Getty Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
What Jerry Jones wants, Jerry Jones gets.
Coinciding with the NFL’s 2020 schedule release on Thursday evening, the Cowboys owner saw his wish granted as Dallas will kick off the upcoming campaign with a primetime road tilt on Sept. 13 against the Los Angeles Rams at the brand-new SoFi Center in Inglewood, Calif.
The Sunday Night Football matchup will be broadcast on NBC for all the world to see, much to the delight of Jones, who in February pined to christen both the Rams and Las Vegas Raiders’ new, state-of-the-art facilities.
“I’m very excited,” Jones said at the Scouting Combine, via Sports Illustrated. “I was excited to play that first preseason game against the Rams there in the Coliseum. If possible, I’d like to be their first game, both teams, first game. Which is not impossible, I guess.”
Jones was instrumental in the Rams’ relocation from St. Louis to L.A. He used his immense NFL clout to secure funding for the new stadium, which will also house the Chargers and host non-football related sporting events such as WrestleMania, the College Football Playoff National Championship, and the Summer Olympics.
Without Jones, the Rams likely stay in the Gateway City, the Bolts in the comically-undersized StubHub Center, and the Raiders in Oakland rather than Las Vegas. The Cowboys will not face the Raiders during the 2020 preseason or regular season.
Nevertheless, this will represent the debut of new Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy as well as his staff and the many new players brought in this offseason. Their opponent — despite 2019 appearances — is a formidable one, led by wunderkind HC Sean McVay.
It’s also the first of six nationally-televised contests, including the traditional Thanksgiving game, for the Cowboys. They’ll host the Washington Redskins on Turkey Day (Nov. 26) and travel to Washington in Week 7 (Oct. 25).
Dallas will welcome Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to The Star on Oct. 19 for a Monday Night Football affair. Then, two weeks later, on Nov. 1, they’ll travel to Philadelphia for a Sunday night rivalry game against the Eagles.
Immediately following Thanksgiving, on Thursday, Dec. 3, could be the game of the year: Dallas at Baltimore; Dak Prescott vs. Lamar Jackson.
Finally, the Cowboys’ primetime docket concludes on Sunday night, Dec. 20, versus the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
The Cowboys’ bye will come in Week 10.
Below is the team’s complete 2020 schedule.
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Preseason Schedule Announced
The Cowboys will open the exhibition period on Thursday, Aug. 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton. But you already knew that.
While dates and times aren’t yet finalized for the 2020 preseason, Dallas will face the Chargers in L.A. (Aug. 13-17), the Baltimore Ravens (Aug. 20-24) and Kansas City Chiefs (Aug. 27-30) at home, and the Texans in Houston (Sept. 3-4).
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