Dak Prescott promised Dallas Cowboys fans a Super Bowl run this year. However, following Week 1 of the 2026 season, he’s 0-1, coming off a 28-20 loss to the New York Giants, a team that outclassed the Cowboys on both sides of the ball. But instead of eating the humble pie, Prescott doubled down on his optimism. And that was all the ammunition NFL legend Chad Johnson needed.
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The conversation took place on the Nightcap Podcast, when former NBA player Iso Joe backed up Prescott’s optimism for the Cowboys’ upcoming games; Johnson retaliated with a brutal reality check.
“I said 0 and six, but Joe optimistic,” Johnson said. “You probably gonna say it’s just week two next Sunday, too. Oh, it’s just week two. You be boasting, and you keep boasting. You talking about optimism. All them words in front of the press, in front of the camera, that ain’t got nothing to do when it’s time to get up there at 1:00 on Sunday. That ain’t going to help.
“He [Prescott] was ready. He’s been ready since training camp, and he’s been ready since OTAs. Come on, man. He been ready since the preseason.”
Banter between Iso Joe and Chad Johnson when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys is nothing new. After all, Joe has always been a vocal supporter of the Cowboys, while Johnson, being a former NFL player for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, was a rival.
Week 1 of the 2026 season brought the sparks yet again. The Cowboys are entering with the same offense that was led by Dak Prescott in the 2025 season. Although they wrapped up the season with a record of 7-9-1, they ranked seventh in scoring offense, averaging 27.7 points per game with a total of 471 points. And that’s why Prescott made a promise not to be in the same losing spot again.
“We won’t be back here in this spot,” Prescott said last December. “Whatever it takes, once again I’m going to do my damnedest and make sure that I’m influencing and encouraging everybody else around me, not just the players, to do the same.”
However, during the entire offseason, the Cowboys revamped their defensive unit. From hiring Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator to signing veterans like Rashan Gary, Von Miller, and Jalen Thompson, Dallas looked busy.
At the same time, this also brought more confidence in Prescott ahead of the 2026 season. On the Up and Adams Show, Prescott revealed that he sets daily alarms on his phone that flash phrases like “Super Bowl LXI” to keep his energy aligned with the goal every single day.
However, when Prescott & Co. failed to perform up to expectations, Chad Johnson came up with a brutal prediction. Prescott, in particular, threw for 175 yards while racking up two touchdowns. But along with that, he also threw an interception.
“I mean it sucks to lose. Damn sure sucks to lose the first one. To this team, a division game, but still optimistic. That doesn’t change our goals,” Prescott said after losing the Week 1 game. “Doesn’t change how we feel about our team. As I said, credit to those guys that they beat us tonight. This is a marathon, though it’s a long season and we’re going to respond.”
While Prescott remained openly optimistic following the defeat, owner Jerry Jones voiced his disappointment with the team’s performance, quickly shifting his focus toward their next challenge.