The moment that changed everything happened on a third and 12. Dak Prescott stepped into the huddle, looked his teammates in the eye, and said three words defining his career: “I got this.” What started as a preseason injury to Tony Romo became the launching pad for one of the most unexpected quarterback transitions in Dallas Cowboys history.
How Did Dak Prescott Earn the Starting Role Over Tony Romo?
Since taking over in 2016, Prescott has built an impressive resume. The 6-foot-2 quarterback has led Dallas to five NFL postseasons in nine years, establishing himself as a Cowboys star. But the path to becoming the starter wasn’t planned.
Brice Butler, who played alongside Prescott for three years, witnessed when the Mississippi State product took the torch from Romo. The six-year NFL veteran recently joined the “Go Long TD” podcast, where he shared the story of when Prescott became QB1.
Former #Cowboys WR Brice Butler talking with @TyDunne about when he knew Dak Prescott could be special.
It was in the 2016 preseason, and Prescott went in the huddle for an injured Tony Romo and said, “I got this.”
The rest is history.
Full episode: https://t.co/Q6Sn4sdeQO pic.twitter.com/f9Amq4xbIk
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) July 10, 2025
Speaking with host Tyler Dunne, Butler, a 2013 seventh-round pick, described how a preseason contest forever changed the Cowboys’ quarterback room.
“He did well in those preseason games earlier but we found out Dak was for real when Tony went out unexpectedly in that third preseason game,” Butler explained. “It was like a third and 12 and he goes in there, and I was with him. I’m starting that game so I’m there.”
Butler had spent considerable time with Prescott before that moment, learning about the young quarterback’s background.
“I remember, I spent a lot of time with Dak before that, just talking to him about his story or whatever,” Butler said. “So his story was, every time he took over the reins, the guy in front of him got hurt, and then he took over.”
With the moment perfectly aligned with Prescott’s pattern, Butler had a front-row seat to watch history unfold.
“I remember being on the sideline, timeout after Tony got hurt, getting the call, it was Scott Linehan, me and him [Dak] were getting the call, then we started running into the huddle together,” Butler recalled.
The 6-foot-3 receiver continued, “I just remember telling him, ‘This is literally your story repeating itself, take advantage,’ and he was like ‘I got it.’ That’s all I said to him. This is your story, this is what you told me happens on every level, and it happened, this is crazy.”
Following Prescott’s confident response, the quarterback delivered when it mattered most.
“He went in there, third and 12, hit Cole Beasley on a nice little choice route, and I remember everybody was like ‘Okay, we might have something here,'” Butler said.
As Prescott prepares to enter his 10th season, Cowboys fans are hungrier than ever for success after failing to reach the postseason in 2024.
Can Prescott Bounce Back From His Worst Season?
The Cowboys’ 7-10 record in 2024 was due to several team performance issues. While Prescott played in just eight games because of a hamstring injury, his play was underwhelming. With a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11:8, the veteran’s performance left much to be desired.
Using PFSN’s 2024 NFL QB+ metric, the Cowboys field general scored the lowest grade of his career. At 66.0 (D grade), the three-time Pro Bowler ranked 30th. With his previous career low being 84.2, this slump cannot continue.
However, help is on the way. General manager Jerry Jones and the Cowboys brass made waves during the NFL offseason when they traded for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. The Georgia product enters his fourth NFL season with a new role ahead.
Playing behind three-time All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, Pickens should be even more effective as a WR2 after serving as the primary target for three seasons in Pittsburgh.
With his refurbished receiving corps, Prescott’s new weapons should help the 31-year-old quarterback return to form in 2025 as Dallas looks for redemption.
