FRISCO, Texas - The Cowboys and 49ers have met in the playoffs in each of the last two years, and several other memorable encounters through the years. And the NFL is making sure the entire country will get to see the next matchup.
As announced on the Today Show on NBC on Thursday morning, the Cowboys will play at San Francisco in Week 5 on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 7:20 p.m. CST on NBC. This will mark the first time the Niners and Cowboys have played on Sunday Night Football since 1990.
While the rest of the 2023 regular-season schedule will be announced for the Cowboys, and the rest of the league, at 7 p.m. Thursday evening, this is undoubtedly one of the biggest games for the Cowboys, who have been knocked out of the playoffs by the 49ers each of the last two years.
It will be the fourth consecutive season that the Cowboys have played the 49ers after winning 41-33 in 2020 and losing in the playoffs in both 2021 and 2022 by scores of 23-17 and 19-12, respectively. The all-time series record between the two franchises is deadlocked at 19-19-1.
The game will come in Week 5 of the 2023 regular season, as the Cowboys will get a ramp-up into the season before matching up against the team that has knocked them out of the playoffs in each of the last two years.
It will be Dak Prescott's fifth meeting against the Niners, which will be the third-most starts for a quarterback in the series behind Joe Montana's six starts from 1981 to 1990 and Troy Aikman's eight starts from 1990 to 2000.
The Cowboys will debut new veteran additions from wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore while the Niners will sort out a quarterback battle between Brock Purdy and Trey Lance ahead of the season.
The entirety of the 2023 NFL schedule will be released on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. CST on NFL Network. Other non-divisional opponents for the Cowboys include home games against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Detroit Lions. The Cowboys will play away games against the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. Exact dates and times will be announced with the rest of the schedule release on Thursday night.
