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The NFL’s biggest NFC East rivalry is suddenly sharing the stage with violins. The league has confirmed a kickoff-time adjustment for the
Week 12 showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, originally slated for Sunday, November 23 at 4:25 p.m. ET (3:25 p.m. CT) on FOX.
The reason? A scheduling conflict with the
Lone Star Philharmonic Charity Festival | Symphony for Heroes, a high-profile benefit event honoring veterans and first responders that had locked in its SoCal-style light show and full orchestra setup at the stadium complex months before the full 2025 NFL slate came out. When game week arrived, local officials, the Cowboys, and the league realized they couldn’t realistically pull off a massive concert production and a sold-out rivalry game in the same tight window.
After several days of talks, the NFL approved a time change earlier today. While the new kickoff time has not yet been announced, fans are being urged to stay glued to TV listings, local broadcast schedules, and official team channels. “We know how intense this rivalry is for both fanbases,” an NFL spokesperson said. “This decision was made to protect the safety, traffic flow, and overall experience of both football fans and festival guests.”
Eagles: Defending champs, division leaders, and a chance to bury Dallas
For the Eagles, this is just another twist in a season that already started with drama. Philadelphia comes into Week 12 at
8–2, riding a four-game win streak and sitting atop the NFC East as the defending Super Bowl LIX champions. Jalen Hurts has leaned on a physical ground attack with Saquon Barkley, while A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith continue to punish secondaries whenever defenses load the box.
And then there’s the lingering tension from Week 1. In the NFL Kickoff Game, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected just seconds into the season for spitting on Dak Prescott
, turning the rivalry up a few notches before Philly escaped with a 24–20 win after a long lightning delay at Lincoln Financial Field. Local and national media quickly dubbed it
“Spitgate,” and this rematch in Arlington has been circled ever since — with some preview pieces already asking whether Carter will “get revenge” or face payback from Dallas’ offense in Round 2.
For Nick Sirianni’s team, a win here wouldn’t just be another notch in the standings. It would:
- Tighten their grip on the NFC East,
- Push a division rival closer to the brink, and
- Send a message that even chaos off the field can’t shake the league’s hottest contender.
Cowboys: New era, tragic loss, and a season hanging in the balance
On the other sideline, this game feels like a crossroads. The
Cowboys sit at 4–5–1, second in the NFC East under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Their offense, led by Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and new feature back Javonte Williams, has quietly put up 296 points — one of the highest totals in the league — but defensive lapses and inconsistency have kept them below .500.
The emotional backdrop is impossible to ignore. Dallas is still processing the tragic loss of defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, whose death shook the locker room earlier this month. Players and coaches openly framed last week’s 33–16 win over the Raiders as a tribute to him, with Schottenheimer saying the team was determined to honor Kneeland by playing with his relentless style.
Now, with the Eagles coming to town, the Cowboys face:
- A chance to keep their playoff hopes alive,
- A national-stage test for Schottenheimer’s new regime, and
- A chance for Prescott to answer back after the Week 1 opener slipped away in Philadelphia.
Add in the reality that Dallas is still chasing the team that just hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, and this doesn’t feel like “just another” regular-season game. It feels like a referendum on where the Cowboys really stand in 2025.
“Only in Dallas…” – Fans react to football vs. symphony
Predictably, the internet wasted zero time turning the scheduling chaos into content.
- Eagles fans joked that “the orchestra will hit more high notes than the Cowboys secondary.”
- Cowboys fans fired back with memes of Dak Prescott in a tux, conducting a fourth-quarter comeback while strings swell behind him.
“Only in Dallas could a symphony push back Eagles–Cowboys and still not be the loudest thing in the building,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Behind the memes, both organizations are in problem-solving mode. The Cowboys are working with stadium staff and city officials to flip AT&T Stadium from concert staging back to full NFL setup on a tighter-than-usual timeline. The Eagles are adjusting their travel and pregame routine so the change in kickoff doesn’t mess with player recovery, warmups, or game-day rhythm.
Same rivalry, same stakes — just a different clock
Whenever the new kickoff time lands, the stakes remain exactly the same:
- For the Eagles:
- Hold onto the NFC East lead and stay on track for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
- Complete a season sweep of the Cowboys.
- Prove that distractions — from lightning delays to schedule changes — can’t derail their title defense.
- For the Cowboys:
- Keep their wild-card dream alive in a crowded NFC race.
- Show that Schottenheimer’s first year is about more than just surviving tragedy and close losses.
- Protect home turf and remind the league this rivalry still runs both ways.
Classical music may have rearranged the schedule, but it won’t soften a rivalry built on decades of bad blood, high drama, and season-defining moments. Whether toe meets leather a few hours earlier or later than planned, expect full-volume football once the ball is in the air.
Reminder for fans:
Double-check your local listings, keep an eye on Eagles and Cowboys official channels, and monitor NFL announcements for the updated kickoff time. You don’t want to miss a single snap — or a single note — from what’s shaping up to be an unforgettable Sunday in Arlington. 🦅⭐
