Cowboys PR – The Dallas Cowboys public relations staff was named the 2026 Pete Rozelle Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America, a first for the franchise. The Cowboys were selected for professionalism with reporters covering the team, topping finalists
The Cowboys PR staff didn’t just earn praise behind the scenes—it earned the NFL media spotlight, too.
The Dallas Cowboys public relations staff was selected as the 2026 Pete Rozelle Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America. The team’s staff became the 37th winner of the award, and it’s a first for the Cowboys in franchise history.
For beat writers and other reporters. the win reflects what the Rozelle Award is built to measure: consistent excellence in how an NFL club’s communications group deals with and supports the media. The Cowboys’ selection comes with a clear standard—professionalism that doesn’t fade once a season swings into routine.
The Cowboys weren’t alone at the finish line. The other 2026 finalists for the Rozelle Award were the Vikings and Seahawks.
The award carries the name of Pete Rozelle. the NFL commissioner from 1960-89. whose career in sports PR began while he was a student at both Compton (Calif.) Junior College and the University of San Francisco. It’s the kind of detail that matters here because the award isn’t about headlines—it’s about relationships that keep reporters working and teams understood.
During the 2025 season. the Cowboys’ football communications staff included Tad Carper (senior vice president of communications). Scott Agulnek (director of football communications). David Abbruzese (public relations manager). Bronte Hermesmeyer (public relations coordinator). Whitney Faulkner (public and community relations program manager) and Kalie Smith (football communications seasonal intern).
The Rozelle Award finalist pedigree also shaped the story of the Cowboys PR group’s work. The Cowboys were a finalist for the award for the third time in the last four years—making appearances in 2023. 2024. and 2026. In 2025. that work included facilitating access for beat writers to head coach Brian Schottenheimer. assistant coaches and players along with owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones and front office personnel throughout the season.
One thread runs through the facts: the Cowboys kept showing up as a finalist, and in 2026 they finally converted that sustained trust into a win—an award that specifically rewards how a club respects the press while doing its job every day.
Cowboys PR Pete Rozelle Award Professional Football Writers of America NFL communications Brian Schottenheimer Jerry Jones Vikings Seahawks
So the Cowboys PR guys won something… cool? like does that mean they’ll actually win games too lol
I read this as they won the Rozelle Award for the whole team?? Then it’s PR staff, which is kinda random but whatever. If reporters are happy, I guess Jerry wins twice.
Wait, Pete Rozelle award is like PR right? I thought it was for coaching or something. But this says “supports the media” and that Vikings/Seahawks were finalists so I’m guessing it’s just who’s best at press conferences? Either way Dallas doing PR since 2025 sounds like a lot of work for a trophy.
Tad Carper, Scott Agulnek, David Abbruzese… okay so they named a bunch of people and everyone’s supposed to be impressed. Meanwhile the actual Cowboys still draft weird and choke in big moments. PR awards are nice but I don’t trust anything that doesn’t show up on the scoreboard.