The lights are off at AT&T Stadium. The turf is being rolled up, and for the second year in a row, the playoffs are happening without "America’s Team." If you’re looking for the Dallas Cowboys next game, you won’t find it on a Sunday afternoon anytime soon.
Honestly, the season ended with a thud. A 34-17 loss to a four-win New York Giants team on January 4, 2026, was the final nail. It left Dallas with a messy 7-9-1 record. No playoffs. No momentum. Just a lot of questions for Jerry Jones.
So, when do they actually play again?
The short answer: August 2026. That's when the preseason kicks off. But for a team that hasn't seen a Super Bowl in thirty years, the "game" being played right now in the front office is way more important than any snap in September. They aren't just resting; they are rebuilding a house that's currently on fire.
The 2026 Schedule: Who They’ll Actually Face
While we don't have the exact dates yet—the NFL usually drops those in mid-May—we already know exactly who the Cowboys are lined up against for the 2026 season. It’s not looking easy.
Because they finished second in the NFC East, they’ve got a "second-place schedule," but that’s a bit of a misnomer in the modern NFL. They have to face the NFC West and the AFC South this year. That means matchups against the 49ers and the Texans.
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Home Games at AT&T Stadium:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
- New York Giants
- Arizona Cardinals
- San Francisco 49ers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Baltimore Ravens
Road Games:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
- New York Giants
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Green Bay Packers
Basically, it's a gauntlet. Facing Baltimore and San Francisco in the same year is a nightmare for any defensive coordinator, let alone whoever Dallas hires to replace Matt Eberflus.
The Search for a New Identity
The real Dallas Cowboys next game is happening in the interview rooms at the Star in Frisco. After parting ways with Eberflus, the search for a new defensive coordinator is the biggest story in North Texas.
Jim Leonhard is a name that keeps popping up. There are about nine candidates in total, and Jerry Jones seems to be casting a wider net than usual. He's under a massive amount of pressure. Fans are restless. The "all-in" mantra from years past has started to feel like a punchline to a joke nobody's laughing at anymore.
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Then there's the roster.
Dak Prescott finished the season with 4,525 passing yards—third-best in franchise history—but he was pulled at halftime during that final Giants game. It was a weird way to end a year. Now, the team has 22 pending free agents. That includes 16 unrestricted ones.
Names like George Pickens and Javonte Williams are high on the priority list. Stephen Jones has basically said Pickens is the guy they want to build the air attack around. But with cap space tighter than a pair of vintage jeans, some veterans are going to get the axe.
Watch out for Malik Hooker. He’s got a $9 million cap hit this year. Cutting him could save the team around $7 million, and when you’re trying to re-sign stars, those millions matter. Safety isn't a position Jerry likes to overpay for.
Why the Draft is the New "Next Game"
Since there’s no football until the summer, the 2026 NFL Draft is the next big milestone. Thanks to some savvy (or desperate, depending on who you ask) trading, the Cowboys actually have two first-round picks this year.
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One of those is the 20th overall pick, which they got from the Green Bay Packers.
What do they need? Everything. Well, mostly defense.
The front office has admitted they need help at linebacker. DeMarvion Overshown is a bright spot, but he can’t do it alone. They also need bodies in the secondary. Rookie Shavon Revel had a slow start due to college injuries, and the team waived Trevon Diggs earlier in the week, which sent shockwaves through the fan base.
They are effectively resetting the back end of that defense.
It's a risky move. But when you go 7-9-1, "safe" isn't working.
Actionable Steps for Cowboys Fans
If you're trying to keep up with the team during this long drought, don't just wait for the schedule release. The next six months will determine if 2026 is another "rebuilding year" or a legitimate run.
- Monitor the DC Hire: Whoever takes over the defense will inherit Micah Parsons. If they can't figure out how to stop the run—which was a disaster last season—the 2026 schedule will chew them up.
- Watch the Legal/Cap Deadlines: The "new league year" starts in March. This is when we’ll see if Jerry actually spends money or if he’s going to "calculate" his way into another mediocre season.
- Draft Prep: With two first-rounders, the Cowboys have a rare chance to inject elite talent into a roster that looked slow against the Giants.
The Dallas Cowboys next game isn't on the calendar yet. But the moves made in February and March will tell you everything you need to know about whether that game is actually worth watching.