If you were looking for the score between the Cowboys and the Steelers recently, you probably noticed things have been a bit quiet on the field between these two. That’s because they haven't lined up against each other since the 2024 season. In that last meeting on October 6, 2024, the Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17.
It was a weird one.
A massive storm delay pushed the kickoff back over an hour, turning a primetime Sunday Night Football slot into a late-night endurance test. Dak Prescott eventually found Jalen Tolbert for a four-yard touchdown with only 20 seconds left on the clock. That play basically silenced Acrisure Stadium and pushed the Cowboys' all-time lead in the series to 18-16.
Since we are now in the early days of 2026, fans are asking: when do we see it again? Because these teams play in different conferences—Dallas in the NFC East and Pittsburgh in the AFC North—they generally only meet once every four years unless the "17th game" scheduling formula pairs them up sooner. As of right now, they aren't scheduled to meet in the 2026 regular season.
The All-Time Score Between the Cowboys and the Steelers
When people ask what's the score between the cowboys and the steelers, they usually aren't just looking for one game. They’re looking for the history. This is the only matchup in NFL history to happen three times in the Super Bowl. It’s the "Gold Standard" versus "America’s Team."
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The records are almost eerily close.
Dallas holds a slight edge in the overall series at 18 wins to Pittsburgh’s 16. If you look at just the regular season, the Cowboys lead 17-14. However, the Steelers own the postseason. Pittsburgh won Super Bowl X (21-17) and Super Bowl XIII (35-31). Dallas didn't get their revenge on the biggest stage until Super Bowl XXX in 1996, winning 27-17 thanks to a couple of Larry Brown interceptions.
A Breakdown of the Modern Era
Since the turn of the millennium, this game has been a rare treat. Honestly, the 2024 game felt like a throwback to the 70s—low scoring, physical, and decided by a mistake or a single moment of brilliance in the mud.
- 2024: Cowboys 20, Steelers 17
- 2020: Steelers 24, Cowboys 19
- 2016: Cowboys 35, Steelers 30 (The famous Ezekiel Elliott "fake spike" game)
- 2012: Cowboys 27, Steelers 24
You’ll notice a trend here. The games are almost always decided by one possession. You don't get blowouts in this rivalry. You get stress.
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Why the Scoreboard Doesn't Tell the Whole Story in 2026
We are currently in a massive transition period for both franchises. If you haven't kept up with the news this week, the landscape just shifted. Mike Tomlin, the steady hand in Pittsburgh for nearly two decades, just stepped down as head coach. That’s huge. It’s the end of an era that defined the Steelers' identity.
Meanwhile, Dallas is coming off a rocky 7-9-1 season under Brian Schottenheimer. They traded Micah Parsons in September 2025, a move that still has fans in North Texas divided. They're looking for a defensive identity, and rumors are already swirling that they might look toward former Pittsburgh staffers to fill coaching vacancies.
The "score" between these two in 2026 is being settled in the front office and the coaching search, not on the turf.
Recent Statistical Trends
If you’re a bettor or just a stat nerd, the numbers behind these matchups are fascinating. Dallas has actually won three of the last five meetings.
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Pittsburgh usually wins when they win the turnover battle—they were 22-3 when they didn't turn the ball over between 2020 and 2024. But in that last 20-17 Dallas win, Dak Prescott actually overcame three turnovers (two picks and a fumble) to win. That almost never happens against a Pittsburgh defense. It was a statistical anomaly that still haunts Steelers fans.
How to Track the Next Matchup
Since they won't meet in 2026, your best bet for a "score" is a potential preseason game or, if the stars align, a Super Bowl LXI miracle.
- Check the NFL Schedule Release: Usually happens in May.
- Monitor Inter-Conference Rotations: The AFC North and NFC East rotation means a guaranteed matchup isn't likely until 2028 unless the NFL adds a special cross-conference scheduling hook.
- Follow the Coaching Carousel: With Tomlin out, the "Steelers way" might change, affecting how they match up against high-octane NFC offenses in the future.
If you’re looking for a way to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the defensive coordinator hires in Dallas this month. The link between these two teams is deep, and the "score" is always being kept, even when the pads aren't on.
For those wanting to relive the 20-17 thriller, you can find the full box score and play-by-play on the official NFL site or the Cowboys' team archive. It’s worth a watch just to see that final 20-second drive in the rain.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Verify the 2026 strength of schedule for both teams to see if any common opponents might offer a "transitive property" comparison of who's actually better right now.
- Keep tabs on the Steelers' head coaching search, as the new hire will dictate the next decade of this rivalry.