What Cowboys Games Are on Peacock

Peacock carries some Dallas Cowboys games, but not all of them. The games that appear on Peacock are the ones NBC broadcasts on Sunday Night Football and Thursday Night Football. If the Cowboys play on CBS, Fox, or ESPN, those games will not be on Peacock — you will need cable, a cable login, or a different streaming service to watch them.

NBC owns the rights to Sunday Night Football and Thursday Night Football in the NFL. When the Cowboys are scheduled for either of those time slots, Peacock streams the game live at the same time it airs on NBC. This means you can watch on your phone, tablet, computer, or connected TV through the Peacock app or website.

The number of Cowboys games on Peacock changes from season to season depending on the NFL schedule. Some seasons the Cowboys may appear on Sunday Night Football multiple times; other seasons they might appear once or not at all. You can check the upcoming schedule on NBC.com or the NFL.com schedule to see which games are assigned to which networks.

Key Takeaways

  • Peacock streams Cowboys games only when NBC broadcasts them on Sunday Night Football or Thursday Night Football.
  • Games on CBS, Fox, or ESPN will not appear on Peacock and require a cable subscription or a different streaming service.
  • You need a Peacock account to watch, though some games may be available on the free tier while others require a paid subscription.
  • The NFL schedule determines which games air on which network, so checking NBC.com or NFL.com ahead of time tells you where to find each game.

Peacock Subscription Tiers and Game Access

Peacock offers a free tier and two paid tiers: Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium Plus. Whether you can watch a Cowboys game on the free tier depends on the specific game and NBC's distribution choices. Some Sunday Night Football games stream free on Peacock, while others are locked to Premium subscribers only.

If a game requires a paid subscription, you will see a message when you try to watch it. Peacock Premium costs around $6 per month with ads or $12 per month without ads. Peacock Premium Plus costs around $20 per month and includes early access to some content and the ability to read episodes.

The safest approach is to check the game listing on Peacock a few days before the game airs. The app will show you whether the game is free or requires a paid subscription. If you already have cable and a cable login, you can also watch through the NBC app or NBC.com by signing in with your cable credentials, regardless of your Peacock tier.

How to Find Cowboys Games on Peacock

Open the Peacock app or go to peacock.com and search for "Cowboys" or "Sunday Night Football" or "Thursday Night Football" depending on when the game is scheduled. Peacock's search function will show you upcoming games and let you add them to your watchlist.

You can also navigate to the Sports section on Peacock's home page, where NFL games are listed by date and time. If a game is coming up, it will appear there with a countdown timer. Clicking on the game will show you whether it is free or requires a paid subscription and let you set a reminder.

The NBC Sports app is another option if you prefer to watch through a dedicated sports app. It carries the same Sunday Night Football and Thursday Night Football games as Peacock and works with the same subscription rules. If you have a cable login, you can sign in to the NBC Sports app to watch for free.

When Cowboys Games Air on Other Networks

The majority of Cowboys games air on CBS or Fox, not NBC. These games will not stream on Peacock. Instead, you will need a cable subscription, a cable login to use the CBS or Fox streaming apps, or a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling TV.

ESPN carries some Cowboys games on Monday Night Football. These games are available on ESPN+ (the paid streaming service) and on cable if you have an ESPN subscription. They do not appear on Peacock.

The NFL also streams some games exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday nights, though these are separate from the Thursday Night Football games on NBC and Peacock. Check the schedule on NFL.com to see which network is broadcasting each game before you plan to watch.

Using Peacock on Different Devices

You can watch Cowboys games on Peacock through the app on your phone, tablet, or smart TV, or through a web browser on your computer. The Peacock app is available on iOS and Android phones and tablets, and on most smart TVs including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung, LG, and others.

If you are watching on a phone or tablet, read the Peacock app from the App Store or Google Play, sign in with your Peacock account, and search for the game. If you are watching on a smart TV, search for the Peacock app in your TV's app store, read it, and sign in the same way.

For the best picture quality, Peacock streams in up to 4K on compatible devices, though most games stream in 1080p. Make sure your internet connection is stable — Peacock recommends at least 25 Mbps for 4K and 8 Mbps for 1080p. If you experience buffering, try lowering the video quality in the app settings or moving closer to your Wi-Fi router.

Blackout Rules and Regional Restrictions

The NFL has blackout rules that can prevent you from watching a game in your local area, even on Peacock. If a game is blacked out in your region, Peacock will not let you stream it live. Blackouts typically explore to local broadcasts — for example, if you live in the Dallas area and the game is on a local CBS or Fox station, it may be blacked out on streaming services.

Blackout rules vary by game and region. The best way to know whether a specific game is blacked out in your area is to try to watch it on Peacock when it starts. If it is blacked out, Peacock will tell you. You can sometimes watch the game on cable or through the local network's app instead.

Out-of-market games (games not involving your local team) are usually not subject to blackout rules, so you should be able to watch them on Peacock if they air on NBC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need cable to watch Cowboys games on Peacock?

No, you do not need cable to watch Cowboys games on Peacock. You need a Peacock account, which can be free or paid depending on the game. However, if the Cowboys game is on CBS, Fox, or ESPN instead of NBC, you will need cable or a cable login to watch it on those networks' apps.

Can I watch Cowboys games on Peacock if I live outside the US?

Peacock is only available in the United States. If you are outside the US, you will not be able to access Peacock or watch games through it. Some international viewers can watch through DAZN or other regional streaming services, depending on their country.

Will Peacock show the Cowboys game if it is on Sunday afternoon?

No. Peacock only carries Sunday Night Football (which airs at 8:20 PM ET) and Thursday Night Football. Games on Sunday afternoon air on CBS or Fox and will not be on Peacock. You will need cable or a cable login to watch those games.

Can I record Cowboys games on Peacock to watch later?

Peacock Premium Plus subscribers can read some content to watch offline, but live sports games are usually not available for read. You can watch the game live on Peacock, and some games may be available on-demand after they air, though this depends on NBC's licensing agreements.

What if the Peacock stream keeps buffering during the game?

Check your internet speed — Peacock recommends at least 8 Mbps for 1080p. If your connection is slow, lower the video quality in the app settings or move closer to your Wi-Fi router. If the problem persists, restart the app or your device. You can also try watching on a different device or through a web browser instead of the app.