The pandemic kept the Cowboys at home for training camp in 2020, the first time they didn’t travel outside DFW for at least part of the summer. Happy days are here again: The Cowboys are returning to Oxnard, California, again this summer.
The Cowboys made it official Tuesday, announcing they will make a 15th trip to Oxnard. It marks the team’s 42nd summer in Southern California.
Dallas opens camp July 22, and the annual camp opening ceremony will take place Saturday, July 24.
“We’re looking forward to getting back to training camp in Oxnard and getting back to normal,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “I view the team’s return to Oxnard as a very positive sign that the Cowboys and the NFL are moving one big step closer toward the traditional camp, preseason and regular season experience that we have been accustomed to for generations, and that includes everything from the players, the fans at practice, the media, and, of course, the great weather in Southern California.
“We learned last year that the absence of NFL preseason games, and the training camps being closed to the public, were things that our fans really missed as part of the ramp-up period heading into the regular season. We believe our approach to this year’s camp and preseason will help us provide a safely managed return to the July and August weeks that have been such an important part of our country’s football culture for decades. This time of team-building and preparation will serve as a strong foundation for a successful 2021 season for all 32 of the NFL clubs—and most importantly the fans of all of those teams.”
The Cowboys play in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 5. After that game, they return to California for a joint practice session with the Rams at the River Ridge Fields in Oxnard on Saturday, Aug. 7.
The Cowboys conclude the Southern California portion of camp on Thursday, Aug. 12, flying to Arizona for a preseason game against the Cardinals on Aug. 13 before returning home.
