The noise around benching Dak Prescott is growing louder as the Cowboys hit the season’s final stretch, but the popular argument misses the truth by a mile.QQ
The Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season is basically over. Should they bench QB Dak Prescott moving forward?
The Dallas Cowboys aren’t making the NFL Playoffs in 2025. They might have a 1% chance to do it, but even quarterback Dak Prescott is willing to admit they are out of the picture. That means two things for America’s Team:
- Playoff picture watch shifts to draft pick watch.
- The Cowboys’ final three-game stretch will be hit with the label “meaningless.”
Now granted, that’s an overused term around the NFL, but you get the point. The next few games will be more exhibition than anything else. And with that in mind, there are some who are already talking about benching Prescott for the remainder of the season.
The Cowboys are wasting one of their best defensive weapons…The Cowboys are wasting one of their best defensive weapons…
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Talk about benching Dak Prescott emerges
Obviously, this isn’t about benching Prescott for performance or anything like that. Rather, the argument brought by 105.3 The Fan hosts R.J. Choppy and Shan Shariff revolves around seeing what Joe Milton is all about and helping the team’s draft positioning. The Cowboys are currently projected to pick at No. 14 and No. 23.
“Hopefully, although last year they did not do it,” Shariff said on air. “When Trey Lance should have been out there playing to help the draft pick, there’s no reason not to. They did not put Lance out there. Will they do the same thing with Joe Milton? [. . .] Get Dak Prescott on that sideline, and I would love for them to bench him this week.”
Why the Cowboys won’t do it
Shariff and Choppy admitted the Cowboys were unlikely to do it, even if a Philadelphia Eagles win on Saturday could eliminate Dallas before its own game. Here’s the biggest reason why I agree: The Cowboys—who are led by an owner that described the team as a 365-day-a-year soap opera—are highly unlikely to head into their Christmas Day matchup without their starting quarterback.
The front office knows it’s got to sell the fans on the future, and an 0-5 end to the season could be brutal for the fanbase’s morale. But more than believing they won’t go down that route, I think the Cowboys shouldn’t bench Prescott. And the reason is pretty simple.
Schottenheimer’s team needs to learn to win
The Cowboys’ three-win stretch in a 10-day stretch in November is the only time they’ve had a winning streak in 2025. Their other three wins all came sandwiched between losses (or a tie). Schottenheimer is all about building a winning culture. But speeches isn’t going to take care of that. Winning will.
A lot of Cowboys players on this team will be around the next. And ultimately, it will be a squad led by Prescott in 2026. He will probably be throwing to George Pickens, even if it’s on a franchise tag. Don’t we want to see them get on the same page before the season ends? Stacking wins would be relevant even without playoff hopes.
Season finale is different
With that being said, a couple of points in favor of benching Prescott: We just witnessed Patrick Mahomes go down with a torn ACL, which is going to cost him valuable time in next year’s offseason. I get the idea of taking care of your quarterback while boosting your draft positioning. However, you can’t coach scared in the NFL.
And if it’s just Week 18 we’re talking about? Sure, give the reps to Milton if you go 2-0 before the season finale. But first, I’d prioritize challenging the team two win two in a row for only the second time this season.
