CLEVELAND – Last Saturday, Jerry Jones showed up for the Dallas Cowboys’ walkthrough session and had a chat with his quarterback, Dak Prescott. On the following Sunday, Prescott became the highest-paid player in NFL history when he signed a groundbreaking $240 million contract extension with the Cowboys.

“I told him, ‘Let’s finalize this before the game starts,’” Jones recounted on Sunday.

Even before practice kicked off, they had a preliminary agreement. Prescott’s agents and the Cowboys’ management had a flurry of activity in the following hours to finalize details ahead of the Cowboys’ 2024 season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Jones confirmed that the contract is valued at an astounding $60 million per year, with $231 million guaranteed.

“This represents a significant commitment to our future for the next five years,” said Jones, who is 81 years old. “I genuinely hope Dak remains our quarterback for as long as I am here, and that’s not only during this contract.”

Prescott’s new contract alleviates a significant distraction for the Cowboys that lingered throughout the offseason and training camp. Cowboys executive VP and CEO Stephen Jones remarked that impending deadlines can sometimes yield positive outcomes.

“I believe Dak has an exceptional ability to put things in perspective, but I think these uncertainties can affect the entire team and organization,” added Stephen Jones. “It’s the right move to make.”

Jerry Jones emphasized that the team rallies around Prescott, expressing his long-held belief that Prescott is a top-tier franchise quarterback.

“I’ve seen too many critical contracts fail because the timing wasn’t right,” stated Jones, who recently became assured that the moment to finalize this contract had indeed arrived.

Jones reiterated the importance of this agreement in the context of their championship aspirations, stating, “This is what we aim for, and I trust our fans understand that.”

Despite ongoing criticism for his limited offseason moves, Jones rebutted that he is committed to constructing a winning team. After all, he just orchestrated the priciest contract in NFL history.

“I’ve poured everything I possess into being a part of the Cowboys,” he remarked, “and this position exceeds my wildest dreams.”

Jones expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached, saying he never doubted the possibility.

“I hope we can build a strong supporting cast around him,” he said.

This will be no small feat. CeeDee Lamb, Prescott’s top target, recently signed a four-year, $136 million deal, with $100 million guaranteed. Additionally, the team faces the financial challenge of retaining linebacker Micah Parsons, who is also deserving of a record-setting contract. The difficulty of these tasks is part of what Jones finds appealing about his job.

“It was never a question of whether Dak should be the Cowboys’ quarterback,” Jones emphasized. “The question was: ‘What kind of team can we assemble around him?’ I finally have the reassurance that we can indeed build a solid team around him.”