Jerry Jones just dropped a bombshell about the future of NFL scheduling, hinting the league could start embracing those old-school geographic rivalries between teams from different conferences. Yeah, you heard that right. Forget the usual rotation; Jones is talking about getting cities fired up against each other more often.
Dallas vs. Houston: The Rivalry That Was Barely There
You know Jerry. He’s always got something brewing. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas this past Friday, the Cowboys owner flat out said he wants to see his team square off against the Houston Texans more often. And honestly, who can blame him? Since the Texans joined the league back in 2002, those two teams have only met seven times. Seven! That’s it. Today, October 4, 2026, marks just their eighth matchup. Jones believes that kind of proximity rivalry is pure gold. He even said, “You can add that in the mix, and I’m not saying it’s not in the mix.” He’s definitely planting the seed.
Beyond Texas: This Could Reshape the Whole League
Now, Jones isn’t just thinking about his own backyard. He said he wouldn’t “narrow it down to Dallas and Houston.” He’d “look at the entire league.” He mentioned how Cleveland and Pittsburgh, both in the same division, already get that fierce “my town against your town” vibe. That, to him, is a “fundamental of our game of football.” It’s “my school against your school.” He believes that kind of raw, local pride is what makes football special. He knows the league has its “fair, complete competition year-in, year-out” rotation, but he clearly sees a path to injecting even more drama by pitting nearby cities against each other, regardless of conference.
What does this all mean for the NFL? It means we could be looking at a whole new level of intensity in scheduling down the line. Jones is definitely putting it out there for consideration. Keep an eye on how this idea develops because if the league leans into geographic matchups like Jones wants, it could change how we look at rivalries forever.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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