Cowboys 'America's Team' Proof Revealed In NFL Schedule Release

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Landon Holifield | Last updated May 14, 2025 3:17 PM ET

Even during a challenging 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys remained a ratings juggernaut. ... Second only to Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions.

Yes — those Lions. The same team that just two years ago was lucky to get two national windows all season long is now the NFL’s No. 1 most-watched team. But let’s be clear: Even during a 7–10 season, the 2024 Cowboys were still number two in total viewership — ahead of everyone except Detroit. And right behind them at number three? The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The brand power in Dallas isn’t just still alive — it’s thriving in a way that almost nobody else in sports can match.

The Thanksgiving Day matchup last year featuring the Cowboys and Giants? 38.8 million viewers, peaking at 41.3 million — the most-watched NFL game of the entire regular season. Even despite it featuring two teams with losing records.

Despite a 7–10 record, the Cowboys still averaged 23.14 million viewers per game, tying them for the third-highest in the league alongside the Ravens. For context? The NFL’s overall average viewership was about 17 million per game. The Cowboys were pulling about 6–8 million more viewers per game — even in what fans would call a “down year.”

That’s the power of the brand. That’s the power of being "America’s Team.''

And by the way ... that nickname is not transferrable.

That's not how nicknames work. Dallas doesn't get to be 'The Windy City' because a storm blows through or 'The Big Apple' because Kroger has a fruit sale. https://t.co/3uD8YmhVPM
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) May 14, 2025

It’s also why all the hand-wringing over the Chiefs-Cowboys 2025 matchup is hilarious. Some fans have complained that Dallas isn’t "good enough" to deserve a headliner game against the dynasty-of-the-decade Chiefs. But here’s the truth: the 2025 Cowboys are going to look completely different from the 2024 Cowboys. New coaching staff. New physical identity. New playmakers.

And even if they weren’t? Even when the Cowboys "suck," they still move the needle more than almost anybody else in sports. The NFL average viewership rating in 2024 landed at about 17 million. Still almost 8 million less than even the 7-10 Dallas Cowboys.

This isn’t just about football. It’s about money. It’s about ratings. It’s about eyeballs on the screen and dollars flowing into the league’s pockets.

At the end of the day, money reigns. And no team — win, lose, or rebuild — generates more of it than the Dallas Cowboys.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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