Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho slammed the Dallas Cowboys for having a culture of making noise without backing it up with actual results on the football field.

During the recent episode of Speak Easy Podcast on June 24, hosts Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy argued that the Cowboys are an overhyped franchise that sets loud expectations but falls short of them.

"I wish the Cowboys would just shut up,” Acho said. “Here's why - they ain't got close to nothing. So right now is the time to just grind. Now is not the time to talk about minimum expectations or the playoffs. Right now is just the time to say, 'You know what, let's get better, see how far we can go.' Hey, the sky's the limit for this team. We don't know what the h*** your sky is."

Acho believes that the Cowboys shouldn't be indulging in talks of winning without showing proven results, especially after missing the playoffs for two consecutive years.

"I just want to say this part - sometimes it's better to not say nothing," McCoy continued during the Speak Easy Podcast. "I feel like sometimes the Cowboys — they're already a big brand. They start talking too much, they generate all this attention, and then the end of the year it's going to be the same old results."

The Cowboys hold a 14-19-1 record over the past two seasons, with a disappointing 7-9-1 record last season.

The team ranked near the bottom (No. 30) in overall defense of the league, ranking last in passing defense (251.5) and points allowed (30.1 per game) in the 2025 season. This was a downgrade from the 28th ranking in 2024.

However, the Cowboys ranked at No. 2 in overall offense last season (391.9 average yards), led by QB Prescott and by wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. This was a major leap from the 16th rank in the 2024 season.

As Acho and McCoy believe the Cowboys must talk less and 'focus more on the grind', Prescott embraced the team's quiet offseason, keeping their focus on improvement and returning to the playoffs in the 2026 season.

Dak Prescott reacts to the rare quiet period around the Cowboys

Prescott believes the team is heading in the right direction without major distractions, keeping the Super Bowl title as their ultimate goal.

"It's the Cowboys, right?" Prescott said, per Tommy Yarrish of the Dallas Cowboys. "Quiet? I don't know if that's ever the right word, but the focus is in the right place. I think everybody's channeled for the same goal to get better 1% each and every day."

He believes the Cowboys made significant roster additions during the offseason, and with Pickens signing the franchise tag, the Cowboys avoided much of the 'noise' surrounding the franchise compared to previous offseasons

As Prescott enters his 11th season in 2026, he believes the team's offseason changes to the roster and improved competitiveness could lead the Cowboys to an NFC championship and beyond.

Do you think the Cowboys could be the Super Bowl contenders this season?

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi