Excitement is in the air as the NFL has officially released the schedule for the 2025–26 season, and it reflects the shifting dynamics of the league. After dominating the NFL landscape for the past five years, the Kansas City Chiefs are finally getting the recognition they’ve long deserved. Despite falling short in last year’s Super Bowl, Kansas City has been rewarded with a league-high seven prime-time games, becoming the first team in history to play five of those within the first eight weeks of the season.
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So, does this finally make the Chiefs America’s Team—a title long held by the Dallas Cowboys? This was the question Shannon Sharpe asked Chad Johnson.
Ocho didn’t hesitate to crown the Chiefs as the new America’s Team, and in his eyes, it’s not even up for debate. Kansas City is a winning machine, a juggernaut that seems to be in the Super Bowl conversation every single year. Their consistent dominance and star power make them the logical successor.
” Ya absolutely. They are America’s New Team because they are consistently in the playoff and consistently damn near in the Super Bowl every year.”
But here’s the catch—despite all the success, the Chiefs are still chasing the shadow of the Cowboys when it comes to media attention and cultural presence. That’s the misfortune. No matter how many Lombardi Trophies Patrick Mahomes and company rack up, they still find themselves competing with a Cowboys franchise that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in decades.
“But even with all the winning that they are doing, you know who will always steal the headlines? The Dallas Cowboys. No matter what the Chiefs do, they can win a 100 goddamn Super Bowls, they can make the playoffs for 100 years straight, but something about the star will always steal the headlines no matter what.”
Jerry Jones’ team, once again, proves its unmatched media pull. Despite finishing last season with a disappointing 7–10 record and missing the playoffs, the Cowboys still landed six prime-time games on the new schedule. It’s proof that their brand remains one of the most powerful in all of sports—regardless of on-field results.
The Cowboys weren’t even the original America’s Team. They only became one when the Steelers’ owner, Art Rooney, declined the title that then-NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle suggested. They chose not to associate themselves with it despite their success in the 1970s.
Dallas won two Super Bowls in the 1970s under Tom Landry, and they were beginning the capture people’s imaginations. Therefore, their GM, Tex Schramm, ran with the idea of America’s Team and created an identity for the Dallas-based franchise, which continues to this day.
The Cowboys built a brand around that moniker, and the idea of the franchise as America’s Team only became more popular in the ’90s. Jerry Jones’s side lifted three Lombardi Trophies under Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, cementing the franchise as a dynasty.
The Cowboys haven’t found much postseason success in recent years, but people still call them America’s Team, and they continue to dominate headlines. Many, including former NFL QB Chase Daniel, argue that the Chiefs deserve that title in today’s NFL. But the truth is, no one simply hands out the America’s Team label. It’s rooted in tradition and built over time.
The Cowboys earned that status through decades of excellence and national exposure, building a fan base that spans generations. That legacy is woven into the fabric of the franchise and comes with cultural weight that simply can’t be replicated overnight.
Love them or hate them, people still tune in to watch Dallas. They continue to command national attention, regardless of their performance. Other successful franchises—like the Patriots, 49ers, etc, have had stronger football resumes in the past, but none have claimed the America’s Team.
As for the Chiefs, their dominance is unquestionable, and their popularity is rising fast. But if they want a nickname that reflects their place in NFL history, they’ll have to create their own. Because no matter how many Super Bowls they win, America’s Team isn’t a title up for grabs—it’s a legacy.
