Cowboys owner Jerry Jones proposes extending the NFL regular season

Jerry Jones, owner and GM of the Dallas Cowboys, has the interesting proposal to extend the regular season to 18 weeks. One of the advantages? The economic gains this change would bring not only for the franchises but also for the players.

“My interpretation of the 18th game would be less preseason games. I like that,” he said via nbcsports.com. “I think that’s great for the players — emphasize great for the players. It increases the viability of the financial aspect, more gate and more money for the players as well.”

Additionally, the man in charge of America’s Team made it clear that the move isn’t just financially positive for the players. Greater exposure could also be beneficial for them.

“I think it’s a better application of their careers and talent. less preseason, more playing in games that have the right balance of the financial rewards as well as exposure,” Jones added.

Joe Milton III #10 of the Dallas Cowboys.

Latest changes in the NFL

The NFL officially expanded the regular season to 17 games in March 2021, marking the first increase in the number of scheduled matchups since 1978. To accommodate this change, the league reduced the preseason to three games and extended the total calendar to 18 weeks, including one bye week for each team.

See also

Brian Schottenheimer outlines Cowboys’ 2026 NFL Draft strategy: ‘Draft natural, draft pure’

When do the Cowboys kick off their season?

The Dallas Cowboys are set to kick off their 2026 campaign following the official start of the NFL regular season on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. While the league has confirmed that the defending champion Seattle Seahawks will host the opening game that night, the full schedule—including the specific date, time, and opponent for the Cowboys’ Week 1 matchup—is expected to be released in mid-May.

Jones already knows the Cowboys’ opponents