Dak Prescott and the Cowboys agree on $240 million deal that is the first at $60 million per year

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys gave Dak Prescott every thing he needed. He intends to pay them again in full.

Hours earlier than the season opened, Prescott agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Cowboys, making the quarterback the NFL’s highest paid participant whereas giving him an opportunity to win a Tremendous Bowl for a staff he loves.

“I needed to be a Cowboy,” he stated. “I needed to remain a Cowboy and it acquired carried out.”

Prescott is the primary in league historical past to common $60 million per season, an individual with data of the negotiations informed The Related Press on Sunday. The particular person spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal hasn’t been introduced.

The runner-up in NFL MVP voting was getting into the ultimate yr of a $160 million, four-year contract that was a franchise file earlier than this deal. It consists of $231 million assured, the particular person stated, $1 million greater than the file absolutely assured deal Deshaun Watson signed with the Browns two years in the past.

“I had an obligation to the league and to the opposite quarterbacks,” he stated. “It is as a result of I used to be up (due) and the following man, I count on to beat me.”

Prescott was in his Cleveland resort room on the brink of go away for Sunday’s sport towards the Browns when his agent informed him the deal was full.

He then went out and threw one landing cross whereas main the Cowboys to a straightforward 33-17 win of their season opener.

There had been hypothesis for weeks about whether or not the perimeters might attain an settlement. Prescott was getting into his last yr below contract and had hoped for a definitive reply that lastly got here.

“In any negotiation, one facet desires one thing and the opposite facet desires one thing else,” he stated. “You have to meet within the center. I am simply glad it is carried out and it really works for everybody.”

Prescott stated he spoke with proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones on Saturday and was assured the Cowboys have been keen to finalize a deal.

“I do know that these numbers are past something that I might have ever imagined,” Jones informed reporters about an hour earlier than kickoff.

Prescott has led the Cowboys to the playoffs the previous three seasons and 5 instances in his first eight years. However Dallas is on the lookout for a postseason breakthrough that hasn’t occurred because the final of the franchise’s 5 Tremendous Bowl titles to cap the 1995 season.

The 31-year-old stated repeatedly he needed to stick with Dallas and be the QB to get the membership previous the divisional spherical for the primary time in 29 years. Prescott now will get not less than a number of extra probabilities.

“It is about me holding up my finish of the deal,” he stated.

“This was the factor to do for what we’re right here for and that’s to win a championship,” Jones stated. “I gave every thing I ever had or hoped to need to get an opportunity to be part of the Cowboys. And it is past my fondest desires the place we stand immediately.”

The take care of Prescott comes lower than two weeks after Dallas made All-Professional receiver CeeDee Lamb the second-highest paid participant at his place with a $136 million, four-year contract.

Prescott was a fourth-round pick of Mississippi State in 2016 when Tony Romo was getting into his tenth full season because the starter.

Romo injured his again in a preseason sport, which led to Prescott ranging from Week 1 of his rookie season after backup Kellen Moore additionally was injured earlier than the opener.

After shedding to the New York Giants, Prescott led an 11-game profitable streak that was a franchise file in a single season.

Prescott edged teammate Ezekiel Elliott, his operating again, for 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors as they led the Cowboys to the highest seed within the NFC earlier than shedding their playoff debut to Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

The primary playoff victory with Prescott got here two years later towards Seattle earlier than a divisional loss on the Los Angeles Rams.

The primary of three straight 12-win playoff seasons in 2021 ended with a wild-card loss to San Francisco at house.

Prescott performed probably the greatest video games of his profession a yr later in a wild-card victory at Tampa Bay that was Tom Brady’s final sport. One other loss to the 49ers, this time in San Francisco, adopted.

Hopes for a deep Dallas playoff run have been their highest below Prescott final season when the Cowboys surged to the NFC’s No. 2 seed late and have been in place to get previous the divisional spherical at house.

Dallas did not even get to that sport, with Prescott’s pick-6 a part of a first-half meltdown for the staff in a surprising 48-32 wild-card loss to Jordan Love and the Packers.

Arguably probably the most disappointing loss within the 34 years since Jones purchased the staff clouded an awesome common season for Prescott, who led the NFL with a career-high 36 landing passes towards 9 interceptions and threw for 4,516 yards.

Prescott was already climbing the profession QB charts for the Cowboys and now may have an opportunity to cross Romo and a pair of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famers, and a number of Tremendous Bowl winners, in Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach.

All three of his predecessors are nonetheless forward of Prescott in profession wins, with Prescott now 4 shy of Romo’s 78 in third. Prescott is second in TDs, 44 behind Romo, and third in yards behind Romo and Aikman.

Prescott is the membership’s profession chief with a 67% completion proportion. He has 29,638 yards passing and 203 touchdowns.

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AP Professional Soccer Writers Schuyler Dixon and Rob Maaddi contributed.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Tom Withers, The Related Press