All things considered, the Dallas Cowboys could have had it much worse in 2026 than they do.
As far as international travel, the Cowboys got off easy with just one game abroad — a Week 3 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The league’s push to expand the number of international games each season has been met with vitriol and resistance from players, coaches, and fans who all claim it’s unfair of the NFL to force teams to play an increasing number of games overseas without giving them additional rest before or after those games.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, however, is on the opposite side of the fence — and he has a simple message for those complaining about the NFL’s scheduling tactics.
“The wear and tear is a lot less than a night out on the town,” Jones told Yahoo Sports. “Everybody ought to think about that. Stop, stop. It isn’t like they [would be] home in bed resting up.”
Jones Doesn’t Want to Hear the Complaining
GettyDallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
It’s no secret that Jones has been a proponent of the NFL not only expanding its international footprint but also changing its regular-season schedule from 17 to 18 games and cutting one preseason game to make it happen.
The pushback from players has been loud. They won’t get compensated any more, or get a bigger share of the league’s revenue from adding an extra game, but they will be required to risk injury to play an extra game.
To that end, Jones’ message is simple: stop complaining.
“Part of being a player, part of being that-age person, part of being all of that shape they’re in and what have you, is they’re able to have a little extracurricular in many ways,” Jones said. “It can be a lot more damaging just walking down the block.”
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports recently speculated that adding an extra game and expanding to NFL’s international schedule would add an additional billion dollars in yearly revenue for the league — and that’s something it likely won’t turn down regardless of how much players protest.
NFL Expanding its International Schedule
GettyLondon has been the site of several NFL International Series games
It’s clear the NFL thinks there’s money to be made by upping the number of international games it plays each year, which is why games in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, London, and more are being shoved down fans’ throats.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that the league plans to add even more games to its international slate, and it’s taking steps to block teams from intervening.
“The NFL approved the ability to play as many as 10 international games starting in 2027 and also voted to strip teams’ ability to protect any home games from international play,” Schefter posted on X.
It’s also been reported that the NFL is planning to move into additional international markets including Japan and other Asian countries.
NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events Peter O’Reilly admitted breaking into those markets present bigger challenges but ones the NFL is committed to resolving so it can truly establish a global empire.
Jerry Jones Has Clear Message for Those Complaining About NFL’s International Games