If you’re a Cowboys fan, you know the drill. You’re scrambling to find the remote, checking your phone every five seconds, and wondering exactly what time did the cowboys game start because the NFL schedule is, frankly, a bit of a chaotic mess. It’s never just "Sunday at noon." Between the primetime slots, the weird late-afternoon windows, and those dreaded holiday games, keeping track of America’s Team is a full-time job.
Look.
The Dallas Cowboys aren't just a football team; they are a television ratings machine. Because of that, the league treats their schedule differently than, say, the Jaguars or the Panthers. Jerry Jones knows it. The networks know it. We all know it. This means the kickoff time you're looking for depends entirely on which week of the season we're talking about.
Why the Cowboys Kickoff Times Are Always Different
Most teams live in that early Sunday window. Not Dallas. Because they pull in massive numbers, networks like FOX and CBS fight over them for the "America’s Game of the Week" slot. This usually pushes their start time to 3:25 PM CT (4:25 PM ET). It’s basically their permanent residency.
But then you have the primetime factor. Sunday Night Football on NBC loves the star on the helmet. Monday Night Football on ESPN/ABC is the same way. And don't even get me started on the Thanksgiving tradition. For decades, the Cowboys have owned that late afternoon slot on the holiday, usually kicking off at 3:30 PM CT. It's as much a part of the meal as the turkey, though sometimes the performance on the field is harder to swallow than dry stuffing.
The Standard Windows You Need to Know
If you are trying to figure out what time did the cowboys game start for a specific matchup, you usually have to look at these four distinct buckets:
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- The Early Slot: 12:00 PM CT. This happens less often for Dallas than most teams, usually when they’re playing an away game against an AFC North or NFC North opponent.
- The "Big" FOX Window: 3:25 PM CT. This is the holy grail of regular-season ratings. If Dallas is playing a rival like the Eagles, 49ers, or Giants, bet your house it’s starting at this time.
- Primetime: 7:15 PM or 7:20 PM CT. This covers Thursday, Sunday, and Monday nights.
- International/Special: Occasionally, if they head to London or Germany, you’re looking at a 8:30 AM CT start. It's brutal for the fans, but great for breakfast tacos.
The NFL Flexible Scheduling Headache
The NFL’s "Flex Scheduling" is the bane of every fan's existence. Starting as early as Week 5, the league can move games into Sunday Night Football to ensure a better matchup for the national audience. This means that a game originally scheduled for noon could suddenly shift to a night game with only 12 days' notice. Later in the season, that window shrinks even more.
Honestly, it’s a logistical nightmare for anyone traveling to Arlington. Imagine booking a flight thinking you’ll be home by dinner, only to realize the game doesn't even kick off until the sun is down. It happens.
Specific Examples from the Recent Schedule
Let’s look at how this played out recently to give you some context. In the 2024-2025 stretch, we saw a massive variety. The season opener against the Browns was a late-afternoon 3:25 PM CT start. Then, suddenly, they were on Thursday Night Football against the Giants, which kicked off at 7:15 PM CT.
If you were looking for what time did the cowboys game start during the mid-season slump, you might have noticed a string of 3:25 PM starts against teams like the Lions and Falcons. The league knows that even when the Cowboys are struggling, people tune in to watch them—either to cheer for a win or to enjoy the "Cowboys collapse" memes.
How Television Networks Dictate Your Sunday
Television contracts are the invisible hand moving the clock. FOX holds the NFC rights, while CBS holds the AFC. However, the "cross-flexing" rules now allow games to jump between networks to balance out the schedule. This is why you might see the Cowboys on CBS more often than you used to.
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The "protected" games are the ones the networks refuse to give up. FOX will almost always protect a Cowboys-Eagles or Cowboys-Packers matchup, keeping it in that late afternoon window because it guarantees them the highest viewership of the week. Advertisers pay a premium for those minutes, which is exactly why your local 12:00 PM game feels like a footnote compared to the Dallas kickoff.
The Logistics of AT&T Stadium
If you’re actually going to the game, the "start time" is just the tip of the iceberg. Jerry World—AT&T Stadium in Arlington—is a beast. If the game starts at 3:25 PM, the parking lots usually open 5 hours early.
Trust me, you don't want to roll up at 3:00 PM. The traffic on I-30 is legendary in the worst way possible. Most seasoned fans are in their seats at least 45 minutes before kickoff to watch the warmups and the intros, which are a spectacle in themselves with the massive 60-yard high-definition video board.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dallas Kickoffs
People get confused because of the time zone shifts. Dallas is in the Central Time Zone. If you are watching from New York, add an hour. If you’re in Los Angeles, subtract two.
Wait, why was the game on a Saturday?
Late in the season (December and January), the NFL often moves games to Saturdays to fill the void left by college football. The Cowboys frequently find themselves in these slots because they are a "playoff-relevant" team most years.
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Does the roof being open change the start time?
No, but it changes the experience. The decision to open or close the retractable roof at AT&T Stadium is usually made a few hours before kickoff based on the temperature and wind. It doesn't affect the clock, but it definitely affects how much sunscreen you need for a 3:25 PM start.
Dealing with Overtime and Delays
Sometimes the answer to what time did the cowboys game start is "ten minutes late." If the early game on the same network goes into overtime, the start of the Cowboys game might be pushed to a secondary channel or delayed until the first game finishes. This is most common during the 3:25 PM window.
There is nothing more stressful than seeing "The following program is being joined in progress" on your screen while you hear the roar of the crowd in the background.
Actionable Steps for the Next Game
Don't rely on memory. The NFL schedule is fluid. Here is the best way to ensure you never miss the kickoff again:
- Sync your digital calendar: Use the official Dallas Cowboys website to "Sync Schedule" to your Google or Outlook calendar. It updates automatically if a game gets flexed.
- Check the "Inactive List": About 90 minutes before the official start time, the team releases the list of players who won't be suited up. If you see this list on social media, you know you're roughly an hour and a half away from kickoff.
- Verify the network: Don't just assume it's FOX. Check if it's an Amazon Prime (Thursday), NBC (Sunday night), or ESPN (Monday night) exclusive.
- Set alerts: Use an app like the NFL app or ESPN to send a push notification "15 minutes before kickoff."
The reality is that being a Cowboys fan requires a bit of flexibility. Whether they are kicking off at noon in the humidity of Florida or at 7:20 PM in the bright lights of Arlington, the start time is just the beginning of the drama. Stay updated, watch the flex schedule announcements on Tuesdays, and always give yourself an extra thirty minutes for the pre-game hype.