Dak Prescott: 'I Want to Be the Best Quarterback That the Cowboys Ever Had'

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott revealed a lofty goal for his career Wednesday.

When Jon Machota of the Dallas News asked if he is feeling added pressure due to the possibility of a big contract in his future, Prescott said: "I want to be the best I can. I want to be the best quarterback that the Cowboys ever had. So when I go in each and every day, it's just about being the best player I can be. All that stuff comes when you play the game well."

After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, being named to the Pro Bowl and leading the Cowboys to the playoffs in 2016, Prescott had some growing pains last season, as Dallas finished a somewhat disappointing 9-7.

While Prescott improved as a runner last season with 357 yards and six touchdowns, his production dropped across the board as a passer.

His completion percentage dipped from 67.8 percent to 62.9 percent, and he threw for over 300 fewer yards (3,324), one less touchdown (22) and nine more interceptions (13) in 2017 than he did in 2016.

Prescott was adversely impacted by the absence of superstar running back Ezekiel Elliott, who missed six games due to suspension.

Even though Prescott took a step back, he remains on pace to be one of the all-time great Cowboys quarterbacks based on what he accomplished in his first two seasons.

Getting to the top of that list ahead of Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach and Tony Romo will be a significant challenge, however.

Both Aikman and Staubach are Hall of Famers, with Aikman winning three Super Bowls and Staubach winning two.

Romo didn't have the same playoff success as Aikman and Staubach, but he is Dallas' all-time leader in passing yardage and passing touchdowns.

Prescott has the potential to near the status of those legendary signal-callers, and if he makes strides over the next two seasons, he is in line to be paid like one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.