It is incredible how popular the Dallas Cowboys remain.
Even coming off a 7-10 record, combined with hiring an unproven head coach, cannot keep the Dallas Cowboys out of primetime. When the schedule was released on Wednesday evening, Dallas was given eight standalone matchups, which is tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the most.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated talked with Onnie Bose, the NFL’s vice president of broadcasting, about why the Cowboys are still at the top of primetime matchups no matter where they finish in the standings.
“Look, the Cowboys are always a draw, the fan base is there, the interest is there,” Bose said. “Yes, they were 7–10 last year, but they had 12–5 seasons the three previous years, Dak [Prescott] was hurt. Where will they be this year, 12–5 or 7–10? Well, they’re in one of the most competitive divisions, they have a track record, you have CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons. This wasn’t going to be the year the Cowboys were only going to get two prime-time games.”
Bose laid it out well. Ultimately, the interest will always be in Dallas, whether they win or lose. Fans love them, and fans love to hate them, which does well with ratings. The Cowboys also continue to have “star power.” Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and eventually Micah Parsons are among the highest-paid players at their positions.
Even if 2025 was not the year for Dallas to step back in primetime slots, Breer asks the question of whether that time will ever come, or if the name will carry them whenever the talent dwindles.
When deciding who would play on Thanksgiving, Bose stuck to their original goal for the 2025 season of going “big in the big windows” and landed on the Chiefs taking on the Cowboys.
“Thanksgiving has our most viewed games, people are together, they’re watching before or after dinner,” said Bose. “So, again, thanks to the depth of the schedule we had, there was the opportunity to go big. And that Dallas game is usually our most viewed game of the year, so why not bring the two biggest brands, and get that much more attention on it? A lot of people are going to have that game on.”
There’s little doubt that the NFL acknowledged the potential viewership a Kansas City versus Dallas matchup could generate from a ratings standpoint on Thanksgiving. The numbers from this game may be as untouchable as Emmitt Smith’s all-time rushing record.
With the Cowboys playing on two major holidays this year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, there was also consideration given “to the fan bases and stadium workers.” This is why no team (Cowboys, Lions, Chiefs) will host two holiday home games and why Dallas is on the road in Washington on Dec 25.
While some fans may dislike that the Cowboys are the spotlight and headline primetime games, this is simply how business operates in the NFL. Dallas consistently generates more interest than nearly all other teams in the league, so until the day comes when they are no longer America’s Team, they will be the center of attention.
