Dak Prescott's MVP Path For Cowboys Outlined By ESPN Insider

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott holds the keys to the Ferrari in 2026 for Brian Schottenheimer.

Last season, Dak was one of the best drivers in football, orchestrating a Cowboys offense that was elite for the majority of the season, and such was his level of play, he was in the MVP discussion.

As the losses piled up, though, that conversation went away, but there was no denying Prescott was at the peak of his powers, both pre and post-snap under Schottenheimer.

But one of the big reasons the Cowboys fell to a 7-9-1 record was the defense’s inability to stop anyone. Yes, the offense stuttered down the stretch, so we have to factor that in. Dak isn’t absolved of that.

READ MORE: 

Cowboys OTAs Preview: The 7 ‘Big If’s’ Dallas Must Solve In Offseason Workouts

Overall, though, Prescott, you can make the case, was a top-five quarterback in football last season.

But what about 2026? ESPN’s Seth Walder has Dak as a top-10 MVP candidate this upcoming season, and outlined the path the team much take for him to win it.

“Prescott’s incredible 2025 campaign was overlooked due to his team’s lackluster defense, but I felt he was actually the second-most valuable player in the league last season (and ahead of Matthew Stafford),” Walder writes. “If he plays the same way, and the Cowboys’ defense can be even just mediocre, Prescott will be an MVP candidate.”

There are those who, I think, are taking what the offense did last season and are assuming the unit will be as good in 2026.

READ MORE: 

Cowboys Can Celebrate As Eagles Weakened By A.J. Brown Trade

We know that likely won’t be the case, and there are several reasons why.

The big one is that the defense should be better, meaning Dak and the offense won’t have to do all the heavy lifting and put up huge numbers.

But there are other reasons.

Can Javonte Williams and George Pickens have career-years again? Can Dak remain fully healthy in back-to-back seasons, something he hasn’t done since 2018 and 2019?

So, there are questions aimed at the offense, and Dak is central to everything, as most quarterbacks are.

If Dallas plays to its potential again and the football gods stay away, 2026 could be very fruitful for Schottenheimer’s team.

But Dak winning MVP? As much as Cowboys Nation would love it, I think they’d settle for playoff football first.