Jerry Jones isn't ready to pack the Dallas Cowboys' bags for a permanent move across the Atlantic — and he's not convinced the NFL should be packing anyone else's either.
The Cowboys owner and general manager threw cold water on the league's growing buzz about international expansion, saying the NFL's overseas push should stick to what it's already doing rather than planting a flag in Europe.
Jones pushes back on Goodell's global vision
Commissioner Roger Goodell has made no secret of his belief that an international franchise is a matter of when, not if. Last month, Goodell said he has "no doubt" the NFL will eventually have a team based outside the United States, and he later told Prime Video that more than one overseas club could be in the cards, with Europe as the logical landing spot.
Jones, however, isn't buying it. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan, he suggested the league's current approach — barnstorming the globe with regular-season games — is working just fine.
"I don't know about an expansion," Jones said. "I see the games continuing like they are. And I see the ethos, if you will, of the game, the story of the game really expanding all over the world. But fundamentally, to have an expansion team, probably is pretty far. If it's here, it's in the future."
The comments put Jones at odds with the commissioner's more aggressive timeline, and they add another layer to the ongoing debate over just how far the NFL should go in chasing global growth. The league's front offices are clearly intrigued by the idea, but Jones — one of the most influential voices in the sport — is signaling that the finish line is still a long way off.
London looms as the favorite, but not yet
If the NFL ever does cross the ocean for good, London appears to be the front-runner. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that league executives tabbed the English capital as an "overwhelming favorite" to land a team, with Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium both serving as viable homes. The UK will host three more games next month.
One AFC executive pointed to the infrastructure the NFL has built in Britain over the past decade, noting that travel has become remarkably smooth. "You almost don't need a bye week after playing there," the executive said.
Berlin, Toronto and Mexico City also surfaced as potential expansion destinations, though no move is imminent. The conversation mirrors other debates about the league's future — much like the recent chatter around CFP expansion proposals in college football, everyone has an opinion but nobody's rushing to rewrite the map.
For now, the NFL's international experiment continues on a game-by-game basis. Dallas is about to get a firsthand look at it: the Cowboys face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, the league's first game in Brazil and its third overall in the country.
Jones would rather see Dallas in Mexico
Even with the Cowboys set to travel abroad, Jones made it clear where his heart lies. He said he'd prefer an international matchup in Mexico, a market the NFL has cultivated for years and one that's far more convenient for his team and its fan base.
He also acknowledged the obvious: these overseas trips are a hassle. But he framed them as a necessary trade-off for growing the game.
"I do. This was our time to go," Jones said. "We have kind of a schedule of when teams need to play internationally, and this was our time. So, I'm good with it."
It's a familiar stance from an owner who has never been shy about sharing his opinions — whether the topic is the league's global ambitions or his own future. Jones has made headlines before with bold proclamations about spending and his eventual exit, and his latest comments show he's still willing to chart his own course even when the commissioner is heading the other way.
For NFL fans dreaming of a London franchise, Jones' message is simple: don't hold your breath.
