HOUSTON -- Dak Prescott understands moments, on and off the field.

Named the Associated Press' Offensive Rookie of the Year on Saturday, he made sure his Dallas Cowboys teammate, Ezekiel Elliott, went to the stage with him to accept the award and offered to split the trophy with Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing with 1,631 yards.

"He deserves it as much as I do," Prescott said. "His yards, his catches. The way we handled everything in the backfield it was always together. The defense had to hone in on us to stop the run game, which made my job easier. Without Zeke, I doubt I win it."

Prescott's rise from fourth-round pick to Pro Bowler to now the Cowboys' first offensive rookie of the year since Emmitt Smith could not be foreseen.

He tied an NFL record for a rookie quarterback with 13 wins, including 11 straight, which is a Cowboys record. He had 23 touchdown passes and only four interceptions while also setting a team record for a quarterback with six rushing touchdowns.

But what caught the attention of most of teammates, coaches and front-office personnel was his poise and composure and always saying and doing the right thing.

Saturday's moment with Elliott was just another example.

"They're special guys, they really are," coach Jason Garrett said. "You've heard me say this before, it's hard to transition to college football to pro football and both those guys did such an amazing job and handled so many different things really, really well. Obviously their play in the games at a high level consistently through the year but so many more things. What they brought to our team, the energy, the competitive spirit, it was real infectious. I think they learned a lot from the older guys who've been around us and the way we do things, but they also brought something themselves. They made our team better. And I think those guys going up there together that's a reflection of what they're all about. They're team guys first."