The Dallas Cowboys are looking to return to the playoffs and win the NFC East for the first time since 2023.
That will likely require a much-improved defense this season, after 2025 ended with one of the worst in team history. Cowboys coaches and players know it too.
“I mean, you know, obviously, you know, every year everybody wants to come in and we want to win from the beginning. But, you know, it’s about what you do throughout the year, you know. So it’s just like a breath of fresh air being able to, you know, connect with CP (Christian Parker) and the new defensive coaches and stuff like that. Talking to them, you know, they’re smart, detail-oriented, and, you know, just look for us to come out here and compete. And I feel like, you know, with the details and the stuff that we put together throughout these OTAs, we keep building on that. It’s going to be a special year for us,” Malik Hooker, Cowboys defensive back, said.
The offense is looking to return to its 2025 form.
“Super Bowl expectations. In fact, I mean, the ultimate goal is the Super Bowl. I mean everything I’ve done, my whole career, this off season, ultimately this training camp will be to win a championship. And that’s a huge thing for us is legacy. I mean if you host up that trophy, you live forever in our opinion. So I think that’s what it’s all about right now. And I think everyone’s focused on that goal right now,” Tyler Smith, Cowboys Offensive Lineman, said.
Dak Prescott sent a message, arriving in a Cowboys’ Super Bowl XXX championship shirt. The Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17. The shirt prominently displayed the phrase “CHAMPIONS” above the team’s logo.
Dallas last appeared in the Super Bowl on Jan. 28, 1996. The Cowboys were one of the NFL’s most dominant teams throughout the 1995 season, powering their way to a 12-4 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The team’s dominance was on full display in Super Bowl XXX when it powered past the Steelers by a 27-17 score.
It’s been 30 years since the Cowboys have reached the Super Bowl. Could Prescott help end that long drought? He’ll play an important role in the team’s success in 2026.
Prescott will look to embark on a long playoff run in his 11th year with the Cowboys. Entering the 2026 season, the quarterback owns a 2-5 mark in postseason play. By paying tribute to Dallas’ last Super Bowl team, Prescott appears to be sending a strong message to opponents ahead of a new campaign.
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Wide receiver George Pickens showed up with his co-star CeeDee Lamb. Pickens also attended mandatory minicamp in June.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver will play the 2026 season on the one-year, fully guaranteed $27.3 million franchise tag. Pickens signed the non-exclusive tag on April 29. He will be the only player in the NFL to play on the franchise tag. The two sides cannot negotiate a long-term deal until the regular season ends (January 10).
Pickens will need another season like last season to potentially become one of — if not the — highest-paid at his position. He earned his first Pro Bowl in his first season in Dallas in 2025, making 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Cowboys’ first practice is Wednesday. Tuesday, Hall of Fame Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones will hold his annual State of the Cowboys kickoff press conference. NBC 5 will be there.
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