The pull of the Dallas Cowboys is still seismic, and seldom few teams capture public imagination on a yearly basis. This year’s iteration will play about half of its total schedule in standalone games.

Those audiences will have so many flashpoints to circle around. How’s Dak Prescott going to look after hamstring surgery? What’s Brian Schottenheimer going to do as a new head coach in the NFL’s automatic heated seat? Will the Green Bay grass look greener for Micah Parsons?

Actually finding and accessing Cowboys games is more cumbersome than ever, though. In addition to the usual channel rotation of CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN and NFL Network, this season’s streaming rights also extend to Amazon Prime, Netflix, Peacock and YouTube. It can get exhausting (and annoying) to keep up with all these changes, so we’ve compiled a league-wide overview of how the current broadcast carousel works. All of the info below is formatted specifically for the Cowboys’ 2025 schedule (pre-flexes, which start as early as Week 5 this year).

Make sure you’re also following the NFL on The Athletic. Jon Machota is an excellent beat reporter, from Oxnard to Arlington.

All times listed below are ET.

Cable/satellite/streaming base

The first thing we’ll need to watch all 17 regular-season Cowboys games is a television package. Here are the most popular options, contingent on local availability, with pricing as of September 2025:

Fubo (Save $30) is $0 for the first week, $54.99 for the first month with the applied discount, then $84.99 monthly.
Hulu’s live TV add-on is free for the first three days, then $82.99/month.
YouTube TV is $49.99 for the first two months (offer good through Sept. 30), then $82.99/month.
DirecTV’s “Choice” package starts at $59.99 for the first month, then bumps up to $89.99/month.
Dish’s “America’s Top 120+” plan is $106.99/month.
Xfinity’s “Sports & News” TV and internet package is $110/month.
Verizon Fios’ “More Fios” plan is $95 for an initial 60 days, then goes to $119/month.
Sling’s most expansive “Orange & Blue” option has a deal for half off its first month, which comes out to $29.99 for its base price ($60.99/month after). With the “Sports Extra” add-on, the deal is $44.99 for the first month ($75.99/month after). The company is also selling day passes for temporary access, with the weekly one at $14.99 and weekends at $9.99. Sling doesn’t carry CBS networks.

Average monthly cost: $85-100. Depending on the carrier, this will cover all NFL action except for out-of-market games, “Thursday Night Football” on Prime and the Christmas slate on Netflix.

Sunday afternoon, in marketCBS and Fox

Our dueling homes for the busiest part of the weekly schedule. A majority of Cowboys games will fall into the Sunday afternoon bulk, kicking off at either 1 or 4-4:30 p.m. Typically (though not always), the East Coast home teams play earlier, while hosts on Pacific time take that second spot. Dallas is weirdly in the middle of those two poles, but its starry status usually pushes it into the late window.

For the most part, CBS has the AFC home games and Fox has the NFC ones. That’s not absolute, though (blame something called the “cross flex”). In general, these over-the-air channels show games pertinent to the region. When there’s no local team to prioritize, they’ll show a game of national intrigue. Fox specifically brands this second afternoon window as “America’s Game of the Week.” Unsurprisingly, the Cowboys have held a timeshare there for the past several decades.

Both networks have broadcast teams to spread around the league on Sundays. Here’s a refresher on those lead crews:

CBS — “Hello Friends” Team

Jim Nantz and Tony Romo / Tracy Wolfson sideline
Ian Eagle and JJ Watt / Evan Washburn
Kevin Harlan and Trent Green / Melanie Collins
Andrew Catalon, Charles Davis and Jason McCourty / AJ Ross
Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta / Aditi Kinkhabwala

Cowboys games on CBS
Sunday, Oct. 26 (Week 8): @ Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 27 (Week 13): vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 4:30 p.m. (the annual Thanksgiving game, and a good one at that)

Fox — “Dancing Robots” Team

Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady / Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi sideline
Joe Davis and Greg Olsen / Pam Oliver
Adam Amin and Mark Sanchez / Kristina Pink
Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma / Megan Olivi
Kevin Kugler and Daryl Johnston (“Moose“) / Allison Williams
Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth / Jen Hale

Cowboys games on Fox
Sunday, Sept. 14 (Week 2): vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 21 (Week 3): @ Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 5 (Week 5): @ New York Jets, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 12 (Week 6): @ Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 19 (Week 7): vs. Washington Commanders, 4:25 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 23 (Week 12): vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 21 (Week 16): vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.

What you’ll need to watch: One of the aforementioned cable or streaming packages, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access. Local CBS games can also be streamed on Paramount+ (starting at $7.99/month). Local Fox games can also be streamed on Fox One (starting at $19.99/month).

Sunday afternoon, out of marketNFL Sunday Ticket

Few American sports teams have as many out-of-market fans as the Cowboys do. Those folks will need NFL Sunday Ticket to unlock the Sunday games. For an extra fee, they can also get NFL RedZone, the frenetic live whip-around anchored by Scott Hanson. That man is peerless in his love for American football.

What you’ll need to watch: YouTube is the current digital home provider of NFL Sunday Ticket (DirecTV carries it for businesses). New Sunday Ticket users can subscribe for $276/year, which comes out to $23/month. Returning users with YouTube TV are charged $378, or $31.50/month, and those without YouTube TV pay $480 ($40/month). These are the prices without RedZone.

Additionally, the league’s NFL+ Premium app has standalone RedZone access for 12 installments of $14.99. Full out-of-market games can’t be streamed live here, though, making it a better option for fantasy players rather than dedicated team loyalists.

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN recently sold 10 percent of its equity to the NFL in exchange for league media assets (NFL Network, cable RedZone rights and fantasy football games). So, as of Sept. 3, the new ESPN Unlimited direct-to-consumer (DTC) service is offering a bundle with NFL+ Premium for $39.99/month.

Average monthly cost: $23-40

“Sunday Night Football”NBC

Sundays always end with “Sunday Night Football,” featuring Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in the booth. Tirico is the successor to longtime SNF voice Al Michaels. Collinsworth, well … “here’s a guy” who gets really excited about nickel corners and pass-blocking running backs. Melissa Stark is NBC’s Sunday night sideline reporter.

As we get into the later weeks, NBC will flex into matchups with greater playoff implications. The same goes for ABC/ESPN (Mondays) and Prime Video (Thursdays). Network flexing is a contentious issue, though. Putting a more compelling game on national TV rewards viewers at home, but sudden schedule changes obviously hurt traveling fans. For SNF in Weeks 5-13, a flex must be announced at least 12 days before the game. That window halves to a six-day warning in Weeks 14-17.

Cowboys games on NBC
Thursday, Sept. 4 (Week 1 season opener): @ Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m. (a Thursday night game with SNF production, just a heads up)
Sunday, Sept. 28 (Week 4): vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 14 (Week 15): vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m.

What you’ll need to watch: A TV package, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access, or a Peacock account (sports subscription with ads starts at $10.99 per month).

“Monday Night Football”ESPN, ABC

Here’s where you’ll find end-of-week pageantry with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Yup, the very same Troy Aikman who brought a title to Dallas … then another … and then a third to immortalize “The Triplets.”

Industry vet Lisa Salters dispatches from the sideline, along with Laura Rutledge. When there are multiple Monday night listings, Chris Fowler does play-by-play on the doubleheader’s other game, with former safety Louis Riddick and former quarterback Dan Orlovsky on color commentary. Katie George and Peter Schrager cover the sidelines with that group. The MNF crew for ESPN Deportes includes play-by-play woman Rebeca Landa and analyst Sebastian Martinez-Christensen, with sideline reports from MJ Acosta-Ruiz and the incomparable John Sutcliffe.

There will usually be a simulcast on ESPN2 anchored by Peyton and Eli Manning. Sometimes, their presence is insightful; it can also devolve into frivolity and controlled ridiculousness.

Cowboys games on ABC/ESPN
Monday, Nov. 3 (Week 9): vs. Arizona Cardinals, 8:15 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 17 (Week 11): @ Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m.

What you’ll need to watch: A TV package, or a broadcast antenna for free over-the-air access to ABC. ABC and ESPN are also available with the new ESPN DTC service ($29.99 per month).

“Thursday Night Football”Prime Video

This marks year No. 4 of TNF on Amazon. Al Michaels does play-by-play, and he’s joined by Kirk Herbstreit (“College GameDay” staple and Golden Retriever enthusiast). Kaylee Hartung handles the sideline reporting. Thursday games are on the Prime Video app for national audiences, and broadcasts are free over the air in the two teams’ home markets. Alternatively, TNF can be streamed on Twitch or with an NFL+ subscription (mobile only, however).

Last year’s ill-fated first TNF flex did not lead to new safeguards; rather, the league reduced the notice window from 28 days down to 21. Again, those flexes favor folks at home who want exciting and relevant late-season viewing, but it brings chaos to ticket holders and the participating teams themselves.

Cowboys games on Prime Video
Thursday, Dec. 4 (Week 14): @ Detroit Lions, 8:15 p.m. (with an over-the-air TV broadcast in the Dallas market)

What you’ll need to watch: Amazon Prime, which costs $14.99 per month, NFL+ ($6.99/month) or a registered Twitch account.

Average monthly cost: $0-15

Thanksgiving/Christmas gamesThanksgiving on CBS

Dallas’ home Thanksgiving marquee has been a league constant — every year since 1966, except during the 1975 and 1977 seasons. Dolly Parton stole the day with her 2023 halftime show, and in general, this is NFL largeness at its largest.

Thursday, Nov. 27 (Week 13): Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys — CBS, 4:30 p.m.

What you’ll need to watch:A TV package with CBS, over-the-air access or a Paramount+ subscription.

Christmas on Netflix

We were all but out of dodge … until one last streaming service stood before us. The NFL has now built out a Christmas slate, because the appetite for more football is never-ending. Dallas’ Christmas game is a Netflix exclusive, too. ‘Tis the season:

Thursday, Dec. 25 (Week 17): Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders — Netflix, 1 p.m.

What you’ll need to watch: A Netflix subscription ($7.99/month with ads). The game will also be free over the air in the Dallas market.

Average cost: $0-8

There are no international games for the Cowboys, at least, but eight spotlight games (before flex scheduling) is more than enough to juggle. The only thing left to settle is the Week 18 finale at the New York Giants. The entirety of that Week 18 schedule won’t be announced until the conclusion of Week 17. If there are heightened playoff implications for either team, the game could get shifted to national TV Saturday or the regular-season wrap-up on “Sunday Night Football.”

Updated Cowboys odds for 2025Cowboys single-season records
Passing yards — Tony Romo with 4,903 (2012)
Passing TDs — Dak Prescott with 37 (2021)
Rushing yards — DeMarco Murray with 1,845 (2014)
Rushing touchdowns — Emmitt Smith with 25 (1995)
Receiving yards — CeeDee Lamb with 1,749 (2023)
Receiving touchdowns — Dez Bryant with 16 (2014)
Sacks (official, after 1982) — DeMarcus Ware with 20 (2008)
Interceptions —  Trevon Diggs (2021) and Everson Walls (1981) with 11

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(Photo of Dak Prescott: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)