Coming off a career year which many thought he wouldn’t be capable of, quarterback Dak Prescott is in the perfect position to cash in this offseason.

The former fourth round pick’s contract has expired, leaving him as a free agent to potentially explore quarterback-ing situations elsewhere around the league.

Or, simply stick with the Cowboys as their franchise quarterback of the future. Stephen Jones has made his intentions clear through the media throughout the season, consistently stating that Dak will get a new deal with Dallas and that it’s simply a matter of hammering out the details. And while he’s insisted this is the case, his lack of a contract at this point suggests a franchise tag may be in Prescott’s future.

Regardless, Jones reiterated his stance on Prescott’s future in Dallas on Friday, simply saying that they need to “land the plane” and get the deal done.

And then Jane Slater tweeted this.

When I asked #Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy if he’s spoken to Dak Prescott yet he told me “I have not. My immediate responsibilities have been abundant. I need to get on the phone”

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 11, 2020

And hell broke loose on Twitter.

Mike McCarthy told Jane that he’s yet to speak to Prescott since taking the Cowboys job, likely due to being busy building his staff and getting acclimated to the new position. Still, new Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said he called Cam Newton prior to his introductory press conference, and Newton’s future in Carolina certainly feels more muddy than Prescott’s in Dallas.

While this likely means nothing, it’s still pretty weird that McCarthy didn’t make Prescott one of his first phone calls. The relationship between head coach and quarterback is always important, but even more so when the head coach is the designer of the offense and likely the play caller.

We saw how stale the relationship got between McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, and while this is a different situation with a different quarterback, it’s still vital these two can connect professionally.

In the end – this is likely nothing other than a meaningless quote during the offseason, where outlets are often starved for football content.

But McCarthy should get on the phone if he plans on making Dak Prescott apart of this five year future.