Patriots: Dak Prescott negotiations prove Bill Belichick handled Tom Brady perfectly

The Cowboys are having a tough time negotiating with Dak Prescott, and it shows how good Bill Belichick is.

Most NFL fans can’t believe the fact Dak Prescott isn’t willing to accept a long-term contract from the Dallas Cowboys that would pay him between $33-$35 million and guarantee him over $100 million. There’s no denying Dak’s talents, but the Cowboys signal caller has pretty much accomplished nothing in his first four NFL seasons.

So when you think about how the New England Patriots were able to enjoy Tom Brady‘s success for 20 years without breaking the bank and destroying the team’s salary cap, Bill Belichick’s master dealings once again prove to be superior.

Just think about this. In Dak’s first four seasons, he owns a 40-24 record, has passed for over 4,000 yards once, and has a 1-2 record in the postseason. In Brady’s first four seasons, he owned a 48-14 record, led the league in touchdowns once, and won three Super Bowls.

In 20 seasons with the Patriots, Brady earned $235 million, which is an average of $11.75 million per year. For a guy who won three MVP awards and six Super Bowls, that’s honestly laughable when you realize quarterbacks are the highest-paid players in the league. Obviously this required help and flexibility from Brady, but Belichick obviously played a role in making that happen.

We obviously know Brady was also buoyed by a relentlessly stout defense and superior game plan, but he was still very obviously among the best in the game. He’s 30-11 in the postseason with 11,388 passing yards, 73 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. Very rarely did he ever cost the Patriots a game in those 11 losses.

Obviously, we’re in a much different era with the salary cap constantly rising and players getting paid more than ever, but do you remember a time when negotiations between Brady and the Pats were at a stalemate like the Cowboys are experiencing with Prescott? Well, yes, this offseason, but that was after two decades of a dynasty.

Brady never made more than $20 million in a single season until 2019 and we’re watching Prescott stamp his feet because he doesn’t think $35 million is enough for someone who has won a single postseason game and has more turnovers than touchdowns against playoff teams.

Once again, the tip of the cap goes to Belichick. He did his best to ensure Brady was compensated well while keeping the rest of the team/salary cap in a favorable situation to succeed. That’s a big reason why the Patriots were able to steamroll the NFL for 20 years.