Jimmy Johnson Burns Cowboys Over $240M Dak Prescott decision

Like every other supporter of America’s Team, Jimmy Johnson has a lot to say about the Cowboys’ personnel moves over the past year.

Appearing on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” Wednesday, Johnson — who coached the storied franchise from 1989 to 1993 and won two Super Bowls — was asked what he would do with the Cowboys as they enter a critical offseason.

Johnson blasted the team’s decision to sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a four-year, $240 million extension.

“Well, first of all, they’re so financially strapped with some of these contracts. First of all, I would never have given Prescott another contract,” Johnson said. as transcribed by Larry Brown Sports.

“I’d let him play it out. He’s the highest paid player in the league. He’s not the best player in the league. He wouldn’t go anywhere if they went to the Super Bowl with him, hey, he wouldn’t anywhere, pay him whatever. If he wrestled in the playoffs, you negotiate. Or if he got hurt, you save money. But they’re so tight right now, I don’t know what they’re doing.”

Prescott, who has been under center in Dallas since 2016, agreed to a monster extension just hours before Dallas opened the season against Cleveland. He was entering the final year of a four-year, $160 million deal that was signed in 2021.

Although that game was a highlight — a 33-17 victory with Prescott throwing a touchdown and no interceptions — the Cowboys’ season quickly spiraled.

Dallas went on a five-game skid that started in mid-October and ended last Sunday with a 34-26 victory over the Commanders.

That win was led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush, now starting for the Cowboys after Prescott suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 9 loss to the Falcons. He opted to undergo season-ending surgery.

Before the injury, Prescott had thrown 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions through eight contests.

In addition to Prescott, Dallas awarded star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb a four-year, $136 million extension in August after an offseason holdout.

However, the Cowboys did not extend fifth-year coach Mike McCarthy, who is coaching on an expiring contract, with questions about his future in Dallas after the season.

While owner Jerry Jones hasn’t dumped water on the proposal for a McCarthy expansion, it’s something Johnson brought up Wednesday.

“They’re talking about changing coaches, I don’t know if changing coaches will help them because Mike McCarthy is a good football coach. I don’t know if the new coach coming in can solve the problem,” he said.

Johnson is far from the only person to criticize Jones and the Cowboys this season, with Dallas’ legendary quarterback Troy Aikman slamming the team’s “lazy” receivers after an embarrassing loss in October.

That same month, while appearing weekly on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones apparently threatened to have the radio hosts fired after raising questions about the team’s offseason approach.

Dallas enters Thursday’s NFC East showdown against the 2-9 Giants at 4-7. Kickoff is at 4:30 PM in Arlington.