America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys Release Date Just Dropped—And It's Sooner Than You Think

written by Leo Hartwell

August 15, 2025 10:59 am

America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys Release Date Just Dropped—And It's Sooner Than You Think — Image credit: Legion-Media

Netflix is bringing the Dallas Cowboys' most controversial era back into the spotlight with a 10-part sports documentary that dives into Jerry Jones' high-stakes takeover and the chaos that followed.

Netflix has set August 19, 2025, for the premiere of America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, a 10-part documentary series chronicling Jerry Jones' controversial ownership of the Dallas Cowboys. The launch will land during the team's 2025 NFL preseason, aiming to hook both football diehards and casual sports doc viewers.

Directed by Chapman and Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country), the series is produced by Skydance Sports, NFL Films, and Stardust Frames Productions. Executive producers include Keith Cossrow, Ross Ketover, Ken Rodgers, David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, and John Skipper.

What the series covers:

Jerry Jones' 1989 purchase of the Cowboys for $140 million — a record-breaking NFL deal at the time.
His firing of legendary coach Tom Landry and hiring of college teammate Jimmy Johnson.
The Cowboys' dominant 1990s run, with Super Bowl victories in 1992, 1993, and 1995.
Appearances from Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Charles Haley, and Deion Sanders, plus coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.
Commentary from George W. Bush, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Rupert Murdoch.

The series mixes 1990s NFL Films archive footage with new interviews, offering a high-gloss, behind-the-scenes look at one of sports' most polarizing owners.

America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys Release Date Just Dropped—And It's Sooner Than You Think - image 1

Fans are already split

While Netflix and the production team are selling America's Team as a definitive look at the Jones era, reaction from Cowboys fans has been sharply divided — and often hostile toward the owner.

"I don't even know if I want to watch this. I love the Cowboys but I could do without Jerry Jones at this point," one fan wrote. Another was more blunt: "F**ck Jerry."

Several fans accused the project of being reputation management. "Jerry Jones paying for positive PR," one commenter joked, while another said, "Surely it won't be a puff piece." Others questioned why the subject matter was relevant at all, calling the 1990s dynasty "ancient history" and comparing it to watching grainy 1960s NFL reels.

One particularly bitter take referenced Jones' public trophy grab from Jimmy Johnson:

"The shot of him grabbing the trophy outta Jimmy Johnson's hands paints the perfect picture of the franchise in my lifetime — well, minus the trophy lol. F**ck you Jerry, I'll start caring again once you're finally gone."

Some even suggested the timing was a copycat move after The Last Dance, with one commenter saying, "Jerry saw The Last Dance and thought to himself, 'Shoot, we haven't been relevant since the 90s as well…'"

With the Cowboys brand still one of the most valuable in sports, Netflix is banking on the mix of archival spectacle, modern player interviews, and controversy to cut through the preseason noise. Whether fans tune in out of nostalgia, curiosity, or sheer dislike for Jones, America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys will arrive ready to rehash one of the NFL's most combustible dynasties — whether anyone asked for it or not.