Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has emerged as a household name and the highest-paid player in NFL history.
But did you know that Dak isn’t Prescott’s birth name? Let’s break down his actual name, why he decided to go by Dak instead, and everything else you need to know.
Dak Prescott’s Birth Name
Rayne Dakota Prescott was born on July 29, 1993, in Sulphur, Louisiana. Prescott’s parents, Nathaniel and Peggy, divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his mother, who managed a truck stop. Prescott lived in a trailer park; in fact, he even has a tattoo of the Pine Creek Estates mobile home community on his leg sleeve.
Dak Prescott: Mom did everything she could for us to survive pic.twitter.com/hxJPLc9bkv
— Graham Bensinger (@GrahamBensinger)
Prescott opened up about his childhood during an interview with Graham Bensinger.
“My mom did whatever it took for us to survive. Sometimes, my mom didn’t have the money for the electric bill, but she could get $40 or so to get a motel room. … Most people would be upset, most people would be mad, but we saw it as a vacation. We saw it as a time to go swimming and to get out of the house, and we’ll figure it out because we have Mom and we’re behind her no matter what.
“My mom did a great job of just masking the adversity or masking the struggle that we went through. … As I got older, obviously you discuss things, and it made sense; it’s easier for her to get $40 to put us in a motel tonight than it is to pay the $170 or $200 bill because three boys are leaving all of her lights on.”
Why Does Prescott Go By Dak?
So, why did Prescott decide to go by Dak? It’s obviously a shortened version of his middle name, Dakota, but why not go by Dakota or Rayne?
Prior to his breakout rookie season in 2016, Prescott opened up about this in an interview with The Dallas Morning News. Prescott explained that he opted to go by Dak after he was teased about the name Rayne throughout his childhood.
“When I started off school, they would always call me Rayne [RAINY] or Rayne [RYE-KNEE] or something — they’d (be) like, ‘This is a girl’s name,’ so I just always went by Dakota,” Prescott explained. “But I was given Dak by birth, so my family’s always called me Dak.”
Now, as an adult, Prescott doesn’t mind the name Rayne.
“Nah, I’m good with Rayne. I love Rayne now. I’ve grown into it. I’ve grown to like it,” he said. “I might go just by Rayne Dakota one day, skip the last name.”
Prescott gave that interview just a few days after his 23rd birthday and before he experienced any success in the NFL. Now, at 31 years old, everyone knows the name Dak, so it might be tougher for him to make a change these days.
After all, Prescott has become a three-time Pro Bowler, All-Pro, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, NFL passing touchdowns leader, and the highest-paid player in NFL history under the moniker Dak.
Cowboys-Eagles Week 1 Preview and Prediction
The Eagles and Cowboys will have their juices flowing on Thursday night in Philadelphia, as both teams enter the 2025 season with high expectations. Head coach Nick Sirianni will be tasked with leading a title defense charge, as opposing teams will have the Eagles circled on their calendars with hopes of taking down the reigning champion.
Dallas has been in the headlines recently, as they dealt away superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers after deciding not to pay him top-of-the-line money despite his two All-Pro honors in four seasons. They got back three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who will aid in helping against the run.
That has been a significant deficiency for the Cowboys in recent years, as they allowed 137.1 rush yards per game (17th in the league) last season and 112.35 yards per game in 2023. That’s precisely where Philadelphia excels offensively, as they were second in the NFL last season in rushing for 179.3 yards per game.
Star running back Saquon Barkley is back after a banner 2024 campaign: 345 carries, 2,005 yards, and 13 touchdowns. He capped it off by running for 442 yards in the Eagles’ postseason run.
It’s hard to see a complete flip in the run-stopping abilities for Dallas, potentially spelling doom for them as the game wears on. Offensively, for the Cowboys, they’ll be heavily reliant on quarterback Dak Prescott and the pass game. Their running back room, headlined by former Denver Broncos’ Javonte Williams, is arguably the weakest unit on the roster.
Meanwhile, the wide receiver room has the potential to be the strongest, as they’ll trot out a star-studded duo of CeeDee Lamb (1,194 yards, six touchdowns last season) and newly acquired wide receiver George Pickens (900 yards, three touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers).
Across from them will be a capable secondary in second-year cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Both were key pieces in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run and will be expected to step up even more with a second year in the organization. The Eagles’ wide receiver duo is no slouch as well. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for 1,912 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, giving quarterback Jalen Hurts two Pro Bowl-caliber receivers to throw to.
Throughout this game, several intriguing matchups are present. But looking beyond that at the overall depth between the two teams, Philadelphia wins out in a landslide. They’re far better in the trenches on both sides of the ball, have a much more talented secondary, and have potentially the best running game in the NFL.
The Eagles will open the season with a healthy dose of Barkley carries, running all over an undermanned Cowboys run defense. In front of a home crowd, Philadelphia runs away with this one in the second half.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Cowboys 13
