Stephen A. Smith Calls out Cowboys for Overpaying Dak Prescott: “That Is a Grand Total of $82 Million”

Dak Prescott has a poor record in the postseason, with just two wins from seven games across nine seasons since being drafted in 2016.

Stephen A. Smith Calls out Cowboys for Overpaying Dak Prescott: “That Is a Grand Total of $82 Million”

Dak Prescott, Stephen A. Smith (Images via FOX News/Sharp Football Analysis)

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It’s yet another day, and Dallas Cowboys’ favorite critic, Stephen A. Smith, has once again ripped into the team. The host, who had his share of fun yesterday mocking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott’s bold statement to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, has turned towards the management today, keeping Prescott as the key talking point.

Stephen A. Smith blasted the Cowboys for the huge payday they awarded Dak Prescott last season. The analyst’s harsh words come at a time when the management has been struggling to pay one of their main players, Micah Parsons.

Smith pointed out that despite Prescott’s talent, his track record doesn’t justify the financial commitment he’s received. “He can ball, but the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL? Hell no,” Smith said, noting that Prescott has won only two playoff games in his 10 seasons. He went on to add:

Two playoff wins in 10 years…That is a grand total of $82 million … in cap space for Jerry Jones. That’s how you know you are overpaying your QB.

The analyst then explained how the Cowboys have repeatedly restructured Prescott’s deal to free up salary cap space. Over the past five years, Dallas has converted portions of Prescott’s salary into signing bonuses five separate times, creating a combined $82 million in cap relief.

Including the current season, Prescott is under contract for three more years. His cap hit stands at $50.5 million in 2025 and will climb to $74 million in 2026, when he’ll be 33 years old. The deal includes a potential out after the 2027 season, but if Prescott remains with the team, his 2028 cap hit is set to soar to $78.3 million. He’s slated to hit unrestricted free agency in 2029 at age 36.

Dak Prescott has fallen behind Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams

Dak Prescott isn’t washed, but the numbers and rankings paint a sad picture. The 32-year-old Cowboys quarterback has slid to 12th in The Athletic’s 2025 NFL QB Tiers, three spots down from last year.

Dak Prescott-2
Dak Prescott (Image via Getty Images)

The Athletic categorised five quarterbacks into the elite Tier 1 level while nine quarterbacks made the Tier 2.

TierQuarterbacks
Tier 1Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow (T1), Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Matthew Stafford
Tier 2Jayden Daniels, Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, CJ Stroud and Jalen Hurts (T9), Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy

Once firmly entrenched among the league’s top signal-callers, Prescott is now out of the top 10 for the first time in years, a drop fueled by injuries and inconsistency. Additionally, there’s a growing perception that he’s no longer the type of quarterback who can carry a team deep into January.

The 2024 season was a disaster. Prescott managed just eight games before a hamstring injury ended his year. In that span, he posted 11 touchdowns against eight interceptions, a stat line that placed him behind rising stars like Jayden Daniels and even rookie Caleb Williams in ESPN’s executive poll.

Dallas’ offensive struggles didn’t help. CeeDee Lamb missed training camp in a contract dispute and lacked his usual explosiveness. The offensive line weakened after Zack Martin’s retirement, and the run game sputtered, forcing Prescott into high-pressure passing situations.

Coaches around the league note that while he’s accurate and mobile, he falters when forced to carry the load entirely. The consensus about Prescott has eroded to a dependable but not a winner.

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