If everything goes according to plan, we could look at Dak's 2026 season as the one where he completes his Cowboys legacy.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has done nearly everything you want your franchise star to do ... except the one big thing that all quarterbacks are judged by.
And that's winning in the playoffs.
Oh, and he knows it.
"That's what's left for me," Prescott said on Friday from his from his "Faith Fight Finish'' gala in downtown Dallas. "It has always been my mindset. It's the one thing I truly love about the Cowboys organization and the fanbase is it's that (Super Bowl) or nothing. That's what being a competitor is. If that's not how you're wired, if that's not how you think, whether you're a fan or a player or coach, then I think you're in the wrong business. And, honestly, I don't want you on my team.''
In other words, "Super Bowl or bust.''
Dak was asked if that expectation is more realistic this year.
"I love those expectations. Absolutely," he said.
Dak is 2-5, and that looms as the big elephant in the room when talking about how good Prescott is when compared to his peers and franchise legends.
But what if I told you that 2026 could see Dak solidify his standing among Cowboys greats ... if everything goes according to plan.
We know that Dak is already the franchise leader in passing yards (35,989), but by the end of 2026, he could have all the records to himself.
Dak needs just six touchdowns to surpass Tony Romo for the most in franchise history (248), and he needs 12 wins to overtake legend and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman for the most wins in Cowboys history (94).
So, by the end of the year, Dak could be the Cowboys' franchise leader in touchdowns, wins, and yards. Great, but one thing is still missing to complete his Cowboys resume, and we all know what that is.
Could Dak solidify his Cowboys legacy with a Super Bowl win in 2026? For me, I don't have the Cowboys in that conversation yet, after all, it's July for goodness sake.
But there are others who think that the Cowboys can make a serious run at a Super Bowl, which, for me, is a little head-scratching considering the hope and expectation placed on first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his unit.
I'm more in line with our own Mike Fisher. Just win two playoff games in a row, Dak. Do that, and it's a start.
Looking at the quarterbacks Dak is up against, Aikman had an 11-5 postseason record (along with three Super Bowl wins), and Staubach had a 13-7 postseason record with two Super Bowl wins.
I mean, even Danny White (seven) and Craig Morton (five) have more playoff wins than Dak, who has a current 2-5 record.
That's the only thing you can say Dak needs to do to be able to solidify his Cowboys legacy.
Either this year or next, he'll own all Cowboys records at the quarterback position, but that will be hollow because there might not be that career-defining playoff run that culminates with hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Could it happen in 2026? Sure, although right now it isn't high on the list of things I'd bank on.
But if it does, and that's a huge if, we could look back on the 2026 season as one where Dak takes his place alongside other franchise legends. ... with a "no-bust'' bid for a Super Bowl berth.
