Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has never been one to hide his emotions. But as his team prepares to open the 2026 season against the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football, Jones is feeling genuine “apprehension”.
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Jerry Jones voices uncertainty before Cowboys’ week 1 clash with New York Giants
Speaking on the Cowboys’ pregame show on 105.3 The Fan, Jones offered a candid assessment of his mindset heading into the NFC East showdown at MetLife Stadium.
“I’m a little apprehensive, really got a lot of feelings about what we’re going to look like when we open the box because we not only have what we’re doing …but New York is hard to put a finger on too because they made so many changes,” Jones said.
What's New
The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign in which they finished 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer returns for his second year, but the team has undergone significant changes on both sides of the ball.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Giants’ offseason overhaul adds to the unknown
Jones specifically pointed to the Giants’ many changes as a reason for his apprehension, and for good reason. New York has been one of the NFL’s most active teams this offseason.
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The Giants finished 4-13 in 2025, their third consecutive losing season. General manager Joe Schoen responded with an aggressive overhaul, starting with the hiring of longtime Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to lead the organization. The team also brought in Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator to design a system around first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart.
New York’s roster transformation has been equally dramatic. The Giants signed veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency before selecting Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
They also added running back Najee Harris to bolster the backfield, signed inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to shore up the defense, and brought in tight end Isaiah Likely.
The offensive line received reinforcements as well, with right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor re-signing and the team drafting Francis Mauigoa with the No. 10 overall pick.
Perhaps most notably, the Giants traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for that No. 10 pick, a move that signaled a clear shift in organizational philosophy.
Dallas Cowboys banking on continuity and star power
While the Giants have embraced wholesale change, the Cowboys are hoping their returning core can finally deliver on its promise.
Dak Prescott enters the season coming off a strong individual campaign. In 2025, he threw for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, posting a passer rating of 99.5.
The offense still features wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, giving Prescott one of the league’s most talented pass-catching duos.
The running game should also be a strength. Javonte Williams broke out in his first season with Dallas, rushing for 1,210 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He enters Week 1 with a favorable matchup against a Giants defense that surrendered 19 rushing touchdowns last season, tied for third-most in the NFL.
Defensively, the Cowboys have turned to 34-year-old Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator, an outside hire that signals a fresh approach on that side of the ball.
The Cowboys and Giants have opened against each other seven times in the last 13 years, making this one of the NFL’s most familiar season-opening matchups. But the 2026 version feels different.
The Cowboys are favored by three points, with one of the highest over/under totals on the Week 1 slate. For Jones, the apprehension is not about a lack of confidence in his team. It is about the unknown.
