With the start of every NFL training camp comes a renewed sense of hope. And as camp gets underway for the Dallas Cowboys this week, the franchise and its rabid fan base are hoping that this 2025 campaign doesn't become the 30th in a row to end in disappointment.
The last time America's Team hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, of course, was following the 1995 season, with Dallas securing a third Super Bowl win in four years with a 27-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That season also marked the last time Dallas appeared in the NFC Championship Game. And with the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders ending droughts of their own over the past two years, the Cowboys are now the only team in the NFC that has failed to make the conference title game this century.
But Dallas offensive guard Tyler Smith believes this historic franchise's fortune is about to change. When asked about expectations for this 2025 team upon arriving at Cowboys camp in Oxnard, the two-time Pro Bowler was emphatic in his response:
"Super Bowl champions," Smith said. "That's always the expectation. I think it's a realistic goal, yeah. Because we can win a Super Bowl. Why not? Why can't we win? Do you think it's unrealistic?"
Oddsmakers certainly don't seem to think it's realistic, as the Cowboys currently don't even rank in the top half of the league when it comes to Super Bowl 60 betting odds, sitting in 18th at DraftKings at +5000.
But Smith remained adamant that his team can compete for a title.
Tyler Smith loves what the Cowboys have done during the offseason
Coming off a disappointing 7-10 season after going 12-5 in each of the previous three years, the Cowboys had a busy offseason, replacing head coach Mike McCarthy with Brian Schottenheimer and adding a plethora of new players to the roster via free agency, trades, and, of course, the NFL draft.
While both sides of the ball got a boost, Smith naturally chose to focus on the additions made to the offense, specifically mentioning new wide receiver George Pickens and the franchise's first-round draft pick, fellow guard Tyler Booker.
"I think we built a great core on offense; the addition of George and all the other key pieces," Smith said. "I think drafting Booker; he's going to be a hell of a guy just to bolster the front line. And we have many guys across the board, but those are some of the guys who are the key pieces on what we do this year."
Another of those pieces, of course, is three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott, who sat out the second half of the season last year after suffering a devastating right hamstring injury in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons, one that required surgery as his tendon partially tore away from the bone.
Prescott has participated in all of the team's offseason activities and barring some sort of setback during training camp, he'll be good to come Week 1 against the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles.
As Dak goes, the Dallas offense will go. And for Smith's prediction to come to fruition, the Cowboys will undoubtedly need him to bounce back with a special season.