One Texas Monthly writer submits that it’s time for the Houston Texans to hold that title.
DALLAS — It’s been another tough year for America’s Team, as once again, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves not in playoff contention, ending their year with a 7-9-1 record.
At the same time, the Houston Texans have had a strong year with a 12-5 record, finding themselves playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday night in the Wild Card Round.
That being said, given their lack of success over the last few decades, can the Dallas Cowboys still be considered America’s Team? Well, at least one Texas Monthly writer says it’s time to give the Texans that title.
“The Dallas Cowboys have long been encumbered by that moniker, and although it has helped them with prime-time scheduling, there’s no strong case to be made that it’s served their team or the nation particularly well,” Dan Solomon wrote for Texas Monthly. “These days the Cowboys are a fading empire, and any Super Bowl dreams their fans still cling to are a testament to a sort of zealotry that borders on delusion.”
Though the Texans are the NFL’s youngest team, and the name is pretty one-state specific, Solomon argues that they embody the legend of America itself better than any other.
“Much like America back in 1776—which took shape as tenured European empires dominated the globe—the Texans are the newest comers to their arena and were forged out of nothing,” he writes. “Building something out of whole cloth, the way the Texans did, is one of the more difficult things to do in sports.”
What do you think? Is it time to give the title of America’s Team to someone else? If so, who would you pick?