Dallas Cowboys remain most expensive NFL franchise with $12.8B valuation

DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl in nearly three decades, but it hasn’t stopped America’s Team from raking in money.

Sportico released its 2025 NFL Franchise Valuation Rankings, and the Cowboys remained the top dog by a wide margin.

The rankings valued the Cowboys at $12.8 billion. That’s over a $2 billion jump over last year’s $10.32 billion valuation, or a little over a 25% increase. Last year was the first time an NFL franchise had surpassed $10 billion in value.

Here are the top five most expensive franchises in the NFL:

• Cowboys – $12.8 billion
• Rams – $10.43 billion
• Giants – $10.25 billion
• Patriots – $8.76 billion
• 49ers – $8.6 billion

When Jerry Jones bought the Dallas team in 1989, he paid $140 million. With the current estimate, he’s clocking a 9,042.86% return on investment, and that’s not including whatever salary he’s taken home over the years.

For Jones, the news is surely music to his ears, but for Cowboys fans, it can leave a bitter aftertaste. The franchise’s financial success has not translated to the field.

While the Dallas fan mantra — “this is our year” — has echoed each season since the 90s, it’s proven false time and time again. Last season, the Cowboys missed the playoffs. Since then, they’ve fired head coach Mike McCarthy and brought on first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer to lead the team.

With Schotty at the helm, there is renewed hope, but that’s been quashed by off-season drama: namely, the ongoing “negotiations” with Micah Parsons.

Despite a shortage of on-field success, the Cowboys have managed to stay one of the most relevant teams across all major sports. An upcoming documentary, a Netflix show on the team’s cheerleaders, and a Hard Knocks feature are just a few examples of how deeply ingrained Dallas has become in pop culture.

So, like it or not, “America’s Team” is still No. 1. And hey, maybe this is our year to prove it on the turf.