Resilience, Brotherhood, and Loss: The Story of Jace Prescott

Basic Information

Early Life: Roots in a Trailer Park and a Tight-Knit Trio

Jace Prescott grew up in a modest three-bedroom trailer in rural Louisiana, a setting that forged strong bonds and stronger will. After his parents’ divorce, he and his brothers—Tad and Dak—were raised primarily by their mother, Peggy, whose toughness and warmth became the family’s compass. In that close space, the brothers created their own arena: rollerblade races, Nerf battles, and backyard competitions where love and rivalry flowed in equal measure.

As a child and later a towering teen, Jace earned his nickname “Moose.” The moniker fit his size but also his temperament—big presence, gentle spirit. Teachers remembered a quiet sweetness. Coaches saw the kind of teammate who made others better. The foundation of Jace’s identity—family-first, humble, reliable—was poured in those early years.

High School Standout: The Powerhouse from Haughton

At Haughton High School, Jace became a force on the offensive line. He was a four-time all-district selection, a three-time all-Bossier Parish honoree, and twice recognized on all-state lists, including honorable mention on the 2006 LHSAA Class 4A team. His teams won district titles during his freshman and sophomore seasons and made the playoffs four straight years.

He lettered in basketball and track, too, putting his frame to work in the shot put ring and on the hardwood. Coaches praised his dominance, work ethic, and coachability—he didn’t just move defenders; he moved games. For a program and a town that revered Friday nights, Jace was the steady heartbeat up front.

College Career at Northwestern State: Grind, Setback, Return

Jace redshirted in 2007 at Northwestern State University, then stepped into rotation in 2008. He appeared in 11 games that season, recording 739 snaps, a 77% performance grade, and 42 knockdown blocks. In one standout performance against Southeastern Oklahoma, he graded as high as 95%, illustrating his capacity to control the line of scrimmage snap after snap.

The 2009 season brought a harsh turn—an injury ended his year after just one game. True to form, Jace rebuilt and returned. In 2010, he started all 11 games, anchoring the line with the same quiet ferocity that marked his high school days. Off the field, he studied psychology with a minor in general studies, eyeing a future as a teacher and high school coach. Mentorship suited him; it was how he moved through life.

Life After Football: Privacy, Family, and a Brief Spotlight

After college, Jace kept a low profile. Public records offer few details about his professional path, consistent with a man who preferred the background to the spotlight. He lived in Orange, Texas, remained close with family, and poured affection into his dog, Goon. In 2019, he stepped in front of the camera for a Campbell’s “Champions of Chunky” commercial with Tad and Dak—an easy smile, a brother among brothers, sharing a table and a moment.

Financial details or specific career titles aren’t publicly documented. What is documented—repeatedly—is his reliability in the roles that mattered most: son, brother, friend, caregiver.

Family Ties: Bonds Forged Through Joy and Grief

The Prescott family story is one of resilience threaded with loss. Their mother, Peggy, died of colon cancer in 2013. During her illness, Jace became her primary caregiver, spending daily time by her side as her condition worsened. That period, as Dak later reflected, weighed heavily on Jace. It was love expressed through sacrifice, a burden carried in silence.

Jace was the middle of three full brothers. Tad, the eldest, grew into a protective voice for the family. In March 2023, Tad married Holly; in early 2024, they welcomed a son named in his uncle’s honor: Jace McKenzie Prescott II. Dak, the youngest, is the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and he credits Jace with nudging him toward football when he was just a toddler. The brothers never lost the playful spark of their trailer-park childhood, even as life demanded more of them.

Their father, Nathaniel, remained in the picture after the divorce, and Jace also had a half-brother, Elliott, from Nathaniel’s previous marriage. Extended family—like an uncle, Phillip Ebarb, and a grandfather who was a retired principal—rounded out a clan rooted in loyalty and education.

Loss and Legacy: Opening Doors to Mental Health Conversations

On April 23, 2020, amid the uncertainty of the early pandemic, Jace died by suicide at the age of 31. The shock echoed through his family and the communities that had cheered him since high school. Dak later spoke openly about the darkness that followed, putting words to the pain too many families know.

Out of that grief grew advocacy. The Prescott family’s Faith. Fight. Finish. Foundation—honoring both Peggy and Jace—has supported scholarships, outreach, and mental health awareness. Annual tributes keep Jace’s memory close. In April 2025, Dak shared a heartfelt message on the fifth anniversary of his brother’s passing: a reminder that remembrance can be an engine for grace. In May 2025, Dak took that message to Aledo High School alongside Brad Hunstable, whose own family suffered a similar loss, joining voices to promote hope, connection, and help-seeking.

Athletic Snapshot

Timeline

The Quiet Center of a Famous Family

Public attention settled naturally on Dak’s NFL career, but those who knew the Prescotts recognized the quiet center Jace provided. He was a massive guard who pulled in the open field and a massive heart who showed up in daily life. The family’s story—trailer-park beginnings, high school lights, college grind, NFL fame, wrenching loss—continues to be written with Jace as a central chapter. His legacy is measured not just in knockdown blocks, but in open conversations, a nephew’s name, and lives touched by a family’s determination to turn pain into purpose.

FAQ

Who was Jace Prescott?

Jace Prescott was the older brother of NFL quarterback Dak Prescott, a former offensive lineman at Northwestern State, and a beloved family anchor nicknamed “Moose.”

How did Jace Prescott die?

He died by suicide on April 23, 2020, in Orange, Texas, at age 31.

Where did Jace play football?

He starred at Haughton High School in Louisiana and played college football at Northwestern State University from 2008 to 2010.

Did he pursue a professional football career?

No, there is no public record of a professional playing career after college.

What did he study in college?

He majored in psychology with a minor in general studies and aspired to teach and coach at the high school level.

Why was he called “Moose”?

The nickname reflected his imposing size and his gentle, steady presence.

What role did Jace play in his family?

He was a caregiver to his mother during her battle with colon cancer and a steady, supportive brother who helped shape Dak’s early love for football.

How is Jace’s legacy honored today?

Through annual tributes, the Faith. Fight. Finish. Foundation’s initiatives, and ongoing mental health advocacy by his family.

Did Jace appear in any public campaigns?

Yes, he appeared with Tad and Dak in a 2019 Campbell’s “Chunky” commercial.

Did Jace have children?

No, but his nephew born in early 2024 was named in his honor: Jace McKenzie Prescott II.