2025 NFC East Preview: Dallas Cowboys Football

DALLAS, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys head into the 2025 NFL season with plenty to prove and even more to figure out. A new head coach is in charge, the franchise quarterback is back from injury, and a bold receiving addition has reshaped the offense. Yet the lingering contract drama around Micah Parsons looms over everything, raising doubts about whether this team can stay united long enough to contend.

A New Voice on the Sideline

Brian Schottenheimer takes over as head coach after Mike McCarthy’s departure, inheriting a franchise hungry for stability. It’s Schottenheimer’s first head-coaching opportunity after years as an offensive coordinator across the league, including the past two seasons in Dallas.

Known for his quarterback-friendly systems and commitment to spreading the field, Schottenheimer has promised to bring more speed and balance to an offense that sputtered without Dak Prescott for much of last season. His challenge is twofold: implement a new identity while managing the heavy expectations that come with coaching America’s Team.

Dak Prescott’s Return

Prescott missed most of 2024 after suffering a hamstring avulsion, and the Cowboys unraveled in his absence. Now 32, the quarterback enters 2025 fully healthy and determined to remind the league of his value.

Dallas is built around Prescott’s decision-making and leadership. His rapport with CeeDee Lamb is well established, and the addition of another high-end receiving target gives the Cowboys one of the NFC’s most intriguing passing attacks. For all the debate about Prescott’s playoff résumé, there’s no mistaking his importance to the franchise’s success.

George Pickens Joins CeeDee Lamb

To help Prescott, Dallas acquired wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. At 6-foot-3 with big-play ability, Pickens gives the Cowboys a physical and explosive complement to Lamb.

Schottenheimer has already spoken about tailoring his offense to emphasize speed and mismatches. With Lamb’s precision and Pickens’ vertical threat, Dallas now boasts a dynamic receiving duo capable of stretching defenses both vertically and horizontally—moving on from the veteran presence of Brandin Cooks, who signed with the Saints in March.

For years, the Cowboys lacked a true secondary star alongside Lamb. Pickens has the chance to change that, and early reports from training camp suggest the pairing has quickly clicked with Prescott.

Micah Parsons Drama Overshadows Defense

If the offense is finding new momentum, the defense is stuck in limbo. Micah Parsons, the face of Dallas’ defense and one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, has requested a trade while pushing for a record-setting extension. He has skipped practices while pressing his case.

Owner Jerry Jones has pushed back against the speculation, dismissing trade rumors as “BS” and insisting that the Cowboys control Parsons’ rights through 2027. Dallas already picked up his fifth-year option for 2025 and could apply the franchise tag in 2026 and again in 2027 if no long-term deal is reached. That gives the team leverage, though it doesn’t erase the tensions.

Quarterback Dak Prescott has urged teammates to avoid letting Parsons’ situation become a distraction, emphasizing that “business can’t get personal.” Schottenheimer has echoed that sentiment, projecting confidence that Parsons will be on the field when the season opens.

Still, uncertainty lingers. Other teams are monitoring the situation, and if the rift deepens, Dallas would be forced to consider its options. Losing Parsons, however, would be a devastating blow to a defense built around his versatility and pressure.

A Spotlight Schedule

The Cowboys’ season begins with the brightest lights possible: the NFL Kickoff Game against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, September 4. It’s an instant divisional test and a chance to measure themselves against the NFC’s benchmark.

From there, Dallas returns home in Week 2 for its home opener against the New York Giants on September 14, then travels north to face the Chicago Bears on September 21. The early stretch doesn’t ease up: Week 4 brings the Green Bay Packers to Arlington in prime time on September 28, followed by a Week 5 road trip to the New York Jets on October 5. Week 6 sends the Cowboys to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers on October 12.

The Cowboys’ bye comes in Week 10, splitting the season in half. Their annual Thanksgiving game is again a marquee showcase, this time against the Kansas City Chiefs on November 27 — Patrick Mahomes vs. Prescott in front of a national audience.

The final month will determine whether Dallas is playing for January or planning for the future. In Week 15, they host the Minnesota Vikings on December 14 in a Sunday night game. A week later, they stay home against the Los Angeles Chargers on December 21. Then comes a short turnaround: a Christmas Day road game at Washington against the Commanders, streaming exclusively on Netflix. The regular season closes in Week 18 with another divisional road trip to face the New York Giants, a matchup that could carry playoff stakes.

Murky Expectations

The Cowboys enter 2025 with as many questions as answers. Prescott is healthy again, and the addition of Pickens could elevate the offense to one of the conference’s best. Schottenheimer, though untested as a head coach, brings fresh ideas and a focus on speed.

Yet the Parsons standoff lingers like a storm cloud. If he plays under his option year, Dallas has the defensive anchor it needs to complement its offensive firepower. If the conflict escalates, the Cowboys could find themselves distracted and undermanned on defense.

The NFC East remains fierce, with the Eagles favored to repeat as division champions. Washington and New York are still building, but divisional games rarely lack drama. The Cowboys will have to survive the grind of their early slate and seize winnable games in the middle portion of the year to stay in contention.

Dallas has the pieces to make a playoff push. But for a franchise stuck in a decades-long championship drought, talent alone isn’t enough. Unity, health and timing will dictate whether the 2025 Cowboys become a contender or another team remembered more for what it lacked than what it achieved.