Dak Prescott Becomes Highest-Paid Player in NFL History with New Contract, Reports Say
The Dallas Cowboys, led by Jerry Jones, have made a bold move this offseason by committing significant funds to secure their quarterback’s future.
On Sunday, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys finalized a landmark contract worth four years and $240 million, according to various sources. This deal has made Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history, with an annual salary of $60 million. He has surpassed the contracts of Joe Burrow from the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence from the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Jordan Love from the Green Bay Packers, all of whom previously had extensions worth an average of $55 million per year.
The new contract reportedly guarantees Prescott $231 million, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This deal comes as Dallas kicks off the season against the Cleveland Browns. While Prescott stated last Thursday that he didn’t view the opening game as a deadline for striking a deal, he mentioned on August 29 that reaching an agreement—or failing to—would mean “a lot.”
The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback was entering the last year of his previous four-year, $160 million contract, which included a record-setting $55 million cap hit.
Jones has typically avoided making such record-breaking contracts in the past, but Prescott had the upper hand due to his existing contract’s no-trade and no-franchise-tag provisions, which would have allowed him to reach free agency in 2025 without an extension.
Jones insisted that these negotiations did not indicate any doubt about Prescott’s abilities as the Cowboys’ quarterback.
“When assessing a situation, we have to consider the consequences of each side,” Jones explained to reporters on Wednesday. “For me, Dak’s current situation is more about our circumstances than his qualifications as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback.”
This contract marks the Cowboys’ second substantial agreement with a prominent player in the last two weeks, following All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s acceptance of a four-year, $136 million contract on August 26.
Now, Prescott and the Cowboys turn their focus to achieving the franchise’s first Super Bowl championship, or at least reaching the NFC championship game, since the 1995 season.
