Jerry Jones downplays idea of NFL expansion team in Europe

As Rodger Goodell continues to tout the idea of housing an NFL team abroad, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is downplaying the potential expansion.

Jones joined Shan Shariff and RJ Choppy on their Dallas sports radio morning show on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning to discuss the Cowboys’ Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders, while also previewing their next game against the Baltimore Ravens. The Cowboys’ Week 3 home game is scheduled to be played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday.

As the NFL continues to push for more international games, Jones said he likes playing outside the United States, though he prefers Mexico, where the Cowboys already have a fan base. But when asked whether he expects an NFL team to take up a permanent residence outside the United States, Jones downplayed the idea.

“I don’t know about an expansion. I see the games continuing like they are,” Jones admitted. “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.”

Goodell, however, has exuded much more confident optimism about having a team based outside the United States in the near future. While speaking to Markus Kuhn for German media outlet RTL/ntv last month, Goodell said, “At some point, there will be NFL teams outside the USA…I have no doubt that this will happen one day.”

It makes sense as to why Goodell wants to expand by putting NFL teams in markets outside the United States, but the logistics still seem far-fetched. Teams in Europe or any other international market would face major disadvantages from travel and free-agent recruitment.

Last year, Boomer Esiason predicted a 4-team NFL Europe division as early as 2028. Time is already starting to run out on that prediction, but Jones implied international expansion isn’t even on the radar. And say what you want about Jones’ ability to put a Super Bowl-caliber roster on the field; he undoubtedly revolutionized the NFL business model. If Jones thought there was a viable way to make more money for the NFL by expanding internationally, he would be selling it.