NFL valuations for 2026 keep climbing, with Cowboys at the league standard and Jets pushing into the elite tier

The business value of NFL franchises continues to rise sharply as teams head into the 2026 season. CBS Sports, citing Sportico’s annual team valuation report, reported that the average NFL franchise is now worth $9.34 billion, a 31% increase from last year’s average of $7.13 billion. The article also describes the 2026 figure as the largest single-year jump in at least a decade.

That level of growth helps explain why NFL ownership has remained one of the most durable investments in major league sports. With an average valuation now at roughly nine-figure scale, the report underscores how stadium economics, media rights, and national brand value have continued to compound for the league even as costs in other areas have risen.

The Cowboys were referenced as the league’s “standard,” indicating that Dallas continues to set the benchmark for top-end valuation within the NFL’s ownership ranks. Meanwhile, the Jets were described as cracking the top five, a sign that the franchise’s market value has accelerated into the uppermost group of league ownership. The Seahawks were also mentioned as being in a “sell” category, reflecting the report’s focus on team values and ownership market pricing rather than on on-field performance.

While the broader average paints the clearest picture, the headline numbers also matter because they influence how owners think about long-term leverage, fundraising, and succession planning. Higher valuations can strengthen an ownership group’s balance sheet flexibility, though they also raise the stakes for new buyers and potential partial-stake transactions.

The CBS Sports write-up characterizes the 2026 change as the league’s greatest year-over-year value increase in more than 10 years. Even without every franchise-specific number in the public summary, the direction is consistent: NFL assets are being re-priced upward across the market, and that re-pricing appears to be broad enough to move the average meaningfully.

For fans, the practical takeaway is that NFL teams increasingly operate in a finance-driven environment where the cost of building a contender is balanced against the rising ceiling of franchise value. The valuations also create pressure for teams to turn early investments into sustained roster quality, because the gap between “top tier” and “middle tier” value can amplify over time. Next, the league will likely be watched for how these valuations translate into ownership priorities during the next offseason cycle.

One caveat is that this reporting is driven by the valuation methodology used in Sportico’s report and by the specific framing presented in the CBS Sports summary. Until full franchise-by-franchise figures are reviewed directly, the most responsible way to interpret the story is as a league-wide re-pricing with a clear top tier that includes the Cowboys, and notable movement into elite status for teams such as the Jets, while other franchises remain subject to distinct market dynamics reflected in the report’s language.