It's the day Dallas Cowboys fans have anxiously awaited. Sunday is the home opener against the New York Giants.

From decked-out trucks lining the streets to festive music filling the air, thousands of Dallas Cowboys' fans packed the parking lots of AT&T Stadium to tailgate ahead of the home opener. That included superfan Jose Maturino.

"We set up TVs, we have a DJ, and we put the tailgate on before the game," Maturino said.

Maturino founded Rowdy Nation Cowboys Tailgaters in 2020. Now, it has about 60 members.

"I've been a Cowboys fan since 1986, so I lived through the Super Bowl years in the 90s," Maturino said.

Tommy Salgado saw the Cowboys win the Super Bowl almost 30 years ago when he was a high school junior.

"I went to the parade. Everybody always asks, 'Why are you still a Cowboys fan? You need to jump ship,' and I say, 'I saw it. I saw the glory years," Salgado said.

Rowdy Nation's setup began Saturday.

"We got here around 3:00. If you're a diehard fan, you're diehard out here," Xavier Amos said.

Amos said he's been a Cowboys fan for more than five decades.

"I've been a fan since '73. I'm 52 right now, so since '73, so ever since I was born," Amos said.

It's not every day you see a horse tailgating, but that's what fans took in when Michael Duncan and his horse, Ranger, walked down the sidewalk. Ranger sported his cowboy hat and oversized bling Cowboys necklace.

"We come to a couple of games every year, and he tailgates," Duncan said.

Ranger has an ID here so he can get into the bars and get fans into the team spirit.

"He just motivates a lot of people. Has a lot of fun, and he brings a lot of happiness and joy to everybody," Duncan said.

Ranger is a star in his own right. He has his own Instagram page, @thebarhorses, as he is well known in North Texas.

"Ranger always wears a cowboy hat," Duncan said. "He's a social horse, so he's been in over 400 bars and restaurants around town."

Ranger puts his best hoof forward and hopes for a playoff berth this season.