Cowboys' Dak Prescott once revealed almost getting drafted by Broncos if it wasn't for one odd reason

Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos are the two veteran quarterbacks most under pressure going into the 2023 NFL season. Wilson was abysmal last year after the Broncos traded away multiple picks to the Seattle Seahawks in the hope that he will be their franchise quarterbacks. Prescott took the team all the way to the NFC Divisional Round but led the league in interceptions and did not deliver in big moments.

For Russell Wilson, he now gets to play with Sean Payton, a Super Bowl-winning coach. If there was any doubts about former head coach Nathaniel Hackett's ability to lead the team, there are no such get-out-of-jail cards available to the Broncos quarterback this year. In an extremely tough AFC, with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert alos in the same division, he will have to prove himself the hard way.

On the other hand, the Cowboys recently traded for Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers. They now have a readymade replacement for Dak Prescott who they can train over the next season. If the incumbent starter does not perform for them, they will hold the cards to say that they can move on for him and give the keys to his younger number.

Dak Prescott could have been the Denver Broncos QB if not for a missed flight

In all this drama, it is interesting to revisit how all of this could have panned out so differently. Dak Prescott was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Even though he was coming off a stellar season with Mississippi State, NFL executives were not sold on him. Initially expected to be a third-string quarterback, injuries to Tony Romo and Kellen Moore saw him get the opportunity to lead the team.

He never looked back, going 13-3 and winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. But before everything fell in place for him with the Cowboys, they were not fully sold on him. After Kellen Moore's injury, they tried to get Josh McCown from the Cleveland Browns but failed. Even during the draft, they had tried to trade up to get Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook.

However, one team that was paying a closer attention to Dak Prescott's abilities were the Denver Broncos. After Peyton Manning's retirement, they were looking at opportunities to find their new franchise quarterback. They had invited him to a dinner during the pre-draft process as they evaluated him. However, as luck would have it, the current Cowboys quarterback ended up missing his flight and the meeting never took place.

Had that worked out, there is a good chance that Prescott could have gone higher in the draft and ended up playing for the Denver Broncos. However, he remains circumspect about the whole matter believing everything happens for a reason.

Who won by getting Dak Prescott: Dallas Cowboys or Denver Broncos?

After winning the AFC West for five straight seasons from 2011 to 2015, the last of which saw them win the Super Bowl in Peyton Manning's retirement season, the Denver Broncos have not been back to the playoffs since. It is a jarring reality for a storied franchise.

The Dallas Cowboys have fared marginally better, reaching the playoffs in the last two seasons. However, they have failed to make it to the NFC Championships even once, despite a talented roster.

In head-to-head record, Dak Prescott has faced the Denver Broncos twice and ended up on the losing side both times. He has four touchdowns and three interceptions in those games with a passer rating of 70.9.

So, there is no clear winner in this debate about who won more since the quarterback of drafted. If truth be told, both fanbases will feel that they have underachieved.