Dak Prescott enters the 2025 NFL season, marking his 10th year in the league. The quarterback, now on his third contract with the Dallas Cowboys, has gone through multiple phases of evolution in his career, taking on more leadership and even finishing second in MVP voting in 2024.
Yet, for newly promoted head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Prescott is still in a developmental phase. But what exactly does that mean? Here’s a look at what the coach might have meant with that statement.
Why Does Brian Schottenheimer Think Dak Prescott Is Still Developing?
Prescott’s career has been a rollercoaster, largely because of the huge pressure that comes with being the quarterback of the Cowboys, a franchise that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl since the 1995 season. Despite putting up strong numbers over the years, he’s often criticized for the team’s playoff struggles and postseason disappointments.
Schottenheimer stirred the pot when he said he still sees Prescott as a player “in the developmental phase,” a comment that didn’t sit well with fans or the media.
HC Schottenheimer on Dak Prescott:
“I think Dak is in the developmental phase. And that sounds crazy for a guy who’s played that much, but there are things we’re tweaking with Dak.”
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) May 29, 2025
“I think Dak is in the developmental phase. And that sounds crazy for a guy who’s played that much, but there are things we’re tweaking with Dak,” the coach said.
It’s safe to say Schottenheimer could’ve chosen his words more carefully. Prescott is entering his tenth NFL season and has gone through different stages in his career, from a game manager who leaned on Ezekiel Elliott’s running game to the high-volume passer he’s become recently.
What Schottenheimer likely meant is that there are still parts of Prescott’s game that can be fine-tuned, especially mentally, to take him to another level. That’s not far-fetched considering how quarterbacks today are playing longer and better. At 31, Prescott is reaching a point where many QBs start to master the mental side of the game.
In 2023, Prescott had his best statistical season yet, showing excellent control and ball security. But in big games, like the blowout loss to the 49ers or the playoff defeat to the Packers, he struggled under pressure. He threw costly interceptions, including a pick-six before halftime against Green Bay.
Physically, Prescott has everything he needs. But mentally, especially in high-pressure moments, there’s still room for growth. It’s similar to what Matthew Stafford went through when he entered the second decade of his career and then led the Rams to a Super Bowl title.
Schottenheimer may need to be more careful with how he phrases these evaluations, especially in a media market as intense as Dallas. Still, he’s not wrong to suggest that Prescott has another gear he can reach. A more composed, clutch version of Prescott might be exactly what the Cowboys need to finally make a deeper playoff run.
