Stephen A. Smith and Adam Schefter are back at it over the Dallas Cowboys, and this time the disagreement has a 2026 backdrop.
With the season less than two weeks away, Schefter has been making the case that Dallas is ready to matter. Smith, who has spent years hammering the Cowboys on his show, is already preparing for another chance to say he was right. The two ESPN personalities made that split pretty clear this week.
Schefter took his shot Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” and he did not soften the message.
“I got some bad news for Stephen A. Smith.
The Dallas Cowboys are coming. They are coming this year and Stephen A. is going to be tested," he said.
"I'm telling you right now, it's going to be a long, nervous, anxious year for Stephen A. Smith.
Be ready.”
Smith answered on social media and kept the back-and-forth going.
"OMG! (Adam Schefter) has to get TESTED. He just went on (Get Up), mentioned MY NAME, and swore that the (Dallas Cowboys) are coming," Smith said.
"Like I'm supposed to be worried. They've got the great Schefty hooked now.
So sad! I can't believe I have to tell HIM.....
'Just be patient! Wait for the fall.
It's coming.'
Schefter’s confidence in Dallas has been consistent all offseason. On Wednesday, he pointed to the Cowboys’ quiet summer as one reason he likes their chances, especially after years of contract drama around the franchise.
He also laid out the football case for the team on his podcast in July, when he said the roster has enough talent to make a real run and praised the defensive changes Dallas made.
"Here's a team that has enough talent, again, to make a deep playoff run," Schefter said. "And everyone knows the Dallas Cowboy defense has been under fire and in question."
"And what did the Dallas Cowboys do? They went out and they dramatically upgraded their defense, which has to give people hope. It's not just coaches, it's players," he added.
"New coaches, new players, and if this defense is as improved as Dallas thinks, then Dallas becomes dangerous for the 2026 season," Schefter concluded.
The Cowboys have indeed overhauled plenty on that side of the ball. Dallas moved on from Matt Eberflus and brought in Christian Parker, then traded for Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Cobie Durant, P.J. Locke and Jalen Thompson, and drafted Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham, among others.
Jerry Jones also added Von Miller to help the edge rushers room after those moves, keeping the defensive reset going.
That all comes on top of last year’s additions, Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, giving Dallas a long list of new pieces as it tries to get the defense moving in the right direction under Parker.
There’s still no certainty until the games start, but the early signs have been encouraging enough for Schefter to believe the Cowboys can make noise. And if that happens, Smith will be waiting with the same old response.
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