Dak Prescott and George Pickens did their best to inspire the Dallas Cowboys to a playoff spot, but ultimately failed in that quest. The franchise finished second in the NFC East division with a 7-9-1 record.
Both players were among the best in their respective positions and are expected to help the team even more next season. However, Prescott is currently facing backlash for some advice he gave to his teammate.
Dak Prescott gets backlash for advice to George Pickens
A recent controversy regarding Prescott arose due to some words he said to Pickens. The wide receiver is in the middle of contract negotiations with the Cowboys, who are massively restructuring their team. The franchise has placed the franchise tag on the player, and is attempting to get him to sign a long-term contract, while the player wishes to get a lucrative contract.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and wide receiver George Pickens (3)
Oct 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and wide receiver George Pickens (3) celebrate after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the third quarter of the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Amid the contract negotiations, Prescott decided to give some advice to Pickens, where he urged his teammate not to focus on money, but on his career. He said, “Don’t get in the business mind of this. You played last year for not even that much and now you’re going to get $30M. At the end of the day bet on yourself. He’s a hell of a player. Hopefully, we can get him long-term and sign that.”
This led to the quarterback getting much backlash from fans and analysts alike, who pointed out that Prescott himself is the highest-paid player in the NFL. He currently earns around $60M annually after signing a contract extension in 2024.
They argued that he secured his own lucrative contract while telling a non-quarterback not to secure his own, with calls of Prescott being a hypocrite when it comes to other players. However, not everyone thought that the 32-year-old was wrong, and defended his words.
Micah Parsons’ brother defends Dak Prescott’s words
With all the backlash Prescott was getting, it was former teammate and current Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons’ brother who defended him. Parsons and Prescott played together for four seasons at the Cowboys. Parsons is currently the highest-paid non-quarterback, being paid $47M annually.
Terrence Parsons Jr. tweeted in support of the quarterback, “He’s not a HYPOCRITE for telling someone to do what HE did lol he bet on hiself”, and added, “And is the highest paid player in the NFL lol what are we doing here lol GP best on himself he’s gonna get 4Oms per year just like dak did when he bet on himself speak on tbe cowboys letting him uo his market value by betting on himself”.
It remains to be seen whether George Pickens signs a long-term contract, and whether Dak Prescott can get his wide receiver for some more seasons.