The Dallas Cowboys, once proudly dubbed ‘America’s Team,’ were riding high when they handed quarterback Dak Prescott a jaw-dropping four-year, $240 million contract extension in September 2024. It was a record-setting deal-$60 million a year, $231 million guaranteed-making him the NFL’s highest-paid player ever.
Jerry Jones wasn’t shy about it either. “I wouldn’t have signed Dak Prescott if now wasn’t when we wanted to win,” he told The Athletic in February 2025, doubling down on his win-now vibe. But oh, how the mighty have fallen since that splashy move-things have gone sideways fast.
Prescott’s 2024 season started with promise -1,978 yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games- but then came the crash. A brutal hamstring injury in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons knocked him out for the year, leaving the Cowboys limping to a 7-10 finish. “It all started right after Prescott signed the most lucrative contract in NFL history,” Fox News noted in November 2024, pointing to the eerie timing.
Without their star QB, Dallas leaned on Cooper Rush, who went 4-4 as a starter, but the offense sputtered, and the postseason slipped away-again. No NFC Championship since 1995, and that drought’s feeling heavier than ever.
From hype to horror: Cowboys’ Dak deal goes bust
The contract’s a cap killer too. Prescott’s 2025 hit was a league-high $89.9 million before a restructure slashed it to $52.9 million, still a monster number for a team that couldn’t crack .500. “Dak’s extension was an obvious mistake,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon argued, slamming the Cowboys for betting big on a 31-year-old past his prime. Fans on X aren’t holding back either-one post trending last week read, “$240M for Dak and we’re a laughingstock.”
Jones thought he was locking in a Super Bowl run, but injuries and a shaky roster told a different story. CeeDee Lamb‘s $136 million deal added more cap strain-$35.5 million in 2025, per Dallas News-leaving little room to bolster the line or defense. Micah Parsons, itching for his own payday, might be next to feel the squeeze.
“We’re stuck with Dak’s deal unless a contender bites,” Sportskeeda mused last November, noting his no-trade clause complicates any exit. Meanwhile, Jimmy Johnson, ex-Cowboys coach, told Fox Sports, “They gave him that contract too soon.” From Super Bowl dreams to mockery, the Cowboys’ $240 million gamble on Prescott’s turned into a head-scratcher.
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