Dak Prescott has a football field built in his backyard. When you ask him the reasoning, he’d say, “My whole life I’ve just known hard work is the answer.” It reflects how seriously he approaches his role as a quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys. At the same time, however, he’s the same person who has dealt with personal loss and depression, both before entering the NFL and during his career.

It reflects the life of an athlete bound to hard work but often confronted with fragile moments after losing loved ones. Prescott understands that reality well. So when former Cowboys defensive tackle Tony Casillas recently lost his wife, Tamara, Prescott recognized what that moment required and stepped in to support him and his family.

“Much respect to @dak (Prescott) for taking the time to be so personal and real with my son and I,” Casillas wrote on X. “He shared his story about losing loved ones and opened up about how he’s navigated grief — and that meant more than he probably knows.

“In a world where people often only see the athlete, we got to see the man… humble, compassionate, and genuine. Thank you brother for your honesty, your time, and for pouring into my son during a time when words truly matter. @jettc75 Moments like that stay with you forever. Appreciate you, brother. Go Cowboys 💙.”

Casillas lost his wife, Tamara, on March 30, 2026. The former Cowboys defensive tackle had been married to her for 31 years before her unexpected passing. The couple first met in 1994 following Casillas’ back-to-back Super Bowl runs with Dallas.

They later married on a beach in Cabo San Lucas. Over time, Tony often described her as his “rock,” his “best friend,” and the constant presence through both career highs and personal challenges.

While the exact timeline is unclear, Tamara battled breast cancer with Tony by her side. She underwent a double mastectomy, though cancer remained in her lymph nodes. With support from doctors, family, and friends, she overcame it. More than a month ago, however, she passed away, prompting Casillas to share a message.

“It’s been a month since my beautiful wife, Tamara, unexpectedly passed away,” Casillas wrote. “The pain is still so real, not just for me, but for my kids, our family, friends, and everyone who had the blessing of knowing her. Today, I just want to publicly say thank you to every one of you for the prayers, love, and support. It has meant more than words can ever express.”

As that unfolded, the former Cowboys quarterback, Troy Aikman, with whom Casillas won a pair of Super Bowls, offered condolences, as he commented, “🙏🏼❤️,” on Casillas’ post. And as Casillas and his family navigated that loss, Prescott took time to be there for him and his children. And given his own journey, that gesture carries added meaning.

When Dak Prescott battled depression after losing his loved ones

Dak Prescott was a sophomore at Mississippi when he and his older brothers, Jace Prescott and Tad Prescott, lost their mother, Peggy Prescott, to colon cancer in November 2013. In her honor, he later founded The Faith Fight Finish Foundation to support people facing adversity. During her battle, Jace had taken on the role of primary caregiver.

Years later, the family faced another tragedy when Jace died by suicide in April 2020 after battling severe depression and anxiety. In the aftermath, Prescott opened up about the grief and emotional toll he experienced. Speaking on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, he shared his struggle with depression.

“Honestly, a couple of days before my brother passed, I started experiencing depression,” he said. “I didn’t know what I was going through, to say the least, and hadn’t been sleeping at all. But for one night, I sleep the best I’ve slept, missing ten-plus calls from (my brother) and giving my dad enough time to come in my bedroom and tell me what happened. So I woke up after the best night of sleep I’ve had in 2020 from the worst news, some of the worst news I’ll ever get.”

Prescott later acknowledged that Jace had carried the heaviest burden while caring for their mother through her illness. Jace was 31 when he passed away in Orange, Texas.

Having lived through the loss of his mother at a young age and his brother later in life, Prescott understands the weight of those moments. That perspective is what shapes how he shows up for others, including when Tony Casillas and his family needed support after the passing of Casillas’ wife.