Last season was a forgettable one for the Dallas Cowboys. While they’ve not won a title in nearly three decades, they have remained one of the most-watched and talked-about teams in the NFL. After their losing season in 2024, however, it seemed like they may finally have been losing their draw a bit with fans growing tired of hearing about the wealthy team’s drama.
But after the NFL released its 2025-26 season schedule, it’s clear that the Cowboys still wear the crown for the league’s biggest draw.
Cowboys still NFL’s biggest draw in 2025, despite FOX’s schedule strategy
FOX usually leans heavily on the Cowboys for their high-viewership 4:25 p.m. ET slot, but this year is different. As opposed to the six slots the Cowboys filled at that time last season, for 2025, FOX requested just three Cowboys home games in the showcase window.
Instead, they’re opting for varietybringing in strong AFC matchups and elevating teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, and Detroit Lions.
“Candidly, I think we hear from fans sometimes that they get a little worn out with FOX’s 4:25 window so heavily reliant on the Cowboys,” said FOX executive Michael Mulvihill.
Despite FOX’s perspective, however, all signs point to the Cowboys remaining as America’s Team. While the Kansas City Chiefs are the newest darling of the NFL, the Cowboys are just one game behind them in primetime appearances in 2025 with six total – more than any other NFC East team. The Eagles – last year’s Super Bowl winners, may I remind – have five.
Like every year, the Cowboys will host a Thanksgiving Day game again in 2025, this time against the Chiefs. But they’ll also host a Christmas Day game, and they made history as the first team to play in four standalone Thursday night games in one season.
The ticket demand also confirms that their popularity has not wavered. Vivid Seats reported that the top three most in-demand games all involved the Cowboys:
- Week 1 vs. Eagles (season opener)
- Week 4 vs. Packers (SNF)
- Thanksgiving vs. Chiefs
The Cowboys remain the NFL’s top TV and ticket draw, with a record number of featured games and massive fan demand cementing their status as America’s Team. The Cowboys kick off the 2025 season against the Eagles on Thursday, September 4 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
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