John Harbaugh, Giants to host Cowboys in Week 1 on 'Sunday Night Football' - ESPN

John Harbaugh will make his New York Giants debut in primetime against one of their biggest rivals.

The NFL announced Monday that the Giants will host the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13 in the first «Sunday Night Football» game of the 2026 season.

It will mark the eighth time since 2012 that the NFC East rivals will square off in their season opener. The Cowboys won six of their past seven Week 1 games against the Giants.

The Giants hope to reverse that trend under Harbaugh, who was hired by New York in January after spending the previous 18 seasons as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

Harbaugh inherits a Giants team that has finished last in the NFC East in back-to-back seasons and has only one postseason appearance since 2016.

The Giants also have struggled recently against the Cowboys, going 1-9 against Dallas over the past five seasons.

Dallas is always a national television draw as «America's Team,» and New York could get more primetime exposure with Harbaugh coaching and Jaxson Dart established as the franchise quarterback coming off his eventful rookie year.

If healthy, it would also be the first meaningful game between Dart and Dak Prescott. While each started the season finale on Jan. 4, both teams were eliminated from playoff contention by then.

This also could be the NFL debuts for a pair of former Ohio State teammates: Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, taken with the fifth pick, and Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, drafted not long after at No. 11.

Dallas at New York also means neither of those teams will be the visitor at Seattle on Wednesday night, Sept. 9, when the defending champion Seahawks unveil their Super Bowl banner and kick off the season.

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