Country icon Dolly Parton passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 80, which caused countless people to go back and revisit some of the biggest moments from her life and career.
For Dallas Cowboys fans, the moment is easy to highlight. They wanted to go back and celebrate her halftime show from a Thanksgiving game at AT&T Stadium.
Back on Nov. 23, 2023, the Cowboys played the rival Commanders while continuing a longstanding tradition of hosting a Thanksgiving game. The Cowboys jumped out to a 20-10 lead in the first half, and then they headed into the locker room.
The players and coaches prepared for the second half while the assembled fans at AT&T Stadium took in a wildly entertaining show.
Dolly Parton has sadly passed away at 80.
Parton delivered one of the most iconic halftime shows for the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
RIP to one of the greatest of all time 🕊️🙏 pic.twitter.com/3Jqbw9zjq6
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 25, 2026
Parton took to the stage while dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She then kicked off the show by performing her hit song, Jolene. She then switched to 9 to 5, another popular song from her catalogue.
The halftime show also featured the longtime performer covering someone else’s material. She closed out the show with a rendition of Queen’s We Are the Champions and We Will Rock You.
Once the show ended, the Cowboys and Commanders returned to the field. Neither team scored during the third quarter, but the Cowboys took control during the fourth.
Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter while Brandon Aubrey hit a field goal. DaRon Bland then contributed with a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown.
These plays helped the Cowboys close out a dominant 45-10 win over a rival team and move to 8-3 on the season.
The Cowboys have long hosted prominent music artists during the Thanksgiving game. Post Malone, LeAnn Rimes, Thomas Rhett, the Jonas Brothers, Luke Combs, Meghan Trainor, and Pitbull are only some examples of the guests.
Yet, Parton’s performance stands out for countless football fans as one that they will forever remember fondly.
