Dallas Cowboys: Encyclopedia II - Dallas Cowboys - Franchise history

Dallas Cowboys - Franchise history

Dallas Cowboys - 1960s

Originally, the formation of an NFL expansion team in Texas was met with strong opposition by Washington Redskins owner, George Preston Marshall. Despite being located in the nation's capital, Marshall's Redskins had enjoyed a monopoly as the only NFL team to represent the Southern States of the US for several decades, so a new team in Texas was unwanted competition. This came as little surprise to would-be team owners, Clint Murchison, Jr. and Bedford Wynne, so to ensure the birth of their expansion team, the men bought the rights to the Redskins fight song, "Hail to the Redskins" and threatened to refuse to allow Marshall to play the song at games. Needing the song, which had become a staple for his "professional football team of Dixie", Marshall changed his tune, and the city of Dallas, Texas, was granted an NFL franchise on January 28, 1960. This early confrontation between the two franchises no doubt triggered what would become one of the more significant rivalries in the NFL, which continues even to this day.

The new Dallas owners, Murchison and Wynne, immediately hired Tex Schramm to be the general manager and Tom Landry to be the head coach. In the Cowboys' first season, they finished winless with a 0-11-1 record. The following year, the Cowboys made their first NFL draft selection, selecting Bob Lilly with the 13th pick in the draft. The year 1961 also saw the Cowboys' first victory, a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 17.

During the 1960s, the Cowboys continued to improve their team. Quarterback Don Meredith and running back Don Perkins joined the team and by 1966, the Cowboys had their first winning season (10-3-1; which began a record-setting streak of 20 straight winning seasons, unmatched by any other NFL team) and their first playoff appearance. Although the playoff game was a 34-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, it marked the start of a record-setting eight consecutive playoff appearances. (The Cowboys would later match and extend that record, raising the bar to an NFL record 9 straight playoff appearances in 1983.) By the mid-60s, the Cowboys had become a powerful force in the NFL, sending eight players to the Pro Bowl including Cowboy legends: Bob Hayes, Chuck Howley, "Dandy" Don Meredith, Don Perkins, and future Pro Football Hall of Famers, Bob Lilly and Mel Renfro.

Similarly, the Cowboys were becoming an important part of the people of Dallas. For their first years, the Cowboys were always playing second fiddle to Lamar Hunt's Dallas Texans of the AFL because the Texans were the more established team and had the better record. But in 1963 when the Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cowboys became the only professional football draw in town. By 1969, ground was being broken on a new stadium for the Cowboys to replace the Cotton Bowl. Texas Stadium in Irving, a Dallas County suburb, would be completed for the 1971 season. Since they didn't leave Dallas County, there were no moves to change the name of the team.

In 1967, the Cowboys finished with a 9-5 record and had their first playoff victory: a 52-14 affair over the Cleveland Browns. They went on to face the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship game. The game, which happened on December 31, 1967 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, turned out to be one of the coldest NFL games on record (about -13° F with a -40° wind chill). The Cowboys lost 21-17 on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Packers quarterback Bart Starr. The game would later come to be known as the "Ice Bowl."

Dallas Cowboys - 1970s

In the 1970s, the NFL underwent many changes as it absorbed the AFL and became a unified league, but the Cowboys also underwent many changes. Meredith and Perkins retired in 1969 and many new players were joining the organization, like Cliff Harris, Lee Roy Jordan, Rayfield Wright, Dan Reeves, plus Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Roger Staubach. Led by quarterback Craig Morton, the Cowboys made it to their first Super Bowl, a mistake-filled Super Bowl V, where they lost 16-13 to the Baltimore Colts courtesy of a field goal by Colts' kicker Jim O'Brien as time expired. However, the disappointing Super Bowl loss was made up for the next year when the Cowboys, led by Staubach, won their first NFL Championship in 1971, Super Bowl VI, a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

The Cowboys were now beginning to grow in popularity not just in Dallas, but nationwide. Their televised appearances on Thanksgiving Day games beginning in 1966 helped bring the Cowboys to a nationwide audience. Under Tom Landry, the so-called "Doomsday Defense" became a powerful and dominating force in the NFL and their offense was also exciting to watch.

The Cowboys faltered slightly in 1974, missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, the Cowboys drafted well following the season, adding new legends like Randy White and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. The fresh influx of talent helped the Cowboys to Super Bowl X, where the Cowboys lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-17. But the Cowboys would again taste Super Bowl victory, defeating the Denver Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl XII. Bob Ryan, an NFL films editor, would dub the Cowboys "America's Team" following this season, a nickname that stuck through both the good and bad times to come.

The glory days of the Cowboys in the 1970s were coming to an end. They would reach one final Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIII, losing once again at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-31, despite a last-minute effort by Staubach which failed. Roger Staubach retired following the 1979 season (replaced by punter Danny White, who did double-duty as quarterback and punter for a few years) and the Cowboys' stardom seemed to fade in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys - 1980s

While the Cowboys would return to the playoffs 5 times and win 2 Division Championships, the team failed to claim a single Conference Championship in the 80's and would not return to the Super Bowl during that decade.

In the 1981 NFC Championship game, the Cowboys lost to the San Francisco 49ers on a touchdown pass from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark in the final minute of play. Clark's famous leap in the end zone would come to be known as "The Catch" and represented a changing of the guard in the NFC from the dominant Cowboys teams of the 1970s to the dominant 49ers teams of the 1980s.

In 1984, H.R. "Bum" Bright purchased the Dallas Cowboys from Murchison, but following seasons that were getting progressively worse (1985: 10-6; 1986: 7-9; 1987: 7-8; 1988: 3-13), Bright sold the Cowboys to Jerry Jones on February 25, 1989. Jones promptly fired Tom Landry, the only coach the Cowboys had ever known, and replaced him with University of Miami head coach, Jimmy Johnson. This also led to the retirement of quarterback-punter Danny White, who (like Roger Staubach) worked closely with Landry. With the first pick in the draft, the Cowboys selected quarterback Troy Aikman and traded away veteran running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for five veteran players and eight draft choices. The Cowboys finished the 1989 season with a 1-15 record, the worst record since the team's inception, but the foundations for the Cowboys' return to glory had been set.

Dallas Cowboys - 1990s

In 1990, the Cowboys drafted running back Emmitt Smith and the trifecta of Aikman, Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin was now set. The Cowboys finished 7-9, but Smith was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year and Jimmy Johnson was selected as Coach of the Year. By 1991, the Cowboys finished with an 11-5 record, making the playoffs for the first time in six years.

In 1992, the Cowboys finished 13-3 (second best in the league) and exacted their revenge on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, 30-20. The Cowboys went on to defeat the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, 52-17. (Jimmy Johnson became the first coach to claim a National Championship in college football and a Super Bowl victory in professional football.) The following season, the Cowboys went 12-4, again defeating the 49ers in the NFC Championship and again defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII, this time by a margin of 30-13. The Cowboys sent an NFL record 11 players to the Pro Bowl: Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Thomas Everett, Daryl Johnston, Russell Maryland, Nate Newton, Ken Norton Jr, Jay Novacek, Mark Stepnoski and Erik Williams.

However, Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones had a falling out, so Johnson left the organization prior to the 1994 season. Jones hired former University of Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer to be the team's new head coach. The Cowboys would finish 12-4, but lost in the NFC Championship game to the 49ers, 38-28. However, another 12-4 season in 1995 would earn the Cowboys a fourth straight Division Championship (17th total) and send the Cowboys to the playoffs once more where they claimed their 8th NFC Championship title by defeating the Green Bay Packers, 38-27. The Cowboys eventually defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX, getting revenge against the Steelers for the two four-point losses in Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII.

However, the glory days of the Cowboys were again beginning to dim as free agency and injuries began taking their toll. The Cowboys went 6-10 in 1997, with discipline and off-field problems becoming major distractions, and in January of 1998, Switzer resigned. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Chan Gailey was hired to take over head coaching duties. Gailey led the team to a 10-6 record in 1998, but was let go after an 8-8 season in 1999.

Dallas Cowboys - 2000s to present

Defensive coordinator Dave Campo was promoted to head coach, but he could only post three consecutive 5-11 seasons, with his fate likely being sealed by an opening day loss in 2002 to the expansion Houston Texans. Many fans and media were beginning to blame Jerry Jones for the team's ills, noting that he refused to hire a strong coach, preferring to hire coaches that didn't want to be involved with personnel duties so that Jones himself could manage them.

However, Jones proved them wrong in 2003 by luring Bill Parcells out of retirement to coach the Cowboys. The Cowboys became the surprise team of the 2003 season, posting a 10-6 record with the best overall defense in the NFL. However, the 2004 season was one of turmoil. Injuries and persistent penalty problems hobbled the Cowboys, but a preseason quarterback controversy also caused trouble when Quincy Carter was suddenly terminated for drug use in favor of 40-year-old veteran Vinny Testaverde, brought to the Cowboys from the New York Jets by his former coach in the off-season. The Cowboys started strong, with victories against the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins, but quickly fell off to a 3-5 record by midseason, finishing the season 6-10.

The Cowboys improved their defense before the 2005-2006 season with the additions of first round draft picks Demarcus Ware and Marcus Spears. Parcells drafted these two in the hopes of jumpstarting the team's transition from the traditional 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense, which he believes favors the talents (speed and athleticism over power) of the current lineup. Jerry Jones also added a number of savvy veteran players, acquiring nose tackle Jason Ferguson and cornerback Anthony Henry via free agency, and linebacker Scott Fujita via the Kansas City Chiefs. On offense, the Cowboys felt the need to upgrade their passing game to complement their top 2004 draft pick, running back Julius Jones, acquiring both quarterback Drew Bledsoe and wide receiver Peerless Price via free agency. During his tenure, Parcells has made a point of signing players that have played for him in the past, including Bledsoe and wide receiver Terry Glenn (both with the Patriots); cornerback Aaron Glenn, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and fullback Richie Anderson (all with the Jets; Anderson is no longer with the Cowboys).

The Cowboys began their 2005 campaign on the road, winning a close road game against the San Diego Chargers 28-24. In Week 2 (a.k.a. NFL Hurricane Relief Week), the Cowboys wore their 1962 throwback jerseys for the first time this year, as they hoped to pound the Washington Redskins (one of their division rivals) into the ground. For most of the game, the Cowboys dominated the game, leading 13-0 for three quarters. Unfortunately, the defense couldn't hold off a late-game comeback and fell 14-13 to two Mark Brunell TD passes to Santana Moss. In Week 3 & 4, the Cowboys traveled to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders. The Cowboys won a close game against the Niners (34-31), but lost a tight game against the Raiders (19-13). Afterwards, the Cowboys went home and took on their NFC East rivals. First, they won against the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles 33-10 and then, they beat the eventual NFC East champion New York Giants in overtime 16-13, with Jose Cortez's 51-yard field goal. Then, on their road trip to Seattle, the Cowboys took on the Seahawks and played a close game with them. Unfortunately, Drew Bledsoe's late-game pass was intercepted by DB Jordan Babineaux and the Cowboys fell 13-10. However, they dominantly prevailed at home over the Arizona Cardinals 34-13. They then used their Week 9 Bye to prepare themselves for a Week 10 Monday Night Showdown in Philadelphia. The Cowboys trailed for most of the game, but then, late in the fourth quarter, the score was 20-14. When Donovan McNabb tried to pass to Reggie Brown, Roy Williams intercepted the pass and ran 46 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Afterwards, they went home and spanked the Detroit Lions 20-7. On Thanksgiving Day, the Cowboys donned their '62 throwback jerseys again, as the Denver Broncos came to town. Both sides played hard and fierce football. Yet, the Cowboys fell to the Broncos in overtime 24-21 on a 24-yard field goal by Jason Elam. They then traveled to Giants Stadium and lost a close game to the Giants 17-10. The Cowboys would get redemption at home as the narrowly beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28. Unfortunately, when the Cowboys traveled to FedEx Field for a rematch with the Redskins, Drew Bledsoe wasn't safe. He was sacked seven times and they turned the ball over four times. Basically, the Cowboys trailed from the start and failed to catch up, as they were swept by the 'Skins for the first time since 1995 by a final score of 35-7. However, the Cowboys wouldn't let that lose shake them up. In their last road game of the season, they took on the Carolina Panthers. Trailing 20-17 late in the game, Billy Cundiff tried to tie the game with a field goal. The Bad News: CB Ken Lucas got his middle finger on the ball and it sailed wide right. The Good News: DE Julius Peppers was called for roughing the kicker. That penalty would set the stage for Drew Bledsoe's 2-yard Touchdown pass to Terry Glenn. The Cowboys would win 24-20. Unfortunately, the Cowboys couldn't get into the playoffs because they lost their last regular season home game against the struggling St. Louis Rams 20-10. Even if the Cowboys did win that game, the Redskins 31-20 victory over the Eagles was enough to deny the Cowboys of their post-season dreams.

In November of 2004, a vote was passed by the City of Arlington in Tarrant County to build a new stadium adjacent to the existing Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The deadline for either the City of Arlington or the Dallas Cowboys to back out of the deal for the new stadium has passed. The team will begin playing at the new site in 2009 after thirty-eight years playing in the City of Irving, and forty-nine years in the entire Dallas County.

The Cowboys finished the season in 3rd place in the NFC East. Their playoff hopes were defeated when the Redskins defeated the Philadephia Eagles. Even if both teams ended their regular seasons at 10-6, the Redskins would have advanced to the playoffs because of their two victories against them. The Cowboys, knowing that they could not make the playoffs, went into Sunday night playing the St. Louis Rams on ESPN's last Sunday Night Football game. The Cowboys lost the game 20-10, and finished the season with 9-7.

Dallas Cowboys - Season-by-season records

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

^At the end of the 2005 NFL season, the Cowboys All-Time Record is 424-314-6 (including playoffs).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Franchise history", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki