Jerry Jones Proposed Annual NFL Geographic Rivalries
The Dallas Cowboys owner believes localized matchups could enhance competitive engagement across the league.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Football
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has suggested that the NFL is considering the implementation of annual geographic rivalries. The proposal aims to leverage the inherent competitive nature of local matchups to increase interest.
Why it matters
Jones believes that geographic rivalries tap into the fundamental nature of local competition, which offers significant monetization potential for the NFL. Such a shift could become a key feature if the league expands to an 18-game or 19-game season.
The Houston Texans joined the NFL in 2002, and the teams have played only eight games against each other throughout their history. Currently, the league schedules interconference matchups based on a rotation system tied to prior season division rankings.
The players
Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones is the longtime owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional football franchise based in the United States.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional football franchise that has been part of the NFL since 2002.
The details
The current NFL scheduling system relies on divisional rotations and standings, which limits how often teams in different conferences meet. Annual geographic rivalries would move away from this model by pairing teams based on proximity to prioritize local interest.
Timeline
The Houston Texans joined the NFL in 2002.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh played a game on October 2, 2026.
The Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans played their eighth meeting on October 4, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The shift toward mandatory geographic rivalries would fundamentally alter the NFL's current interconference scheduling rotation system. This change would prioritize regional interest over the existing parity-driven model that currently determines opponent strength based on prior season rankings.
Implementing geographic rivalries would guarantee annual matchups for teams like the Cowboys and Texans, shifting the traditional strength-of-schedule math for those franchises. These additional high-stakes regional games would likely replace current rotation-based interconference fixtures.
The takeaway
Future schedule adjustments remain dependent on potential league expansion to 18 or 19 games. If implemented, fans could see consistent local rivalries that move beyond the current division-based rotation.
Further reading
For more on league scheduling and competitive structure, visit Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Sports.
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Would you prefer if the NFL scheduled annual geographic rivalries between nearby teams?
