Dak Prescott is a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football team in the National Football League (NFL). Prescott was named 2016 NFL Rookie of the Year and is a two-time Pro Bowler.
Rayne Dakota Prescott was born on July 29th, 1993, in Sulphur, Louisiana, and was the youngest of three children. Whilst attending Haughton High School, he played football for the Buccaneers. As a freshman at Mississippi State University, he was redshirted and played as a backup to Tyler Russell in 2012.
His first season as a full-time starter for the Mississippi State Bulldogs was in 2014, where he led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 regular season record – their first #1 ranking in program history, and led them to the Orange Bowl. Prior to the start of the 2015 season, he was named a 2015 National Player of the Year Candidate and was selected to two Preseason All-American teams. During the season, he became the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and rush for 40 touchdowns in a career.
Prescott declared for the 2016 draft, and was drafted in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys, being considered a “development project”. He was the first Dallas Cowboys quarterback in history to wear the #4, after choosing to wear the number to honor his mother.
Following an incident where the backup broke his leg, Prescott competed for the position and beat out Jameill Showers. During the preseason, Tony Romo, the starting quarterback, suffered a back injury, which resulted in Prescott being named the starter. Prescott saw his first professional victory in week two of the 2016 season.
In 2016, Prescott was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, named to the All-Rookie Team, and voted to the Pro Bowl. He ranked 14th on the NFL Top 100 Players list. In the years after, he continued to see success, signed a contract with the Dallas Cowboys for $160 million over four years, and started the 2021 season for the team.
Famous Dak Prescott trademarks
Dak Prescott is still early in his football career, and his record is proving himself to be a name to watch. With his increasing popularity in the world of American football, protecting his image, name and personal brand is vital. Dak Prescott signed a number of trademarks to protect the intellectual property surrounding his personal brand and career as an NFL player under his own name.
Dak Prescott
Like many celebrities and public figures, Prescott trademarked his name. The wordmark was first filed in 2014, but not registered until 2017, for use in several categories, including:
- Educational and entertainment services in;
- Providing motivational and educational speeches in personal improvement, the field of sports, sports training, and fitness training
- Competitions for education, entertainment, culture, sports, and other non-business and non-commercial areas
- Personal appearances as a celebrity
D4K
The character of “D4K’ is a play on the name “Dak” and the jersey number Prescott wears for the Dallas Cowboys, the number “4”. As a prominent figure in the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL industry, Prescott saw the opportunity to have unique branded items with this character mark. This trademark was first filed in 2017, and registered in 2019 and applies to:
- Athletic apparel, including shirts, pants, jackets
- Footwear
- Hats and caps
- Headwear
- T-shirts
214
The trademark “214” is a joint filing between Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys, both highly prominent members of the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL. The trademark file refers to the combination of their jersey numbers, 21 (Elliott) and 4 (Prescott), but also has an intelligent nod to the area code for Dallas, Texas.
Many athletes file for trademarks based on their own brands or names, but there are no other cases where two teammates have filed for a joint trademark like Prescott and Elliott. The application is still pending, but the trademark was filed in 2021 and will apply to:
- Endorsement services and promoting the products and services of others
- Entertainer services, such as live appearances of a sports celebrity
- Sports services, including:
- Sports coaching
- Fitness classes
- Personal trainer services
- Sport camp services
- Timing of sports events
Related: Can you trademark a number?
Wrapping up
Dak Prescott is still an active football and NFL player and has a believed net worth of around $40 million. Whilst he is still in the middle of his NFL career, protecting his personal brand and intellectual property is vital as his commercial opportunities expand.
Where he already has an interest in apparel and merchandise, personal engagements as a Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and his shared opportunities with fellow Cowboys athlete Ezekiel Elliott. There is a lot of growth for Prescott in the potential for his trademark portfolio as his career continues.
