Cowboys’ Prescott refuses to sit final 2 games, vows ‘26 rebound – Todd Archer, ESPN
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback wants to make sure what happened this season doesn’t happen again.
“We won’t be back here in this spot,” Prescott said Tuesday as the 6-8-1 Cowboys prepare for their game against the Washington Commanders on Christmas.
“I feel like the last few times I’ve said that were playoff losses,” Prescott said. “Each year has its own troubles. Each year has its own highs, lows, ebbs and flows and everything within it. The importance is controlling what you can … I’m going to do my damnedest, controlling what I can and as you get older, I think having more input, having more say so and being asked more questions from the front office. Maybe there’s a little bit more that I can do, and it’s not physically or me getting better at my game. Maybe it’s speaking up and saying that this will help or I think this can help. Whatever it takes, once again I’m going to do my damnedest and make sure that I’m influencing and encouraging everybody else around me, not just the players, to do the same.”
Prescott has no desire of sitting out the final two games. He would not even let a reporter finish the question about the possibility of sitting.
“Absolutely not, especially on Christmas,” he said.
He said he would fight coach Brian Schottenheimer if the decision was made to protect the Cowboys’ most valuable player.
“Particularly right now, going into this game, getting a chance to play on Christmas day, first time and also just the fact of being away from my family,” he said. “I’m not trying to be away from my family if I’m not going to get to play this game and get to do something I love at a high level [and] finish a good individual season, I guess you could say, off strong … Fifteen games under the belt, I want to make it 17.”
Tyler Smith on left tackle, left guard preference, 3rd Pro Bowl nomination, more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Tyler Smith is slated to play on the left side of the line next year, but at what position remains an open-ended question.
On Tuesday, Smith was asked if he had a preference between the two positions on the field.
“I’m an All-Pro guard, bro. That’s the simple truth if we’re just looking at stuff purely off facts,” Smith said. “So we’ll see what happens, we’ll have those conversations when we have those conversations and kind of see where everybody’s head is at.”
With that, it seems guard is the spot that Smith wants to be at long term, although he also said following the game on Sunday he would do what’s best for the team. His track record backs up his ability at the position, as he was named to this third straight Pro Bowl, at guard, on Tuesday as well.
If moving Smith to left tackle is a decision that Schottenheimer and the Cowboys want to make permanent, Smith would prefer to know “as soon as possible,” in order to prepare.
“My mindset is going to be the same. This offseason, I was for sure I’d be playing guard, so I trained like a guard. I’m playing tackle, so it is what it is,” Smith said. “We’ll have those conversations when we have those conversations, I’m really not letting my mind get too far ahead of that. I know this is something we’re doing for the rest of the season, and in my mind, that’s just what it is for the rest of the season.”
What makes Smith better on the interior of the offensive line, in his eyes?
“I’m a strong guy. Obviously, I think I’m strong, I feel like a lot of the strengths that I have as a player are very good for me at the guard position,” Smith said. “And then I think I’ve had great vets around me at the guard and tackle position, and I think that’s really helped me be successful at both. I really just think my strength and a variety of other things help me when I’m inside.”
With Smith having begun practicing at tackle more in the last two weeks, it’s been about getting back into the swing of things, as he’s played the position before for the Cowboys and did so in his entire collegiate career at Tulsa.
“It’s been a while, but it’s familiar territory for sure,” Smith said. “The biggest things for me are the technical aspects of it. Even this week, it’s an away game, so we might have some cadence variations and things of that nature. That’s just something that is a little bit different at tackle whereas at guard, I’m right next to the person who is responsible for that cadence. I move out a little further, it’s a little different. So just being on the nuances and things is important.”
5 Dallas Cowboys players selected for the Pro Bowl – Jeff Kolb & Tracy DeLatte, Fox4News.com
Despite having a disappointing season, the Cowboys don’t lack Pro Bowl talent on their 53-man roster.
2026 Pro Bowlers
What we know:
Five Cowboys were announced as Pro Bowl selections on Tuesday morning.
They include quarterback Dak Prescott, receiver George Pickens, guard Tyler Smith, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, and kicker Brandon Aubrey.
This is the fourth Pro Bowl for both Prescott and Williams. It’s also the third straight for Aubrey and Smith. Pickens was selected for the first time.
The alternate selections include CeeDee Lamb, KaVontae Turpin, Jake Ferguson, and Javontae Williams.
By the numbers:
While having five players in the Pro Bowl is an honor for the Cowboys, it’s probably more frustrating than exciting.
This season, there are eight teams with at least five Pro Bowlers. Dallas is the only one of the eight that has already been eliminated from making the playoffs.
Over the past two seasons, only the Ravens, Lions, and Eagles have had more Pro Bowlers than the Cowboys.
A total of 12 teams have had at least six selections between 2024 and 2025. Dallas is the only one of those 12 franchises that failed to make the playoffs in either season.
Pro Bowl Reinvented
What’s new:
The Pro Bowl underwent a big change in 2023. It’s no longer a tackle football game but a series of events culminating with a flag football game.
The voting also now consists of three parts – fans, coaches, and players.
The 2026 Pro Bowl Games will be held on the Tuesday before the Super Bowl at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, rather than in a football stadium.
Having George Pickens in Dallas for the long term should be priority number one for the front office this offseason.
The Dallas Cowboys took a risk following the NFL Draft by shipping a third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for star wide receiver George Pickens.
Not only has Pickens exceeded all expectations, but he has also been honored for his breakout performance with a special honor for the first time in his NFL career. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Pickens has been named to his first-ever Pro Bowl.
Pickens’ career year couldn’t have come at a better time, with the Cowboys now facing a tough decision. Dallas can re-sign Pickens to a blockbuster deal, use the franchise tag to keep him in town, or watch him walk in free agency.
When speakin the the media after the Pro Bowl announcement, Pickens opened up about how the honor could boost his contract numbers.
”It definitely improves as far as like a career. It improves my career, but as far as like contractually, I can just wait until the offseason,” Pickens said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Trying to finish up this season on a positive good note.”
Pickens then spoke about his future in Dallas, and once again praised his teammates while dropping a hint that he wants to remain with the Cowboys.
“Definitely, like I always said, the guys here, I feel like, you can’t get that everywhere,” he said about being enticed to say in Dallas. “I kind of been at other places, top 30 visits when I was coming out in pre-draft, the guys here and the culture here is just a little different.”
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