Cowboys' Season Opener Set Against Super Bowl Champs Tampa Bay

DALLAS, TX — You want drama? Here you go.

The Dallas Cowboys are set to take on the Tampa Bay Buckaneers in their NFL fall debut this year. The game will be played in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 9, and NBC plans to show the game live.

At 7 p.m. tonight, the remainder of the Cowboys schedule will be formally announced.

For fans, it's a match-up out of football fantasy. The contest will pit Tom Brady against Dak Prescott, and capitalizes on the Cowboys' national TV appeal. It also provides two weeks' respite for the Cowboys before their next game and just as importantly, checks off a road game from their list of nine.

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The Cowboys haven't played a season opener before Sunday since their victory over the New York Giants in a Wednesday game back in 2012. Like this showdown, the match-up against New York also launched the NFL season.

The NFL is offering preseason action as well, as the Cowboys meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 5. Road game opponents include the LA Chargers, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans, the Giants and Washington.

The 2021 home schedule will find the Cowboys hosting Philadelphia, Atlanta, Washington, Denver, Carolina, Washington, Las Vegas and Arizona and the New York Giants.

Although the Cowboys already know their 17 regular season opponents this year, rumors about when and where will be put to rest as the remainder of the season goes public. So far, speculation has it that the annual Thanksgiving game will feature the Las Vegas Raiders in Dallas, followed by the Cowboys meeting the Saints in New Orleans the next Thursday night.

In terms of attending games in person, fans can expect that COVID-19 considerations will be under discussion from now through the entire season, with safety protocols under constant revision as the nation edges closer to herd immunity.

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