NFL

Dallas mayor wants Chiefs to join Cowboys as city's second NFL team

Could the Chiefs become the second NFL team in the Dallas area?

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It never hurts to shoot your shot.

Such is the case with Eric Johnson, the mayor of Dallas who is hoping for a second NFL franchise to come to the city alongside the Cowboys.

After news broke on Tuesday night that voters in Jackson County, Mo., rejected a sales tax measure that would've renovated Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson took to social media to show his interest.

"Welcome home, Dallas Texans!" Johnson wrote on X, along with a smiley emoji and the hashtag #CottonBowl, the popular venue in Dallas.

Then on Wednesday morning in a statement to the Dallas Morning News, Johnson said: "Dallas was named the top sports city in the United States because we play to win. As I have said previously, our market is big enough, growing enough, and loves football more than enough to support a second NFL team—especially a franchise (and an owner) with deep roots here."

Lamar Hunt founded the Dallas Texans in 1959 and the team played at the Cotton Bowl before relocating to Kansas City and rebranding as the Chiefs in 1963. Clark Hunt, son of Lamar and current owner, resides in Dallas.

Johnson had previously stated his interest in bringing a second NFL team to the city in 2022.

But if the Chiefs were to move back to Dallas, the franchise would face a similar situation to what's currently ongoing: finding public funds.

The Cowboys currently play in Arlington, and they haven't actually played in Dallas since 1971.

The Chiefs had hoped that winning three Super Bowls in five years would sway voters in their favor, but that hasn't been the case yet. The current lease at Truman Sports Complex, where the Royals also play at Kauffman Stadium, lasts through Jan. 31, 2031.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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