Dallas Cowboys Announce 5-Game 2020 Preseason Schedule

Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott

Getty Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott

Before the Dallas Cowboys tackle a regular-season docket buoyed by six nationally-televised games, they’ll have to navigate an especially long exhibition period that begins in the hallowed NFL halls.

The Cowboys, it was announced Thursday, will kick off the 2020 preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton. The matchup is scheduled to take place Thursday, Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. ET.

But you already knew that.

What you didn’t know was that Dallas would travel to Los Angeles to face the Chargers at the brand-new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, site of the Cowboys’ regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

In preseason Week 2, the Cowboys will make their 2020 home debut by welcoming the Baltimore Ravens to The Star. They’ll stay put the following week to host the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

That will represent the Cowboys’ regular-season dress rehearsal a.k.a. the closest simulation to “real” football. This is typically when starters play an extended period — the entire first half and likely into the third quarter — before giving way to the second- and third-stringers.

Expect new Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy to work out the kinks against a high-flying, offensively-driven opponent in preparation for their Sunday Night Football matchup with Sean McVay and the Rams.

Finally, to close the preseason, the Cowboys will hit the road to meet the Texans in Houston. This, a sharp contrast from the previous game, is lovingly referred to as the Backup Bowl, where first-stringers idle away on the sidelines, never sniffing the field.

Below is the Cowboys’ exhibition schedule:

Hall of Game Game: Cowboys vs. Steelers; Thursday, Aug. 6, 8 p.m. ET

Week 1: Cowboys at Chargers; Aug. 13-17

Week 2: Cowboys vs. Ravens; Aug. 20-24

Week 3: Cowboys vs. Chiefs; Aug. 27-30

Week 4: Cowboys at Texans; Sept. 3-4

Dates and times for games occurring from Weeks 1-4 will be finalized in the days ahead.

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Cowboys to Begin Rookie Minicamp

Appearing on NFL Network on Thursday, McCarthy confirmed the team will hold a three-day virtual rookie minicamp beginning Friday. This, in lieu of traditional on-field practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered all 32 NFL facilities until further notice.

“We’re making hay here and taking the steps that we need to right now,” McCarthy said, via The Athletic. “I feel really good about the amount of football we’ve been able to get through with our current veterans.”

The Cowboys’ widely-hailed rookie class is highlighted by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, the No. 17 overall pick whose boss, owner/general manager Jerry Jones, cannot stop gushing over.

“There’s no question he’s going to come in and really complement what we’re gonna do on offense,” Jones said on NFL Network, per The Athletic. “(No. 88) has been worn by some of the best players the Cowboys have ever had. We think he’s got a chance to keep in step with them there.”


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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL