For decades, the Dallas Cowboys have been known as “America’s Team,” a nickname that has survived despite the franchise’s nearly three-decade Super Bowl drought. The Cowboys continue to receive outsized media attention, especially considering the team’s up-and-down results over that time period, but they may not be the league’s biggest automatic draw anymore.
That distinction likely goes to the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that has built a modern dynasty around quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, coach Andy Reid and a handful of other pillars of the franchise’s three Super Bowl titles since 2019–20.
That much is clear with the recent release of the 2025 NFL schedule. The Chiefs open the season with a game in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday, Sept. 5, and will play on Sunday Night Football three times (Weeks 3, 6 and 14) and Monday Night Football twice (Weeks 5 and 8). Additionally, Kansas City will play on Christmas Day once again, something they hope becomes a regular tradition.
“We’re going to be on a bunch of f—— prime-time games”, Kelce said on a recent episode of the New Heights podcast, eliciting an interesting question from his brother: Have the Chiefs officially taken the “America’s Team” mantle from the Cowboys?
Citing one fan who covered his giant Dallas back tattoo with one supporting Kansas City, along with years of the NFL slotting the Chiefs in prime-time spots whenever they can, Jason Kelce believes there’s a compelling case to be made.
Travis welcomes that ex-Cowboys fan to Chiefs Kingdom with open arms, but he made very clear that he has no interest in the “America’s Team” distinction.
“So I’m kinda out on just the whole ‘America’s team’ deal. I don’t give a f— about that s—. I wanna be the Chiefs, man, that’s who I wanna be. I wanna be the big bad Chiefs, come join if you want. But America’s team? The ‘Boys can have that if they want.”
The distinction is, of course, semantics. Even if the players don’t have interest in taking on that mantle, the league has effectively thrust Kansas City into the role with the incredible spotlight it shines on the team every season.
