1 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: The following he's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Well, if you're hearing 3 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: a sound of whoa, that's because the Cowboys Nation. There's 4 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: a big sigh of relief going on here Monday night. 5 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: It's finally done, guys, this is a done deal. We're 6 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: here to talk about it. I got Rob Phillips, David Hellman, 7 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: NICKI Ben, and guess what, Dak Prescott and this finally 8 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: has a new contract. It's not officially signed yet. Close enough, though, guys, 9 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what we knew. It wasn't gonna happen 10 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of the day. We knew it was 11 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: gonna be something. Time at night. Here we are, right 12 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: before the deadline. I'll start with you, Rob, I'll start 13 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: with you. You wrote the story, thoughts, thoughts on the deal. Finally, 14 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: Glad it's over. You said thank God earlier. Yes, this 15 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: is the thank God podcast. I think that's what said 16 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: before we went on. Everybody wins. Everybody wins tonight. The 17 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: Cowboys win, Dak Prescott obviously wins. The fans win, who 18 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: were on board with getting Dak resigned. I think we win. 19 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: We don't have to speculate about this anymore. I did 20 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: the blitz hit on Friday, and I feel like I've 21 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: reached a point. I think we've all reached a point 22 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: with this conversation where you're just rehearsing what you know, 23 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: and there really wasn't anything left to talk about except 24 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: getting the deal done. And I think when it came 25 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: right down to it, it was time. It was the 26 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: right time for both sides to finish this out. You know, Dak, 27 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: clearly every player wants long term security. You can talk 28 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: about what he could earn on the tag this year 29 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: and then potentially next year, but he gets long term 30 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: security now. He's earned that without question the way he's 31 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: played for five years, and the Cowboys get precious cap 32 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: relief through this deal. To try to get something done 33 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: when the new league gear begins next week and free 34 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: agency gets going. Yeah, Dave, let's talk a little bit 35 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: more about I mean, we get talk in a second 36 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: about all the numbers that we know that being reported, 37 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: but I'll get your overall thoughts on on the deal 38 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: being done as well. I don't even know where to start, 39 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: you guys. I mean, I mean, this isn't this isn't 40 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 1: the first big deal that we've covered over the years. 41 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: It won't be the last, but in my decade covering 42 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: the team, it's easily the one that's drawn on for 43 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: the longest. I mean you think you think back, Okay, 44 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: you know Amari Cooper got a big deal last year 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: that was that was maybe a year in the making. 46 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: Zeke's big deal came kind of came out of nowhere, 47 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: like nobody was really expecting him to hold out the 48 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: way that he did. De Marcus Lawrence it came towards 49 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: the end of his rookie deal. The point being is 50 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: like this is typically like a I don't know, a 51 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: six to eight month or deal, and with Dak Prescott, man, 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: it's been it's been literally two years. I'm not exaggerating. 53 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: Like from the time all from the time he finished 54 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: the third year of his career until tonight, we've been 55 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: wondering if or when this might get done, and sometimes 56 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: you felt optimistic and sometimes you didn't. Honestly, I sure 57 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: as hell didn't think it was going to happen before 58 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: before the deadline, if you want me to be honest 59 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: about it, And and here we are, and it's great 60 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: for the Cowboys. It's great. It's obviously great for Dak 61 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: and his family, and holy cow, I'm just ay, I'm 62 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: happy it happened. B I'm happy we can stop talking 63 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: about it. I mean, it's yeah, it's a weight off 64 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: of everybody's shoulders. If I had to guess, alright, a 65 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: lot of go ahead, go ahead. Well. And the other 66 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: thing too, is just how up uckly it happened, you know, 67 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: And like I can't recall a deal with the Cowboys 68 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: involved much less. When's the last time a deal of 69 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: this magnitude in terms of dollars happened in any major 70 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: American sport. And it really wasn't It didn't break early, 71 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: you know. And I asked, I was asking around earlier 72 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: just how quickly this came together? And was it the 73 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: last few days? Was it just today? And I was told, 74 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: you know, a little bit of both, and clearly today 75 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: was they really picked up steam? And Stephen Jones has 76 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: said this before. You know, when you can build a 77 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: little bit of momentum in these talks, sometimes within a 78 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: few hours they're done. And I know, and the thing 79 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: about it is, like there's been so much skepticism over this. 80 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: Dave mentioned that, you know, you kind of reach a 81 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: point where, well, we got to see it to believe it. 82 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: I think we almost kind of forgot that they have 83 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: made progress in two years off and on. Not enough 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: to get it done, but enough by the time they 85 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: got talking again this offseason. I never felt like, ultimately 86 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: would take that much time to get it done. The 87 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: bones of this thing probably have been in place at 88 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: least based on certain offers in the past, and they 89 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: finally just kind of figured it out. Obviously it's good 90 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: enough for both parties. All right, before, I'm gonna tell 91 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: a quick story about today. Before we do that, I 92 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,119 Speaker 1: want you guys to kind of also be thinking about 93 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: this too. A lot of different numbers are being thrown around. 94 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: You can skin this cat so many ways, so I 95 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: want you guys to kind of think what number stands 96 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: out the most to you when you think about I mean, 97 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: there's a lot of ways to say it, so just 98 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: be thinking of that. If you already have it, that's fine. 99 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,559 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna tell this quick story about today. So 100 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: we were told that Dak was going to be in 101 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: our studio downstairs to shoot a quick PSA. So I'm like, well, 102 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go down there. I mean, like we I 103 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: felt like there would be more blocking than Darryl Johnston 104 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: to make sure I didn't talk to He walked down 105 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: there by himself, shockingly, and he said happy to be 106 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: on two feet, excited about it. When he came out, 107 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: I said, hey, I'm not doing my job if I 108 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: don't at least try to talk to you, ask you 109 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: to interview something. How's the rehab contract whatever? He said, no, 110 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: I can't really do that right now. But he talked 111 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: a little bit and he said, I ain't going anywhere. 112 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be a cowboy for life. And I was like, 113 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: he's feeling good, doing good, and kind of did a 114 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: little dance and all that. So he was he was 115 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: good and he just got the sense. I told Rob, 116 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: you just get the sense something's happening here, you know, 117 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: and just and lo and behold you know here we are. 118 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: I didn't think it was gonna happen today. And what 119 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: did I say? I was like, yeah, okay, yeah, you've 120 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 1: been I'll see it. You know, I'll believe it when 121 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: I see it. Type approach for two years and why 122 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: not it's been two years. So all right, I'm gonna 123 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: start with you. Rob, give me a number and we'll 124 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: break this thing down just a second. Give me a 125 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: number that you that you liked the most or it's 126 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: interesting the most about this deal. Oh well, I mean 127 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 1: the reports and then again, the Cowboys haven't released the 128 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: numbers on this but but they're leaking out in the 129 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: media and we'll learn more about it as we go. 130 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: But the reports are sixty six million dollars signing bonus. 131 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: That is a league record apparently, and it just speaks 132 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: to it speaks to the magnitude of a of a quarterback, 133 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: a star quarterback contract in this league, and it does 134 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: remind you of how difficult these negotiations can get when 135 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: you're talking about this much money, when you know, because 136 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: the length of the deal has been considered long considered 137 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: to hold up. But I'm sure guaranteed money has been 138 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: a big part of this thing too. So right off 139 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: the top, that one stood out to me the most day. 140 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: What numbers when you're when you're looking at what's being reported, 141 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: what numbers do do you kind of think, kind of standing, Oh, absolutely, 142 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: it's easy to me and you can call it a 143 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: win for Dak. It seems like a win for Dak 144 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: to me because he's gonna get free agency again when 145 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: he's thirty one years old, and he'll be able to 146 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: do all this all over again. But in my experience, 147 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: again you know, I've been here since twenty thirteen. When 148 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: the Cowboys do these types of deals, we're talking five, six, seven, eight. 149 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: In some cases, you know, like you know, with Tyrn Smith, 150 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: he signs an eight year extension while he's still got 151 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: two years on his deal, you're talking ten years. This 152 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: is not the case with Dak. He's gonna be free 153 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: to go again in four and I know, you know, 154 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: maybe the Cowboys probably wouldn't prefer that, but I think 155 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: it creates some flexibility that the stat I saw is that, 156 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: you know, his deal averages forty two million per year 157 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: over the first three years of the deal, which is 158 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: understandably a lot of money, but it also means you're 159 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: gonna be out from under this thing really quickly. Yeah, 160 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: and you know, we all think it's gonna be great. 161 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 1: I obviously think the world of Dak, but even if 162 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: he's not as amazing as you think, one way or another, 163 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 1: you're going to be able to get away from this quickly. 164 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 1: You know. I just wrote about Ezekie Lelly, it's a 165 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: deal earlier late last week. Excuse me, it's you know, 166 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: your two seasons removed away from being able to get 167 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: done with that deal because of the length of it. 168 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: With Dak, that's clearly not the case, and I honestly 169 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: think it's refreshing that you have that flexibility that Okay, 170 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: if it's great, it's great, and if it's not, we're 171 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: still going to be able to get out from underneath it. 172 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: So it's obviously a win from Dak. He'll be able 173 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: to hit free agency very quickly while he's still young. 174 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: But I think it's a win for the Cowboys too, 175 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: because even if this thing doesn't go well, they will 176 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: still have flexibility to remanage their situation again in you know, 177 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: three years, And that's unique. It's unique because these deals 178 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: that we've seen over the last decade or so are 179 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: so long, and this is not that. This is This 180 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: is why I think it's it's a It's a big 181 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: win for Cowboy fans because Cowboy fans obviously want to 182 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: win right now. They're thinking about right now. It's rare 183 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: to have a situation where you sign a player to 184 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: a mega deal like this and his cap charge is 185 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: actually could significantly yeah, this year, because last year he 186 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: was counting what thirty one three? Is that what it 187 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 1: was that with the seward cap. I mean, that's what 188 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: the thirty one three and thirty one four and there's 189 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: a chance it could be about thirty eight if they 190 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: didn't get a deal done and he was playing on 191 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: a tag. Now his cap charge is gonna be twenty 192 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: two two, and that, you know, that's significant when you're 193 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: thinking of what any played for last year. You're saving 194 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: nine million dollars or so on the cap to maybe 195 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: go get somebody else or resign some players or whatever. 196 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: So that's that's why I think is a win, is 197 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: that they were able to get this done and you 198 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: said four years, David, You're right about that. It will 199 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: be a four year but they were able to make 200 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: it a straight Yeah. That will avoid down before and 201 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: that's what spreads it down. So we can go over 202 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: some of those numbers. Though you know it's he's gonna 203 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: get seventy five million in the first year, it's about 204 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: sixty six signing bonus nine in a base salary. I 205 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: mean that's it's like one hundred and twenty two million 206 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,599 Speaker 1: over the first three years. I mean, it's like you 207 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:23,679 Speaker 1: said to a lot of which and I just I 208 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: think it's important. I mean, and Nick you said it 209 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: at the beginning. Is you know there's there's more than 210 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: one way as to skin a cat, but like to 211 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: get that money out of the way quickly, I think 212 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: is important because it gives you flexibility later. Like sometimes 213 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: you see these long deals where a player gets signed 214 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: for six, seven, eight years and it's like, yeah, we 215 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: can cut him, but it's gonna hit us for forty 216 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 1: million dollars five years from now. I don't think this 217 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: is that situation. I think. And again I think you know, 218 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: we all think Dak's gonna play well, but even if 219 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: he doesn't, I think this gives you the ability to 220 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: get away if you need to. And like I said, 221 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: I think it's unique. I think it's refreshing, and you know, 222 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: I we'll see how the whole deal plays out. But 223 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: for those of you Cowboy fans, and I know there 224 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: are a lot of you that don't live in the 225 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: Texas area, maybe you live in Pennsylvania, the Cowboys are 226 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: gonna pay Dak Prescott less money on the cap to 227 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: play quarterback for them this year. Than the Eagles are 228 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: going to pay Carson Wentz to play for the Colts. 229 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: Carson Wentz is counting thirty million dollars toward the cap 230 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: to play for somebody else this year. And that's why 231 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: it's amazing. Yeah, And that's why all this talk about 232 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: quarterback movement like, to me, that's not that's not a 233 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: trend because for that reason, because you can't. This isn't 234 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: the NBA, the way the salary cap is structured. You 235 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: can't move around contracts like that without major implications down 236 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: the road that year and down the road. And that's 237 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: why I just don't see that happening. That's why the 238 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: Cowboys wanted to get the deal done with their quarterback, 239 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: you know, instead of having to all these other rumors 240 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: about something they might else they might be involved in, 241 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: or you know, rumors about other quarterbacks that could be 242 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: available and all that, they wanted to get this deal done. 243 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 1: And actually, Nick, I want to change my answer because 244 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: what you said about the money they save, that's the 245 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: big one for me, Like fifteen plus million under the 246 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: cap this year. That's why the timing for this deal 247 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: was it. It was now because and to me, it 248 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: says you had two sides, both sides pulling in the 249 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: right direction, like Dak wants to be here, wants to 250 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: be the franchise quarterback. And I'm sure he recognizes and 251 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: it sounds like, you know, we'll get to talk to 252 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: him on Wednesday. He recognizes, Look to get this thing 253 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: done to help the Cowboys out in a crazy year 254 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: with the pandemic, the salary cap dropping by twenty five 255 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: million less than it would have been in a normal year. 256 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: This allows them an opportunity to get number one, get 257 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: under the cap, number two, a little more flexibility to 258 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: hopefully do something to further upgrade the roster when things 259 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: get going next week in free agency. That's a good point, 260 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: Rob And that's that, to me, is the one of 261 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: the answers of him, because it's easy for fans to say, well, 262 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: what took so long? That right there is one of 263 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: the reasons why, in my opinion of kind of why 264 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: it took so long. They don't even know what the 265 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: salary cap is right now, you know, so that they 266 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: had to get creative. And that's when I found out 267 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: it was a six year deal that voice the four 268 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: then I was I was happy about that because that 269 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: showed me that, like you said, they're working together, that 270 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: doesn't want to just take up all of the salary 271 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: cap and then not have anyone to block for him. 272 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: I mean, he wants to have he wants his thing 273 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: to have some success. So that I think is a 274 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: really big deal. And you saw him today like he's 275 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: been rehabbing at the Star. Yeah, that rehab is going 276 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: very well like they believed it would, and there's just 277 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: been no indication that there's this animosity. It just hasn't 278 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: gotten done, and it was time to get it done. 279 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: It was, I mean, it just honestly, it was time 280 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: to get it done for both time, which I do 281 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: think that's that's interesting and important for a deal of 282 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: this size that took this long, and we can all 283 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: attest to just how long it took. It never seemed 284 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: like it got overly contentious, like you know, I mean, Nick, 285 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: you saw Dack today and obviously he probably knew it 286 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: was about to happen, But even still, like during this 287 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: whole time frame, it never seemed overly acrimonious, like these 288 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: two sides were just sniping at each other, even honestly, 289 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: as short as it was when DeMarcus Lawrence was negotiating 290 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: his deal, it seemed like there was more uncertainty and 291 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: more sort of acid for lack of a better word, 292 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: about like, well, is this going to happen? And I 293 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: never got that from this well and that one of 294 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: the reasons is did France talkm's to the meeting? I don't. 295 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: I never know because d laws there. That's totally fair, 296 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: totally fair. That was part of it. But also another 297 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: point too is you remember that day where Dak Prescott 298 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: was walking around here and he was really mad and 299 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: pissed off. I don't either, you know, I that doesn't happen. 300 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: I mean, that's not the way he is. And that's 301 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: why these people love him. I mean, everybody here loves 302 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: this guy. And you know, and and I think the 303 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: Cowboys were were the same way, and that's maybe one 304 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: of the reasons why they never really got down, because 305 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: you know, they figured it was all always going to happen. 306 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: It was. I do think I do think there was 307 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: some genuine disappointment, probably on both sides in July because 308 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: it was just I think for us too, it was 309 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: almost shocked because how many times does it happen when 310 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: the Cowboys want something? Done and they it doesn't get done. 311 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: That just doesn't happen very often for them, and Dak 312 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 1: had gotten on the phone with Stephen. I think that 313 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: day of the headline trying to get something done didn't happen. Um, 314 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: but yeah, I don't think it ever got you know, 315 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: really really contentious. And there's also been so many weird 316 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: things around this team in the league, with the pandemic, 317 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: with the CBA, and again you know, they were just 318 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: able to roll up their sleeves and get it done 319 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: at a critical point in the offseason. Well, two things, 320 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: in my opinion, two things have ended today. Number one, 321 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: of course, is this two year negotiation and speculation if 322 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: this was ever going to happen. But another thing that ended, 323 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: in my opinion, of course, is that that awesome story 324 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: of the fourth year you know, draft pick, compensatory pick 325 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: that comes in and leads this team and look what 326 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: he's doing. He's playing on the chief and all that 327 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: he's the leader. Okay, now that's over, and that's fine, 328 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: that's what he wants. That's over. Now. The goal is 329 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: with this contract, the expectation, of course, with this franchise 330 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: is to go win win championships. I mean I don't 331 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: think he would disagree with that. How do you guys 332 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 1: think he will handle that? You want to take that first, 333 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 1: Robbie or me take it? I just I mean, and 334 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: I agree with you for whatever it's worth, Like that 335 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 1: narrative can be put to bed, but I think I 336 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: think it's been in bed for a long time. If 337 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: you want me to be honest with you, because even 338 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: if he didn't get the pay day, he played on 339 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: the tag last year, he did this whole song and 340 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: dance last year. He did this whole song and dance 341 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: the offseason before that. Again, even even if he didn't 342 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: get the money, it's literally been two years since the 343 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 1: report first leaked. Oh Dak wants forty million dollars a year, 344 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 1: and everybody in the world lost their damn minds. And 345 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: so Dak has been playing under the scrutiny of like, yeah, 346 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: he's great, but how much is he worth for at 347 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 1: least two years at this point. And I can hear 348 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: I can hear people being mad right now. I know, 349 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: you know, they didn't make that they were they were 350 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: terrible last year when he got hurt. They didn't make 351 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: the playoffs the year before that. But man, I don't. 352 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, go go watch the tape. As other 353 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: Cowboy players like to say, my man's good at quarterback, 354 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 1: Like he's he's damn good. And I know that he's 355 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: very confident in himself. And honestly, if you're asking me 356 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: to give you a reason why you should feel optimistic 357 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: about Dak Prescott, like, I've never been around a person 358 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: with more self belief than Dak Prescott. And I mean 359 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: that's just me talking, like that's just my own experience. 360 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: But he's got a way about him. Like right before 361 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: we logged onto this show, you know, just looking through 362 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: Instagram and Twitter, like the number of players that are 363 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: posting about it. Randall Cobb, this spoke volumes to me. 364 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: Randall Cobb, who played one year with Dak, said he's 365 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 1: one of the best teammates I've ever had. He deserves 366 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,639 Speaker 1: everything he's got coming to him. You know, obviously nobody 367 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: knows if he's going to deliver the Cowboys their next championship, 368 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: but he's got everything you want in a quarterback. Who 369 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: would And so I mean, maybe I'm a little bit 370 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: biased because I've covered the guy's entire career, but I 371 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: think it's good for the Cowboys to have him under contract. 372 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,199 Speaker 1: I think it's good to get this conversation out of 373 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: the way. And if there's ever been a guy who's 374 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: not gonna, you know, shy away from that type of limelight, 375 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: I think it's Dak Prescott. You know, when he when 376 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: he had that awful ankle injury in October. I remember 377 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: Zach Martin saying after the game, he's he's the heart 378 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: and soul of the team. And that wasn't lip service 379 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: because all the guys feel that way, and that's a 380 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: big part of you know, it's one thing to be 381 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: the best player on the team or the most important 382 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: position on the team, but if you're the leader of 383 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: the team at that position, that makes to me, that 384 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: makes your value. It puts the value of the contract 385 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: in perspective, and to me, it makes it all worth it. 386 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: And Daki is all those things. And I think, you know, 387 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 1: he's he's had pressure already. I mean, he played, like 388 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: you mentioned Nippet, he had a thirty one million dollar 389 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: contract last year, so it wasn't like he's been playing, 390 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: you know. I think twenty nineteen was a two million 391 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: dollars base salary that went away last year. Before he 392 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: got hurt. So he's to a certain extent, he's already 393 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: been through that. But yeah, he's he's in it to 394 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: win big. I mean that that's what he expects out 395 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: of himself. I remember one of one of his first 396 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: couple of years in the league, he had Tom Brady's 397 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: book in his locker, you know. I mean, that's that's 398 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: where he's trying to go and and the Cowboys to 399 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: get there. It's it's gonna take building an entire team 400 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: around him, no question about that. But I just, I mean, 401 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: I just Dave mentioned his self belief. I remember the 402 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: first interview he ever gave a mini camp in twenty sixteen. 403 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: I remember he was taught. He talked about Tony Romo 404 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: and I remember thinking, I've never heard anybody say that, 405 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: you know, as long as Tony's been around, And Tony 406 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 1: got hurt, and I'll be damned if you know he 407 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 1: didn't take the opportunity and run with it. And look 408 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: where we are now. It's crazy. Yeah. And the amazing 409 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 1: part about that is when he said that I'm not 410 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: sure he was ahead of Jamil Showers on the tour 411 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: at the time. No, I mean, that's the thing he wasn't. 412 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: He wasn't. He didn't come out here and play that 413 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: great to start with. And you know, when the lights 414 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: came on, you know, everyone has their back moment, and 415 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: I think Los Angeles, you know, when he went into 416 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: that first preseason game and it was just like, you know, hey, 417 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: I got this, or even Seattle a couple of weeks 418 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: later in the preseason. I mean, he's always kind of 419 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: he's always been a gamer. He's always been to me, 420 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: a really outstanding football player, you know, and the first 421 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: and foremost that plays quarterback. Not saying he's not a 422 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: great quarterback, but he's a football player. And you know, 423 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: I'll never forget the Denver game when they got their 424 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: ask picked up in Denver and he's over there fighting 425 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: to the ant throwing a pick, but tasing guys down 426 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: dive and you know what I mean, that's when you 427 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: know that, Okay, this guy. You know, someone told me 428 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 1: just the other day, you put a foxhole down there 429 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: and put Dak Prescott in it. He'd have the whole 430 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:15,959 Speaker 1: team down there with him. And I think that speaks 431 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: volumes for kind of where they are. You know, I 432 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 1: have a vivid memory like not to not to whatever, 433 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: humble brag or whatever. But like, we went to Starkville 434 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: a few years ago and did that documentary about Dak. 435 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: I remember Dan Mullen was the coach of Mississippi State 436 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: at the time, and he told us a story about 437 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: how Dak Prescott showed up in the weight room in Starkville. 438 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: Mississippi had an SEC program as a under recruited freshman 439 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 1: from Louisiana. Probably should have been at LSU, but that's 440 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: you know, we don't have to get into that right now. 441 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: But he had the whole weight room buying into him, 442 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: like a week into getting there. I mean, like that, 443 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:00,400 Speaker 1: that's rare. And I know, you know, people just want 444 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: to see results on the field, but that stuff matters, man, 445 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 1: Getting people to buy into you and believe in you 446 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: as the quarterback of a team of a franchise. That's 447 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: maybe it's not as important as actually playing well on 448 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 1: the field, but it's it's right up there. It's absolutely 449 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: as important. Imb And yeah, I mean Pick one thirty five. 450 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 1: Not only was Ezekiel Elliott. You know, obviously everybody wanted 451 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: to talk to Zeke when they got drafted. Everybody wanted 452 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:32,479 Speaker 1: to talk to Jail and Smith because he was this 453 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: great story because coming off this injury, Rico Gathers had 454 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 1: more reporters at his locker at rookie mini camp, more 455 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: people wanted to talk to Rico Gathers than Dak Prescott. 456 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 1: And here we are, you know, five six years later. 457 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 1: It's just it's awesome. And you talk about like he 458 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: was under recruited, heavily underrecruited. He knows exactly who was 459 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: drafted ahead of him at the quarterback position in twenty sixteen. 460 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: He could probably recite all the names in order. He 461 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: can't tell you what team they play for. They're all gone. 462 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 1: He's the only one. He's the only one left on 463 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: his original team. But that's my point is that like 464 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: all those things, he don't have to worry about his motivation. 465 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: And now he's got you know, a you know, serious 466 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: injury that he's on the way back from. Well on 467 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,399 Speaker 1: the way back from that's also a motivation Like that's 468 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 1: you know, the great players feed off stuff like that. 469 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: I think he's one of those guys. And I think, 470 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: you know, the Cowboys. There's all this talk about what 471 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: you have to pay Dak and how much is he 472 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: accomplished to this point when you sign a guy to 473 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: this magnitude, it's it's not necessarily who he is now 474 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: compared to the top top quarterbacks in the league, the 475 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:54,920 Speaker 1: guys that are going to be in the Hall of 476 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 1: Fame that are still playing. It's what you think he 477 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: can be. And I think the Cowboys, you know, it's 478 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: red presentative of what they think he can still grow into. 479 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: He doesn't turn twenty eight until July. There's still time 480 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: for him to grow as a player. And that's what's 481 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: one reason why they were comfortable getting this done. You know, 482 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: let's let's remember this when we're talking about the numbers, 483 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: and I said, one of the things I was excited 484 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: about the most was the twenty two point two million 485 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: dollars cap charge this year. Obviously, it's a forty million 486 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 1: per year contracts, so that means that being said, if 487 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: you're eighteen down this year, at some point, you're going 488 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: to be eighteen over. So you know, and they're worried. 489 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,000 Speaker 1: You know, they'll get TV contracts and the cap will 490 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: will go up, and they know how to kind of 491 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 1: work that a little bit. But I still I just 492 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: harp on the fact that you know, it's it's just 493 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 1: rare to get a guy locked up like this on 494 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: a deal this big and still lower his cap charge 495 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: by nine million from last year and maybe fifteen for 496 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: what it could have been. But I mean, he never 497 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: played on the thirty eight, so it's hard to say that. 498 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: But he played on a thirty one and he was 499 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 1: good until he got hurt, for sure. I now now 500 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: you know you're at twenty I do, and you have 501 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,160 Speaker 1: a chance. No, I'm sorry. I think that's really smart, though, Nick, 502 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: because and I don't know the details of all of this. 503 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: I don't know if anybody does. Like as we record 504 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 1: this right now, they're still weighing, you know, extending the 505 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: franchise tag deadline because we still don't actually know what 506 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: the salary cap is. So like there's a lot of 507 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 1: moving parts. But tell me Jerry Jones doesn't know, Oh, 508 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: we're gonna frontload this bad boy because the TV deals 509 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,639 Speaker 1: are coming in the next year or two, and literally 510 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 1: who's going to be surprised, you know, not to not 511 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: to diminish COVID nineteen, but like people are getting vaccinated, 512 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: it's starting to feel like normalcyes On the other you know, 513 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 1: it's it's around the corner if it's not right here 514 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: right now, but it's coming. The TV deals. Yeah, I 515 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,400 Speaker 1: knock on all of the wood, Yes, thank you, Rob, 516 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: But like it it. It feels close, and we know 517 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: these TV deals are getting negotiated right now. So who's 518 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: to say, like, twelve months from now, this deal might 519 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: look like a damn bargain and I'm not going to 520 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: be surprised if it does. When you consider Lamar Jackson, 521 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 1: Josh Allen, Baker, Mayfield, whichever other quarterbacks are still coming. 522 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: Like when those guys come up for deals and there's 523 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: new TV money coming into the league, all bets are 524 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: gonna be off. And that's why Dak wanted a short deal. 525 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: But the Cowboys might as well take advantage of all that. 526 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: They're gonna take these big cap hits for a year 527 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: or two, and in a year maybe two, they're gonna 528 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 1: feel really good that they did this. I'm very confident 529 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: of it. Yeah, And he'll be He'll be thirty one 530 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: at the end of this deal, right, I believe. So 531 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: it's it's he would still be in the writing his 532 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,479 Speaker 1: prime and you know, if if the deal works out 533 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: the way the Boys think it will, they'll gladly go 534 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: back to the the negotiating table. I mean, that's why there's 535 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: a comfort level now in finally getting this thing done. 536 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: You know, Cowboy fans and the NFL fans might be 537 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: kind of confused tomorrow or freaked out or whatever. If 538 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:19,960 Speaker 1: they see a headline they probably will that says the 539 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: Cowboys have placed the franchise tag on Dak Prescott. It's 540 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 1: really just going to be to cover themselves if they 541 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: end up doing that as a procedural thing, just because 542 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 1: the deal hasn't been signed and won't be signed. So 543 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: if they miss the if there is a deadline tomorrow 544 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: and they miss it and don't sign them, who's to 545 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: say the Cowboys wouldn't go shop this deal. That really 546 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't be good faith. But you probably will see them 547 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: just put the tag on him just to cover themselves. 548 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: So what a day? What a day? What a two years? Yeah? 549 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: I'm just I'm just gonna have actual news. I was 550 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: thinking about the last four or five weeks, like there 551 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: has been no news around this team. I mean, like 552 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: the biggest news we've had is, oh, the college prote 553 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 1: schedules coming out, you know, like wow, Like it's it's 554 00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: nice to have some news and some news that we've 555 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: been waiting on. Right, well, I had I had my 556 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: thoughts on who might break this story, But you're right, 557 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: Scott of Goldnick, the Cowboys PR guy was not the 558 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: one that I had pegged up there to break. I'm 559 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: so happy to be wrong, obviously, Like I'm I'm ecstatic 560 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: that this is done. I've never heard that on one 561 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: of our podcast before. I just I would have bet, 562 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: I would have bet my life that they that we 563 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: were going to hit the deadline with no deal. And 564 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: that's you know, it's probably why I scheduled a date 565 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: for tonight. And yeah, you know we we break in 566 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: some more notes. Yeah, we can talk about that though, 567 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: I mean, there's nothing to talk about. It went, it 568 00:30:55,760 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: went well. Uh, she was she was super clearly you're 569 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:06,120 Speaker 1: at home right now. She was very under she was 570 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: very understanding of the fact that I had places to be. 571 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: But whole I mean, we joke like we if you're 572 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 1: if you don't work in this industry, maybe you don't understand. 573 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: But like we joke all the time that the minute 574 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: you try to make plans, that's when that's when it's 575 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: gonna go down. And it was proven right once again. 576 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: This evening, Chris, can we clip that off? Just cut 577 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 1: that off and we can make that. We can make 578 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: that at cowbites for sure. All Right, well, guys, as 579 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: my ipass has five percent battery, it's a good time 580 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: to maybe get out of this thing. But I mean, 581 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 1: we've covered it, and this is this is, this is awesome, 582 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: this is this is great news for the Cowboys, said, 583 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: I think Rob you said it best. This is a 584 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: win for everybody, really does. I mean that clearly he's 585 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: got sixty six million dollars when he signs, you know, 586 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: but a win for the cowboys though that that it 587 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: worked out, and I think a win for Cowboy fans 588 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: and a win for us that we can we can 589 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: finally move on and talk about other things and not 590 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 1: have every story we write with to say, oh cool, 591 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: cool story on Connor McGovern signed Dac you know, agreed, agreed, 592 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: get out of my mentions by all right. Well, I 593 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,719 Speaker 1: appreciate it, Chris. For Chris Beam and William Boykins were 594 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: working at home doing some great stuff. We really appreciate that. 595 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 1: Rob Phillips, David Holme, and I'm Nick Even. We'll see 596 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: you next time on Dallas Cowboys Dot com. This has 597 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot com and the 598 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys Football Club.