Meet NFL Star Dak Prescott's Parents, Nathaniel And Peggy

NFL star Dak Prescott had a meteoric rise upon joining the pro-football league in 2016. During his rookie season, Prescott became the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys after an injury sidelined previous starter (and ex-Jessica Simpson beau) Tony Romo. But who raised the man who would go on to lead the Cowboys to multiple division titles?  As it turns out, we know a fair bit about Dak Prescott's parents, Nathaniel and Peggy.

Dak was born in Louisiana in 1993 as the third and youngest son of Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott. However, the couple divorced when Dak was rather young. From that point forward, the future NFL quarterback and his brothers were raised primarily by their mother. In addition to growing up with two biological brothers, Dak became like a sibling to other kids in his neighborhood, thanks to his hard-working mother's willingness to lend a hand to those who needed it. "Any of our friends that came to the house and maybe had problems at home, my mom just always opened the door," Dak said in a 2020 video interview with Graham Bensinger. "Just always told them that this was a safe haven — that this was a place that they could come during the day, this is a place they could stay the night if they need to."

Peggy Prescott sadly passed away in November 2013 at the age of 52 following a battle with colon cancer. At the time, Dak was 20 years old and playing college football for Mississippi State.

Though Dak Prescott mainly grew up under his mother Peggy's roof, don't think for one second that his father Nathaniel wasn't in the picture. Nathaniel pushed back on rumors and assumptions that he was an absentee father in a 2017 interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, revealing that he and Peggy maintained a co-parenting relationship after their split. "Peggy and I divorced, but that didn't separate my relationship with my kids," Dak's father said. Nathaniel also explained that even though things didn't work out between them romantically, he and Peggy were still great friends. In fact, the two even continued to meet up for weekly dates following their divorce.

Elsewhere in the interview, Nathaniel further addressed his relationship with Dak, saying, "First chance, you have to ask him. There has never been anything estranged about our relationship at all. I am 'Pops.'" The Dallas QB did indeed agree with his father's assessment, telling the Star-Telegram, "Me and my dad have always had a tight relationship, different from my brothers, I guess. But we all have our own individual relationships. He has always been there for me." After Dak started playing for the Cowboys, Nathaniel even moved to the Dallas area to be closer to his son. "He wanted to be in Dallas. I wanted him to be in Dallas," he shared. "It's more convenient. He's there for me. If I need something, he helps me out and gets it done."

It's clear that Dak Prescott grew up with two supportive parents in his life, which no doubt helped propel him to his successful NFL career. But his bond with his late mother Peggy is one that the Dallas Cowboy quite literally wears on his sleeve in more ways that one. It's not uncommon for NFL players to pay homage the women they raised them on the field — that's why Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sometimes has painted nails, after all — and Dak does this loud and proud.

For starters, Prescott chose the jersey number 4 in honor of Peggy, whose birthday was on Sept. 4. The QB also has multiple tattoos inspired by his mother. In a 2019 video interview with ESPN, Dak showed off one of the most prominent tattoos on his left forearm, which is of a quote Peggy left him with when she first revealed her cancer diagnosis. He also has a cartoon lion his mother drew inked on his left shoulder. A tattoo of the word "MOM" with a cancer awareness ribbon inside the letter "O" is also visible on his left wrist. That said, one of the most public ways Dak honors Peggy is with his Faith Fight Finish Foundation, through which the football star seeks to "share his mother's unwavering strength" by supporting causes like colon cancer research, suicide prevention, police reform, and living assistance for those facing medical issues.