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    Why Does Dak Prescott Say ‘Yeah, Here We Go’ At the Line? Explaining the Cowboys QB’s Unique Pre-Snap Cadence

    Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has the most unique pre-snap cadence in the NFL. He recently shared its origin and explained its purpose.

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    For many years, NFL legend Peyton Manning’s “Omaha” was the league’s most recognizable pre-snap call. However, in recent years, that distinction belongs to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. His unique “YEAH, HERE WE GO!” pre-snap cadence is impossible to ignore, and it’s become a running joke among NFL fans. Prescott recently explained why he yells this at the line prior to every snap.

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    Explaining Dak Prescott’s Pre-Snap Cadence

    You can’t miss Prescott’s pre-snap cadence. “YEAH, HERE WE GO!” can be heard loud and clear on every play, so it was only a matter of time until it became a meme.

    Not only is it a unique phrase to hear from a quarterback at the line, Prescott’s cadence makes it even funnier.

    A quarterback’s cadence is the words he uses at the line of scrimmage right before the ball is snapped. It is the signal that tells the center when to snap the ball, and it also helps set the timing of the play, so the players know when to begin moving into their assignments. Variations in the cadence can also communicate adjustments at the line of scrimmage.

    Prescott typically says either, “Yeah, here we go,” or just, “Here we go!” Typically, it’s followed by, “White 80-set,” which usually prompts the center to snap the ball.

    Interestingly, Prescott revealed that he adopted this cadence in order to tell his linemen to stop communicating with one another because it’s time to snap the ball.

    “Really, we wanted to make sure that we’re all getting off (at the same time), using the cadence to our advantage,” Prescott said. “The linemen wanted a little something before. For me, really, it’s to tell them, ‘Stop the communicating, here we go.’”

    Prescott revealed that the coaching staff came up with the cadence. He started using it in 2023 after head coach Mike McCarthy took over play-calling duties for the Cowboys, so perhaps McCarthy deserves credit for coming up with the call.

    Cowboys backup Cooper Rush believes the cadence has benefitted the offensive linemen.

    “I think it has helped those guys up front,” Rush said. “They lock into it, so I’m assuming it does. … We heard it in OTAs and we were like, ‘What are we going to do?’ It’s definitely different and out there. But it has worked. You do it for a week and realize it’s not hard. Your goal (as a backup QB) is to sound the same as (Prescott). It has evolved for him a little bit too, and now it’s this big thing.”

    So, while it’s funny, it’s actually an important call because it gets everyone on the same page and tells the offensive line that they need to focus and get ready for the snap.

    MORE: What Is Dak Prescott’s Net Worth, Salary, and Career Earnings?

    Legendary Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman can relate to Prescott. Head coach Chan Gailey made Aikman point out the mike linebacker on every play, so it became part of his pre-snap cadence on every play.

    “I said it every play for 70 plays in the game,” Aikman recalled. “‘Fifty-six is the mike!’ You’re like, ‘If 56 is the mike, why do I gotta keep pointing it out? Can everyone not see that?’ So, I’m listening to Dak and I’m like, ‘Gosh, he has to do that every snap? Come on!’ HE WE GOOOO!”

    Aikman isn’t the only one who has a Prescott impression. Recently, Dak’s teammates and coaches joined in on the fun, trying to impersonate the quarterback’s catchphrase.

    It’s worth noting that Prescott has the ability to call multiple plays in the huddle. As Prescott goes through his cadence, if he doesn’t like the look the defense is giving for the primary call, he may shout “kill” at the line of scrimmage. That’s his way of telling his teammates that they are running the secondary play instead.

    New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers showed Prescott some love last year during an appearence on “The Pat McAfee Show,” and pointed out that he loves Prescott’s cadence and pre-snap adjustments.

    “He has become one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch,” Rodgers said of Prescott. “I just love that he’s really playing the position. What I mean by that is, watching him make protection adjustments against these crazy looks and picking things up. … I’m watching him use his cadence beautifully and get into this rhythmic, ‘Here we go,’ (and then) into using it as a dummy sometimes, doing it twice, and into other cadences.

    “I’m not talking about just making good throws. I’m talking about it seems more rare that guys are actually really playing the position, where you’re making adjustments, you’re handling everything at the line of scrimmage. Now, you’re doing this crazy cadence stuff. I love it.”

    Prescott’s Cadence Turned Into A Rap Song

    Like anything viral, Prescott’s “here we go” cadence has taken the internet by storm. Recently, rappers Preston Wayne and 13lackbeard turned his pre-snap call into a rap song.

    The song features in-game audio of Prescott yelling, “Here we go!” and several Cowboys references throughout the track.

    Right after the track was released, Prescott messaged one of the rappers and gave it his stamp of approval.

    “I personally was tired of playing ‘We Dem Boyz’ because Wiz Khalifa is not even from Dallas,” 13lackbeard said. “I wanted something that was going to be original that the fans would love and that could carry over to the radio in the same light of how ‘We Dem Boyz’ was.

    “When I heard ‘Here we go’ and how the cadence came out, I immediately messaged Dak. He replied back, ‘This is fire.’ We knew we had one when America’s Team’s quarterback hit us back and said it was fire.”

    The Cowboys have shown love too, sharing the song on their social media accounts and playing it during games.

    Prescott’s cadence has gained a ton of attention, especially since the Cowboys play so many nationally televised games. After hearing the reasoning behind Prescott’s pre-snap command, it certainly sounds like it’s here to stay.

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