Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary had barely settled into life with the Dallas Cowboys when Dak Prescott made sure his newest teammate knew he was welcome in Dallas.
The Cowboys recently added Gary to a defense that already has plenty of star power, but his first interaction with Prescott was not in a team meeting or on the practice field. It happened in the parking lot, where Prescott stopped his car, introduced himself and immediately offered Gary his help.
Gary recalled the unexpected moment during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, which was published by the NFL on ESPN.
Rashan Gary recalls the unexpected first meeting with Dak Prescott
The Cowboys’ outside linebacker appeared on the Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday. When Eisen asked Gary when he first connected with Prescott, the 28-year-old LB explained that it happened before OTAs while he was at the facility getting his locker code.
“That happened um it was it was someday,” Gary said. “It was before OTAAS. I was coming in to get my uh my locker code, things like that. Um and he was driving, so he must have got done doing film and working out.”
Gary said he was walking out to his car when Prescott stopped and got out. “And I say this story cuz it’s crazy. Um, so he’s driving out, I park my car, you know, I’m I’m walking out cuz I don’t know who it is. Uh, he stops the car, you know, for versus and gets out like, ‘Hey man, it’s Dak Prescott. You know, nice to have you on the team.’”
Gary already knew exactly who was standing in front of him. “I’m like like, ‘Bro, I know who you are. Like, you know, it’s it’s an honor, uh, to be a part of the Cowboys, man.’ And, you know, let’s go to work.”
But Prescott did not stop with the introduction. According to Gary, Prescott immediately gave him his phone number and offered to help with whatever he might need as he settled into his new surroundings.
“And after that, he was like, ‘Man, here’s my number. If you need a chef, you need body work, just let me know,’” Gary added. That small interaction gave Gary an early glimpse into the kind of teammate Prescott is away from the cameras.
Rashan Gary explains what makes Dak Prescott such a leader
The parking lot encounter was only the beginning. Eisen then asked Gary how he viewed Prescott’s leadership after getting to see him with the Cowboys.
Gary’s answer went well beyond what Prescott does on the football field. “Just just who he is, man. From, you know, a quarterback being in, I’m talking about the meetings might start at 6:00. He’s in there, you know, 5:00 a.m. maybe earlier, 3:00 a.m. early. Just getting it in,” he said.
Gary also pointed to the way Prescott interacts with people throughout the Cowboys organization. He added, “From how he comes in to you know talk to the cleaners, talk to the you know everybody our chefs then just how he knows everybody in the building to how he talks to everybody on defense, everybody on offense, everybody on special teams.”
And also said, “And just how he controls himself, man. Just how he is about his work. Um how he works hard, man. He’s the first in the weight room, last left. Uh first one on the football field, last one to leave. Always getting extra work and he’s pushing everybody around him to be great.”
That is the side of Prescott that Gary has seen since arriving in Dallas. The first meeting may have lasted only a few moments in a parking lot, but Prescott’s actions gave Gary an immediate introduction to the culture he was joining.
And if Gary’s description is any indication, Prescott did not need a microphone or a team meeting to establish himself as a leader. He simply showed up, introduced himself and made sure a new teammate knew he had someone to call.
