DALLAS — A trend has developed over the course of the 2021 season: Dak Prescott leading the Dallas Cowboys' pregame huddle.
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback has been a fixture in the pregame hype session and gets excited and vociferous on the sidelines just before kickoff.
According to Prescott, becoming a more vocal leader is part of his development as an on-the-field leader.
"I think in a way, as a leader, I was kind of moved to do it," Prescott told reporters Dec. 30. "Something I've always watched guys like Drew Brees and guys that I've looked up to take that huddle."
Linebacker Jaylon Smith had been leading the pregame huddle for the Cowboys. However, the club parted ways with their former 2016 second-round pick after Week 4. With the absence of a pregame huddle orator, Prescott filled the void.
Said Prescott: "When he left, some of the guys just told me I needed to do it. As a leader, when another leader, or somebody else asks you to do something you don't hesitate. When the guys were being receptive to it and that's what they wanted, yeah it was a no-brainer for me to take it over."
Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin says that Prescott "brings a lot of energy" to the pregame huddle.
"Anytime a guy like that brings the team up and speaks like that with that much passion before a game, I think it’s great," said Martin. "It locks everyone in, gets everyone in that mindset. So, I think early in the year, it kind of changed back and forth who did it, but Dak’s been doing it consistently for the last four or five weeks and I think it’s been great."
Talking to the team is natural for Prescott, and he likes the way he provides one last chance to touch base with the special teams and defensive players before kickoff.
"It's something easy for me to do that I get another chance to talk to the guys and talk to the defense and special teams, guys that I may not talk to as much just during the week with the preparation and just let them know how I feel and let them know who they are going to war with and that we're all in this together," said Prescott.
Prescott will be the center of the huddle for one more regular-season home game at AT&T Stadium as Dallas takes on the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, Jan. 2 in a battle for playoff seeding in the NFC.
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