Understanding Dak Prescott's Unique Jersey Patch: A Symbol Of Honor

While you might find the Dallas Cowboys' status as "America's Team" to be a bit much, the club does have some iconic uniforms. The blue and white color combination is a classic, and a simple star may sound as underwhelming as a helmet decal, but it simply works. But if you’re tuning into a game and catch a glance of Dak Prescott, you may notice something outside of the norm. The quarterback wears a small patch resembling a man near his left shoulder.

And while that might not seem like much, it’s a signifier that Dak took home one of the NFL's highest honors. Let’s break things down.

Prescott Wears a Walter Payton Man of the Year Patch

When you think of sports awards, things like MVP or Rookie of the Year probably spring to the front of your mind. In the NFL, however, there’s another title up for grabs. The league has awarded a "Man of the Year" title since 1970, but the award was named after Walter Payton in 1999. The legendary running back, who won the award in 1977, died at age 46.

"The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award is the league's most prestigious honor given annually to the player who best represents the greatness and compassion of Walter Payton on and off the field," said Commissioner Roger Goodell. "These 32 outstanding men [every team has a nominee] are making a valuable difference in their communities every day, and we are proud to celebrate their special gifts and humanitarianism."

Given the prestige of the title, it’s understandable that all parties involved want to place it in the spotlight. In 2017, the league started a new tradition to honor the work that its players do. If you’ve won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, you’re entitled to wear a patch of the trophy on your uniform.

And Dak Prescott, as the 2022 recipient, now has that addition on his jersey.

Who Does the Trophy (and Patch) Represent?

So, now that we know that the patch on Prescott's jersey represents the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, you probably wondering what the trophy actually depicts. If you remember Sweetness' playing days, then you’ll know that the hardware doesn’t resemble the running back.

As Sean Callahan laid out in a 2013 New York Times piece, the trophy is modeled after an offensive tackle named Steve Wright. Daniel Bennett Schwartz created the original sculpture in 1969, giving the player in question a cape. It not only placed the scene in "his era" of football but called to mind "a Greek soldier or a gladiator."

And while Wright may be a largely unremarkable figure in NFL history (despite his championship rings), his description of the statue makes his modeling sound like a perfect fit. Plenty of legends have won the trophy, but it’s for their more humble work rather than their on-field exploits.

"The award goes to the 'outstanding citizen-athlete' in the league every season," Wright wrote. "The statue is supposed to represent the ideal football player, a composite of every man who ever played, or will ever play, professional football."

Given the modern realities of pro sports, it’s easy to feel cynical about football. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, whether we’re talking about the real thing or an on-jersey representation, stands tall as a reminder that there’s something bigger at play.