Former Dallas Cowboys standout offensive lineman Nate Newton received a pardon from President Donald Trump on Thursday for a federal drug trafficking charge from 2002.
Newton, 64, was one of five former NFL players to receive pardons, announced by White Houston “pardon czar” Alice Marie Johnson.
“Special thanks to [Cowboys owner] Jerry Jones for personally sharing the news with Nate Newton,” Johnson said on X. “I’m holding Nate’s pardon in my hands today — what a blessed day.”
Today, the President granted pardons to five former NFL players—Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late great Dr. Billy Cannon.
As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation.
Joe Klecko, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry and the late Billy Cannon also received pardons. All had already long been released from prison.
Newton, a two-time All Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl champions with the Cowboys in the 1990s, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2002 as part of a plea deal.
“I know I’ve done wrong, and I know there’s a price to be paid,’’ Newton said after the plea deal, according to the Associated Press. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get back into the community.’’
After his release, Newton has been a fixture around the team, appearing on Cowboys-related media and podcasts.
According to reports at the time, Newton was arrested in Ellis County after being found with $10,000 while an accompanying vehicle had 175 pounds of marijuana in the trunk worth an estimated $700,000.
That arrest came while Newton was already facing a pending case in Louisiana when police said he was driving a van loaded with 213 pounds of marijuana.
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.
President Donald Trump on Thursday pardoned five former professional football players — one posthumously — for various crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking.The pardons were announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson. Ex-NFL players Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon were granted clemency.“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,” Johnson wrote on the social media site X, as she thanked Trump for his “continued commitment to second chances.”Johnson said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “personally” shared the news with Newton, who won three Super Bowls with the team.The White House did not return a request for comment Thursday night on why Trump, an avid sports fan, pardoned the players.Klecko, a former star for the New York Jets, pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury that was investigating insurance fraud. A defensive lineman, Klecko was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He was a two-time Associated Press All-Pro player and a four-time Pro Bowler.Newton, an offensive lineman, pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge after authorities discovered $10,000 in his pickup truck as well as 175 pounds of marijuana in an accompanying car driven by another man. Newton was a two-time All-Pro player and six-time Pro Bowler.Lewis, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, pleaded guilty in a drug case in which he used a cellphone to try to set up a drug deal not long after he was a top pick in the 2000 NFL draft. Lewis, a running back, was named an All-Pro once and was a one-time Pro Bowler. He was named the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year.Henry, who played for the Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine for financing a drug ring that moved the drug between Colorado and Montana. He was a running back for three teams and a one-time Pro Bowler.And Cannon — who played with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs — admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after a series of bad investments and debts left him broke.Cannon was a two-time All-Pro player and a two-time Pro Bowler. Cannon also won the 1959 Heisman Trophy while starring for Louisiana State University, where he had one of the most memorable plays in college football history: an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown against Ole Miss. He died in 2018.
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump on Thursday pardoned five former professional football players — one posthumously — for various crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking.
The pardons were announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson. Ex-NFL players Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon were granted clemency.
“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,” Johnson wrote on the social media site X, as she thanked Trump for his “continued commitment to second chances.”
Johnson said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “personally” shared the news with Newton, who won three Super Bowls with the team.
The White House did not return a request for comment Thursday night on why Trump, an avid sports fan, pardoned the players.
Klecko, a former star for the New York Jets, pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury that was investigating insurance fraud. A defensive lineman, Klecko was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He was a two-time Associated Press All-Pro player and a four-time Pro Bowler.
Newton, an offensive lineman, pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge after authorities discovered $10,000 in his pickup truck as well as 175 pounds of marijuana in an accompanying car driven by another man. Newton was a two-time All-Pro player and six-time Pro Bowler.
Lewis, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, pleaded guilty in a drug case in which he used a cellphone to try to set up a drug deal not long after he was a top pick in the 2000 NFL draft. Lewis, a running back, was named an All-Pro once and was a one-time Pro Bowler. He was named the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year.
Henry, who played for the Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine for financing a drug ring that moved the drug between Colorado and Montana. He was a running back for three teams and a one-time Pro Bowler.
And Cannon — who played with the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs — admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after a series of bad investments and debts left him broke.
Cannon was a two-time All-Pro player and a two-time Pro Bowler. Cannon also won the 1959 Heisman Trophy while starring for Louisiana State University, where he had one of the most memorable plays in college football history: an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown against Ole Miss. He died in 2018.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III opened up about his short experience with the New England Patriots on Tuesday and how he “felt disrespected” while in the organization.
Milton opened up to WEEI Radio ahead of Super Bowl LX. He explained how he believed he was doing well in practice and didn’t see why he wasn’t moved up the depth chart last season when Drake Maye was named the starter over Jacoby Brissett.
New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) reacts after his touchdown pass against the Buffalo Bills in the first half at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 5, 2025.(David Butler II/Imagn Images)
“How I play the game is how I practice. Like, my shoelace is not tired. I’m running over y’all defense, I’m throwing the ball over your head,” he explained. “It got to the point with the Patriots, I’ll be honest, it got to the point where I threw a deep ball to be left over (Christian Gonzalez) and while the ball was in the air, I was turning around looking at (then-head coach Jerod) Mayo, Eliot (Wolf) was right there and they couldn’t do nothing but just look at the ball and the ball got completed and he scored – scout team receiver scored. And they just shook their head. It got to that point.
“I think it would have been different if Jacoby was the starter, Drake was the backup, I was the emergency quarterback. But when you move Drake up to start, what should Jacoby now do? He got his job took,” Milton said with the radio host saying Milton should have moved up the depth chart. “But you don’t do that. You just keep him at No. 2 because he’s a vet. But he’s not taking reps. Me and Drake are the only ones practicing. But he’s still the 2. I just felt disrespect.”
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III (10) reacts during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 22, 2025.(Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
Milton’s play sparked excitement from NFL fans in the 2024 preseason, but he never really saw much action that year. He appeared in one game and was 22-of-29 with 241 passing yards and a touchdown pass.
The Patriots went 4-13 in 2024 and the Patriots fired Mayo, replacing him with Mike Vrabel. New England is now on the verge of a seventh Super Bowl title.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III (10) drops back to pass during the third quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026.(Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Milton was traded to the Cowboys in the offseason. He appeared in four games, throwing for 183 yards, a touchdown pass and two interceptions. Dallas missed the playoffs.
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Since the creation of the NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, one fact that their fans are quite familiar with is the emotion that surrounds their support.
Credit: Bruce Emmerling-Pixabay
Especially with the playoffs, which are usually filled with heartbreak, loyalty, and belief. However, they have come out on top in some victories that will be etched in the minds of every Eagles fan and will be continually remembered.
In today’s world of sport, brands are also leveraging this emotional investment. We have seen how global brands — including the best crypto casinos — are sponsoring teams, broadcast partnerships, and fan engagement campaigns. This move adds another layer to how fans interact with the sport.
So, what are these moments that fans have set aside as “religious” dates for the Philadelphia Eagles? What playoff wins have validated that the city and fans breathe football?
This post will look at some endearing moments to remember and why it means to wear green.
4 Iconic Eagles’ Playoff Moments That Would Never Be Forgotten
Here are some of the top moments etched in the hearts of every Eagles fan:
1) 1960 NFL Championship: Ending Lombardi’s Reign
Before the Super Bowl became the thing, the Eagles stunned the football world by clinching their most historic win in a match against the Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship game. Led by the legendary Buck Shaw, the team went up against the power-packed Packers, who were dominating the league at the time.
However, with a combination of a great strategy, a strong defense, and a lethal attack led by Ted Dean, they were able to seal a late victory by a score of 17-13. And that was the first NFL title that the team won.
2) 1980 NFC Championship: Knocking Off Dallas
In 1980, the Philadelphia Eagles decided it was time to decorate their trophy room, and what better way to do that than against their bitter rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. In the 1980 NFC Championship game that ended 20-7, the Eagles went on to ease to victory.
This win means so much more because it was against the Cowboys, who had dominated the NFC throughout the 1970s. And it was an added bonus because they were able to prevent the team from reaching another Super Bowl final.
3) 2003 Divisional Round: “4th and 26”
Every hardcore Eagles fan would always remember the historic “4th and 26th” game that set a precedent for the team. In the 2003 NFC Divisional round, the Eagles had to claw out a win against the Green Bay Packers in the brutal cold. A match that most already tipped in the opponents’ favor, the Eagles were visibly behind in the fourth quarter.
Then they faced fourth-and-26 from their 25-yard line before the magic happened when Donovan McNabb found Freddie Mitchell on a crossing route for 28 yards. This helped them win in overtime with a score line of 20-17.
As NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ray Didinger put it:
“He will always be remembered for the 4th-and-26. A lot of better players came to Philadelphia and played for the Eagles, and won’t be remembered as vividly as Freddie Mitchell will be remembered for that one play.”
4) Super Bowl LII: The Ultimate Victory
The final topping on the cake came at Super Bowl LII, and cemented the result as the greatest win in Eagles’ history. As the underdogs in a match against the Patriots, who had names like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick on their roster, they even expected them to lose.
However, in a shock of the decade, Nick Foles decided to drop an A-class performance that saw him get three touchdowns and throw for 373 yards. He even went on to catch a touchdown on the famous Philly Special. And this helped the Eagles earn their first-ever Super Bowl title in over 50 years.
As Doug Pederson, Eagles’ coach said after the Super Bowl victory:
The Dallas Cowboys completed their second losing season in a row with Sunday’s 34-17 defeat at the New York Giants to finish 7-9-1.
That’s a rare feat for America’s Team. Despite a lack of playoff success since the Cowboys claimed their last Super Bowl title in the 1995 season, they haven’t had two losing seasons in a row since three straight 5-11 campaigns in 2000-02.
The Cowboys’ runs of multiseason futility break down into three periods:
— The early 2000s under head coach Dave Campo after the “Triplets” Super Bowl era.
— The sad end of head coach Tom Landry’s legendary tenure, along with the start of Jimmy Johnson’s run in Dallas
— The first five years of the franchise in the early 1960s.
In all, the Cowboys have had back-to-back losing seasons 11 times, including five straight losing seasons twice.
After finishing 7-10 in the final year under head coach Mike McCarthy in 2024, the Cowboys went 7-9-1 this season.
2000-02 (two times with consecutive losing seasons)
Technically, the Cowboys also had a losing season in 1999 in the final campaign of head coach Chan Gailey, but that 8-9 mark came after an 8-8 regular season and loss in the wild-card playoffs. Only the regular season counts for this exercise.
Campo, a loyal assistant who came with Johnson to the Cowboys from Miami in 1989, got his first and only head coaching gig when he was promoted from defensive coordinator following Gailey’s firing.
The Cowboys went 5-11 in all three seasons under Campo, whose tenure was mostly defined by instability at quarterback. Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Aikman played 11 games in 2000 but retired at the end of the season.
Campo sent out four starting quarterbacks in 2001 — Quincy Carter (eight games), Ryan Leaf (three), Anthony Wright (three) and Clint Stoerner (two) — then essentially split the 2002 season between Chad Hutchinson (nine starts) and Carter (seven).
However, any sympathy Cowboys fans might have had for Campo’s situation went away when two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Parcells took over in 2003 and promptly led the Cowboys to a 10-6 record and a playoff trip with Carter starting all 16 games under center.
1986-1990 (four times)
Like a lot of pro sports careers, the end wasn’t pretty for Landry.
After a remarkable run of 20 straight winning seasons, Landry’s Cowboys slipped to 7-9 in 1986 and never recovered. They went 7-8 in the 1987 strike season then fell all the way to 3-13 in 1988.
New Cowboys owner Jerry Jones unceremoniously fired Landry when he took over after that season in a move that upset many longtime fans.
Those fans seemed vindicated when the brash Johnson came in and guided the Cowboys to their most losses ever in a 1-15 debut.
But Johnson didn’t stay down for long. The team improved to 7-9 in 1990, then 1991 began the last Cowboys golden age with six straight 10-win seasons, six straight playoff berths and three Super Bowl titles.
1960-64 (four times)
The Cowboys’ first seasons as a franchise were inauspicious.
Landry and Dallas debuted with an 0-11-1 season in 1960, still the only winless campaign in Cowboys history. The team stayed mired in mediocrity for the next four seasons, going 4-9-1, then 5-8-1, 4-10 and 5-8-1 again.
Finally, 1965 brought the Cowboys’ first non-losing season at 7-7.
In 1966, Landry began his run of 20 straight winning seasons, and the rest is history.
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.
The Dallas Cowboys have suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2002 after a 34-17 collapse to the New York Giants on Sunday.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was pulled from the game at halftime, and defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was ejected from the game after pulling off a Giants players’ helmet in between downs in the third quarter.
Prescott’s game and season ended after a first half in which he fumbled and passed for just 70 yards. He left the game with the league lead in passing yards for the season.
Kavontae Turpin of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by Raheem Layne #43 of the New York Giants during the game on January 4, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In Prescott’s absence, the Cowboys were outscored 18-7 in the second half and the team got into a costly scruff with Giants opponents, resulting in penalties and the ejection. The Ezeiruaku ejection occurred after the Giants scored a touchdown to go up 22-10, and a brawl ensued with pushing, shoving and intentional face-mask grabbing.
Dallas defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was also assessed an unnecessary roughness penalty, which put the Giants at the one-yard line for the point after try, as New York went for two, going up 24-10.
Dallas never recovered, as backup quarterback Joe Milton threw a late interception en-route to a 17-point loss to finish the season.
Dallas went all-in at this year’s trade deadline in an attempt to bolster its playoff chances, trading a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick to the New York Jets for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. But it won’t pay off in the short term for the Cowboys after their 2025 failure. Williams is under contract until 2027.
Questions about whether the Cowboys would be competitive in 2025 were raised after the team traded star linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers ahead of the season. The Cowboys’ defense is 29th in the NFL this year without Parsons.
Dallas gave its fans some hope with a three-game winning streak in November, rebounding from 3-5-1 to 6-5-1 and within striking distance of the seventh seed in the NFC. But a 44-30 primetime loss to the Detroit Lions Dec. 4 took all the air out and dropped Dallas’ playoff chances to just 8%. They went 1-3 in in their final four games after the Lions loss to fall to a losing record
Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys fumbles the ball during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on January 04, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the Giants improved to 4-13 on the season for their third straight losing season. The Giants had a chance to secure the second or first pick in the NFL Draft with a loss on Sunday, but could potentially drop all the way to the seventh pick with the win.
The Giants also defeated the Cowboys and Eagles in the same season for the first time since 2020.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Scheduling 16 Division matchups for the final week of the regular season continues to fight the league. With only TWO of the fourteen playoff positions up for grabs which will be decided between the Ravens/Steelers Sunday night game as well as Panthers/Buccaneers (with some help from Atlanta) Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles will come into Sunday almost locked into the 3 Seed, but with a little bit of scoreboard help happening at the same time they play Washington could see them leap into the 2 Seed. A Lions win over the Bears would give the Eagles a need to compete against the Commanders, a team out for revenge from just two weeks ago.
A Vengeful Rematch
The decision to go for 2 points, putting the Eagles up 19 points late into the 4th quarter was the right decision. The Eagles had already missed two field goals, taking 6 points off the board of what ended as a 29-18 game.
The ever so clueless Dan Quinn, who hasn’t learned from his time in Atlanta. Part of the comical 28-3 Falcons Super Bowl loss. Or multiple years as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, giving up 48 points to a 7th seed Packers team in his last game on the sideline for “Americas team.”
Upset over the Eagles decision to go for 2, Quinn stated “If that’s how they want to get down, we’ll see them again in two weeks.” Feels very threatening for a Week 18 division opponent matchup. Which leads to the question.
Did Dan Quinn forget that the Eagles clinched the NFC East title with their Week 16 victory at Northwest Stadium?
The Commanders season was realistically over by their Bye Week(if not earlier) Sitting at 3-8, losing their franchise QB for weeks at a time, rushing him back from numerous injuries just to be sidelined again feels like something a desperate team would do.
Add in injuries to Tyler Biadasz, Marcus Mariota, Laremy Tunsil, Sam Cosmi, Trey Amos, amongst plenty of players like Zach Ertz, Marshon Lattimore and Austin Ekeler. The #1 thing the Commanders should be playing for on Sunday is draft position.
7th overall is a great place to be for a team that was only 22 points from punching their ticket to a Super Bowl less than 12 months ago.
If 17th year Josh Johnson is able to lead the Commanders to a nothingburger victory against Tanner McKee and what we should expect to be most of the Eagles backup & reserve players. Then I guess we can give Dan Quinn & Co. Their flowers of “only beating an Eagles backup QB” 2 years running.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 19 of 37 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Here’s everything he said to the media after the game:
On his game play
“Yeah, definitely not my sharpest. Got to go back, look at film; know a couple of them. They did a good job, I was putting the top on it, wanted to be greedy early, in honesty. I had some of my shots, missed them. Had one early to [wide receiver] CeeDee [Lamb] and just underthrew him. Honestly, I tried not to overthrow him, I was disappointed in myself when the ball was halfway in the air. Yeah, just missed some throws. There was one late in the third quarter that was over to CeeDee as well that I left it behind him that you want back. Then there was that third down, right, back-to-back plays to see that he made the right play, made the right read. I’ve just got to give him the ball, simple as that. We were able to get a win, though. That’s the most important part of it. Did take some hits, but came out clean. Blessed to play on Christmas.”
🏈 More coverage of Cowboys-Commanders:
On if he wants to play next week
“For sure. I love this game. I love any opportunity that I get to play it. So, with that being said, if I get to go out there, I’m going to give it my best. I’m going to prepare the same way, and be the same player that you guys know. I understand the reasons why maybe not, and if that’s the approach with that, I’ll handle that then.”
On if a decision has been made about him playing next week
“I mean, in my mind, any conversations I’ve had to Schotty [head coach Brian Schottenheimer] or anybody about it would be that I’m playing.”
On if he knows what his longest passes are other than the 86-yard pass to KaVontae Turpin today
“Yep, to [former Dallas wide receiver] Amari [Cooper] against Washington. Then to CeeDee on the screen against, what, 49ers or Steelers [actually Detroit Lions]. Oh yeah, that was to CeeDee.”
On the 86-yard pass to Turpin
“Yeah actually, we were going to try to push the ball down the field on that play with double moves outside, and Turp taking the middle. Great play calling knowing that they’re going to a Cover 2 or some kind of tricky 2. The key to that one was they actually jumped offsides and we pulled the ball faster. So, the guys didn’t even have to … it ended up turning into the same play: Three guys just going vertical right now. I think with the jump offsides, and those guys trying to panic and get back, Turp did a good job of getting over the top and I saw it. With a guy like that, you just want to put it down the middle and give him a chance, and he went and did the rest.”
On his confidence of Turpin not getting caught from behind
“Oh very confident. Especially when he caught it and turned back left. I’m like, ‘All right, thank you’. I knew that that was right to deceive the guy behind him and he was going. Yeah, he definitely wouldn’t get caught.”
On the difference of an 8-8-1 record vs. a 7-9-1 record
“Big difference. A lot of pride. I think that’s another reason, right. To the point, I want to play. Any season of me being out there, I’ve never had, in all my life career, a season under .500. So that tie is going to come into play really well. It’s a huge difference. It’s one of those things that, I mean yeah, it’s just pride. It’s pride honestly.”
“Yeah, I mean, you guys know how big of a fan I am of Malik. I know I said, when he first got his opportunity, he’s went in, and he’s continued to just build off of that, honestly. In this game, right here was another example of that, his number was called, and he went out there and was physical. He didn’t know it, but I went and checked the stats in the game. I saw he had 90 yards and I told him he could go get 10 more and finish this game. ‘You can go get that 100.’ I actually don’t normally check that, I just looked up and saw we had almost 200 yards rushing and said, ‘Dang, Malik must be close,’ and I wanted to get that for him, and I’m glad he went and got it. He’s deserving of it. He’s a hell of a player, and he’s only going to get better. It’s the way that he approaches the game. It’s his mindset in life, and we’re thankful to have him.”
On Davis’ swollen eye during the conversation about reaching 100 yards
“No I don’t think it was swollen yet. I think I told him that, and then it got swollen and I’m like, ‘Ah, I think you need 5 more [yards].’ But I asked him when I saw him, he was like, ‘I think I got hit in the eye,’ I was like, ‘Yeah, you definitely did. Go to the sideline.’ He’ll be OK thankfully, but his eye was ugly.”
On what snapping a three-game losing streak means even after being eliminated from the playoffs
“Winning is fun. Winning is great, especially when you get to do it on Christmas, you get to do it to end a three-game losing streak. And you get a division game on top of that. It’s all fun. Winning is fun. It’s what you do it for. We had wanted to end that losing streak and wanted to make sure that we can finish this game and next week on a high note. Getting wins and just taking good momentum into the offseason. So, this was important.”
On if he gets to keep the red jacket he was gifted for winning
“Yeah, definitely get to keep it. I thought about wearing it in here. It’s just hot. I’ll probably be in it all weekend, to be honest with you. Just hanging around the house.”
On the leadership of defensive end Jadeveon Clowney
“Yeah, he’s the man. We’re fortunate to have him. He’s one of those guys that we’ve got to figure out a way to keep. I know Jadeveon being older, being the vet he is, has a lot of say, so hopefully we had the great impression, and he’s enjoyed this year because he’s a guy that we can benefit having for a full offseason. Just growing into next year with his leadership and just the way that he approaches the game and the way he teaches the young guys so that they can learn from him. You said it, he’s done it since he showed up and has gotten better week in and week out. Just to see this game tonight and make the play, him chase down [Commanders wide receiver] Deebo [Samuel] on the long play and then dang near get the sack fumble, or get the sack but almost a fumble a couple plays later. Then it’s just plays, plays, plays, after another. He’s a guy that loves the game, you can feel it with any conversation you have with him. He’s a great teammate.”
On how he is going to celebrate the holidays
“I’m sure the kids are going to be asleep when I get home, but hanging out with the fiancé, doing our gift exchange, then we will have Christmas in the morning. Super thankful. I’ve said before, this game has given me a lot. It’s going to be the reason this is going to be a great Christmas. Super thankful to get the win and play this game today.”
On if he talked to CeeDee Lamb after some of them missed throws
“Most of them were kind of right after another. One or two of them I had a little note for him, others I just told him, ‘My fault, brother. I missed you.’ Simple as that. That was on me. Wasn’t a great play, wasn’t great feel, whatever it was that led to the miss. But there were one or two that was more communication. Not necessarily verbal, but just body language and just something we will keep working to get better at. We have such high standards, both of us do. You’re talking about the best receiver in this organization, maybe ever in CeeDee Lamb. He wants to catch every ball that comes his way, and that’s what we believe can happen. So when it’s not, there’s frustration there, but that frustration only allows us to go back to work and get better.”
On what was working on fourth down after finishing game 6-for-6
“Yeah, it was big. I think just, one, going into this game knowing that these short yardage, talking to Schotty, we were going to be going for it. A few of these third downs he told me we got two downs here. That allows you to set up the third down and feel confident about it. Obviously we got to make throws and execute, but he did a great job with all those fourth downs and the play calls. I don’t think we missed any of them except maybe to Tae [KaVonte Turpin]. Honestly I could have taken the QB sneak there, that was the only dicey one, but to be able to go 6-for-6 was huge in this win.”
On how important it was to have the 21-3 lead to start
“Yeah, it was huge. We knew going into this game, guess you can say not playing for anything, you wanna get on top and not give them any hope. So it’s important to get that lead to make them play from behind, but we got to do a better job of finishing. This game could have stayed lopsided. We got to do a better job on offense to get it like that.”
On if Washington did anything different after the fast start
“You got to give credit to the guys. This is NFL football. Those guys are professionals over there. They are getting paid and have a job to do. They stepped up and just played better in the second half. I wouldn’t say it was anything different that they were doing, we just didn’t execute as cleanly, and they were playing harder in the second half, which led to some punts and field goals. Ultimately us not finishing the way that we wanted, but at the end of the day, we had the ball with two minutes and we needed a first down, and we did that and got the win.”
On the grit and determination of the running back room
“Yeah, those are some resilient guys. Whatever you ask them to do, they are going to do it. That’s just the way that they practice, that’s the way that they play. They’ve got such a good group where they complement each other. When one person is tired, the next one is ready to go in there and get it, whether it be Hunter [Luepke] or Malik [Davis]. It takes some off Javonte [Williams], then Javonte is just a dog. Even with the shoulder [injury], he is a guy that never wants to come out. I actually saw his shoulder come out a couple of plays before he left the game, and he still getting the ball running two plays later. That just shows the grit, the resilience, trying to do anything and everything they can to help the team.”
On how difficult he will make it if they ask him to not play next week
“I’ll have some fight back. Again, it depends on what’s the purpose, what’s the reason? You know, obviously I understand being approached about it. The conversations that we have already had about it is for me to play. The season being where it is, trying to make sure we finish 8-8-1. That’s important to me, a lot of pride in that. So I want to go out there and win. I feel like me starting gives us the best chance, so I want to play.”
On how they can build momentum into next year
“Even though there is turnover, there is a lot of fundamental pieces that are going to stay the same. Especially on this offensive side of the ball, me, myself, CeeDee. Find a way to keep a guy like [wide receiver] George [Pickens], find a way to keep a guy like Javonte. A lot of the guys up front are going to be the same. Confident taking that momentum into the offseason, and making sure that we finish strong. So we can get into the offseason with a happy feeling, but knowing that we got things to clean up and get better at. Nobody’s ever perfect, and we damn sure weren’t this year, even though we were pretty good. So yeah, that’s where the momentum comes from. Obviously there’s going to be the same on the other side of the ball. Winning helps everything, so we just got to finish the season off with two wins, would be great.”
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Dec. 22 at New Orleans, 7 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 23 vs. Denver, 7 p.m., NBC
Dec. 25 at Golden State, 4 p.m., ABC, ESPN
Dec. 27 at Sacramento, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 29 at Portland, 9:30 p.m., NBC
Dec. 29 vs. Jackson State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 vs. Baylor, 1 p.m., TNT
Jan. 6 at Kansas, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 10 vs. Arizona, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 14 at BYU, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Dec. 31 at BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 at Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 11 vs. Arizona State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 14 at West Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 23 at Detroit, 5:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, Victory+
Dec. 27 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., Victory+
Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 1 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 4 vs. Montreal, 1 p.m., Victory+
Alamo Bowl
Dec. 30 vs. USC (at San Antonio), 8 p.m., ESPN
New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 27 vs. San Diego State (at Albuquerque, N.M.), 4:45 p.m., ESPN
Jan. 3 or 4 at N.Y. Giants, TBD
End of season
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
This story was originally published December 25, 2025 at 8:44 PM.
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games, including this week’s game. On top of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime subscription includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day sales events, Amazon Music, a year of free GrubHub+ and more.
A standard Amazon Prime subscription is $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and those on qualified government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days. You can also just subscribe directly to Prime Video and forego all the other Prime Benefits. A Prime Video subscription costs $9 monthly.
Week 17 of the NFL starts on Christmas Day, and Thursday Night Football is going to be a whole day of football.
The Holiday games are set to feature big guest stars throughout the day, including Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, the voices of Netflix‘s KPOP Demon Hunters, and more.
What time will the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders start on Christmas Day?
The first NFL game on Christmas Day will be the Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1) vs. the Washington Commanders (4-11) at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game will begin at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT and stream on Netflix.
Kelly Clarkson will be the show opener and the Army will perform the anthem. Ian Eagle is doing the play-by-play, Matt Ryan and Nate Burleson will analyze the game, and Melanie Collins and Sara Walsh will be sideline reporters. Comedians Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura are set to guest star.
What time will the game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings start on Christmas Day?
The second game of the day will be between the Detroit Lions (8-7) and the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The game is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT and stream on Netflix.
Kelly Clarkson is set to open the show with SZN4 performing the anthem. Snoop Dogg will perform during the Holiday Halftime Party and feature the singing voices of Netflix’s KPOP Demon Hunters, as well as country music star Lainey Wilson. Noah Eagle will do the play-by-play, Drew Brees will analyze the game, and AJ Ross and Dianna Russini will be featured as sideline reporters. Seth Rollins is set to guest star.
What time will the game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs start on Christmas Day?
The primetime NFL game of Thursday Night Football between the Denver Broncos (12-3) and the Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) will be played at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game is set to start at 8:15 p.m. ET and 5:15 p.m. PT, streaming on Prime Video.
How to stream all Christmas Day games on mobile devices?
Netflix and Prime Video are the streaming services NFL fans will need to be subscribed to to livestream the games on mobile devices. However, if you’re not a subscriber to any of those services, the NFL offers the NFL+ streaming service, which lets users live stream all games on their mobile devices. NFL+ provides fans with access to stream all NFL games on their phones or tablets for $6.99 a month.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games, including this week’s game. On top of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime subscription includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day sales events, Amazon Music, a year of free GrubHub+ and more.
A standard Amazon Prime subscription is $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and those on qualified government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days. You can also just subscribe directly to Prime Video and forego all the other Prime Benefits. A Prime Video subscription costs $9 monthly.
An internet rumor swirled last week that a longtime NFL reporter had died at the age of 40.
News of Jane Slater‘s supposed death on social media, but she was quick to shut it down.
An X user posted a screenshot of a post on Facebook that showed Slater in black and white with the graphic “1980-2025” saying she had died at 40. Slater, 45, was born in 1980, but the years written in the post would mean she died at either age 44 or 45.
NFL Network sideline reporter Jane Slater stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears, at Soldier Field on Dec. 26, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“A veteran reporter who covered the Dallas Cowboys—having followed the team for over a decade—has passed away at the age of 40 after a tragic domestic violence incident, leaving behind a 5-year-old child. Her years of dedicated work, along with the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding her death, have left loyal fans stunned, devastated, and praying for her and her family,” the post read.
The user asked Slater, “did you pass away??”
Jane Slater speaks with T.Y. Hilton of the Dallas Cowboys after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“I don’t think so? But does this mean there is (a) glitch in the matrix? I’m gonna wrap myself in bubble wrap until NYE,” Slater joked.
If there is one thing the Facebook post got correct, it’s that Slater does mainly cover the Cowboys for the NFL Network.
NFL Network reporter Jane Slater on the sideline prior to an NFC Wild Card Playoff game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Prior to joining in 2016, Slater worked for ESPN and the Longhorn Network, having attended the University of Texas. She also hosted a radio show in Dallas.
The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, falling to 6–8–1 with just two games remaining in the regular season.
They were officially eliminated from playoff contention the night before, when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders.
That said, the Cowboys have made it clear they intend to compete hard over the final two weeks. With their next game coming on Christmas Day against Washington, Dallas is expected to have all of its top players on the field.
The matchup will also feature a new look, as the Cowboys will debut a never-before-worn uniform combination: arctic white helmets paired with navy jerseys and white pants.
Fans were quick to react to the jersey combination on social media.
“These are actually nice,” one fan said.
Another added, “I’ve been using this combination in Madden for YEARS. This makes me extremely happy.”
One fan wrote, “Wearing the best jersey combo at the end of the season when it doesn’t even matter. Very on brand.”
“WOW. They finally used a uniform combination that actually features the logo’s true colors. I like the silver, but this SHOULD be the main look,” another fan shared.
One more commenter summed it up simply: “Best uni combo by far.”
There will be three games on Christmas Day, all of which don’t have an intensive playoff implications. The Cowboys will travel to Washington at 1 p.m. EST, which will then be followed by the Detroit Lions vs. the Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. EST, and the night cap will be the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium taking on a Patrick Mahomes-less Kansas City Chiefs team at 8:15 p.m. EST.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 21 of 30 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Here’s everything he said to the media after the game:
On the team responding today knowing that it had been eliminated from the playoffs
“Unfortunately we lost, but the effort, the focus, the mentality, all that was there. They executed the game playing better, played a better full game than us. I mean, at the end of the day, we didn’t play complementary football. The first half, we were rolling, and we didn’t get the stops on defense. Second half, we got the stops on defense, and we weren’t doing much. The lack of that is where you’re going to get the result like that against a good team who’s great at controlling the ball. They did that tonight. I mean, I know there’s plenty of times where I’m on the sideline getting antsy and fidgety because they do a great job of controlling the clock and just marching their way downfield. We didn’t make the stops when we needed to, and ultimately, we didn’t score enough points.
On his thought process on the fourth-and-1 handoff
“Just do my job. It was just a dive play, not much more for me to do. [I] handed it off, and we unfortunately didn’t get it. [It was] a play that we’ve had success in the past. Seems like they were just more ready for it than our execution, and they stopped us and that was the end of it for the offense.”
On what happened to the team’s continuity with the passing game in the second half
“I’ve got to go back and watch the film, honestly. I think as much as anything, it’s that fourth down. If we get that fourth down, we’re still rolling. We go score a touchdown there, it’s a one-score game or a three-point game. You’re just looking for a stop for us to go down, take the lead and tie it up. When you’re playing a team like that, who’s really good at controlling the clock, we only had three drives in the first half. And I told the guys in the second half, we’re probably only going to get three, maybe four. I think we got four. When you’re playing a team like that, you’ve got to take advantage of those opportunities. You have to execute on every possession. And we didn’t do that in the second half. So, when we didn’t get that fourth down, that was kind of the air out of the bubble right there.”
On keeping the intensity up while playing knowing the team has been eliminated from the playoffs
“Honestly, I guess it’s different when you do this. I’m not firing any shots, but I’ve said it over and over; this is our job. We’re blessed. You know how hard we’ve worked and the sacrifices we’ve got to even get to this league, 10 years in for myself, to be healthy. I said it to the team, I think it was Friday or Saturday when we were breaking down. This game has given us so much, how could you cheat it? So to answer, I don’t know anything else. I’m not going to cheat this game. I’m going to give this game everything that I have, and that’s just how my mind works. It’s not a, ‘Oh, I’ve got to flip back in or flip back or I can turn it off or it’s not to play.’ Now, that’s how you get hurt. That’s how you go out there and embarrass yourself. That’s how you lose a job. So for me, it’s about preparing, staying true to the process and staying true to how I play this game or prepare to play this game. A lot of work has went into this. I think [defensive tackle] Osa [Odighizuwa] said it best when he just broke down the team after the game. We’ve got two weeks left, and nothing’s promised in life. Our football careers damn sure aren’t, so nothing in life is. Let’s enjoy these two weeks, cherish these moments, these practices, the time together with the men and the brothers that we love and we’ve got an opportunity to play with. This team won’t be the same next year. Let’s enjoy this and give it our best.”
On the optimism that year 11 will be different
“The work that I put into this. From last year to this year, I think you can go back to every year and there’s been improvement. When you control the things that you can control, and you do it with a great attitude, put God first, you’re not going to question yourself. You’re not going to question your ability to accomplish something. We’re going to keep working. I’m going to keep working. This team is going to keep working. The organization, obviously, is going to do things in the offseason, and hopefully everything is just building for us to have a better year than we did this year. And I know for myself and anybody that I’m leading or that’s following me, that’ll be the message.”
“Put him at center. He can do it all. We’re good at center, but honestly, I mean, he can play whatever he wants, and that’s credit to that guy. I mean, I go back to his rookie year when he was taking all the snaps [at] guard, Tyron [Smith], the left tackle, gets hurt the week of the game. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh gosh, they got to put this first-rounder out there who hadn’t taken snaps at tackle all offseason. Can he do it? Will he be good enough?’ And the guy goes and has a Pro Bowl year at left tackle. So then, the next year moving back to guard and All-Pro at guard. The moment they told me this early in the week that we’re going to go with Tyler at left tackle, I was great with it. There was no hesitation in my mind. There was no doubt of what he was going to be able to do and the way that he was going to play. I watched him obviously practice and just his intentionality and his approach. That’s a true football player, and we’re blessed to have him on our side. He can play wherever we need him to.”
On what kind of fire do you still see from owner Jerry Jones now after being with Dallas for 10 years
“Yeah, a lot of fire, maybe as much here recently as I’ve seen. And whether it’s him right against the clock and him knowing, which he’ll tell you that, or the deals and the things that we’ve done have been invigorating. You can tell he’s excited to help this team to make moves and do whatever he can and his power. For me, it’s about controlling what I can. Enjoy these last two weeks with these guys, and we’ll have those conversations or answer any questions I’m asked when we get there.”
On if the team will be experimental during the rest of the season
“Probably after action. Yeah, for me, like I said, I’m very routine, very process-oriented. So, I’m going to just keep doing what I know and the way that I know to approach the game to attack the game plans. When conversations like that come my way, and I’ll approach with them, I’ll handle them then. But I’m not sure if that’ll happen. Right now, to me, it’s about building. We got a hell of a group, a hell of an offense. And it’s about building on our side of the ball and whatever we can and just taking anything good, good momentum, good plays into the offseason.”
On wide receiver George Pickens’ bounce-back game
“George being George. Them giving us opportunities, one-on-one opportunities, the coverage. A week ago, they [Minnesota] did a good job. And honestly, in this game, I think that might’ve been some of it in the second half if they started rolling his way a little bit more. And I don’t know if we quite made the adjustments enough, but once again, I just go back, just really was that fourth down, that was the telltale there. But yeah, just the way the guy approaches the game, he had a hell of a week of practice, and when the coverage gives us opportunities, I’m attacked no matter if it’s George, CeeDee [Lamb] or whoever it is.
On offensive line performance despite frequent movement
“I give them a lot of credit. They’ve had a hell of a year, and that’s a group of a bunch of young guys who you just said were asked to do a bunch of different things, whether it was guys coming in, playing when they weren’t expected to playing, being Nate [Thomas], Brock [Hoffman], coming in for a few games. Now Tyler’s [Smith] going outside to left [tackle]. It hasn’t been a lot of continuity, right? However, whatever they’re asked to do, that group is winning there, and I credit [coaches] Connor Riley, Klayton Adams, and obviously each and every one of those men in that room of just their preparation, the professionalism and just handling whatever they’ve been asked to do at a high level. And I know it goes both ways. I tell them all the time, right, fight your ass off and I’m going to fight for you. We’re in this together when it comes to sacks and protecting the ball. They’ve done a hell of a job.”
On if it’s difficult without continuity
“Not necessarily. No. I think that that challenge of that has been fun and watch these guys answer the bell and produce and keep me upright. And even games that I’ve got hit a little bit more than the others, watching their demeanor, watching their mentality, watching them respond to that and get better. No.”
On not making playoffs despite his bounce-back season
“It’s football. It’s a team game. That’s what makes this game special. It’s what makes this game unique. It’s the ultimate team game. It’s not even just about me. It’s not even just about the offense at times, right? It’s not just about the defense. It’s a full unit. It’s a full team effort, and everybody has to play together and they have to play complementary. You’ve got to take advantage of your opportunities, the situations that the game gives you, the different matchups each week presents. It’s just unfortunate. It’s exciting knowing in year 10 I’m playing my best and to go back to [a reporter] to answer his point, I’m only going to get better in my mind about the way that I work and what I put into this game. It’s tough. It’s frustrating, but it’s what this business is about, and that’s what makes it special.”
On Tyler Smith claiming a loss of attention to detail, especially against playoff teams
“I don’t know if I feel the same just yet. Got to watch the film. When you present that question, I guess I think about the three-game winning streak playing against some good teams and when it got tougher, guys were actually producing more and making the plays in those games actually on the tougher side of the game rather than in the beginning. So it’s hard to say that exactly, but I know as a leader of this team, especially as the offense, it will be addressed at some point or another, whether it’s now or whether it’s at the end of it. But I think maybe youth has a good reasoning for that, if that is the case. And guys will understand as they get older, right? Sometimes the guys put a lot on themselves, and hell, I did it when I was young, right? You put more pressure on yourself than ever is called for rather than just going and executing and doing what you’ve done your whole life and what you’ve been coached to do. Some of that comes with great leadership. Fixing that comes with great leadership. And then the other part comes with just experience, understanding that you’ve made it harder on yourself in those moments. How can you fix that communication as well? That’ll be something I’m sure Schotty [head coach Brian Schottenheimer], myself and all of us, that’ll be talked about at the end of these two weeks more than tomorrow.”
On preferring the shorter period before Thursday’s game after today’s loss
“I’d rather the shorter period. Win, lose or draw. I’m a fan of Thursday games. I know I’m probably one of the only men in the league, but I’d just rather go out and play. Love practice, don’t get me wrong, it’s where you get better. You got to have it, but there’s just something about the game, that’s what we do it for. Being in it so long, I understand the process and taking care of my body for the next couple of days to be ready to play my best on Thursday. But yeah, in the situation particularly that we’re in, not playing for the playoffs or things like that, yeah, you just want to get back out there and redeem yourself.”
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Dec. 22 at New Orleans, 7 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 23 vs. Denver, 7 p.m., NBC
Dec. 25 at Golden State, 4 p.m., ABC, ESPN
Dec. 27 at Sacramento, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 29 at Portland, 9:30 p.m., NBC
Dec. 29 vs. Jackson State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 vs. Baylor, 1 p.m., TNT
Jan. 6 at Kansas, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 10 vs. Arizona, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 14 at BYU, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Dec. 31 at BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 at Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 11 vs. Arizona State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 14 at West Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 23 at Detroit, 5:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, Victory+
Dec. 27 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., Victory+
Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 1 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 4 vs. Montreal, 1 p.m., Victory+
Alamo Bowl
Dec. 30 vs. USC (at San Antonio), 8 p.m., ESPN
New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 27 vs. San Diego State (at Albuquerque, N.M.), 4:45 p.m., ESPN
Dec. 25 at Washington, noon, Netflix
Jan. 3 or 4 at N.Y. Giants, TBD
End of the regular season
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
This story was originally published December 21, 2025 at 6:28 PM.
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.
With 3 weeks to go in the regular season, playoff spots are starting to be snatched up. With the Broncos, Seahawks and Rams being the first teams to clinch a playoff spot, many more will soon follow.
Including the Eagles, whose magic number jumped from 3 all the way to 1 on Sunday following a Raiders blowout and a Cowboys season that’s nearly over, courtesy of “Nine” and the Minnesota Vikings.
And the Eagles first opportunity to punch their ticket into the postseason comes a day earlier this week. With a Saturday night game against the Washington Commanders
The Last Match
January 26th 2025 was the last time these teams saw each other. In an NFC Championship Game division matchup. To end a conversation:
What would happen if Jalen Hurts played all 4 quarters of the Week 16 loss?
A game that saw the Eagles take a quick 14-0 lead that saw Hurts exit due to a concussion just 5 minutes into the game. The final score ended 36-33 after the Eagles defense couldn’t get a stop, and the offense led by Kenny Pickett could barely pick up a first down.
To open the NFC championship game, the Commanders led an 18 play, 54 yard drive that included two 4th down conversions and finished with 3 points. The Eagles answer to that drive? This Saquon Barkley60 yard TD on the Eagles opening play of the game.
What followed was an absolute rout. The Eagles saw a 12 point lead at halftime, before they took things personally and finished the game with a 21 point 4th quarter after forcing two turnovers by the Commanders.
Now, things will look a little different.
Saturday Night
Jayden Daniels has since been shut down for the season. With multiple injuries sidelining him for weeks at a time. Instead, the Eagles will play against their former backup QB Marcus Mariota who has lead his current team to a 1-3 record.
Having been eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, the Commanders will have nothing to play for but draft position, and attempting to foil the Eagles playoff/seeding hopes.
However with a laundry list of injuries ranging from Laremy Tunsil, and Colson Yankoff listed Out for this week. With names like Trey Amos, Luke McCaffrey, Zach Ertz, Marshon Lattimore and Dorance Armstrong already on injured reserve, the Commanders will be thin at numerous positions. Hoping the Eagles can take advantage of a depleted team that thought they could repeat a 12-5 Cinderella run from only a year ago.
Minnesota Vikings fan Jordan Boll was injured when he was hit by a pickup truck while leaving AT&T Stadium following the Vikings-Cowboys game on Sunday, Dec. 14, Arlington police said.
Family photo courtesy of GoFundMe
A Minnesota Vikings fan was injured after being struck by a pickup truck in a hit-and-run while leaving AT&T Stadium following the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday, Arlington police said.
Arlington police officers responded to a parking lot in the 700 block of Stadium Drive about 11 p.m. on Dec. 14 to investigate the auto-pedestrian collision, police said.
Jordan Boll, 30, told officers that he was walking back to his vehicle after the football game when a dark-colored pickup truck hit him.
Boll was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Multiple witnesses at the parking lot told officers that the pickup driver did not stop or render aid and “instead exited the parking lot and drove away,” police said.
“All I remember was someone hitting my left side. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground with 20 or 30 people around me. I kinda blacked out after I got hit,” Boll told KDFW-TV.
Boll is now back home in Minnesota recovering his injuries.
Investigators are working to identify the hit-and-run driver, Arlington police said. No arrests have been announced in this incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Miller at 817-459-5782. Tipsters can also remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers of Tarrant County at 817-469-8477.
Shambhavi covers crime, law enforcement and other breaking news in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She graduated from the University of North Texas and previously covered a variety of general assignment topics in West Texas. She grew up in Nepal.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys still face long odds in trying to rally for a spot in the playoffs.
They won’t be short on confidence with a win over last season’s Super Bowl runner-up just four days after beating the defending champs.
Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Malik Davis sprinted 43 yards for a score and the Cowboys overcame two fourth down TD throws from Patrick Mahomes in a 31-28 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
The Cowboys (6-5-1) have won three straight and dropped the defending AFC champion Chiefs (6-6) back to .500 in a matchup of playoff-chasing teams.
Dallas is 3-0 since 24-year-old defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was found dead of an apparent suicide during the club’s open week. The Cowboys came back from the emotion-filled break with a 33-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
“On top of where we put ourselves right before these games and just the place that we’re in, having to get these wins against two elite teams,” Prescott said. “I mean, two teams that played in the Super Bowl last year. Last year’s last year, but you’re talking about two organizations that obviously know how to win and we just beat them both in two great games.
“On top of everything that we’ve been through.”
Mahomes had four touchdown passes in his first professional game at the home of the Cowboys, where he played three times for Texas Tech not far from his East Texas roots.
“They’re the same desperation that we are and they play better over four quarters than we did,” said Mahomes, who threw for 261 yards and was sacked three times, twice by Jadeveon Clowney. “So even though we have good plays here and there, we have be more consistent at the end of the day.”
Travis Kelce caught Mahomes’ first fourth-down TD toss on a 2-yarder, and Rashee Rice’s second scoring catch came on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City was down 10 when Mahomes was almost tripped in the backfield by Quinnen Williams but kept his feet and found Xavier Worthy wide-open down the field for 42 yards, setting up a 10-yard scoring toss to Hollywood Brown with 3:27 remaining.
Prescott and company didn’t give Mahomes another chance.
After two pass interference penalties gave Dallas first downs, Prescott hit George Pickens for 13 yards and a clinching first down at the two-minute warning. Prescott knelt three times after that.
The Chiefs had five pass interference penalties, one that was declined, and another defensive holding that gave Dallas a first down. Kansas City finished with 10 penalties for 119 yards.
“Bottom line is we’re having too many penalties, and we have to make sure to take care of that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “No excuses with it. We’re going to clean it up.”
Rice had eight catches for 92 yards, his first score coming on a 27-yard catch-and-run on the sideline two plays after Prescott was intercepted by Jaylen Watson on the first Dallas possession.
Davis had just three carries, but his long run gave Dallas its first lead at 17-14 late in the second quarter. Lead running back Javonte Williams scored on a 3-yard catch early in the fourth quarter, and Pickens’ catch on a 2-point conversion put Dallas back in front 28-21.
The Cowboys were 10th in the NFC entering the game, same as the Chiefs in the AFC coming off nine consecutive AFC West titles. The schedule doesn’t get much easier, although two of the next four opponents — all playoff teams from a year ago — aren’t in the postseason picture at the moment.
“We’ve got to continue with the same mentality,” Lamb said. “Obviously it’s been a short week. Now we get a little time to rest, a regular week so to speak. We get our bodies back, relax, build, grow, get better and on to next week.”
Injuries
Chiefs: The Chiefs lost two offensive linemen to injuries after beginning the game without RG Trey Smith, who was inactive because of an ankle injury. RT Jawaan Taylor injured an elbow, and rookie LT Josh Simmons went out with a wrist injury. … S Bryan Cook injured an ankle in the first half.
Cowboys: CB Caelen Carson, who had started the previous two games, was inactive after being listed as questionable. He was added to the injury report during the week. … CB DaRon Bland injured a foot in the second half.
Up next
Chiefs: Play host to Houston in prime time on Dec. 7.
“I’m not sure if I have honestly. On top of where we’ve put ourselves right before these games and just the place that we’re in of having to get these wins against two elite teams. I mean the two teams that played in the Super Bowl last year. Last year’s last year. But you’re talking about two organizations that obviously know how to win, and we just beat them both in two great games, as you said in four days, and just showing the resiliency of this unit, of this brotherhood on top of everything that we’ve been through. Yeah, I don’t know if there’s been two more impressive wins, but I can tell you right now that we’re not going to just sit on some high because of that. We know we’ve got a big one coming again next week. And all this really does for us is just give us more confidence knowing that we can go play with whoever.”
”It’s a team game. I can’t say that. No, I can’t say that. Well, hopefully we can play again and hopefully we can play again on a bigger stage, in a more meaningful game sooner rather than later. He’s a hell of a player. You watch that game right there, and we got the ball at the end of the game and I knew we couldn’t give it back to him. You know how great he is, and it’s on his resume and we’ve all seen it before, and you just saw the drive before that their last drive, right, of the Mahomes magic. Yeah, he’s an incredible player. But the end of day, this is a team game. This isn’t necessarily me versus him. We both have a lot on us to go and help our teams win and do that, and I respect the hell out him.”
On his touchdown pass to Javonte Williams and subsequent 2-point conversion
“The first one, obviously understanding we got points, let’s be smart with the ball. They played a good coverage. They pretty much guarded everything that we had on the touchdown and just saw a lane try to step up in that lane and then a guy kind came off of a block, and from there Javonte kind of waved me down, showing me it was open and just backyard football. That play’s Javonte as much as it is me. Then the second one going to my front side of my progression didn’t work, and understanding it’s a 2-point conversion and we need it. I was just trying to make something happen with my feet. Felt like I escaped around the backside, was able to get out of that tackle. And when I did, GP [George Pickens] just gave me a great answer was just being right there at the front pylon and made a hell of a catch.”
On soreness after the game and the impact of winning
“There’s no soreness, especially when you win. And if anything I’ll probably feel it tomorrow, but it’s a physical game and I love that about the game of football. My offensive line did a hell of a job, as you said, that they didn’t get me sacked. This is pro ball playing against some amazing guys out there, and they’ve got their hands full, right? You’re blocking Chris Jones and some of those other guys, and I always tell them we work hand in hand. I’ve got their back just the same as they’ve got mine. So I think tonight was an example of that, of even if they weren’t perfect us together, we made it work and got the ball out. And if I take a hit here and there, so be it.”
On what has changed on defense
“Their confidence, and that grows when you go out there and you make the plays and you win the games that we have against the two quarterbacks that those guys just went and had outstanding performances against. It only grows further. And so their collective group, as I said that we made some changes and got some additions and they felt like we also got some guys healthy and came back. And so I think for a few weeks there it wasn’t even our defense. It wasn’t the defense that’s out there until now. We’ve got a group that’s very confident in who they are and what they’re doing and their communication, and you feel it throughout the week and just watching them go against the scout team and the rest that I do get to see. And then when you get out here on Sunday, they’ve just been impressive as hell. The biggest difference to me is just their third downs, the way they’re making plays, getting off the field on third downs, giving us opportunities, and that breeds confidence to us.”
On wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s resiliency
“I told you it’s the way the guy’s wired. That’s what greatness looks like. You’re going to have days that you’re not proud of. You’re going to have days that aren’t to your standard, especially when your standard is as high as it is when you’re CeeDee Lamb. And I just know the way that he approaches this game, the way that he loves his game and what he puts into it. He was going to answer back, and hearing him in the postgame say whether it’s good or bad, my next game is my best game. That is the mentality, and he wears it. He practices that way, and it’s no surprise that he went out there and did what he did tonight. And obviously in the yards, the catches, the touchdown, but also drawing the penalties and just being unstoppable.”
On wide receiver KaVontae Turpin’s resiliency
“He’s a football player. Anything and everything you ask him to do, he is going to do it to a hundred percent. He’s the type of guy we take him out and switch to a different personnel because he was going to be on a tough block, he’s pissed. He wants to make that block, and he wants to show you. Let me show you I can make it before you just take me out because of my size. He’s a dog, and we love Turp. He’s one of the best, if not the best teammate that we have. I mean we call it Turpin time when we’re just going around and showing each other love like you saw in the pregame. And that’s something that we do every game that Schotty [head coach Brian Schottenheimer] brings. And that’s because of who Turp is, and you just watch him and the way that he picks guys up, the way that he stays positive, there’s no surprise that he’s going to bounce back because he’s always influencing other guys and helping them stay positive and bounce back from anything that they’ve done. Hell of a teammate.”
On momentum after winning three consecutive games
“We can be whatever we want to be. Everything’s in front of us. I just was telling the offensive that when we’re in those kneeldowns at the end of the game, but it’s not going to happen next Thursday. It’s going to happen Sunday when we get in the building. It’s just taking it one day at a time, putting everything in, understanding that we win during the week with our preparation and that we just get to come out here and play the game that we love and playing it free. All these wins, all they’ve done is just given us more and more confidence. And this brotherhood is as strong and as tight as I’ve been around and seen, and we’re playing elite complementary football right now. It’s not something that we can hang our hat on and say, yeah, we’ve done, but we can build off of it. We can be proud of what we’ve done, but we’ve got to push forward knowing that that’s all behind us. And what’s important is what’s in front of us. And anything that we’ve done up to this point really doesn’t matter. We’ve still put ourselves in a tough position. Doesn’t mean that we’ve got out of it just because the two teams that we’ve beat. Next week’s just as important as this game was.”
On increased urgency after the bye
“Most definitely. Simply because of what our record was at, and not only that, just where the league is and the NFC is right with the wins and those guys putting themselves ahead of us. It was ultimate urgency. As I’ve said before, we can’t even think about the day past the day that we’re on. We just have to take it one game at a time. We can’t get overwhelmed. Be the men that we are and trust the process, focus on getting better each day and we’ll be able to put together wins like we have these past three games. All these wins do is give us more confidence, like I said. It reminds guys to stick to the process. That this is just a result of what we do during the week and the brotherhood that we have.”
On confidence to throw it deep to Lamb late in the game
“I think that just speaks to the confidence that Schotty has in us, as much as anything. The coverage is what dictated CeeDee getting the big ball, but if they would’ve been soft, GP was going to be running a good crossing route and I had a great checkdown. So it’s just the confidence in Schotty to be able to call that play in that situation, knowing the guys that we have and understanding that I’ll do right with the ball. I think that’s the most important part of that play call. Obviously safety rolls down, it’s one-on-one now with CeeDee and CeeDee just goes and makes a play. Wasn’t that hard of a throw. And you’ve got a guy like that, right? You just put some air under it and let him go make the play, which he did. And so we’re confident in what we do and Schotty is going to call those type of plays when we’re in that situation. We want to win the game, and we’re not playing to lose.”
On high third-down conversion rate [9-for-16]
“I would guess, I would have to look at what those third-down distances are, but I’d say we’re probably winning first and second down. And I would say we’re putting ourselves in favorable third downs to have a number like that, 9-of-16. I would guarantee you we were more third-and-6 and under than we were seven and plus. So that’s just a testament to the offensive line, to everybody just doing their job one play at a time. That’s something that we echo on the sidelines, and this comes from [offensive coordinator] Klayton Adams, is do the next right thing and do right longer. And I echo that to the guys, and we all echo it, is do your one-eleventh and trust the man next to you. And so when you’re winning first and second down, you’re putting yourselves in favorable third downs. That’s where we’re going to have success. And so that’s where we want to be.”
On Schottenheimer’s leadership through these three games and Marshawn Kneeland’s death
“It’s been amazing. It has. And I just credit him for being the same, being consistent, and it’s something that he talks about, but to actually watch him be consistent and be the same man through the adversity and now through some success, right? He’s a hell of a leader. He’s the right guy for the job. We’re all following him. I know you all see clips of the emotions and guys follow him, but that’s just throughout the day. If you were in every team meeting, you would understand that’s who Schotty is. That’s the way he’s going to lead this group, and we’re going to follow. We’ve put ourselves with these wins and against these teams in a solid situation. But I know he’s going to continue to press us and sticking to the process. And like I said, Sunday when we go in, this won’t matter anymore. And that’s an echo from Schotty and that’s him doing a hell of a job through everything that we’ve been through to be honest.”
On the offensive line’s identity
“One in the run game, right? Establishing what they’re good at in the run game. And I don’t want to tell you whether it’s this scheme or that scheme that we’re good at, but they’re finding their groove in a certain scheme in certain plays and how we’re attacking these guys. And then to come out of a game like this without any sacks, they’re physical. They’re physical, they’re understanding their importance to this team. They’re understanding how much their collaboration of talking and their communication, what that does and how much the rest of the guys and the skill players feed off of it. And they’re an impressive group. And I told them that when we were kneeling at the end of the game. Just how thankful I am for them and just for them to keep going and when they keep going, they keep leading the way they are. We’ve got the playmakers to be special around, but it starts with those guys up front.”
On Malik Davis’ 43-yard touchdown
“I’m sure you can go check the film. I put my arm up early like the touchdown, and I don’t know if there’s a bigger fan in our locker room than me for Malik Davis. And you can ask some guys in there, whether it be Will Grier, whether it be some of the coaches. I’ve been a Malik fan since from day one, even when he was cut, I was a guy that was very disappointed. Understanding when you’re a player, you see guys behind the scenes and you see what they do and how they take care of their body and the way that they approach the game and how much the game means to them. And he’s an epitome of that. The guy came back when we signed him back, and you could just see the hunger in his eyes and the way that he approached the game to whether it’s just trying to make the roster at first and then making the roster just then being a dog on special teams because he would say, ‘Hey, that’s the only reps I get. I’ve got to make the most of it,’ to now that he’s gotten an opportunity in the backfield, it’s no surprise to me. And I’m just so excited for him. He’s reaping the benefits of the hard work that he puts in, but I can tell you he’s not satisfied. He’s going to keep working, and that’s why I love him and that’s why I’m such a fan of him.”
On having the full week before Detroit
“It’s important especially being the holiday, getting to hang out with the family, rest our body up for a couple of days, but we’re ready to get back to work. When you kind of flip the script and put together what we’ve done these last three games and play the complementary ball that we have. I know myself and I’m sure, and I hope the whole locker room is, right? They’re itching to get back to work. So it’s important for us to find balance in these next couple of days and stepping away from it, rejuvenating ourselves, but understanding when we come in Sunday, it’s go time. And like I said, we’ve got a hell of a game next Thursday against a really good team.”
On being healthy at this point in the season versus last season
“I’m thankful. I really am. I’m thankful. It’s not something that I want to boast upon. I’m just thankful to be healthy like I am. It’s credit to Luke, my personal PT, Dr. Luke Miller and just the rest of the staff, Britt Brown, all those guys, the strength staff, just the plan, not just myself, but the rest of the team, the way that they’re taking care of our bodies, especially during this last three games in 11 days that was strenuous on everybody, not just me. And so credit to everybody, Schotty, all of them in their collective decision and whether to practice, when to practice and the pace that we’re going at. I’m just thankful to be healthy. I’m just going to try to keep, do the next right thing, take care of my body and be ready to go next Thursday.”
This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 10:52 PM.
Jim Barnes is the Star-Telegram’s sports editor. A Fort Worth native and graduate of Castleberry High School, he returned to Texas after 13 years at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He previously was sports editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald and a freelance high school sports reporter for The Dallas Morning News.
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The Philadelphia Eagles find themselves in a precarious position as late November 2025 brings a short week and a long injury list.
Following a frustrating collapse against Dallas, the team must quickly regroup for a high-stakes Black Friday matchup against the Chicago Bears. The roster is dealing with significant attrition, particularly in the defensive backfield, which could force defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to get creative.
Injuries are often the great equalizer in late-season football, and this week is no exception. When looking at the NFL odds, the availability of key starters shifts the conversation from simple talent comparisons to questions of depth and scheme. Understanding who suits up provides a clearer picture of the challenge ahead without needing to focus on the lines themselves. The reality is that Philadelphia must navigate these absences to secure a vital win.
The coaching staff faces a difficult task in shuffling the lineup. With playoff positioning on the line, the “next man up” mentality will be tested.
Below is a detailed look at the health of the roster and what fans can expect on Friday.
Major Blow to the Secondary
The most significant news involves rookie safety Andrew Mukuba. Mukuba is officially out for Week 13 after suffering an ankle fracture against the Cowboys. The promising defender is expected to miss roughly a month, with a potential return targeted for Week 16. His absence creates a void in the secondary that has been a bright spot for much of the season.
Credit: dachibearsnews-Instagram
Compounding the issue is the status of safety Reed Blankenship. He is listed as questionable with a thigh injury. However, current reports suggest optimism regarding his availability, and he is expected to play against Chicago. If he can go, it stabilizes a unit that cannot afford to lose two starters simultaneously.
Cornerback depth remains another area of concern. Adoree’ Jackson is questionable as he undergoes concussion evaluation. If Jackson cannot clear the league protocol in time for the short turnaround, the defense will need to rely heavily on its reserve corners to slow down the Bears’ passing attack.
Offensive Line and Skill Positions
The injury bug has not spared the offense. Offensive tackle Lane Johnson is questionable due to a foot injury. Johnson is the anchor of the offensive line, and his status is paramount for protecting the quarterback and establishing the run game. Any limitations he faces would force quick adjustments to the protection schemes.
In the receiving room, Xavier Gipson is questionable with a shoulder issue. While not a primary target, his speed offers a tactical advantage that the offense misses when he is sidelined. His potential absence would limit the gadget plays and deep threats available in the playbook.
Reserve Updates and Outlook
Several players remain unavailable as they work through long-term recovery. Myles Hinton stays on injured reserve with a back injury, while Willie Lampkin is out with a knee problem. Both are expected to return later in the year, providing hope for reinforcements down the stretch, but they offer no immediate relief for this week.
Key Injury Statuses for Week 13:
Andrew Mukuba (Safety): Out with an ankle fracture; return likely Week 16
Reed Blankenship (Safety): Questionable (thigh); expected to play
Lane Johnson (OT): Questionable (foot)
Adoree’ Jackson (CB): Questionable (concussion protocol)
Xavier Gipson (WR): Questionable (shoulder)
The Eagles are bruised but not broken. The short week offers little time for recovery, meaning the training staff will be working overtime up until kickoff.
For the fans, the focus remains on how the coaching staff adjusts to these setbacks.
The Detroit Lions sit at 7–5 and are still stinging from their 31–24 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Packers. Now, they’ve got a massive opportunity to bounce back, and they’ll have the entire country watching.
On Thursday Night Football, the Lions return to Ford Field to host the Dallas Cowboys, who are suddenly surging after a wild 31–28 Thanksgiving win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Dallas moves to 6–5–1 on the season, and they’ve got momentum at the perfect time.
And now we know what Vegas thinks of this primetime showdown.
Lions Open as Home Favorites
According to the early spread from DraftKings, the Lions are4.5-point favorites over the Cowboys. That number suggests oddsmakers still believe the Lions are the better overall team, and that Ford Field’s environment will matter.
The total for the game is set at 54.5 points, which is exactly what you’d expect for two offenses with firepower (and two defenses that have been inconsistent).
For bettors who prefer the moneyline:
Translation: Vegas expects Detroit to win, but it won’t be a walk.
A Must-Have Game for Both Teams
For Detroit, this matchup is more than just a rebound opportunity; it’s a statement game. The Lions haven’t played their most complete football lately, and Thursday is their chance to reset in front of a roaring home crowd.
Dallas, meanwhile, is fighting to stay alive in a crowded NFC playoff race. A road win in Detroit would immediately shift the Cowboys’ trajectory.
