As bits and pieces of the NFL schedule continue to drop ahead of the full reveal, one thing remains unchanged — the Dallas Cowboys are once again in the national spotlight. And not everyone is thrilled. One prominent media voice is calling out the NFL’s continued obsession with “America’s Team.”
Colin Cowherd Compares Cowboys on National TV to U2 on Your iPod
On “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, the host likened watching the Cowboys in prime-time games to getting an album you didn’t ask for.
“The idea that Dallas has earned that spot,” Cowherd said, “it’s Lakers on Christmas. Who cares? Remember Apple inserted the U2 album on your iPod and you didn’t want it and you couldn’t get rid of it? That’s what I feel about the Cowboys.”
"Remember when Apple inserted the U2 album on your iPod? And you didn't want it and couldn't get rid of it?"
"That's what I feel about the Cowboys." –@colincowherd pic.twitter.com/FnBwpKI9dc
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd)
Three Cowboys games had already been confirmed — and all three will be in marquee slots. Dallas will open the NFL season on Thursday, Sept. 4, visiting the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in Philadelphia. On Thanksgiving, they’ll host the Kansas City Chiefs. And on Christmas, they’ll face the Commanders in Washington.
“Cowboys are in the opener at Philly,” Cowherd added. “A game they never win. If you go look at those games, the Cowboys are 1–5 in their last six against Philadelphia. I don’t need to see that game — that feels like November. Then they’ve got the Cowboys against Kansas City on Thanksgiving.
“I don’t need to see that either. Andy Reid and [Patrick] Mahomes against Dak [Prescott] off a second surgery and Brian Schottenheimer doesn’t scream fascinating. The only thing keeping the Cowboys’ TV numbers up is the networks and the NFL putting them on more. Get Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen somewhere on that.”
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Prescott is coming off a rough 2024 season in which he played only eight games before suffering a hamstring injury. The Cowboys went 3–5 in his starts and finished 7–10 overall. Prescott threw for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
The spotlight matchups are all against elite competition. The Eagles won the NFC for the second time in three years and earned their second Lombardi Trophy. The Chiefs made their fifth AFC title game appearance in six seasons. And the Commanders — led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels — reached the NFC Championship and notched two playoff wins, equaling the total for Dallas during Prescott’s nine seasons.
Cowherd’s preferred alternatives, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, have more recent accolades. Jackson has won MVP twice (2019, 2023), while Allen won in 2024. The Ravens have three playoff wins under Jackson, while Allen has helped lead the Bills to seven.
Whether you love or hate the Cowboys’ spotlight status, the NFL clearly isn’t changing its approach. And for critics like Cowherd, it’s just another season of Dallas overload.