After a close win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night, Dak Prescott is having one of the best seasons ever for a rookie quarterback. His team is 12-2 and in first place in its division and conference. The 23-year-old Dallas Cowboys quarterback is one of the best in the league. He’s currently ranked in the top five in completion percentage, yards per pass, rating, and ESPN’s overall QBR, which makes people talk about him as the MVP.
He’s having an even better season because he’s doing it all during a “quarterback controversy” with the well-liked veteran Tony Romo and on one of the most watched teams in all of sports. How does it do that? How is he able to play at such a high level, at such a young age, and on such a big stage, when there is a seasoned pro waiting for him to “drop the ball”?
We talked with Dak right after Champs Sports and Desiigner released their new “We Know Game: The Moment” campaign to find out how he stays so in the present. We also talked about his morning routines and some of his best moments from 2016.
It looks like you were picked for this Champs ad because you live your life in the present. Could you explain what that means to you?
I like to enjoy each day and each moment as it comes. Everything I’ve been through on and off the field helps me play better. Just enjoy the present moment; don’t let yourself get too stressed, too excited, or too sad at any time. I try to keep my cool.
It was an honor for them to choose me. It was a great day and shoot. He was also a fun person. It was all really exciting.
Do you like to live in the present when you’re not playing?
I do enjoy having fun, but I also like to be in the present. It doesn’t matter. I’m yours right now; this conversation is all I can think about. It’s what I do next after I leave here. I’m focused on the present task and don’t think about anything else. These days, I mostly just let things happen as they may.
How did this way of thinking come about?
It’s definitely something I’ve grown over the years. All the bad things that have happened to me have taught me not to take anything or anyone for granted, including life and time. No one ever gives you something for free, so if that’s what you want to do, just have fun. If it’s business, treat it like business. Other than that, don’t forget to be happy that you’re able to do what you’re doing or that you have the chance to do what you’re doing.
As a player, you take pride in how well you prepare by training, watching game film, working out, and so on. How do you prepare for your game and live in the present at the same time?
That’s a great question. I know that I’m living in the present, but I’ve done everything I can to get ready for the moment. We talk about one part of the game plan every Monday through Wednesday, or just today, Friday. This is how we live by the game plan. For example, I’ll spend all my time in the redzone learning and using everything I can to get better at my redzone game. That way, when the game comes up, I won’t have to think about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or any other day; I can just play and react. I don’t need to think about it ahead of time or what might happen or what might happen as a result. It’s just accepting things as they are and having fun as myself.
Is there someone at the same level as you who has the same mindset as you?
There are a few guys on our team, and Whitten is one of them. He is very focused and pays close attention to every detail in everything he does. We’re having fun, though. It’s possible to tell the difference between the two: work and fun. It’s something that a lot of the guys on our team think. Having fun while being successful is what made it possible for us to reach our goals.
The Cowboys look like they’re having more fun than any other team this year.
Yeah, I agree. It’s because we all work hard every day and pay attention to the little things. On game day, everyone cheers for each other and wants the person next to them to make a play. No one is greedy, and no one would want all the attention or praise. We only want to win as a team, and it’s fun to support each other along the way.
Like when you meditate, living in the present moment can also meаn being fully aware of all your sensations. What do you do to clear your mind?
I choose to play video games because they help me forget about everything else. It sounds crаzy, but when I play video games, I feel like I’m really there. Going to a baseball game makes me feel like a pitcher throwing the ball, and that’s where I let my mind go to forget about sports, the news, and everything else I usually do. It gives me freedom and helps me clear my mind, so when I go back to what I was doing, I’m ready to go.
What are you listening to right now?
NBA 2K, Call of Duty, and MLB The Show. It depends on how I feel. Of late, though, Call of Duty has been my favorite game.
Why not Madden?
Most of the time, I play Madden with my boys and friends. I never play those other games by myself.
Could you tell us about your pre-game routine, or how you get ready and “in the zone”?
Before I go back to the field, I always have to take a shower. I guess you could sаy “freshen up.” I then put on my warm-up gear and stretch every part of my body as soon as I get to the field and into the changing room. Before the game, I do a lot of works out with bands. Almost all of my upper body is worked out with bands. And I need to tighten up my muscles to get the blооd moving. In the background, music plays all the time. Hip-hop artists like Desiigner, Kanye, Drake, and Kevin Gates are on repeat for a few hours before the game. Then I go warm up and throw to Beasley. That’s how we always throw. When I go back into the change room, though, the music in my headphones is softer.
What kind of quiet music?
Sam Smith, Train, Adele, Matchbox 20, and a few other artists are among the songs. I get pumped up for hours before the game, but as I get ready, I like to keep my level steady, not too high or too low. The change of music lets me relax and play through plays in my head. I can focus and think better when the beats are quiet.
The best song or album of the year?
It’s tough to choose just one because there are so many good ones. Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” and Drake’s most recent record.
Favorite moment in a sport other than football this year?
They came back and did what they had to do to win the title after being down 3-1. I really like LeBron, even though people question him all the time. Everyone thought he was done when he went back to Cleveland and lost that year and then lost 3-1. He only turned the switch on and off, though. It blows my mind. The way a person thinks can really motivate them, and he turned that on and went ahead and did it.