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While Dak Prescott has finished in the top six in NFL MVP voting twice, he has never won the award. Perhaps the Dallas Cowboys quarterback will win it this season. Recently, Mark Heaney of InsideTheStar.com listed Prescott as a dark horse MVP candidate: “In 2023, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott nearly took the NFL’s MVP award home over Ravens star Lamar Jackson; from a statistical standpoint, the captain of America’s Team actually outpaced Baltimore’s man in nearly every category. The second-place finish really came down to wins and losses, as the Ravens finished 13-4 with the one seed in the AFC, while Dallas, at 12-5, ended up with the two-seed in the NFC and unable to beat their strongest opponents in the regular season. Still, the 36 TD-9 INT campaign proved that Prescott can put up the numbers needed to compete for the award, and with an improved defense and potentially historic offense, the stars may align in 2026…If you want a dark horse MVP candidate in the NFL this year, it is absolutely Dak Prescott.” Will Prescott get the job done? Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott was Listed as a Dark Horse NFL Candidate Looking Back at His Career Dak Prescott played four years of college football at Mississippi State. During his time there, he passed for 9,373 yards and 70 touchdowns while rushing for 2,521 yards and 41 touchdowns. He became just the fourth player in FBS history to record at least 9,000 passing yards and 2,500 rushing yards. The Cowboys then drafted Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Expected to serve as a backup, he was a starter right away, replacing the injured Tony Romo. Prescott would go on to have an excellent first year, leading Dallas to a 13-3 record. For his efforts, Prescott made the Pro Bowl and was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also finished sixth in MVP voting. Prescott failed to get the Cowboys to the playoffs the following year. But in 2018, he powered the team to the postseason as he was named to his second Pro Bowl. In his 10 seasons in Dallas, Dak Prescott has made four Pro Bowls and has appeared in seven playoff games. He passed for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. The Last Word Their struggling defense was perhaps the main reason the Cowboys missed the playoffs last year. The unit ranked last in points allowed (30.1) and passing yards (251.5), and 30th in total yards (377). The 30.1 points per game and 511 total points allowed were both the worst marks in franchise history. That led to Dallas firing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and replacing him with Christian Parker this offseason. The team also made several additions on defense like rookie safety Caleb Down and edge defender Rashan Gary. On the other hand, the Cowboys boast one of the top offenses in the league. Prescott and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens make a brilliant trio. Dallas’ offense finished last season ranked seventh in points and second in yards. If Dallas’ defense can somehow step up and the offense can play as they did in 2025, Prescott has a decent chance to win MVP in 2026. Quarterbacks like the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes are two early MVP favorites. But don’t forget about Dak Prescott. Main Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images