Dak Prescott is at Super Bowl week for promotional and charitable work, like his generous donation of 100,000 bowls of Campbell's Chunky Soup to a Miami homeless shelter.
By the time the Chiefs and 49ers kick off Sunday, though, Prescott doesn't plan to stick around for Super Bowl LIV.
"At the beginning of the year this is the goal is to play in this game and to be preparing for the game this week every year," he said Wednesday. "It's a special week, but I would much rather obviously be playing.
"But when the game starts I'm back out of town. I'll enjoy the week until the game."
The Cowboys' starting quarterback has had time to reflect since the season ended Dec. 29 with an 8-8 record and no postseason. In the last month, the Cowboys have parted ways with Jason Garrett and brought in a largely new staff under new head coach Mike McCarthy, ushering in a new era.
When Prescott thinks about the 2019 season, the word "frustrating" comes to mind. One reason in particular: the close losses.
The Cowboys went 1-6 in games decided by one score or less, including two eight-point losses. In 2018, lifted by Amari Cooper's midseason arrival, they went 10-2 in one-score games to clinch the NFC East.
"And that's what is frustrating is you've got the talent and you're in the games but you're not winning them," Prescott said. "When you look at it, and throughout my career especially, even just a year ago the difference in the record and the one-score games and why weren't we doing them this year."
As Prescott said, "not being able to pinpoint" why was difficult. Indeed, there wasn't one reason. The Cowboys lost games a variety of ways. Too often they didn't play complementary football where all three phases – offense, defense, special teams – compiled a complete performance.
There were positives, however. Young players such as wide receiver Michael Gallup took a step forward in their development.
And Prescott is looking forward to the future in Dallas. Kellen Moore is back as offensive coordinator, which maintains a level of continuity for the offense. And Prescott is "excited" to play for McCarthy, who guided Green Bay to a 2010 Super Bowl and a stretch of eight straight playoff appearances as Packers head coach from 2006-18.
"The man has a Super Bowl. Obviously that's what I want," Prescott said. "That's what everybody in that locker room wants.
"A hundred percent it excites me. They say he's the quarterback guru. Just seeing what he's done, the Hall of Famers that he's coached, his resume. So excited knowing when you work with a guy like that, I'm sure he can offer something that's going to help me in my career and something that I'll use to make myself better and I know he's going to bring something that this team can use."
