Cowboys Announce Decision on Dak Prescott Before 11th NFL Season

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott continues to lead the offense entering his 11th NFL season.

by Chris Phelps

Sep 3, 2026

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott watched on as Brian Schottenheimer led the Dallas Cowboys to a 2-1 preseason record, capping it off with a 27-24 loss to Kellen Moore and the New Orleans Saints. Now, the Cowboys will turn their attention to the 2026 NFL regular season, opening with a Week 1 “Sunday Night Football” matchup against John Harbaugh and the New York Giants.

While a poor defense helped Dallas finish with a 7-9-1 record in 2025, missing out on the playoffs, Prescott helped guide an elite Cowboys offense. With the help of wide receiver duo CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the former Mississippi State quarterback completed 404-of-600 passes for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

And following his rookie season in 2016, Prescott has become a common choice as one of the Cowboys’ team captains. This excludes the 2021-24 seasons, when former coach Mike McCarthy selected different captains for each game.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4).

And sure enough, players have voted Prescott as a Cowboys team captain once again for the 2026 season, making him the only offensive player on Dallas to earn the honor.

Joining Prescott as a Cowboys captain this year includes three other key members of the team. Kicker Brandon Aubrey has been voted as the captain of the special teams unit, while defensive tackles Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark were named the defensive captains.

2026 slightly differs from Dallas’ captains from last season, coach Brian Schottenheimer’s first year with the team. In 2025, the Cowboys had six captains on the squad, including Prescott, Aubrey, Lamb, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, safety Donovan Wilson and special teams star C.J. Goodwin.

“Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey are the captains for 2026. Voted by the players,” Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins wrote on X.

Prescott and the Cowboys will face the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 8:20 p.m. ET.