The Dallas Cowboys are always in the spotlight due to how widely followed they are by people in the NFL community. While this sometimes leads to controversies getting heavily scrutinised, their public relations team does a good job of navigating these situations. They have now been rewarded for their great work by the Professional Football Writers of America.

The Cowboys PR staff won the 2026 Pete Rozelle Award. It’s an annual award presented by the PFWA, which recognizes the best NFL public relations staff that consistently demonstrates excellence in its relationships and dealings with the media. Not only was this the first time the franchise has won this award, but what should be even more satisfying is that they beat out fellow NFC Rivals Washington Commanders, San Fransico 49ers, and Detroit Lions for the award.

Out of the last seven award winners, five of them have come from the NFC, with the Commanders winning it last season. However, the Cowboys have historically done well to be in contention for the award over the years.

They have been finalists for the award in three of the last five seasons. The people behind the scenes who were responsible for this recognition are senior vice president of communications Tad Carper, director of football communications Scott Agulnek, public relations manager David Abbruzese, public relations coordinator Bronte Hermesmeyer, public and community relations program manager Whitney Faulkner, and football communications seasonal intern Kalie Smith.

“No PR department is perfect, but I’ve always enjoyed working with the Cowboys’ staff because they take the job seriously and do it in a professional and graceful manner to help everyone get the job done,” said Dallas PFWA chapter Vice President Calvin Watkins.

The last season was not easy for the Cowboys. Even before the season started, they had to deal with the trade of star player Micah Parsons. Then, during the season, there was a tragic situation involving their player, Marshawn Kneeland, who passed away on November 6.

“This past year was particularly difficult. When defensive end Marshawn Kneeland passed away,” Watkins said. “The PR staff understood the jobs of the media while also respecting the privacy of the family and the players.”

With all that had happened last season, the PR staff did a phenomenal job of placing the team in the right light. However, that was not the only great news the Cowboys received this offseason.

Dak Prescott recently made Cowboys history with a PFWA honor of his own

Last week, the face of the franchise, Dak Prescott, won the PFWA’s Good Guy Award. The award is given annually to the player who demonstrates professionalism, accessibility, and a willingness to help reporters do their jobs

“Dak Prescott is one of the more accessible star players in the NFL. He talks once a week during the season and, of course, after every game. However, if Dak is needed for an off-the-record conversation, he’s there for you. Dak explains the game to you from a game plan standpoint and reviews certain plays if you ask.” Watkins said of the Cowboys’ superstar.

While Prescott has clearly demonstrated his prowess on the field, his off-the-field contributions have also been incredibly notable. He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2022. And Prescott has always been seen as a great leader. He was voted as team captain in his second year. A role he has remained in for the 9 years since. As far as the face of the franchise goes, the Cowboys couldn’t have asked for a better one.

Between Prescott’s Good Guy Award and the PR teams’ Pete Rozelle Award, there’s a lot of good news floating through the walls of Cowboys HQ. The next step is to take all this good fortune from the field success and translate it into on-field success. Especially breaking a 30-year streak of an NFC conference game appearance. With all the offseason acquisitions, it does look like they have what it takes, and when that happens, the celebrations will be taken to an entirely new level.