For decades, the Dallas Cowboys have been called America’s Team. The NFL standout has been one of the best football teams in the league’s rich history. However, they haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1996. So that raises the question: Have the Chiefs earned that nickname?
No NFL fan appreciates the history of the AFL and NFL more than yours truly. Throughout my years of learning, the Dallas Cowboys were considered America’s Team. That label was given to them during the Roger Staubach era. The former U.S. Navy veteran joined the Cowboys after serving four years at the Naval Academy.
He joined the Cowboys in 1969 and turned them into a top-tier franchise. He won two Super Bowls, and the team earned that nickname due to his service to our country and his championship spirit, which changed the Dallas franchise forever.
However, the Cowboys have been in a slump since 1996. To their credit, during the Troy Aikman era, they won three out of four Super Bowls in the 1990s.
Today, however, the Kansas City Chiefs are the hottest team in the NFL. Their success since Patrick Mahomes arrived in 2017 has been incredible. Since he became a starter a year later, he’s played in every AFC Championship game, won three of five Super Bowls, and is widely seen as the face of the NFL.
The fact that the Chiefs’ schedule is filled with primetime games on broadcast and streaming services means that the folks on Park Avenue share the same opinion.
So much so that they will have these franchises compete against each other on Thanksgiving, and perhaps we can settle the debate over which franchise is America’s Team!
Still, many NFL fans cheered the Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. That ended their chance to win three consecutive Lombardi Trophies, and the celebration over the defeat was one of the most memorable I can recall.
The Eagles were the better team that day, but they aren’t considered America’s Team – nor should they be, honestly. Likewise, the Cowboys shouldn’t be either. If we properly apply the phrase’s criteria, the New England Patriots’ two-decade run was truly unprecedented.
The Patriots won 11 consecutive AFC East titles from 2009 to 2019. The Chiefs are aiming for their tenth straight win this season. The Cowboys have NEVER in their history won back-to-back division titles. Yes, they had an impressive 20-year streak of winning seasons, but America’s Team fell short when it came to dominating their division.
That alone puts them behind the Chiefs and Patriots, but the NFL isn’t going to give that name to the Chiefs, even if they beat Dallas on Thanksgiving.
Yet, within the Chiefs’ nation and the league office, no matter what broadcasters say about their love for the Cowboys, everyone knows who generates more wealth for the league.
Their upcoming showdown in the prime late-afternoon slot on CBS is expected to surpass the 42.1 million views of the Cowboys and New York Giants’ Thanksgiving Day game in 2022.
I’d be surprised if this game didn’t attract over 50 million viewers. Considering the streaming component, this game could set a record that might never be surpassed again.
This game is a perfect storm and an opportunity for the Chiefs to take the mantle from Dallas, prompting the league to consider giving Kansas City the prime Thanksgiving game at home every season.
Even now, I don’t understand why the Cowboys and Detroit Lions continue to be the host cities each season. Sure, the league added a night game that alternates between NFC and AFC teams, but it’s not a sufficient compromise.
In summary, this is about ratings, generating revenue, and crafting a narrative that captures attention and sparks debate. Therefore, Dallas may never lose its place in NFL history, but it’s already been surpassed by Kansas City.
