The Dallas Cowboys' 2025 season schedule release includes a very rare characteristic that the NFL has never seen before
The 2025 NFL schedule is officially out and it presents a very intriguing layout for the Dallas Cowboys. Predictably, primetime games abound. That isn't anything new to the Cowboys, as the NFL has proven time and time again it will give Dallas night games thanks to their undeniable popularity around the world. However, this year's schedule […]
The 2025 NFL schedule is officially out and it presents a very intriguing layout for the Dallas Cowboys.
Predictably, primetime games abound. That isn't anything new to the Cowboys, as the NFL has proven time and time again it will give Dallas night games thanks to their undeniable popularity around the world. However, this year's schedule has a specific and frankly, odd, characteristic that makes it unique in NFL history.
The Cowboys are scheduled to play four Thursday games. That's never happened in league history. The schedule quirk is a result of Dallas being chosen to play in the NFL Kickoff as well as on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. They'll also play a regular Thursday Night Football, bringing the total up to four.
Add to that two Monday Night Football showdowns and that means the Cowboys will only play Sunday on 11 of 17 regular season games. That might be nothing but a fun piece of trivia but it speaks volumes about the team's ability to draw attention even after a 7-win season.
Full 2025 Cowboys schedule
- Week 1: at Philadelphia Eagles (Thursday, Sept. 4, 8:20 p.m. ET)
- Week 2: vs New York Giants (Sunday, Sept. 14, 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 3: at Chicago Bears (Sunday, Sept. 21, 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 4: vs Green Bay Packers (SNF, Sunday, Sept. 28, 8:20 p.m. ET)
- Week 5: at New York Jets (Sunday, Oct. 5, 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 6: at Carolina Panthers (Sunday, Oct. 12, 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 7: vs Washington Commanders (Sunday, Oct. 19, 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 8: at Denver Broncos (Sunday, Oct. 26, 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 9: vs Arizona Cardinals (Monday, Nov. 3, 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11: at Las Vegas Raiders (Monday, Nov. 17, 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 12: vs Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, Nov. 23, 4:25 p.m. ET)
- Week 13: vs Kansas City Chiefs (Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET)
- Week 14: at Detroit Lions (TNF, Thursday, Dec. 4, 8:15 p.m. ET)
- Week 15: vs Minnesota Vikings (SNF, Sunday, Dec. 14, 8:20 p.m. ET)
- Week 16: vs Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, Dec. 21, 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 17: @ Washington Commanders (Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25, 1:00 p.m. ET)
- Week 18: @ New York Giants (TBD)
Primetime Matchups
Note: The NFL doesn't consider Thanksgiving or Christmas Day "primetime," unless they're at night, even though they kind of are considering they're standalone games.
- Cowboys at Eagles – Week 1, NFL Kickoff TNF
- Cowboys vs Packers – Week 4, Sunday Night Football
- Cowboys vs Cardinals – Week 9, Monday Night Football
- Cowboys at Raiders – Week 11, Monday Night Football
- Cowboys at Lions – Week 14, Thursday Night Football
- Cowboys vs Vikings – Week 15, Sunday Night Football
Biggest Games on the Cowboys' 2025 Schedule
- Cowboys at Eagles, Week 1: There's no other correct answer to lead off the list. This is the Super Bowl Champion team and the Cowboys' biggest rival.
- Chiefs vs Cowboys, Week 13: Similarly to the Eagles, this is the team to beat in the NFL. The Chiefs have been dominant ever since they started Patrick Mahomes and beating them in Thanksgiving could be the kind of result that makes the Cowboys look like legit contenders.
- Cowboys at Lions, Week 14: In 2023, the Cowboys beat the Lions in one of the highest-profile games of the season. In 2024, they got blown out of the way by the same team. Can they take home what's become a fun trilogy and prove they belong among the NFC contenders?
- Cowboys at Commanders, Week 17: Though the Eagles are likely running away with the NFC East title, these two squads will be squarely in the mix for a Wild Card playoff berth. It could be defined with their late-season showdown.
Strength of Schedule (based off Vegas win totals, not 2024 record)
Strength of schedule going by 2024 win-loss records makes no sense in an ever-evolving league that consistently has new teams making the playoffs each year. So instead, we will use Warren Sharp's rankings based off sportsbooks' projected win totals for the upcoming season.
The Cowboys have the 11th most difficult schedule in the NFL, a result of facing the AFC West, NFC North, and a loaded NFC East featuring the two teams that played in the NFC Championship Game last year.
3 Must-watch Matchups
Dak Prescott vs. Jayden Daniels (Christmas Day, Week 17): What I really like about this matchup is a Wild Card spot could very well be on the line for these two quarterbacks on very different stages of their careers. It has the makings of becoming a shootout.
Dak Prescott vs. Patrick Mahomes: (Thanksgiving, Week 13): Obviously, going up against the best quarterback in the NFL is always a good measuring stick. Prescott has had some big performances against top quarterbacks and this will be a chance to do that on a national stage.
CeeDee Lamb & George Pickens vs. Patrick Surtain (Broncos), Sauce Gardner (Jets): The Cowboys get two of the league's best cornerbacks in 2025 and this time, it's not just Lamb they have to attack them. Pickens is likelier to draw their attention as long as Dallas keeps CeeDee in the slot.
CeeDee Lamb’s message following the George Pickens trade just became much more important after latest comments from the Cowboys
He has to be WR1 in more than one way.
