LANDOVER, Md. — Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has made it known that he’ll voice his opinion when it comes to the team’s roster construction next season. He already has some thoughts.
“Find a way to keep a guy like [wide receiver] George [Pickens],” Prescott said after Thursday’s 30-23 road win over the Washington Commanders. “Find a way to keep a guy like [running back] Javonte [Williams].”
Those checklist items have been on the offseason agenda for the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones for quite some time. The value of Pickens and Williams has been discussed a lot over the course of this season. Their place on next year’s roster may not be set — and as we saw this past season, no one’s officially in the Cowboys’ future until a contract says so — but it’s now an expectation.
A new name might’ve joined that tier on Christmas Day.
Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, in the words of head coach Brian Schottenheimer, was dominant in the win over the Commanders. Clowney finished with 1.5 sacks, marking the second time he’s had more than one sack in the last four games. Clowney now is tied with James Houston for the team-lead in sacks this season with 5.5.
“You look up and you saw 42 harassing the quarterback,” Schottenheimer said of Clowney. “You see 42 chasing down [plays].
“I just love the way the guy plays.”
It might be because Clowney, at 32 and in his 12th NFL season, is loving playing — even when there could be a reason not to.
Thursday’s game between the Cowboys and Commanders looked a lot better before the season. The Commanders were in the NFC Championship last season. The Cowboys had aspirations of a turnaround in Schottenheimer’s first season. Both teams were eliminated from playoff contention well before they kicked off at Northwest Stadium.
After Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Clowney was asked how he stays motivated with no path to the postseason. The question baffled Clowney.
“What you mean motivated? They’re paying me,” said Clowney, who signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal in September. “That’s enough motivation for me. I like money.”
On Thursday, he put his money where his mouth was. Twelve years ago, when Clowney became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, he was known for his immense physical talent. Today, his best attribute has been his effort. There’s an evident never-quit mentality to his playing style. That’s what helped him finish with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss.
Clowney’s motor this season isn’t only financially driven, however.
Schottenheimer referenced something he heard Clowney tell the younger players earlier this week as they prepared to play without any playoff hope. Clowney’s message, according to Schottenheimer, was about perspective: being appreciative of how blessed they are to play in the NFL, even if it’s a game that can’t get them toward the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl. Clowney told them to never take it for granted.
That stuck out to Schottenheimer, who’s known Clowney since their time together with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019.
“When he was a younger player — he can speak to this — not that he took it for granted, but he appreciates [the game] so much more now,” Schottenheimer said.
Clowney spoke to that appreciation, too.
“A lot,” Clowney said when he was asked how much fun he’s having this season. “It’s football, man. Not everybody can do it. It’s a blessing for me to still be playing 12 years. I thank God every day for that. I have a lot of fun doing it. If I could have fun doing something else I probably would, but I have so much fun doing this I look forward to Sundays, and big games, and the spotlight, and the cameras and all that … I think it brings the best out of me.”
That’s as evident as it is contagious. Prescott said he could feel Clowney’s love for the game. Prescott said he’s seen it since the Cowboys signed Clowney on Sept. 14. He believes they’re better off with Clowney on their team moving forward.
“We’re fortunate to have him,” Prescott said. “He’s one of those guys that we’ve got to figure out a way to keep.”
Good news for the Cowboys: Clowney said he’d be interested in returning to play for Dallas if they were willing to bring him back.
“I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” Clowney said. “I’m not going to go sit on my couch. I’m going to stay ready.”
Clowney even said that he’s hoping to go to training camp, which is something he didn’t do this past year. There was excitement in his voice as he talked about shaking off rust before the season, rather than ramping up like he did this year. As the season has gone on, he’s shown why he might be deserving of that chance.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
DALLAS – North Texans will enjoy a brief break today before the next weather system arrives, bringing multiple rounds of storms. A warmup is on the way, with temperatures climbing back into the mid-80s by the weekend.
Following a few morning showers in the eastern counties, expect a warm and breezy Monday. High temperatures will climb into the low 80s under partly cloudy skies.
As an upper-level low-pressure system moves to the west, scattered storms will move into the region Tuesday afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe, with the primary threats being large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.
Simultaneously, storms are expected to develop ahead of a dryline to the west. While the tornado threat remains low in this area, any storms that form could produce large hail and damaging wind gusts.
Those overnight storms should push out to the east by Wednesday morning, but don’t put the umbrella away just yet. As the main weather system moves directly over us Wednesday afternoon, we’ll likely see another round of scattered storms that could still bring with some hail. Once everything finally clears out Wednesday evening, we can look forward to some drier, much more comfortable air moving back into the area.
Thursday will be noticeably cooler, with high temperatures settling in the mid-60s. However, sunshine and a quick warmup are expected by the weekend. Temperatures will rebound into the 80s on Friday and Saturday.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.
An off-duty Dallas police officer shot at a group of people allegedly trying to steal his personal vehicle on Sunday afternoon in Addison, officials said.
According to the Addison Police Department, around 2:15 p.m., the off-duty Dallas officer saw a group of people trying to steal his vehicle in a parking lot at 5000 Belt Line Road. He confronted the suspects, “and during the encounter, fired a weapon at the suspects’ vehicle.”
The suspects fled in their vehicle, Addison police said, and it is unknown if any suspects were hit by gunfire.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Dallas Wings can’t seem to get a win, at least when it comes to the team’s training facility and arena. Not only is its practice facility in west Oak Cliff, approved over the summer and fast-tracked to open ahead of the team’s spring season, now running behind schedule, it is also somehow over budget.
Dallas had already committed $55 million for the team’s practice facility, a price tag we were uncomfortable with from the beginning. At the time, city staff said that was the amount needed to build a training facility with the amenities and infrastructure required for a WNBA team. The city argued there were few viable alternative locations for the practice facility after delays with the convention center, and they were running out of time. Enter the $55 million facility at Joey Georgusis Park.
But now the project needs an additional $27 million to cross the finish line. How did costs increase so much in just a few months? And how did a project that was expedited to meet the team’s deadline end up falling behind and over budget?
City staff attribute the holdup to missed deadlines by the project management firm McKissack and McKissack and new requirements from the WNBA that weren’t part of the original scope. McKissack and McKissack didn’t respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this editorial. Whatever the company’s missteps, the city is ultimately responsible for conducting due diligence and making sure the project stays on track, and it couldn’t deliver what it promised.
Now the city wants the Wings to take over. The city would cap its total contributions at $57 million, which includes $653,000 in delay reimbursements. The Wings would then cover the remaining costs, at least $27 million, needed to finish the practice facility and agree not to sue Dallas for the delays.
Some City Council members have suggested that Dallas should consider the American Airlines Center for the Wings’ practice facility and arena. But even though the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, who currently play at the AAC, are looking to leave, their lease agreements run through 2031. That doesn’t do much for the Wings who need a practice facility now.
Maybe all of this could have been avoided if the city had more seriously considered existing facilities that could have accommodated the Wings. That’s not to say the team doesn’t deserve a training space that will meet their needs, but repurposing an existing space instead of starting from the ground up might have saved both time and money.
This debacle is frustrating for the Wings, and it also isn’t a good look for the city. If Dallas can’t figure out how to deliver a practice facility that it promised to one of its professional sports teams, how can it hope to attract more businesses and major investments? Anyone watching this unfold would have good reason to question the city’s ability to deliver.
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