Instant Analysis: Cowboys get 6 primetime games, major schedule takeaways
The Cowboys have some unique scheduling quirks in 2026 as the NFL looks to make amends for some brutal stretches with niceties.
There's no rest for the weary; at least that's what local Dallas Cowboys media and content creators are telling themselves after the Cowboys 2026 schedule was released on Thursday. There's a large contingent of older fans who are probably feeling similar sentiments after it was announced that America's Team, the media darling that they are, are booked for six primetime games. What makes it worse?
That total includes a ridiculous back-to-back-to-back gauntlet of nighttime kickoffs from Week 5 through Week 7. The primetime contests are part of seven nationally-televised games, which doesn't even include them hosting their longtime playoff rivals, the San Francisco 49ers . No rest for the weary is likely how the Cowboys feel with a scheduling quirk that happens early in the year and leads our takeaways.
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Primetime The Cowboys are the darlings of NFL ratings, the one thing keeping broadcast TV and cable afloat in the modern age. This year, the Cowboys will play on NBC's Sunday Night Football on three different occasions, ESPN's Monday Night Football twice, and also streaming giant Amazon Prime Video one time to total their six primetime contests. Sunday Night Football (NBC) W1 at Giants W6 at Packers W16 vs Jaguars Monday Night Football (ESPN) W7 at Eagles W13 at Seahawks Thursday Night Football (Prime) W5 vs Buccaneers The new international game gauntlet The Cowboys are used to facing a Thanksgiving gauntlet, when they often play 4 games in 18 days (Sunday, Sunday, Thursday, Thursday).