Jerry Jones talks Dak Prescott contract, Mike McCarthy coaching with something to prove
On the same day that Dallas Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones told reporters at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., that signing quarterback Dak Prescott to a new contract was the biggest priority of the offseason, owner Jerry Jones affirmed that it was something the team had to get done.
The elder Jones was 467 miles away at the Houston Sports Awards presenting the late Houston Texan owner Bob McNair’s Lifetime Achievement Award to his family.
Asked about the Prescott’s negotiations by reporters at the gala, Jones said, “We know what our future is there. We’ll keep our head down and keep working on that.”
The Cowboys got close to signing Prescott last September to a deal that would pay him roughly $33 million annually. It will take at least that now to sign Prescott but Jones didn’t seem too bothered about the rising money in the quarterback market.
He has been here before.
“It’s always been expensive for quarterbacks,” Jones said. “My first one was Troy Aikman and I made him the highest paid player in the NFL.”
The addition of new coach Mike McCarthy as a replacement for the-fired Jason Garrett makes it even more imperative for the team to get something with Prescott as soon as possible if he is going absorb the changes on offense and lead the off-season program.
Jones also spent time talking about McCarthy with Radio 610 before the ceremony.
He explained that McCarthy was not at the Senior Bowl because he was still putting his staff together.
He then elaborated on what he liked about McCarthy as a coach who has been to the mountaintop with a Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers but also one who is coming to the Cowboys motivated to prove himself again after being fired.
“The thing that I like about Mike the best is that he’s been in the foxhole,” Jones said. “He’s certainly had experience getting shot at, but he’s been hit. When you get in the fox hole with someone who’s shown they’re made of the right stuff -- they’ve had it in their past, they’ve done good. Get them in with you after they’ve had a little flack and then you might really have you something there. Everybody gets theirs, it’s just a matter of when you do.
“Without being too poetic here, Mike brings the combination of experience and a can-do attitude. We know he wants to show them. And we want him to show them everything he’s about with the Dallas Cowboys.”
