The Dallas Cowboys are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs at AT&T Stadium this Thanksgiving, one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2025 NFL season. Searches for “Cowboys vs Chiefs” have soared by 31% in the past week, reaching 51,000 monthly searches as fans gear up for one of football’s biggest holiday events.
A major part of the Thanksgiving tradition in Dallas is the halftime show, which continues to grow in scale each year thanks to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The DCC have gained new cultural momentum since their Netflix series went viral, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at the rigorous process of making the squad. That popularity, combined with the Cowboys’ massive reach, means this year’s halftime headliner will face immense expectations.
While the official performer has yet to be revealed, experts at TicketSource have crunched 25 years of halftime show data to forecast who could take center stage. Their analysis factors in artist trends, current tours, and promotional cycles to determine the most likely candidates for the 2025 show.
Who Could Headline the 2025 Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show?
Morgan Wallen tops the list of potential performers. With country dominating seven of the last ten halftime lineups, Wallen’s ongoing success and new releases position him as a strong favorite. His mix of classic country and pop appeal mirrors last year’s Lainey Wilson performance, which blended youth, energy, and chart-topping hits.
Justin Timberlake also ranks high among predictions. His long-standing connection with the NFL and the release of his 2024-25 tour and album Everything I Thought It Was align perfectly with the show’s history of booking artists in active promotion cycles. Like the Jonas Brothers in 2022, Timberlake could balance nostalgia and family-friendly entertainment.
Post Malone brings another intriguing angle as a Texas native. His crossover success with country, pop, rock, and hip-hop gives him wide appeal, while his local roots could echo past Cowboys performers like Selena Gomez. His No. 1 country single “I Had Some Help” has already solidified his versatility and fan base in the Lone Star State.
Luke Bryan could return as a familiar face. Known for his Las Vegas residency and family-oriented style, Bryan would follow the Cowboys’ occasional pattern of revisiting proven crowd favorites. His performance would offer a mix of consistency and nostalgia for long-time fans.
Finally, Olivia Rodrigo could inject fresh energy into the lineup. Her GUTS world tour stretches into 2025, and her youth-driven sound aligns with the NFL’s push toward younger audiences. Like Selena Gomez and Ellie Goulding before her, Rodrigo could provide a pop-focused alternative to the country-heavy lineup of recent years.
Across all predictions, several patterns emerge: country or country-pop performers dominate 70% of halftime shows, pop artists rotate in every two to three years, and most performers have major tours or albums within six months of Thanksgiving. Regional bias also plays a part, with artists from Texas or the South more likely to take the stage.
As anticipation grows, one thing is certain: the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving halftime show remains a spectacle that blends football, music, and entertainment into a uniquely American tradition.
