EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
The long wait is over. The 2026 Dallas Cowboys season is here.
The Cowboys kick off what they hope will be much-improved season against the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Dallas went 7-9-1 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. The Cowboys are counting on a revamped defense to complement a stellar offense, creating a team that can compete for the NFC East title in head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s second season.
Follow along with the Star-Telegram as we chronicle the Cowboys’ season opener:
TOUCHDOWN: Giants 7, Cowboys 0 (6:40 1st)
7:41 p.m.
Cowboys’ defense is feeling the physicality of this Giants offense early.
Cam Skattebo caps a 10-play, 83-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and the Giants lead 7-0 with 6:40 left in the first quarter.
New York marches down the field with 42 rushing yards on seven carries (6 ypc). Physicality battle being won by the Giants early.
— Nick Harris
Here’s Cowboys’ starting lineup on defense
7:31 p.m.
Cowboys starting defense:
Rashan Gary
Quinnen Williams
Kenny Clark
Donovan Ezeiruaku
DeMarvion Overshown
Dee Winters
Cobie Durant
DaRon Bland
Caleb Downs
Malik Hooker
Jalen Thompson
Cowboys start three-and-out
7:30 p.m.
There’s your first George Pickens quick slant of the year. Got nine yards on third down, but it’s just short.
Offense stays on at first for fourth-and-short. Dak and Co. tried to get the Giants to jump. No biting. Punt team out now.
— Nick Harris
We are underway
7:25 p.m.
The Cowboys receive the kickoff. Here we go.
Odell Beckham and the reunion of the ‘catch’
7:20 p.m.
Wide reciver Odell Beckham Jr. is back with the New York Giants, and tonight’s game marks a reunion of sorts of his famous one-handed fingertip catch against the Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” in 2014.
Star-Telegram columnist Mac Engel wrote about the legacy of Beckham’s catch earlier this week.
Sportsbooks still favor Cowboys
6:40 p.m.
The Cowboys are to 3.5-point road favorites over the Giants at DraftKings, climbing from -3 most of the week. The total — the combined points scored by both teams — is 48.5.
Circa Sports, regarded as the sharpest sportsbook in Las Vegas, has those numbers lower at -3 and 47.5.
DraftKings and the prediction market Kalshi peg the Cowboys with a 62% chance to win.
— Jim Barnes
Giants’ Malik Nabers is active
6:05 p.m.
Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers is active for tonight’s game. He had been questionable with a knee injury.
The third-year pro out of LSU played in only four games last season after tearing his right ACL. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2024, catching 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Cowboys are different. Will that matter?
6 p.m.
Owner Jerry Jones and the Cowboys have behaved differently leading up to this season. They got some long-term deals done early, spent money in free agency and went outside the organization to hire 34-year-old defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
But the question remains: Will that matter for a franchise that hasn’t reached the NFC championship game since the 1995 season?
Check out our season preview here.
— Nick Harris
Game schedule dates, times, locations Sept. 8 Rangers 10, Seattle 5 Sept. 9 Seattle 3, Rangers 2 Sept. 10 Seattle 4, Rangers 3 Sept. 11 Arizona 9, Rangers 1 Sept. 12 Rangers 6, Arizona 2 Sept. 13 at Arizona, 3:10 p.m., RSN Sept. 15 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 16 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 17 vs. Boston, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 18 vs. Toronto, 7:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 19 vs. Toronto, 6:05 p.m., RSN Sept. 20 vs. Toronto, 1:35 p.m., RSN Aug. 17 Golden State 78, Wings 70 Aug. 20 Wings 91, Indiana 85 Aug. 23 Wings 92, Seattle 70 Aug. 25 Wings 96, Portland 78 Aug. 30 Wings 97, Connecticut 71 FIBA World Cup break Sept. 17 vs. Los Angeles, 7 p.m., KFAA, USA Sept. 19 vs. Phoenix, 12 p.m., CBS, Paramount+ Sept. 21 at Phoenix, 9 p.m., KFAA, USA Sept. 23 at Seattle, 9 p.m., KFAA, USA, CNBC End of regular season Sept. 13 at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC Sept. 20 vs. Washington, 3:25 p.m., Fox Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore (at Rio de Janeiro), 3:25 p.m., CBS Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA Aug. 29 North Carolina 15, TCU 10 Sept. 12 TCU 63, Grambling State 7 Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m., ESPNU Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN Sept. 5 Indiana 52, North Texas 16 Sept. 12 North Texas 44, UNLV 6 Sept. 19 at Texas State, 11 a.m., USA Sept. 26 vs. Houston Christian, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ Oct. 1 at Tulsa, 8 p.m., ESPN Oct. 10 vs. Charlotte, TBA Oct. 24 at Navy, 2:30 p.m. CBSSN Oct. 29 vs. Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2 Nov. 7 vs. Rice, TBA Nov. 14 at UTSA, TBA Nov. 21 at Tulane, TBA Nov. 28 vs. UAB, TBA All home games at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium Aug. 27 Central Oklahoma 59, Texas Wesleyan 7 Sept. 5 McNeese State 52, Texas Wesleyan 0 Sept. 12 Texas Wesleyan 56, Texas College 20 Sept. 26 vs. Nelson, 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at Arkansas Baptist, 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Louisiana Christian, 2 p.m. Oct. 17 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1 p.m. Oct. 24 at Langston, 2 p.m. Oct. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State, 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at Ottawa (Arizona), 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Wayland Baptist, 2 p.m. Aug. 22 Vancouver 5, FC Dallas 0 Aug. 30 FC Dallas 3, St. Louis 3 Sept. 5 FC Dallas 4, Kansas City 3 Sept. 9 FC Dallas 2, Minnesota 1 Sept. 12 FC Dallas 2, Portland 1 Sept. 19 vs. Austin, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Sept. 26 vs. LAFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 10 at Charlotte, 6:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 14 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Oct. 17 at Houston, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Sept. 19 Black Light Run Sept. 25-26 Dumpster Expo Oct. 1-3 Dirt Track Championship Oct. 2-3 Goodguys Lone Star Nationals Oct. 14 Tony Stewart Bowling Tournament Oct. 16-17 High Limit Racing Championship Oct. 29-31 POWRi Racing
This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 6:55 PM.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.