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Why Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott Should Sign Hometown Discount - Like Mavs' Dirk
While his brother continues to throw fuel on the fire of Dak Prescott potentially leaving the Dallas Cowboys, the quarterback has a former local selfless role model to follow in Dirk Nowitzki.
FRISCO - Couple of months ago we ruffled some sports feathers by by writing “Dak is Dirk.” Similar lack of success at identical points in their careers, yadda, yadda and more yadda.
But the more the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback doesn't negotiate his bloated, burdersome contract - and the more his brother, Tad, keeps chirping about leaving - the more we're reminded how different Dak Prescott and Dirk Nowitzki might turn out to be.
dak and dirk
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Time and again during his career the former Dallas Mavericks' star gave his team a “hometown discount” and passed up money in contract negotiations to help his front office assemble better, more expensive teammates around him. In all, he declined more than $200 million for the greater good. And, of course, it worked as more financial muscle allowed the Mavs to trade for, and sign, Jason Kidd, leading to the team’s lone championship in 2011.
Cut to Prescott's brother, who has in recent weeks lambasted the Cowboys as a horribly mismanaged team and essentially promised that his brother desperately wants out of Dallas.
Tad's recent social media post (pre-dating the latest no-deal deal): “Cowboy fans why continue to DM me TRUST ME, if I could get @dak to leave Dallas I would. I too want him out of Dallas. The city and organization have been great to he and our family, but done with drama and the so called fans, but he loves this team, and wants to bring it rings.”
Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) slides after
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Um, really? Dak isn't Dirk.
While stars such as Nowitzki and Tom Brady regularly made contractual sacrifices that prevented them from ever being the highest-paid player in their sport, Prescott is seemingly dug in on being the NFL’s richest quarterback. (It was just three years ago, remember, that he broke the bank with a $160 million deal that included $126 million guaranteed.)
I know, he recently allowed a subtle re-structuring that provided the Cowboys with $4 million of wiggle room. But Dirk, Brady, and even Patrick Mahomes do the same to the tune of $20+ million at a time. (Oh, and Dak still gets that money; it's just bookkeeping.)
Cowboys’ vice president Stephen Jones claims Prescott’s bloated, almost $60 million salary cap hit isn’t handcuffing the team in its flimsy free-agent signings. A Dak re-jiggered contract extension could immediately provide $20 million of room. That’s the equivalent of two front-line players. (Tyron Smith left for a Jets deal that means a $12 million cap hit. Tyler Biadasz left for a Commanders deal and an $8.9 million cap hit. Add it up. One swipe of Dak's pen, and Dallas' O-line stays intact.)
Note to Dak’s intrusive, annoying brother Tad and all the other fans ripping Cowboys’ management and clamoring for Prescott to “get his bag”: the quarterback’s play in the postseason has prevented his team from getting to a Super Bowl, and now his relative greed in the offseason is keeping his team from improving.
Like Dirk before him, this is what Dak should do: Hold a press conference announcing he’s giving the Cowboys a hometown discount. God knows he could use some positive public relations right about now.
It’s easy to spend other people’s money. But it’s also easy to compare superstars … both selfish and selfless.
Dak isn’t Dirk. Perhaps it's time he should be. Maybe Tad should tell him?
