Jerry Jones isn't bothered that someone called Dak Prescott embarrassing in the tunnel at AT&T Stadium, and he said as much on Dallas radio this week. The Cowboys owner and general manager made clear that whoever hurled the insult at his franchise quarterback was well within his rights to do so, even as questions swirled about whether the man lost his job over it.
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan, Jones said fans can express themselves and should express themselves, according to The Athletic. Jones also pointed out that the person who made the comment was not a Cowboys employee but a contracted car service driver, and separately, ClutchPoints reported that Jones defended the driver's right to speak his mind regardless of who signs his paycheck.
What Happened In The Tunnel
The confrontation unfolded as Prescott walked toward the locker room following Dallas' 24-16 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 8, per The Athletic's reporting. The person at AT&T Stadium said “embarrassing” to Prescott twice, and the quarterback turned his head toward the remark before telling Cowboys director of team security Cable Johnson to remove the man. Prescott said afterward that the person looked away once he turned to face him, then said something else, and that people should stand by their comments instead of cowering from the reaction, the outlet reported.
A team spokesperson told The Athletic that the exchange remained under review and would not confirm whether the Cowboys had taken any action against the driver. That uncertainty fueled a wave of online speculation, including a viral TikTok video circulating around October 11 in which a man claimed he had been fired for yelling at Prescott — though commentators and media outlets flagged the clip as unverified and possibly satirical, according to reporting on the rumor.
A Loss That Left Everyone Fuming
The defeat that sparked the whole episode dropped Dallas to 2-3 on the season, a particularly bitter result given that Tampa Bay entered the game winless at 0-4 and started rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels in place of injured starter Baker Mayfield, per Sports Illustrated. Jones himself was caught on camera slamming his hands on a suite table after Prescott threw a game-sealing interception off tight end Jake Ferguson's hands in the final minute, then left the stadium before the clock expired, as detailed by Operation Sports.
Fan frustration wasn't limited to the stadium tunnel. In the hours after the loss, one jersey-wearing Dallas supporter filmed himself driving a pickup truck over his own television set twice, a stunt Hoodline covered in its own report on the pickup truck TV stunt that circulated widely across social media.
Scrutiny Tied To A Record Contract
The anger toward Prescott carries extra weight given his contract. He signed a four-year, $240 million extension in September 2024 that included $231 million guaranteed and an $80 million signing bonus, making him the first $60-million-per-year player in NFL history, according to Sports Illustrated's reporting on his finances. The deal runs through the 2028 season, meaning Dallas is locked into Prescott as the face of the franchise for years to come regardless of how this stretch plays out.
National commentary has sharpened the criticism further. Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith noted on October 12 that Prescott's $60 million salary sits awkwardly alongside a career postseason record of just two playoff wins since he entered the league in 2016, per NILE1. Prescott has recorded two playoff victories during his NFL career.
A Defense Struggling To Keep Up
It isn't just the quarterback drawing scrutiny. Through five games this season, the Cowboys defense had allowed 136 total points, including 165 rushing yards to Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving in the October 8 loss, per Pro Football Network. Allowing 24 points to a team that hadn't won a single game all year underscored just how far the unit has fallen behind.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who took over in January 2025, carried a 9-12-1 record through five games of this season as Dallas pushed deeper into its 30th consecutive season without a Super Bowl appearance, according to Pro Football History's coaching database. The franchise's last championship came in January 1996, a drought that continues to shape how every loss, and every tunnel confrontation, gets interpreted by a fan base running short on patience.
