The San Francisco 49ers and especially the Dallas Cowboys owned the NFL in the 1990s. So much so that if you told a fan of either franchise back then that these two teams would be facing off in a regular old, run-of-the-mill, Sunday afternoon matchup, they may look at you like you have three eyes.
But such will be the case during the 2026 NFL season when these two teams go head-to-head. And even though both the Cowboys and 49ers figure to be in the mix for the NFC this season, they've fallen from grace a bit from their heydays and don't automatically trigger a primetime showdown.
San Francisco is undoubtedly ahead of Dallas in the process of returning to that greatness, but they just haven't been able to get over the hump. The Cowboys, of course, are hoping that they can give the 49ers a nudge in the wrong direction when they meet in Week 10 for an NFC bout.
To continue with our series of previewing each of Dallas' 2026 opponents, we figured we'd brush up on information coming out of San Francisco. So, we spoke to Peter Panacy of Niner Noise, FanSided's dedicated 49ers site.
He peeled back the curtain a bit, and Cowboys fans will want to read all he says to say.
Dallas Cowboys fans now have critical info ahead of rivalry re-igniting Week 10 game vs 49ers
Q: This is a historic NFC rivalry, and these two teams may actually both be in the mix again this year! What are you looking forward to most about this classic matchup?
A: It's hard to say, since the rivalry certainly lost a lot of flair from those heyday years of the 1990s. Back then, it was personal. Now? Not so much. But it'll be cool watching Osa Odighizuwa square off against his former squad, and it'd be fitting for him to come up with a big play.Â
Q: You guys came under a lot of fire for your 2026 draft class. Have those specific rookies been proving people wrong during the offseason program? Are any other first-year players poised for big roles?
A: De'Zhaun Stribling might take a year to truly get acclimated. Rookie receivers don't often wind up shining for Kyle Shanahan right away, although Stribling loves to block. Shanahan loves that. I'm curious about Kaelon Black. The rest of the offense seems enamored with him, and if he secures the backup role behind Christian McCaffrey, it'll be that much better. And Gracen Halton might leap two second-year defensive tackles, Alfred Collins and C.J. West, right out of the gate.
Q: San Francisco and Dallas made a trade this offseason, and you guys ended up with Osa Odighizuwa. How has he fared thus far during practices, and what kind of role do you envision for him this year?
A: As advertised, at least in as much as one can observe in padless practices. Just getting him as a disruptor should open up plenty of chances for San Francisco's outside pass-rushers.Â
Q: Outside of adding Mike Evans and Odighizuwa, it was a fairly quiet offseason for the 49ers. Does the SF front office feel like injuries were the sole reason for falling short last year, and health is the answer to a Super Bowl run in 2026?
A: Honestly, 2025 exceeded expectations. After cutting costs (and players) from 2024, the vibe going into 2025 was much more of a "let's see what happens," so winning 12 games and pulling off a Wild Card victory had to be a pleasant surprise. But getting both Evans and Odighizuwa indicate the Niners' Super Bowl window remains open, although one could argue the "real" Super Bowl will be winning the NFC West, particularly with the Rams and Seahawks both in prime position to pull off a Lombardi Trophy.
Q: What is the latest with Brandon Aiyuk? Is there any chance he suits up for the 49ers in Week 10 for this game?
A: Zero. Honestly, it's about the same chance now for him suiting up for any team in Week 10.
Q: What was the biggest or most impactful move that the 49ers made this offseason?
A: Evans and Odighizuwa were the key high-profile adds, but the reunion with Dre Greenlaw could be the spark that re-ignites the Niners defense. Provided he's healthy (and that can be a tall ask), Greenlaw's energy and big-play ability were sorely missing from San Francisco's defense the last two years.
Q: Is there an egregious weakness on this San Francisco roster that the Cowboys can take advantage of?
A: Safety. And then safety. After that, safety.
The Dallas Cowboys will host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10 of the 2026 NFL season at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 3:25 p.m. CT.
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