Why Cowboys MVP Dak Prescott Won't Wear 'NFC East Champs' Gear: 'Turn the Page' to Playoffs
Mission accomplished. The Dallas Cowboys did what they needed to do at FedEx Field as they blew away the Washington Commanders 38-10.
With the NFC East and No. 2 seed on the line, the Cowboys eventually got down to business in Sunday's NFL regular-season finale, and after a couple of hiccups that included a blocked field-goal attempt and a tipped-ball interception, Dallas cruised to a third straight season with 12 wins.
And now, the playoffs begin - complete with the NFL-sanctioned tradition of "NFC East Champions'' hats and T-shirts handed out in the winner's FedEx Field locker room ... gear that the team leader refuses to wear.
“It’s a huge accomplishment,'' Dak Prescott said of what the "IT'S A LOCK!'' clothing means. "But focus is ahead. We've won the East before ... I’m good. I want something better.”
Prescott is 2-4 in the postseason and has ugly back-to-back losses against the San Francisco 49ers, he is ready to improve on that record and go to the next level.
“Very ready,” Prescott said. “Obviously coming off the past years, understanding the team we have, knowing that coming into the season that we had a team that could compete, wanting to put ourselves in this position, stay in the moment each and every week and look forward to this.
"Now, it's [the playoffs] upon us ... Everything focuses on that, we’ll enjoy this, guarantee tomorrow, everyone turns the page, puts this regular season behind them.”
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Dallas has many detractors. But there is a real chance for the team to remain at home until the NFC Championship game, which is why a win at Washington was so crucial.
The Green Bay Packers will now enter a place no other team has managed to win at since Week 1 of the 2022 season and the Cowboys are undefeated at AT&T Stadium this season. That's 8-0 this year and a 16-game streak overall.
“At this moment, this time, it doesn’t matter who we play, where we play them, we’re excited for the opportunities," Prescott said. "It’s about one at a time and thankful we get to do it at AT&T next weekend.”
Prescott ended his MVP-caliber season throwing for 36 touchdown passes as he became the first Cowboy ever to lead the league in that category.
But Dak isn't going judged on what he does in the regular season, despite his name being firmly entrenched in the MVP discussion - it's what he does in the playoffs.
And going off his words, Prescott is ready to take that next step and lead this team into yet another postseason campaign. ... aiming for something bigger than a T-shirt.
