Judge Dismisses Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott reacts after a play against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 10, 2023. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was cleared of any wrongdoing in a sexual assault lawsuit from a woman seeking $100 million in compensation.

Collin County, Texas, Judge Angela Tucker dismissed the lawsuit against Prescott on June 26 over an alleged incident from five years ago.

Judge Tucker scheduled a hearing on Sept. 13 to determine if any action should be taken against Prescott’s accuser.

“The original lies by [the accuser], her team, and their recent failed attempt to sue him civilly are all just a continuation of their extortion plot against Dak,” Precott’s attorney, Levi G. McCathern, said in a statement. “These ploys distract from the trauma of legitimate sexual assault survivors and undermine the progress that our society has made in supporting them.”

In February 2o17, the woman alleged that Prescott assaulted her in the back of an SUV in a strip club parking lot. The victim’s attorney said in a letter to Prescott that she was willing to forego pursuing criminal charges in exchange for $100 million.

“[The claimant] has had to live with this pain and trauma for seven years,” the woman’s attorneys, Bethel Zehaie and Yoel T. Zehaie. said in the demand letter. “Despite the tragic events, she is willing to forego pursuing criminal charges, along with disclosing this information to the public, in exchange for compensating her for the mental anguish she has suffered. [The claimant’s] damages are valued at the sum of $100,000,000.00. You have until February 16, 2024, to respond to this demand letter.”

The Dallas Police Department decided in May not to pursue criminal charges against Prescott after detectives determined there was not enough evidence that an assault was committed and closed the case.

In March, Prescott filed a civil lawsuit, accusing the woman and her attorneys of attempting to extort $100 million from him by making false allegations of sexual assault. Prescott is seeking $1 million in monetary relief.

“Despite [the woman’s] and her legal team’s relentless efforts to extort money and damage Dak’s reputation, justice has consistently prevailed and will continue to do so,” Prescott’s attorney McCathern said in the statement.

Prescott’s Career

Prescott, 30, is in the final season of a four-year, $160 million deal he signed with Dallas in 2021. The contract includes a no-franchise tag clause and a no-trade clause.

He led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes, earned his highest-ever quarterback rating (105.9), and was second in the MVP voting last season behind Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Prescott is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2022.

The Cowboys must decide if they want to put millions into Prescott or use those funds to build other parts of the roster.

Prescott is already an expensive player and has a $55.5 million salary cap hit this year. Prescott would count more than $40 million against the 2025 cap in dead-money charges if he doesn’t reach a new deal with Dallas by next March when the new league year opens.

The Cowboys selected Prescott in the fourth round (135th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft from Mississippi State. He was the first quarterback drafted by the Cowboys since Stephen McGee in 2009 and the fifth since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989.

Prescott was named the starter after Tony Romo suffered a back injury in a preseason game at Seattle. After losing the season opener, Prescott led the Cowboys on a club-record 11-game win streak to a franchise-tying 13–3 record and the NFC East Division title.

However, there are questions over whether Prescott can lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl title.

Prescott is 2–5 in the postseason over his career. He threw for 403 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 48–32 loss to Green Bay in the wild-card round this past season.