Dallas Cowboys Fans Are Already Smelling a Super Bowl
The 2026 NFL season hasn’t kicked off yet, but some Dallas Cowboys fans are already smelling a Super Bowl.
TradeHandle.com surveyed 3,000 NFL fans in the United States in July 2026. TradeHandle’s survey measured the fans’ overall preseason anxiety and expectations. They found that 34% of Cowboys fans believe that their team will make the Super Bowl this season.
Among Cowboys Nation, the No. 1 Super Bowl LXI prediction is the Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs. At the same time, 70% are nervous about the Cowboys’ upcoming season. Read on for the full study.
Where the Dallas Cowboys stand
The preseason panic is an expanding trend in the sports world. TradeHandle found that 56% of NFL fans are nervous about their team’s performance in the 2026 season.
Cowboys fans are up there, with 70% of being nervous for the season. 34% of Cowboys Nation believe that the team will make the Super Bowl — a stark contrast to the 20% in 2024.
The Cowboys’ potential outlook
The Cowboys’ outlook appears to be cautiously optimistic. The Cowboys enter the 2026 season with a new defensive coordinator in Christian Parker, a franchise tag on star wide receiver George Pickens, and a revamped defense to be paired with a proven offense.
The Cowboys’ revamped defense can be attributed to Parker, 34, who adopted a 3-4 base structure. Their offense is expected to be balanced because of tight end Jake Ferguson and running back Javonte Williams. Their success depends on their health and defensive cohesion.
The Cowboys last made the NFL playoffs in 2023 but lost 48-32 to the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium in the NFC Wild Card Round on January 14, 2024.
NFL fans anticipate the 2026 season
The summer is in full effect, but many football fans are eagerly anticipating the 2026 season.
According to TradeHandle, over 50% of fans are nervous about how their team will perform. 56% of fans are suffering from “Fanxiety,” a form of preseason panic.
The Chargers-Rams rivalry differs in anxiety
The Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams are a unique rivalry. The two teams compete in different conferences — the Chargers in the AFC West and the Rams in the NFC West — and have never faced each other in an NFL playoff game.
Chargers fans experience the highest amount of nervousness in the NFL. 75% of the Bolt Gang are worried about how the team will perform this season. The Chargers’ crosstown rival, the Rams, have the lowest percentage of nervous fans, with just 24%.
NFL fans predict a Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl
Of the 32 NFL fanbases, 12 predicted that their team wouldn’t make the Super Bowl.
Most fans predicted that Super Bowl LXI will be between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams. For the Bills, this would be their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. And, for the Rams, this could be their third Super Bowl win.
Bills fans are the most confident in a Super Bowl run
Bills fans have the most confidence in the Super Bowl, with 84% of the Bills Mafia believing that their team will make a Super Bowl run this upcoming season.
Eagles fans trailed in second, with 71% of the Bird Gang thinking their team will make the Big Game. Kansas City Chiefs fans ranked third, with 69% of the Chiefs Kingdom believing so.
In contrast, Las Vegas Raiders fans have the least faith, with just 6% of the Raider Nation seeing the Raiders in the Super Bowl. Moreover, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts fans share similar sentiments, with only 13% for all three teams.
TradeHandle’s Methodology
TradeHandle asked 3,000 respondents to identify their favorite NFL team, whether they were nervous about how their team will perform, and which AFC and NFC teams they think will make the Super Bowl.
Of the respondents, 62% identified as male, 37% female, and 1% as non-binary, with an average age of 42.6 years.
