Dallas Cowboys reveal whether Dak Prescott will play on Christmas Day

With the Dallas Cowboys' playoff hopes officially dead, the questions regarding their approach during the final week are taking center stage. One of those questions was answered by director of player personnel Stephen Jones, who said they plan on playing star quarterback Dak Prescott.

While making an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones was asked if Prescott was going to take the field against the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day.

Jones didn't hesitate, saying Prescott will "absolutely" play against the NFC East rival.

MORE: Dak Prescott receives respectable Week 16 grade despite fading late

Jones also made it clear that the team has no interest in tanking for draft positioning. He said their goal is to win the football game and to finish the season strong.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on @1053thefan said “absolutely” Dak Prescott will play Christmas Day at Washington. “Our goal is to win the football game. Our goal is to finish strong.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 22, 2025

Prescott and the Cowboys are coming off their eighth loss of the season, although Prescott had another strong outing. The veteran quarterback finished 21-of-30 for 244 yards with two touchdowns and topped 4,000 yards passing for the fourth time in his career.

Cowboys finish the season with two favorable games

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks to pass the ball against the New York Giants. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Dallas will end the year with two NFC East showdowns as they visit the Commanders in Week 17. They will then wrap up the season playing on the road against the New York Giants.

Against Washington, the Cowboys will face a backup quarterback, with Josh Johnson potentially starting. Second-year player Jayden Daniels has been battling injuries all year, which has a lot to do with their 4-11 record.

MORE: Jerry Jones opens up about Cowboys' dreadful 30-year Super Bowl drought

The Giants are struggling even worse, entering Week 17 with a record of 2-13. Dallas already had a win against each team earlier in the season, although they needed overtime to walk away with their 40-37 win over the Giants in Week 2.

If the Cowboys win both games, it would give Brian Schottenheimer some momentum to close out his first season as the head coach.

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