The Philadelphia Eagles are undoubtedly the best team in the league right now, thanks to their stout defense and dynamic running game. Emmanuel Acho, however, believes the Dallas Cowboys share a similar DNA with their divisional rivals, suggesting they also have the potential to become Super Bowl contenders. This prompted Eagles’ CJ Gardner-Johnson to call out Acho, making it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate such baseless comparisons.
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Acho joined The Facility crew to share his perspective. He stated that he believes the Cowboys are closer than some may think to becoming a Super Bowl-caliber roster. The former linebacker might have forgotten that he was talking about a team that hasn’t won one in three decades and even failed to make the playoffs last season.
The solution for such a turnaround? Acho thinks the Cowboys should look at the Eagles’ 2024 offseason as a blueprint.
“The Cowboys are one Eagles offseason away from a Super Bowl,” Acho said to the chagrin of his co-host and former Eagle, LeSean McCoy. “They’re a running back away, Eagles offseason, Saquon Barkley. They’re a linebacker away, Eagles offseason, Zack Baun. One offensive lineman away, Eagles offseason, Mekhi Becton.”
He went on to list even more positions the Cowboys should look to improve, including a second wide receiver and two defensive tackles. However, Gardner-Johnson caught wind of the clip on X and decided to clap back.
“STOP COMPARING US PLEASE!!!” Gardner-Johnson wrote, all caps.
STOP COMPARING US PLEASE!!! https://t.co/WgKdC7AVUw
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) February 18, 2025
The two sides indeed get compared endlessly, but it just goes to show how much the rivalry still lives on. The NFC East is known as the NFC “Beast” because it’s the toughest division in football, and each team—the Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders, and Giants—shares a mutual disdain for each other. That’s why every transaction between the squads gets picked apart and analyzed.
However, Gardner-Johnson seems to think his squad is too good to be compared to the lowly Dallas team. Fans in the comments, unsurprisingly, echoed a similar sentiment.
Not even in the same league at this point. Cook.
— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) February 18, 2025
DIFFERENT STRATOSPHERE
— Philly Sports – Love & Pain (@PHLSportsPain) February 18, 2025
So if cowboys get 13 top players this off season they will be contenders? Easy huh.
— Mr. Crabs (@EAL302) February 18, 2025
One Eagles fan even declared their hatred for Acho, dating back to his time playing for Philly.
Never been a fan of Acho going back to his days as an Eagle. Shady carries that program and he is always defending the Eagles as he should. You are SUPER BOWL CHAMPS.
— Gobirds! (@WRnation123) February 18, 2025
While Acho is a well-respected analyst, this take seems like a bit of a stretch. The Cowboys have a lot of work to do this offseason, and they haven’t shown the kind of aggression Acho suggests they should in free agency for years.
The Cowboys must acquire all the pieces Acho listed — and more — to even be in the conversation next season. Will it happen? Highly unlikely. At least, not until Jerry Jones is in the building.
So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Gardner-Johnson is tired of the comparisons between the two sides. The Eagles just won the Super Bowl—they should be celebrating, not being compared to a team that finished 7-10.
