The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in the middle of a growing NFL theory that would completely change how we view the game
The NFL might be doing some experimenting right in front of us if the latest internet theory is correct. And the Dallas Cowboys are a part of it.
When the Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, it will be their third consecutive primetime game. Being the TV ratings monster that they are, that doesn’t seem noteworthy.
After all, the Cowboys are consistently one of the teams with the highest amount of primetime games. It’s no surprise some of them come in bundles. However, the three consecutive primetime games is part of a leaguewide trend.
And if Mike Florio’s latest theory is right, it could be the start of a bigger shift in the NFL.
The NFL might be using the Cowboys as guinea pigs for something bigger
Florio discussed the NFL’s schedule on a recent episode of Pro Football Talk. He has never been one to shy away from some theories. But this one in particular quickly went viral because, frankly, it makes sense. A little too much sense, even.
So here’s the hypothesis: The NFL is using the Cowboys and other teams, like the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons, to test how audiences respond to seeing the same teams on primetime spots. Why?
Because if the NFL is ever to take over the full weekday (with primetime games on a near daily basis), it will need teams to play in such spots consistently. Let him explain. Below is his full monologue on it:
Florio’s full theory:
“I was peeking ahead on the Bears’ schedule, and I noticed something that I have been noticing a lot this year. And because I’ve never noticed it in the past, I’m assuming it wasn’t there to notice in the same way it’s now noticeable.
Here’s my point. The Bears tonight are embarking on their first of three straight primetime games, right? We’re going to see them tonight against the Patriots, the following Monday night at Seattle, and then the following Sunday night on NBC and Peacock against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We are in the midst of three straight Cowboys games in primetime. We have had three straight Falcons games in primetime. The Eagles are having two straight in primetime coming up Monday and Sunday.
And here’s my hypothesis, because, look, it may just be random. It may just be. But when that many teams are getting three in a row in primetime, I wonder if they are experimenting with having the same team in primetime for multiple weeks for if and when they ever fully embrace Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Because if you do that, the only way to make the schedule work is to have a team play Thursday one week, Wednesday the next week, and Tuesday the next week.
Though Florio admits he’s speculation, the logic is sound.
The NFL has already dipped its toes into Fridays via Black Friday and even an international game in Brazil in 2024. They had games on Wednesday for Christmas Day that same year. Them slowly taking over more weekdays is probably their goal moving forward.
I will say if Florio is right, this would be much bigger than the NFL having night games every day. It would need big adjustments across the league—from adapting the waiver wire to working around shorter weeks without losing competitive balance.
I for one, would not be a fan of such a move. I strongly beliefve part of what makes NFL football unique is the inherent scarcity it comes with. Sundays are an event. Like they said in the Concussion film, the league owns a day of the week. I can’t help but think some of that magic would be lost if there’s an NFL game on every day.
And yet, I admit, I’d probably sit down and watch. Oh well.
