Will Dak Prescott Play vs Commanders After Cowboys' Playoff Elimination?

The Dallas Cowboys enter their Christmas Day matchup against the Washington Commanders officially eliminated from playoff contention, sitting at 6–8–1 as Week 17 arrives. With postseason hopes gone, Dallas is left playing for pride and a chance to finish at .500 in what has been a disappointing season relative to expectations.

Defensive inconsistency has defined much of the Cowboys' year, even as the offense has remained productive. Through it all, quarterback Dak Prescott has once again been a steady force, putting together another strong individual campaign despite the team's struggles in the standings.

Prescott has been one of the league's most productive passers in 2025, ranking second in the NFL in passing yards behind Matthew Stafford. He has thrown for 4,175 yards and 28 touchdowns, leading an offense that ranks first in the league in total passing yards.

With the Cowboys now out of the playoff race, speculation surfaced about whether Dallas might rest Prescott or limit his workload on Christmas Day. That idea was quickly dismissed by Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones.

Speaking on 105.3 The Fan, Jones confirmed that Prescott will play against Washington, noting that the team intends to compete:

"Our goal is to win the football game. Our goal is to finish strong" (via The Athletic's Jon Machota).

For Cowboys fans, that means another opportunity to watch their franchise quarterback face a familiar NFC East rival. Prescott has historically dominated Washington, compiling a 108.2 passer rating with 3,409 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in 14 career games against the Commanders. He also owns a 12-2 record in those matchups, including a 44-22 win in Week 7 this season, when Prescott threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cowboys and Commanders will meet on Christmas Day, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. ET at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. Despite their recent form, the Cowboys enter the matchup as 9.5 favorites as of writing. The game will be televised nationally on CBS and fans can also catch all the action on Netflix.

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This story was originally published December 25, 2025 at 7:02 AM.