Dallas Cowboys HISTORY

Dallas Cowboys Team History

The Cowboys are the most successful team in the history of the NFL, holding the league records for most consecutive winning seasons and most seasons with at least 10 wins. The Cowboys have also earned the most postseason appearances, which includes another league record of 54 postseason games. The Cowboys also have the most appearances in the NFC Championship Game, and the most Super Bowl appearances.

The Dallas Cowboys are also seen as a Hall of Fame factory. Dallas produced some of the greatest players to every play in the NFL. I will always remember the likes of Tony Dorsett, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman.

The Cowboys also played in two NFL championship games before the NFL's 1970 merger with the American Football League. The Cowboys became the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in just four years-- a feat that has only been matched once by the New England Patriots. The Cowboys are known as America's team for their massive fan base that started in the 1960’s and 70’s. Forbes Magazine still lists the Dallas Cowboys as one of the most valuable North American sports franchises.

The Cowboys are worth an estimated value of approximately $1.5 billion, ahead of the Washington Redskins ($1.467 billion) and the New England Patriots ($1.199 billion). 'Da Boys' are also one of the wealthiest teams in the NFL, generating almost $250 million in annual revenue.

The Dallas Cowboys are arguably the most successful sports franchise of the modern era. The Cowboys have more victories on Monday Night Football (40) than any other NFL team. Dallas also holds NFL records for the most consecutive winning seasons with 20 from 1966 to 1985 and the most seasons with at least 10 wins. Dallas has earned the most postseason appearances in NFL history as well and in their 54 postseason appearances, Dallas won a commanding, 32 games

Dallas Cowboys Memorable Moments

The Dallas Cowboys were granted an NFL franchise on January 28th, 1960.

The Dallas Cowboys recorded first preseason win with a 14-3 victory over the New York Giants on August 27th, 1960.

December 31, 1967, NFC Championship Game "The Ice Bowl" vs. Green Bay Packers - Green Bay wins on a late fourth quarter quarterback sneak by Bart Starr to defeat the Cowboys, 21-17 in brutally cold conditions. The official game-time temperature was -13 °F / -25 °C, with a wind chill around -48 °F / -44 °C. The bitter cold overwhelmed Lambeau's new turf heating system, leaving the playing surface hard as a rock and nearly as smooth as ice, hence the nickname, "The Ice Bowl".

January 17, 1971, Super Bowl V vs. Baltimore Colts - Linebacker Chuck Howley is named Super Bowl MVP, despite the Cowboys losing to the Colts 16-13.

December 28, 1975, at Minnesota Vikings, NFC Divisional Playoff Game - The term Hail Mary pass first came to national awareness with this game. With 24 seconds left in the game, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, nicknamed "Captain Comeback", threw a desperate 50-yard winning touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to defeat the Vikings, 17-14. Staubach, a Catholic, said that he "closed his eyes and said a Hail Mary." 

January 3, 1983, at Minnesota Vikings - Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett sets an NFL record for the longest run from scrimmage with a 99-yard touchdown. Oddly, the Cowboys only had 10 players on the field at the time. The Vikings however won the game 31-27.

January 31, 1993, vs. Buffalo Bills, Super Bowl XXVII - With the Cowboys holding an insurmountable 52-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, Dallas defensive lineman Leon Lett picked up a Bills fumble and appeared to be headed for a 64-yard touchdown. As Lett started to showboat just before crossing the goal line, Buffalo receiver Don Beebe raced in and knocked the ball into the end zone. The ball then rolled out of bounds for a touchback. Had Lett scored, the Cowboys would have broken the record for most points scored in a Super Bowl.

November 25, 1993, vs. Miami Dolphins - On the day of the annual Thanksgiving Classic (the Detroit Lions also play every Thanksgiving), the city of Dallas would be hit with the 4th coldest weather in the town's history, causing the city $50 million worth of damage and two deaths in Dallas County. Originally designed to be a domed roof, the prototype was too costly, leaving a hole in the middle. Though patrons of the stadium were covered, the playing field was not. Before the game, a bulldozer had to scrape ice off the frozen field. The temperature was 32 degrees and with the wind chill in single digits, ice and snow continued to pour into the stadium's roof. "It was so bad that we might as well have worn ice skates," said running back Emmitt Smith, who became the 4th all-time rusher that day, surpassing 5,000 yards despite a game-ending injury the week before.

January 2, 1994, at New York Giants - In the final game of the regular season, running back Emmitt Smith rushed for 168 yards, including 41 of them in the game-winning overtime drive, despite suffering a severely 2nd degree separated shoulder in the first half of the game.

November 18, 1996, vs. Green Bay Packers - Kicker Chris Boniol kicked seven field goals, tying the NFL record for most field goals in a single game. Seven years later on September 15, 2003, Dallas kicker Billy Cundiff would tie that record against the Giants.

September 24, 2000, vs. San Francisco 49ers - Best known as the "Star Incident", 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens celebrated his two touchdowns against the Cowboys by running to the center of Texas Stadium. The first TD by holding his hands out to the heavens and the second by slamming the ball into the Cowboys star logo just before former Cowboy standout safety George Teague caught up with Owens and blasted him off of the star, leading to a near midfield brawl by both teams.

In between Owens' two touchdowns, Emmitt Smith scored a TD of his own, ran and kneeled onto the star himself, slammed the ball down, and stared down the 49ers bench yelling "This is our house!". This led to the popular "Defend the Star" slogan used for Emmitt Smith's rush for the record in 2002.

September 19, 2005, vs. Washington Redskins - Three former Cowboys were picked to be placed in the Ring of Honor in 2005 - running back Emmitt Smith, wide receiver Michael Irvin and quarterback Troy Aikman. Known throughout the league as "The Triplets", they were the backbone of a team that would win three Super Bowls in 4 years. The trifecta became the first players from the Jerry Jones era to be placed into the Ring of Honor. 

Dallas Cowboys Records

All-time regular season franchise record: 411 - 300 - 6
All-time playoff franchise record: 32 - 23
All-time franchise passing leader: Troy Aikman - 32942 yards
All-time franchise rushing leader: Emmitt Smith - 17162 yards
All-time franchise receiving leader: Michael Irvin - 11904 yards

Playoff Results

2006
NFC Wildcard Game: lost 20 - 21 at Seattle Seahawks

2003
NFC Wildcard Game: lost 10 - 29 at Carolina Panthers

1999
NFC Wildcard Game: lost 10 - 27 at Minnesota Vikings

1998
NFC Wildcard Game: lost 7 - 20 vs. Arizona Cardinals

1996
NFC Wildcard Game: won 40 - 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 17 - 26 at Carolina Panthers

1995
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 30 - 11 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Championship Game: won 38 - 27 vs. Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl: won 27 - 17 at Pittsburgh Steelers

1994
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 35 - 9 vs. Green Bay Packers
NFC Championship Game: lost 28 - 38 at San Francisco 49ers

1993
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 27 - 17 vs. Green Bay Packers
NFC Championship Game: won 38 - 21 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl: won 30 - 13 at Buffalo Bills

1992
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 34 - 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Championship Game: won 30 - 20 at San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl: won 52 - 17 at Buffalo Bills

1991
NFC Wildcard Game: won 17 - 13 at Chicago Bears
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 6 - 38 at Detroit Lions

1985
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 0 - 20 at Los Angeles Rams

1983
NFC Wildcard Game: lost 17 - 24 vs. Los Angeles Rams

1982
NFC Wildcard Game: won 30 - 17 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 37 - 26 vs. Green Bay Packers
NFC Championship Game: lost 17 - 31 at Washington Redskins

1981
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 38 - 0 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Championship Game: lost 27 - 28 at San Francisco 49ers

1980
NFC Wildcard Game: won 34 - 13 vs. Los Angeles Rams
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 30 - 27 at Atlanta Falcons
NFC Championship Game: lost 7 - 20 at Philadelphia Eagles

1979
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 19 - 21 vs. Los Angeles Rams

1978
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 27 - 20 vs. Atlanta Falcons
NFC Championship Game: won 28 - 0 at Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl: lost 31 - 35 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

1977
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 37 - 7 vs. Chicago Bears
NFC Championship Game: won 23 - 6 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Super Bowl: won 27 - 10 at Denver Broncos

1976
NFC Divisional Playoff: lost 12 - 14 vs. Los Angeles Rams

1975
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 17 - 14 at Minnesota Vikings
NFC Championship Game: won 37 - 7 at Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl: lost 17 - 21 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

1973
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 27 - 16 vs. Los Angeles Rams
NFC Championship Game: lost 10 - 27 vs. Minnesota Vikings

1972
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 30 - 28 at San Francisco 49ers
NFC Championship Game: lost 3 - 26 at Washington Redskins

1971
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 20 - 12 at Minnesota Vikings
NFC Championship Game: won 14 - 3 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl: won 24 - 3 at Miami Dolphins

1970
NFC Divisional Playoff: won 5 - 0 vs. Detroit Lions
NFC Championship Game: won 17 - 10 at San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl: lost 13 - 16 vs. Baltimore Colts

1969
NFL Divisional Playoff: lost 14 - 38 vs. Cleveland Browns

1968
NFL Divisional Playoff: lost 20 - 31 at Cleveland Browns

1967
NFL Divisional Playoff: won 52 - 14 vs. Cleveland Browns
NFL Championship Game: lost 17 - 21 at Green Bay Packers

1966
NFL Championship Game: lost 27 - 34 vs. Green Bay Packers

All-time playoff record: 32 - 23

SOURCE: Pro Football Reference