 | 68.6 | 511 | 7.3 | 46 | 5 | 2 | 101.5 | 11 | 46 | 4.2 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 41 | 60 | 68.3 | 403 | 6.7 | 47 | 3 | 2 | 89.8 | 6 | 45 | 7.5 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 7 | 7 | 2–5 | 178 | 276 | 64.5 | 1,962 | 7.1 | 47 | 14 | 7 | 91.8 | 31 | 163 | 5.3 | 18 | 4 | 15 | 93 | 1 | 0 | |
Awards and Records
Dak Prescott has achieved many awards and records in his career:
- NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2016)
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2022)
- 3× Pro Bowl selection (2016, 2018, 2023)
- NFL passing touchdowns leader (2023)
NFL Rookie Records
As a rookie in 2016, Prescott set several NFL records:
- Most games with a passer rating over 100 (11 games).
- Tied the record for most wins by a rookie starting quarterback (13 wins).
- Highest passer rating by a rookie quarterback (104.9).
- Lowest interception percentage by a rookie (0.87%).
- Best touchdown to interception ratio by a rookie (5.75).
- Highest pass completion percentage by a rookie (67.76%).
Dallas Cowboys Team Records
Prescott also holds many Dallas Cowboys franchise records:
- Most Completions in a single game (42).
- Most Passing Touchdowns in a season (37 in 2021).
- Most Passing Touchdowns in a rookie season (23).
- Best Passer Rating in a rookie season (104.9).
- Most 4th Quarter Comebacks in a rookie season (5).
Dak's Personal Life
Dak Prescott is a Christian. He is the son of Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott. He has two older brothers, Tad and Jace, and an older sister, Natalie. He also has an older half-brother, Elliott. His brother Jace played football in college.
Dak's mother passed away in November 2013. In her honor, the Faith Fight Finish Foundation by Dak Prescott was created. This foundation helps people deal with tough times. His older brother Jace passed away in April 2020.
Prescott lives in Frisco, Texas. On February 29, 2024, Prescott and his girlfriend, Sarah Jane Ramos, welcomed their first daughter. They welcomed a second daughter on May 22, 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Dak Prescott para niños
- Mississippi State Bulldogs football statistical leaders
- List of National Football League records (individual)
