The NFL is setting the stage for what could be the most-watched regular-season game in league history: the Dallas Cowboys will host the Kansas City Chiefs in the prime Thanksgiving afternoon slot.
With both teams boasting massive followings, a star-studded cast of players, and off-field storylines that captivate viewers, the league appears poised to shatter TV audience records this holiday.
Who really owns the title of ‘America’s Team’?
The decision to pit these two franchises against each other isn’t just about ratings, though anything below 45 million viewers would be surprising.
It’s also sparked a broader debate about the identity of “America’s Team.”
The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes and fueled by a red-hot run of Super Bowl appearances, have become arguably the biggest draw in American sports.
But some still believe the Cowboys’ status remains untouched, including former NFL wide receiver James Jones.
Jones, now an analyst with Fox Sports, firmly rejected the idea that Kansas City has taken over as the league’s signature franchise.
“We talk about the Cowboys when they’re winning. We talk about the Cowboys when they’re losing. We talk about the Cowboys when they’re average. We talk about the Cowboys when they’re healthy. We talk about the Cowboys when they’re hurt,”Jones said, highlighting Dallas’s unmatched media presence.
He went on to double down, stating, “The Dallas Cowboys will forever be America’s Team. That will never change.”
For Jones, the brand built by Jerry Jones remains unrivaled in its cultural and commercial impact.
And as for any threat from the Mahomes-Kelce era in Kansas City?
Jones dismissed it altogether.
“Jerry Jones is brilliant, but the Cowboys will never be overtaken-especially not by the Kansas City Chiefs or anybody else.”
The matchup also carries historical weight.
The Chiefs, originally the Dallas Texans, once shared the city with the Cowboys before relocating to Kansas City.
That early rivalry, born from pre-merger tensions between the AFL and NFL, will now take center stage on the nation’s biggest football day.
With legacies, pride, and possibly ratings records on the line, Cowboys vs. Chiefs on Thanksgiving is more than just a game, it’s a cultural moment in the making.
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