When people consider investing in a business, there is one key indicator that they are looking for that helps make the decision — market value. They want to see if you are viable in your industry in the way of production and they want to see if there is room to continue pace or even grow. So when it comes to Dak Prescott wanting more money I have to agree with him and his agent. I get that it’s a lot of money but we value sports in this country and he should get his check at market value.
One time when I was 19, my car was sounding funny when I drove it, so my mom had this mechanic friend that she called for help. He came over, gave it a once over, tighten a screw, and told me to start the car. When I started the car, it sounded as if there was nothing ever wrong with it? The entire process took him about ninety seconds. Then he said to me “that will be $300.” So I’m sitting there thinking to myself “I could have done that had I known”(emphasis on had I known). I learned the valuable business lesson that some people have a skill, that is highly valued, that not everyone can do. So when I think about the people that say Dak Prescott shouldn’t get $40 million a year, to me they are the 19-year-old non-mechanic and Dak Prescott is the mechanic.
There are only 32 to QB1 spots in the National Football League. Remember this a passing league which makes this arguably the most critical and difficult job to have. So, just like an orthopedic surgeon is the highest-paid in the medical field(Kaplan) the quarterback is the highest-paid position in the league based on need and value. Now I know what you are thinking. Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees have never made that much and are first ballot hall of famers. That is very true. However, they had the misfortune of being born before 1990. That’s because since the uncapped year of 2010 the NFL salary cap has grown each year. This season it’s at its highest ever at $188.2 million dollars. Spoiler Alert: in 2020 in will go up again to a cool $200 million.
In those ten years, there were a few QB’s that got major deals that people were upset about as well.
2016: Andrew Luck-becomes highest-paid NFL QB
June 2017: Derek Carr- becomes highest-paid NFL QB
Aug. 2017: Matthew Stafford- becomes highest-paid QB
Dak Prescott should be next and for those that have an issue with that, make sure you hang on to your hat when you see what Patrick Mahomes II will command when his allowance is negotiated.
So what does $35 million a year get you in the NFL? I say that because according to Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated, that is actually what the market thinks he should get, which makes starting negotiations at $40 million not sound so crazy. Now the answer to that question is speculative, and no he doesn’t have video game stats like Mahomes as mentioned earlier. Neither is he in the top 10 in the prototypical metrics we rate top tier QB’s. However what he has done on the field is undeniable. In his first three years in the league he has:
-Thrown for over 10,000 yards
– 65+ touchdowns,
-A passer rating of 96
-Two Pro Bowl Appearances
-ROY trophy
-Two division titles
-never won less than nine games
Not to mention he has 32 wins in three seasons with a 16–7 record on the road. Prescott also has the clutch gene that we as a society love with 15 game-winning drives, 13 primetime wins , and 19 rushing touchdowns, all three are the most by any QB since he entered the NFL(NFL Reference). Let us also remember that he almost pulled off a come from behind win in his very first playoff game, as a rookie, against Aaron Rodgers. Dak Prescott is only 26 years old.
So when you play the highest-paid position, on the most valuable sports franchise in the world (Forbes), in the most profitable league in the world (MarketWatch), $40 million a year sounds about right. Dak Prescott will make just over $2 million this season, which represents 1.06% of the total team salary cap. So when you put in perspective that Mattew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Andrew Luck represents 15.22,11.66, and 11.59(OverTheCap.com) respectively against their team’s cap space, clearly Prescott has been playing at quite the discount. Which is why I have no problem with him doing as the Memphis philosopher Young Dolph would tell him, “get paid young man, get paid”!
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