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{{short description|National Football League franchise in Arlington, Texas}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL team
| name = Dallas Cowboys
| current = 2024 Dallas Cowboys season
| wordmark = Cowboys wordmark.svg
| logo = Dallas Cowboys.svg
| founded = {{Start date and age|1960|1|28}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Dallas Cowboys Team Facts|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/team-facts/|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=ProFootballHOF.com|access-date=May 10, 2020|archive-date=December 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211140900/https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/team-facts/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Dallas Cowboys staff writers|title=Cowboys Commemorate Team's 60th Anniversary|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowboys-commemorate-team-s-60th-anniversary|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=January 28, 2020|access-date=February 15, 2023}}</ref>
| first_season = [[1960 Dallas Cowboys season|1960]]
| city = [[AT&T Stadium]] ([[Arlington, Texas]])
| misc = '''Headquartered''' in [[Ford Center at The Star]] ([[Frisco, Texas]])
| uniform = Dallas Cowboys Uniforms - 2016 Season.png
| colors = Navy blue, metallic silver, royal blue, silver-green, white<ref name="HanzusCowboys">{{cite news|last=Hanzus|first=Dan|title=Cowboys will wear navy jerseys at home more often|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-will-wear-navy-jerseys-at-home-more-often-0ap3000000814752|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=NFL.com|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=September 21, 2018|archive-date=September 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920161048/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000814752/article/cowboys-will-wear-navy-jerseys-at-home-more-often|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CowboysMediaGuide">{{cite book|chapter=Fingertip Information|chapter-url=https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/DAL.pdf#page=3|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|title=2024 Dallas Cowboys Media Guide|url=https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/DAL.pdf|date=July 26, 2024|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref><ref name="CowboysTeamCapsule">{{cite book|chapter=Dallas Cowboys Team Capsule|chapter-url=https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/2024_Record_and_Fact_Book_incl_Supplemental.pdf#page=165|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|title=2024 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book|url=https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/2024_Record_and_Fact_Book_incl_Supplemental.pdf|date=July 22, 2024|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref><br />{{color box|#002244}} {{color box|#B0B7BC}} {{color box|#00338D}} {{color box|#ADD9CE}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
| coach = [[Mike McCarthy]]
| owner = [[Jerry Jones]]
| president = Jerry Jones
| general manager = Jerry Jones
| ceo = [[Stephen Jones (American football)|Stephen Jones]]
| nicknames =
* [[America's Team]]
* [[Doomsday Defense]]
* The 'Boys
* Big D
| song = Cowboys Stampede March
| mascot = [[Rowdy (Dallas Cowboys)|Rowdy]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.dallascowboys.com/|dallascowboys.com}}
| hist_yr = 1960
| NFL_start_yr = 1960
| division_hist =
* Western Conference (1960)
* Eastern Conference (1961–1969)
** Capitol Division (1967–1969)
* '''[[National Football Conference]] (1970–present)'''
** '''[[NFC East]] (1970–present)'''
| no_league_champs = 5
| no_sb_champs = 5
| no_conf_champs = 10
| no_div_champs = 25
| league_champs =
| sb_champs = [[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|1971]] ([[Super Bowl VI|VI]]), [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]] ([[Super Bowl XII|XII]]), [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|1992]] ([[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]]), [[1993 Dallas Cowboys season|1993]] ([[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]]), [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|1995]] ([[Super Bowl XXX|XXX]])
| conf_champs = *'''NFL Eastern''': [[1966 Dallas Cowboys season|1966]], [[1967 Dallas Cowboys season|1967]]
* '''NFC''': [[1970 Dallas Cowboys season|1970]], [[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|1971]], [[1975 Dallas Cowboys season|1975]], [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]], [[1978 Dallas Cowboys season|1978]], [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|1992]], [[1993 Dallas Cowboys season|1993]], [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|1995]]
| div_champs =
* '''NFL Capitol''': [[1967 Dallas Cowboys season|1967]], [[1968 Dallas Cowboys season|1968]], [[1969 Dallas Cowboys season|1969]]
* '''NFC East''': [[1970 Dallas Cowboys season|1970]], [[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|1971]], [[1973 Dallas Cowboys season|1973]], [[1976 Dallas Cowboys season|1976]], [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]], [[1978 Dallas Cowboys season|1978]], [[1979 Dallas Cowboys season|1979]], [[1981 Dallas Cowboys season|1981]], [[1985 Dallas Cowboys season|1985]], [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|1992]], [[1993 Dallas Cowboys season|1993]], [[1994 Dallas Cowboys season|1994]], [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|1995]], [[1996 Dallas Cowboys season|1996]], [[1998 Dallas Cowboys season|1998]], [[2007 Dallas Cowboys season|2007]], [[2009 Dallas Cowboys season|2009]], [[2014 Dallas Cowboys season|2014]], [[2016 Dallas Cowboys season|2016]], [[2018 Dallas Cowboys season|2018]], [[2021 Dallas Cowboys season|2021]], [[2023 Dallas Cowboys season|2023]]
| playoff_appearances =
* '''NFL:''' [[1966 NFL Championship Game|1966]], [[1967 NFL playoffs|1967]], [[1968 NFL playoffs|1968]], [[1969 NFL playoffs|1969]], [[1970–71 NFL playoffs|1970]], [[1971–72 NFL playoffs|1971]], [[1972–73 NFL playoffs|1972]], [[1973–74 NFL playoffs|1973]], [[1975–76 NFL playoffs|1975]], [[1976–77 NFL playoffs|1976]], [[1977–78 NFL playoffs|1977]], [[1978–79 NFL playoffs|1978]], [[1979–80 NFL playoffs|1979]], [[1980–81 NFL playoffs|1980]], [[1981–82 NFL playoffs|1981]], [[1982–83 NFL playoffs|1982]], [[1983–84 NFL playoffs|1983]], [[1985–86 NFL playoffs|1985]], [[1991–92 NFL playoffs|1991]], [[1992–93 NFL playoffs|1992]], [[1993–94 NFL playoffs|1993]], [[1994–95 NFL playoffs|1994]], [[1995–96 NFL playoffs|1995]], [[1996–97 NFL playoffs|1996]], [[1998–99 NFL playoffs|1998]], [[1999–2000 NFL playoffs|1999]], [[2003–04 NFL playoffs|2003]], [[2006–07 NFL playoffs|2006]], [[2007–08 NFL playoffs|2007]], [[2009–10 NFL playoffs|2009]], [[2014–15 NFL playoffs|2014]], [[2016–17 NFL playoffs|2016]], [[2018–19 NFL playoffs|2018]], [[2021–22 NFL playoffs|2021]], [[2022–23 NFL playoffs|2022]], [[2023–24 NFL playoffs|2023]]
| no_playoff_appearances = 36
| stadium_years =
* [[Cotton Bowl (stadium)|Cotton Bowl]] ({{nfly|1960|1971}})
* [[Texas Stadium]] ({{nfly|1971|2008}})
* '''[[AT&T Stadium]] ({{nfly|2009}}–present)'''
| team_owners =
* [[Clint Murchison Jr.]] (1960–1984)
* [[Bum Bright]] (1984–1989)
* '''[[Jerry Jones]] (1989–present)'''
}}
The '''Dallas Cowboys''' are a professional [[American football]] team based in the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]]. The Cowboys compete in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) as a member of the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC) [[NFC East|East]] division. The team is headquartered in [[Frisco, Texas]], and has played its home games at [[AT&T Stadium]] in [[Arlington, Texas]], since its opening in [[2009 NFL season|2009]]. The stadium took its current name prior to the [[2013 NFL season|2013 season]], following the team's decision to sell the stadium's naming rights to telecommunications company [[AT&T]].<ref>{{cite web|title=AT&T Takes Naming Rights Of Stadium; Now AT&T Stadium|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/at-t-takes-naming-rights-of-stadium-now-at-t-stadium-339351|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=July 25, 2013|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-date=April 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401164425/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/at-t-takes-naming-rights-of-stadium-now-at-t-stadium-339351|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="namechangenfl">{{cite news|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-stadium-now-called-at-t-stadium-after-deal-0ap1000000220798|title=Cowboys Stadium now called AT&T Stadium after deal|work=NFL.com|date=July 25, 2013|access-date=July 25, 2013}}</ref> In January 2020, [[Mike McCarthy]] was hired as head coach of the Cowboys.<ref>{{cite press release|last=Phillips|first=Rob|title=Mike McCarthy Officially Hired As Head Coach|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mike-mccarthy-officially-hired-as-head-coach|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=January 7, 2020|access-date=August 10, 2021}}</ref> He is the ninth in the team's history.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Dallas Cowboys Coaches|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/coaches.htm|access-date=July 15, 2021|website=[[Pro Football Reference]]|language=en}}</ref> McCarthy follows [[Jason Garrett]], who coached the team from 2010 to 2019.<ref name=":0" />
The Cowboys joined the NFL as an [[expansion team]] in {{nfly|1960}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL History 1951–1960|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1951-1960#1960|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=NFL.com|date=September 28, 2015|access-date=September 28, 2015|archive-date=February 9, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209180120/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1951-1960#1960|url-status=live}}</ref> The team's national following might best be represented by its NFL record of consecutive sell-outs. The Cowboys' streak of 190 consecutive sold-out regular and post-season games (home and away) began in [[2002 Dallas Cowboys season|2002]].<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Cowboys Attendance Records|chapter-url=http://prod.static.cowboys.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/Dallas-Cowboys-Media-Guide.pdf#page=387|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|title=2017 Dallas Cowboys Media Guide|url=http://prod.static.cowboys.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/Dallas-Cowboys-Media-Guide.pdf|date=September 26, 2017|access-date=August 29, 2018|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119204904/http://prod.static.cowboys.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/Dallas-Cowboys-Media-Guide.pdf#page=387|url-status=dead}}</ref> The franchise has made it to the [[Super Bowl]] eight times, tying it with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]], [[Denver Broncos]], and [[San Francisco 49ers]] for second-most [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl appearances]] in history behind the [[New England Patriots]]' record 11 appearances. Their eight [[NFC Championship Game|NFC championships]] are tied for most in the conference's history. The Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 straight winning seasons (from 1966 to 1985) during which they missed the playoffs only twice (1974 and 1984).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Team History {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/team-history |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=pfhof}}</ref>
In [[2015 Dallas Cowboys season|2015]], the Dallas Cowboys became the first sports team to be valued at $4 billion, making it the [[Forbes' list of the most valuable sports teams|most valuable sports team]] in the world, according to ''[[Forbes]]''.<ref name="Forbes">{{cite web|last=Ozanian|first=Mike|title=The Most Valuable Teams In The NFL|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2015/09/14/the-most-valuable-teams-in-the-nfl/|work=[[Forbes]]|date=September 14, 2015|access-date=September 28, 2015|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128164704/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2015/09/14/the-most-valuable-teams-in-the-nfl/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Cowboys also generated $620 million in revenue in 2014, a record for a U.S. sports team.<ref name="Forbes" /> In 2018, they also became the first NFL franchise to be valued at $5 billion<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/ |title=Sports Money: 2018 NFL Valuations |newspaper=Forbes |date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=September 22, 2018 |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102214706/https://www.forbes.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and making Forbes' list as the most valued NFL team for the 12th straight year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rovell |first=Darren |date=September 20, 2018 |title=Forbes: Cowboys most valuable NFL team for 12th year in row |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24742979/forbes-magazine-dallas-cowboys-5b-again-most-valuable |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102214225/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24742979/forbes-magazine-dallas-cowboys-5b-again-most-valuable |archive-date=January 2, 2021 |access-date=September 22, 2018 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
==History==
{{Main|History of the Dallas Cowboys}}
===Origins===
Prior to the formation of the Dallas Cowboys, there had not been an NFL team south of Washington, D.C. since the [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]] folded in 1952 after only one season. Two businessmen had tried and failed to get Dallas a team in the NFL: [[Lamar Hunt]] responded by forming the [[American Football League]] with a group of owners, which would spur the NFL to expand beyond twelve teams. Oilman [[Clint Murchison, Jr.|Clint Murchison Jr.]] persisted with his intent to bring a team to Dallas, but [[George Preston Marshall]], owner of the [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]], had a monopoly in the [[Southern United States|South]] (after the addition of Dallas, the South would see three further teams - NFL teams in Atlanta and New Orleans, and an AFL team in Miami - added in the next six years).<ref name="l020">{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Jeff |date=2020-01-28 |title=How the Dallas Cowboys Were Born in 1960 |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/how-the-dallas-cowboys-were-born-in-1960 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=DallasCowboys.com}}</ref>
Murchison had tried to purchase the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) from Marshall in 1958 with the intent of moving them to Dallas. An agreement was struck, but as the deal was about to be finalized, Marshall called for a change in terms, which infuriated Murchison, and he called off the deal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2012 |title=Horn: What if the Redskins had actually moved to Dallas? '50s deal almost made move a reality |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2012/11/22/horn-what-if-the-redskins-had-actually-moved-to-dallas-50s-deal-almost-made-move-a-reality/ |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref> Marshall then opposed any franchise for Murchison in Dallas. Since NFL expansion needed unanimous approval from team owners at that time, Marshall's position would prevent Murchison from joining the league.
Marshall had a falling out with the Redskins band leader Barnee Breeskin, who had written the music to the Redskins fight song "[[Hail to the Redskins]]", and Marshall's wife had penned the lyrics. Breeskin owned the rights to the song and was aware of Murchison's plight to get an NFL franchise. Angry with Marshall, Breeskin approached Murchison's attorney to sell him the rights to the song before the expansion vote in 1959: Murchison subsequently purchased "Hail to the Redskins" for $2,500.<ref name="Snider">{{Cite magazine |last=Snider |first=Rick |date=June 17, 2020 |title=Ol' Ricky's Redskins Tales - Hail to the Redskins + Dwayne's Gain |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/commanders/news/ol-rickys-redskins-tales-hail-to-the-redskins-dwaynes-gain |access-date=November 14, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en}}</ref>
Before the vote to award franchises in 1959, Murchison revealed to Marshall that he now owned the song, and barred Marshall from playing it during games. After Marshall launched an expletive-laced tirade, Murchison sold the rights to "Hail to the Redskins" back to Marshall in exchange for his vote, the lone one against Murchison getting a franchise at that time, and a [[Cowboys–Redskins rivalry|rivalry]] was born.<ref name="Snider" /> Murchison hired [[CBS Sports]] executive and former [[Los Angeles Rams]] general manager [[Tex Schramm]] as team president and general manager,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilbon |first=Michael |date=April 18, 1989 |title=COWBOYS' SCHRAMM TO MAKE EXIT |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1989/04/18/cowboys-schramm-to-make-exit/b6249d16-303d-4f7a-b82b-6e793fde3c8e/ |access-date=November 14, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> [[San Francisco 49ers]] scout [[Gil Brandt]] as head of player personnel,<ref name="a557">{{cite web | title=THERE ARE NO HOLES AT THE TOP | website=Sports Illustrated Vault | date=1982-09-01 | url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/09/01/there-are-no-holes-at-the-top | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> and [[New York Giants]] defensive coordinator [[Tom Landry]] as head coach,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gent |first=Peter |date=October 1, 1981 |title=Tom Landry: The Gamesman |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1981/october/tom-landry-the-gamesman/ |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> thus forming a triumvirate that would lead the Cowboys' football operations for three decades.
===Tom Landry years (1960–1988)===
{{See also|Tom Landry}}
[[File:Tom Landry sculpture.jpg|thumb|upright=1|A statue of [[Tom Landry]], who coached the team from 1960 to 1988 and led the Cowboys to five [[Super Bowl]] appearances and two Super Bowl victories in [[1971 Dallas Cowboys season|1971]] and [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]]|left]]
[[File:Don meredith cowboys.jpg|thumb|[[Don Meredith]] was the first [[Franchise player|franchise]] quarterback of the Cowboys. [[NFL Films]] cited Meredith as the first "star" of the franchise,<ref>{{Citation |title=Don Meredith: The Original Dallas Cowboy {{!}} NFL Films Presents | date=January 9, 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLEKA6iO8gw |access-date=November 25, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> leading them to back-to-back [[NFC Championship Game|NFL Championship Game]] appearances during the [[1966 NFL season|1966]] and [[1967 NFL season|1967 season]]s, both times falling one game shy of the [[Super Bowl]]]]
Like most expansion teams, the Cowboys struggled at first. They failed to win a game in their inaugural season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1960 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1960.htm |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> However, Landry slowly brought the team to respectability. In 1965, they finally got to .500. They broke all the way through a year later, winning consecutive Eastern Conference titles in 1966 and 1967. However, they lost the [[NFL Championship Game]] each time to the [[Green Bay Packers]] with the second loss coming in the [[1967 NFL Championship Game|1967 Ice Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2017/12/20/ice-bowl-remembered-what-happened-in-that-cowboys-playoff-game-at-green-bay/?outputType=amp|title=Ice Bowl remembered: What happened in that Cowboys playoff game at Green Bay|date=December 20, 1967|website=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|access-date=August 6, 2023}}</ref> They would win consecutive division titles in 1968 and 1969 when the NFL adopted a divisional format, but were defeated in the playoffs both years by the [[Cleveland Browns]].
From [[1970 NFL season|1970]] through [[1979 NFL season|1979]], the Cowboys won 105 regular season games, more than any other NFL franchise during that time span.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pfref.com/tiny/fVEzy|title=Team Game Finder Query Results|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 20, 2015}}</ref> In addition, they appeared in five [[Super Bowl]]s, winning two ([[1971 NFL season|1971]] and [[1977 NFL season|1977]]).
Led by quarterback [[Craig Morton]], the [[1970 Dallas Cowboys season|Cowboys]] had a 10–4 season in [[1970 NFL season|1970]]. They defeated Detroit 5–0 in the lowest-scoring playoff game in NFL history<ref>{{Cite web |title=In 1970, Lions-Cowboys produced one of the rarest results in NFL history |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/in-1970-lions-cowboys-produced-one-of-the-rarest-results-in-nfl-history |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> and then defeated San Francisco 17–10 in the first-ever [[NFC Championship Game]] to qualify for their first [[Super Bowl]] appearance in franchise history, a mistake-filled [[Super Bowl V]], where they lost 16–13 to the [[1970 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]] courtesy of a [[Field goal (football)|field goal]] by Colts' kicker Jim O'Brien with five seconds remaining in the contest. Despite the loss, linebacker [[Chuck Howley]] was named the [[Super Bowl MVP]], the first and only time in Super Bowl history that the game's MVP did not come from the winning team.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Super Bowl V: 'Eleven Big Mistakes' |language=en-us |work=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/01/25/542218/eleven-big-mistakes |access-date=November 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 1, 2023 |title=Chuck Howley of the Cowboys is the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team. Now he's a Hall of Famer |url=https://apnews.com/article/pro-football-hall-of-fame-chuck-howley-cowboys-dbd4c212ce8851487435b63cb497d0ce |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
==== Super Bowl VI champions (1971) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl VI}}
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 01 - Duane Thomas.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The Cowboys playing the [[Miami Dolphins]] in [[Super Bowl VI]] in [[1971–72 NFL playoffs|1971]]|left]]
The Cowboys moved from the [[Cotton Bowl (stadium)|Cotton Bowl]] to [[Texas Stadium]] in week six of the [[1971 NFL season|1971 season]]. Landry named Staubach as the permanent starting quarterback to start the second half of the season, and Dallas was off and running. The Cowboys won their last seven regular season games (finishing 11–3) before dispatching the [[1971 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] and [[1971 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] in the playoffs to return to the Super Bowl. In [[Super Bowl VI]], behind an MVP performance from Staubach and a then Super Bowl record 252 yards rushing, the Cowboys crushed the upstart [[1971 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]], 24–3, to finally bury the "Next Year's Champions" stigma.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl VI - Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins - January 16th, 1972 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197201160dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
After missing the playoffs in 1974, the [[1975 Dallas Cowboys season|team]] drafted well the [[1975 NFL season|following year]], adding defensive lineman [[Randy White (American football)|Randy White]] (a future Hall of Fame member) and linebacker [[Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson]]. The fresh influx of talent helped the Cowboys back to the playoffs in [[1975–76 NFL playoffs|1975]] as a wild card, losing to the [[1975 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]], 21–17, in [[Super Bowl X]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl X - Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - January 18th, 1976 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197601180dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Super Bowl XII champions (1977) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XII}}
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 02 - Butch Johnson.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The Cowboys playing against the [[Denver Broncos]] in [[Super Bowl XII]] in [[1977-78 NFL playoffs|1977]]]]
Dallas began the [[1977 NFL season|1977 season]] 8–0, finishing 12–2. In the [[1977–78 NFL playoffs|postseason]], the Cowboys routed the [[1977 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] 37–7 and [[1977 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] 23–6 before defeating the [[1977 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] 27–10 in [[Super Bowl XII]] in New Orleans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washingtonpost.com: Super Bowl XII: Cowboys Rip Erring Broncos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/longterm/superbowl/stories/sb12.htm |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> As a testament to [[Doomsday Defense|Doomsday's]] dominance in the hard-hitting game, defensive linemen Randy White and [[Harvey Martin]] were named co-Super Bowl MVPs, the first and only time multiple players have received the award. Dallas returned to the [[Super Bowl XIII|Super Bowl]], following the [[1978 NFL season|1978 season]], losing to Pittsburgh 35–31. Bob Ryan, an NFL Films editor, dubbed the Cowboys "[[America's Team]]" following the Super Bowl loss, a nickname that has earned derision from non-Cowboys fans but has stuck through both good times and bad.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2015 |title=How the Cowboys Got the Nickname "America's Team" - 5 Points Blue5 Points Blue |url=http://www.5pointsblue.com/cowboys-got-nickname-americas-team/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124084626/http://www.5pointsblue.com/cowboys-got-nickname-americas-team/ |archive-date=November 24, 2015 }}</ref> [[Danny White]] became the Cowboys' starting quarterback in 1980 after quarterback [[Roger Staubach]] retired. Despite going 12–4 in [[1980 Dallas Cowboys season|1980]], the Cowboys came into the playoffs as a Wild Card team. In the opening round of the [[1980–81 NFL playoffs]] they avenged their elimination from the prior year's playoffs by defeating the Rams. In the Divisional Round they squeaked by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] 30–27. For the NFC Championship they were pitted against division rival [[Philadelphia Eagles]], the team that won the division during the regular season. The Eagles captured their first conference championship and Super Bowl berth by winning 20–7.
[[1981 Dallas Cowboys season|1981]] brought another division championship for the Cowboys. They entered the [[1981–82 NFL playoffs]] as the number 2 seed. Their first postseason saw them blow out Tampa Bay in a 38–0 shutout. The Cowboys then advanced to the [[NFC Championship Game]] against the [[1981 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], the number 1 seed. Despite having a late 4th quarter 27–21 lead, they would lose to the 49ers 28–27. 49ers quarterback [[Joe Montana]] led his team on an 89-yard game-winning touchdown drive, connecting with [[Dwight Clark]] in a play known as [[The Catch (American football)|The Catch]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Branch |first=Eric |date=October 21, 2018 |title=Joe Montana on 'The Catch' statues: 'An honor to be remembered forever' |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Joe-Montana-on-The-Catch-statues-An-13324767.php |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
The [[1982 Dallas Cowboys season|1982 season]] was shortened after a player strike. With a 6–3 record Dallas made it to the playoffs for the 8th consecutive season. As the number 2 seed for the [[1982–83 NFL playoffs]] they eliminated the Buccaneers 30–17 in the Wild Card round and dispatched the Packers 37–26 in the Divisional round to advance to their 3rd consecutive Conference championship game. However, the third time was not the charm for the Cowboys as they fell 31–17 to their division rival and eventual [[Super Bowl XVII]] champions, the [[1982 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]].
Although it was not apparent at the time, the loss in the 1982 NFC title game marked the end of an era. For the [[1983 Dallas Cowboys season|1983 season]] the Cowboys went 12–4 and made it once again to the playoffs but were upset at home in the Wild Card by the Rams 24–17. However, 1983 was a missed opportunity as prior to their playoff defeat, the Cowboys had a chance to clinch the NFC East and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs against Washington in the penultimate week of the regular season, but were defeated soundly 31–10 at home, and conceded control of the division to the Redskins in which they would not relinquish a week later. Prior to the [[1984 Dallas Cowboys season|1984 season]], Murchison sold the Cowboys to another Texas oil magnate, [[Bum Bright|H.R. "Bum" Bright]] and his ten partners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patoski |first=Joe Nick |date=October 1, 2012 |title=Turnover! |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/turnover/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Texas Monthly |language=en}}</ref> Dallas posted a 9–7 record that season but missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons and only the second time in 18 years. After going 10–6 in [[1985 Dallas Cowboys season|1985]] and winning a division title, the Cowboys were shut out 20–0 by the Rams in the Divisional round in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1985.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams - January 4th, 1986 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198601040ram.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
Hard times came for the organization as they went 7–9 in [[1986 Dallas Cowboys season|1986]], 7–8 in [[1987 Dallas Cowboys season|1987]], and 3–13 in [[1988 Dallas Cowboys season|1988]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1986 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1986.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1987 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1987.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1988 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1988.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> During this time period, Bright became disenchanted with the team. During an embarrassing home loss to Atlanta in 1987, Bright told the media that he was "horrified" at Landry's play calling. During the [[Savings and Loan crisis|savings and loan crisis]], Bright's savings and loan was taken over by the [[Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation|FSLIC]]. With most of the rest of his money tied up in the Cowboys, Bright was forced to sell the team to [[Jerry Jones]] on February 25, 1989, for $150 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Birnbaum |first=Justin |date=November 24, 2022 |title=Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Has 5.7 Billion More Reasons To Be Thankful This Year |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/justinbirnbaum/2022/11/24/dallas-cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-has-57-billion-more-reasons-to-be-thankful-this-year/ |access-date=May 31, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
=== Jerry Jones era (1989–present) ===
==== Jimmy Johnson years (1989–1993) ====
{{See also|Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)}}
[[File:Texas Stadium - Dallas Cowboys World Champions Mural.JPG|thumb|upright=1|The five-time world champions mural]]
Jones immediately fired Tom Landry, the only head coach in franchise history, replacing him with [[University of Miami]] head coach [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]], who was also Jones' teammate at the [[University of Arkansas]] as a fellow defensive lineman.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 26, 1989 |title=NEW COWBOYS OWNER FIRES LANDRY, HIRES JIMMY JOHNSON ARKANSAS MILLIONAIRE BUYS CLUB, TAPS MIAMI COACH - HIS EX-ROOMMATE |url=https://www.deseret.com/1989/2/26/18796703/new-cowboys-owner-fires-landry-hires-jimmy-johnson-br-arkansas-millionaire-buys-club-taps-miami-coac |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Deseret News|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> The hiring of Johnson also reunited Johnson with second-year wide receiver [[Michael Irvin]], who had played collegiately at Miami. With the first pick in the draft, the Cowboys selected [[UCLA]] quarterback [[Troy Aikman]]. Later that same year, they would [[Herschel Walker trade|trade veteran running back]] [[Herschel Walker]] to the [[Minnesota Vikings]] for five veteran players and eight draft choices. Although the Cowboys finished the [[1989 Dallas Cowboys season|1989 season]] with a 1–15 record, their worst in almost 30 years, "The Trade" later allowed Dallas to draft a number of impact players to rebuild the team.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2017 |title=The Story of Dallas Cowboys 1992 3rd Super Bowl |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQcPRZLqeK8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421201522/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQcPRZLqeK8&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=June 18, 2017 |website=YouTube.com |publisher=Law Nation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1989.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
Johnson quickly returned the Cowboys to the NFL's elite. Skillful drafts added fullback [[Daryl Johnston]] and center [[Mark Stepnoski]] in 1989, running back [[Emmitt Smith]] in 1990, defensive tackle [[Russell Maryland]] and offensive tackle [[Erik Williams]] in 1991, and safety [[Darren Woodson]] in 1992. The young talent joined holdovers from the Landry era such as wide receiver [[Michael Irvin]], guard [[Nate Newton]], linebacker [[Ken Norton Jr.]], and offensive lineman [[Mark Tuinei]], defensive lineman [[Jim Jeffcoat]], and veteran pickups such as tight end [[Jay Novacek]] and defensive end [[Charles Haley]].
Things started to look up for the franchise in [[1990 Dallas Cowboys season|1990]]. On Week 1 Dallas won their first home game since September 1988 when they defeated the [[San Diego Chargers]] 17–14. They went 2–7 in their next 9 games but won 4 of their last 6 games to finish the season with a 4th place 7–9 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1990.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
Coming into [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|1991]] the Cowboys replaced offensive coordinator [[Dave Shula]] with [[Norv Turner]]; the Cowboys raced to a 6–5 start, then defeated the previously unbeaten [[1991 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] despite injury to [[Troy Aikman]]. Backup [[Steve Beuerlein]] took over and the Cowboys finished 11–5. In the Wild Card round they defeated the [[1991 Chicago Bears season|Bears]] 17–13 for the Cowboys' first playoff win since 1982. In the Divisional round their season ended in a 38–6 playoff rout by the [[1991 Detroit Lions season|Lions]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions - January 5th, 1992 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201050det.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Super Bowl XXVII champions (1992) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XXVII}}
In [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|1992]] Dallas set a team record for regular-season wins with a 13–3 mark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They started off the season by defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Redskins 23–10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1992.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Going into the playoffs as the number 2 seed they had a first-round bye before facing division rival the [[Philadelphia Eagles]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1992/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Cowboys won that game 34–10 to advance to the NFC Conference Championship game for the first time in 10 years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - January 10th, 1993 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199301100dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They were pitted against the [[San Francisco 49ers]], the top seed. On January 17, 1993, the Cowboys went to [[Candlestick Park]] and defeated the 49ers 30–20 to clinch their first Super Bowl berth since 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 17th, 1993 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199301170sfo.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Dallas defeated the [[Buffalo Bills]] 52–17 in [[Super Bowl XXVII]], during which they forced a record nine turnovers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-02-01 |title=Flashback: Relive the Cowboys' 52-17 blowout of the Bills in Super Bowl XXVII |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2018/02/01/flashback-relive-the-cowboys-52-17-blowout-of-the-bills-in-super-bowl-xxvii/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref> Johnson became the first coach to claim a national championship in college football and a Super Bowl victory in professional football.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XXVII - Buffalo Bills vs. Dallas Cowboys - January 31st, 1993 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199301310buf.htm |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Super Bowl XXVIII champions (1993) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XXVIII}}
[[File:Dallas Cowboys stadium championship banners 4.JPG|thumb|upright=1|Dallas Cowboys championship banners inside [[AT&T Stadium]]]]
Despite starting the [[1993 Dallas Cowboys season|1993 season]] 0–2, Dallas finished the regular season 12–4 as the number 1 seed of the NFC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1993 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1993.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1993 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Dallas sent a then-NFL record 11 players to the Pro Bowl in 1993: Aikman, safety [[Thomas Everett]], Irvin, Johnston, Maryland, Newton, Norton, Novacek, Smith, Stepnoski, and Williams.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-24 |title=COWBOYS TO SEND 11 PLAYERS TO PRO BOWL |url=https://www.deseret.com/1993/12/29/19084080/cowboys-to-send-11-players-to-pro-bowl/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Deseret News|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> They defeated the Green Bay Packers 27–17 in the divisional round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys - January 16th, 1994 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199401160dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the NFC Conference Championship, Dallas beat the 49ers in Dallas, 38–21.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys - January 23rd, 1994 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199401230dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Cowboys again defeated the Buffalo Bills in [[Super Bowl XXVIII]], 30–13 (becoming the first team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl after starting 0–2).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills - January 30th, 1994 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199401300buf.htm |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Barry Switzer years (1994–1997) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XXX}}
Only weeks after Super Bowl XXVIII, however, friction between Johnson and Jones culminated in Johnson stunning the football world by announcing his resignation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monet |first=Jazz |date=November 18, 2022 |title=Jimmy Johnson discusses how Jerry Jones 'hurt' him before his departure from Dallas |url=https://insidethestar.com/?p=161549 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Inside The Star |language=en-US}}</ref> Jones then hired former [[University of Oklahoma]] head coach [[Barry Switzer]] to replace Johnson.<ref name="u140">{{cite web | title=Switzer named Dallas Cowboys coach | website=UPI | date=1994-03-31 | url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1994/03/31/Switzer-named-Dallas-Cowboys-coach/7177765090000/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> The Cowboys finished 12–4 in [[1994 Dallas Cowboys season|1994]].<ref name="i887">{{cite web | title=1994 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | website=[[Pro Football Reference]] | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1994.htm | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> They once again clinched a first-round bye and defeated Green Bay 35–9 in the Divisional Round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys - January 8th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501080dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They missed the Super Bowl, however, after losing to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the NFC Championship Game, 38–28.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers - January 15th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150sfo.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==== Super Bowl XXX champions (1995) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XXX}}
Prior to the start of [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|1995 season]] Jerry Jones lured All-Pro cornerback [[Deion Sanders]] away from San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shapiro|first=Leonard|title=Cowboys sign Sanders for Five Years, $30 Million|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl6.htm|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=September 10, 1995|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-date=May 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518143556/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl6.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Dallas started the season 4–0 including shutting out their division rival New York Giants 35–0 at [[Giants Stadium]] to open their season. Emmitt Smith set an NFL record with 25 rushing touchdowns that season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Rushing Touchdowns Single-Season Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_td_single_season.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They ended the season 12–4 and went into the playoffs as the number 1 seed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1995/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the Divisional round, they dispatched their division rival Eagles 30–11 to advance to their fourth consecutive NFC Conference Championship Game, in which they defeated Green Bay, 38–27.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - January 7th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199601070dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys - January 14th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199601140dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In [[Super Bowl XXX]] the Cowboys defeated the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] 27–17 at [[Sun Devil Stadium]] for their fifth Super Bowl championship, tied with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] for the most by any NFC team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Mike |date=1996-01-29 |title=SUPER BOWL XXX;Cowboys Overcome Offensive Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/29/sports/super-bowl-xxx-cowboys-overcome-offensive-crisis.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Switzer joined Johnson as the only coaches to win a college football national championship and a Super Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1995.htm|title=Dallas Cowboys 1995 summary|publisher=Pro-Football Reference.Com|access-date=December 17, 2008|archive-date=December 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219093919/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1995.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:The Triplets (cropped).jpg|thumb|The trio of [[Troy Aikman]], [[Emmitt Smith]], and [[Michael Irvin]] (known as "The Triplets") led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins]]
The glory days of the Cowboys were again beginning to dim as free agency, age, and injuries began taking their toll. Star receiver Michael Irvin was suspended by the league for the first five games of [[1996 Dallas Cowboys season|1996]] following a drug-related arrest; he came back after the Cowboys started the season 2–3.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Timothy W. |date=1996-07-25 |title=PRO FOOTBALL;N.F.L. Makes the Call on Irvin: Receiver Suspended for 5 Games |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/25/sports/pro-football-nfl-makes-the-call-on-irvin-receiver-suspended-for-5-games.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> They finished the regular season with a 10–6 record, won the [[NFC East]] title, and entered the playoffs as the number 3 seed in the NFC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They defeated Minnesota 40–15 in the Wild Card round but were eliminated in the Divisional Round of the playoffs 26–17 by the [[1996 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys - December 28th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612280dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers - January 5th, 1997 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701050car.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
The Cowboys went 6–10 in [[1997 Dallas Cowboys season|1997]], losing the last six consecutive games of the season, with discipline and off-field problems becoming major distractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1997.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/01/american-football-dallas-cowboys|title=Jeff Pearlman on the unbelievable story of the implosion of the Dallas Cowboys|work=the Guardian|date=March 2009|access-date=December 20, 2015|archive-date=December 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220000818/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/01/american-football-dallas-cowboys|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, Switzer resigned as head coach in January 1998 and former Steelers offensive coordinator [[Chan Gailey]] was hired to take his place.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Justice |first=Richard |date=February 13, 1998 |title=FORMER STEELERS ASSISTANT GAILEY HIRED TO COACH COWBOYS |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/02/13/former-steelers-assistant-gailey-hired-to-coach-cowboys/44b5baea-d460-4524-a7c7-0f47aadb79c6/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
==== Gailey and Campo years (1998–2002) ====
{{See also|Chan Gailey|Dave Campo}}
Gailey led the team to two playoff appearances with a 10–6 record in [[1998 Dallas Cowboys season|1998]] and an [[NFC East]] championship, the Cowboys' sixth in seven years, but the Cowboys were upset at home in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs by the [[1998 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] 20–7.
In [[1999 Dallas Cowboys season|1999]] Dallas went 8–8 in a season that featured Irvin suffering a career-ending [[Cervical vertebrae|cervical spine]] injury in a loss to the [[1999 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] at [[Veterans Stadium]]. The season ended in a 27-10 Wild Card playoff loss to the [[1999 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]]. Gailey was fired and became the first Cowboys coach who did not take the team to a [[Super Bowl]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2000 |title=Cowboys Fire Coach Gailey - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cowboys-fire-coach-gailey/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
Defensive coordinator [[Dave Campo]] was promoted to head coach for the [[2000 Dallas Cowboys season|2000 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aron |first=Jaime |date=January 26, 2000 |title=COWBOYS PROMOTE AIDE AS HEAD COACH\ FORMER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CAMPO IS ONE OF TWO HOLDOVERS FROM JIMMY JOHNSON'S STAFF IN DALLAS. |url=https://greensboro.com/cowboys-promote-aide-as-head-coach-former-defensive-coordinator-dave-campo-is-one-of-two/article_8b48d3bf-ab15-59d5-b143-91b44374a5fc.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Greensboro News and Record |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Prior to the season starting cornerback [[Deion Sanders]] was released after 5 seasons with the team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com - NFL - Dallas move saves millions against cap |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2000/0602/562965.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> He later signed with the division rival [[2000 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]]. In Week 1, they were blown out 41–14 by the [[2000 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. That game was very costly when veteran quarterback Troy Aikman suffered a serious concussion which ultimately ended his career. Longtime NFL quarterback [[Randall Cunningham]] filled in for Aikman for the rest of the season at quarterback. The Cowboys finished the season in 4th place with a 5–11 record. The only highlights of 2000 were [[Emmitt Smith]] having his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and a season sweep over the Redskins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1000 x 10 {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2005/01/news-1000-x-10 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref>
[[2001 Dallas Cowboys season|2001]] was another hard year in Dallas. Prior to the season starting Aikman was released from the team and he retired due to the concussions he had received.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com - NFL - Aikman: 'I'd like to play somewhere' |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2001/0307/1136301.html#:~:text=IRVING,%20Texas%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Dallas%20Cowboys,convinced%20he%20can%20still%20play. |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com - NFL - Aikman walks away, says broadcast work on horizon |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2001/0403/1166889.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> Jerry Jones signed [[Tony Banks (American football)|Tony Banks]] as a quarterback. Banks had been a starter for half of the season the previous year for the [[Super Bowl XXXV]] champion [[2000 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] before being benched. Jones also drafted quarterback [[Quincy Carter]] in the second round of that year's draft, and Banks was released during the preseason. [[Ryan Leaf]], [[Anthony Wright (American football)|Anthony Wright]], and [[Clint Stoerner]] all competed for the quarterback position that season. Dallas again finished at 5–11, last place in the NFC East, but they swept the [[2001 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] for the 4th consecutive season.
Prior to the [[2002 Dallas Cowboys season|2002 season]] Dallas drafted safety [[Roy Williams (safety)|Roy Williams]] with the 8th overall pick. The season started out low as the Cowboys lost to the [[expansion team|expansion]] [[2002 Houston Texans season|Houston Texans]] 19–10 in Week 1. By far the highlight of 2002 was on October 28, when during a home game against the [[2002 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], Emmitt Smith broke the all-time NFL rushing record previously held by [[Walter Payton]]. Their [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day]] win over the [[2002 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] was their 10th consecutive win against the Redskins. However, that was their final 2002 win as the team lost their next four games to finish with another last-place 5–11 record. The losing streak was punctuated with a Week 17 20–14 loss against the Redskins. That game was Smith's last game as a Cowboys player; he was released during the offseason.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2003 |title=Cowboys Release A Football Legend - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cowboys-release-a-football-legend/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Campo was immediately fired as head coach at the conclusion of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Campo fired after three consecutive 5-11 records |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2002/1230/1484412.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>
==== Bill Parcells years (2003–2006) ====
{{See also|Bill Parcells}}
Jones then lured [[Bill Parcells]] out of retirement to coach the Cowboys.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parcells gets $17.1 million deal to coach fourth team |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2003/0102/1486254.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The Cowboys became the surprise team of the [[2003 Dallas Cowboys season|2003 season]] getting off to a hot 7–2 start, but went 3–4 for the rest of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2003.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They were able to grab the second NFC wild-card spot with a 10–6 record but lost in the Wild Card round to eventual conference champion [[2003 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], 29–10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers - January 3rd, 2004 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200401030car.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In [[2004 Dallas Cowboys season|2004]] Dallas was unable to replicate their 2003 success and ended 6–10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2004.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Quincy Carter was released during the preseason and was replaced at quarterback by [[Vinny Testaverde]].<ref name="r966">{{cite web | agency=Associated Press | title=Carter Is Released by Cowboys | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2004-08-05 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-aug-05-sp-nflrep5-story.html | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2004 |title=Testaverde, 40, signs with Cowboys |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=1815150 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
Dallas got off to a great 7–3 start for the [[2005 Dallas Cowboys season|2005 season]] but ended up only in 3rd place with a 9–7 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2005.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Prior to the beginning of that season, they signed veteran [[Drew Bledsoe]] as starting quarterback.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-02-23 |title=Cowboys introduce Bledsoe |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=1997976 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>
[[2006 Dallas Cowboys season|2006]] was an interesting year for the Cowboys. Prior to the season, they signed free agent wide receiver [[Terrell Owens]] who was talented yet controversial.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2374189|title=A star is born: Owens signs with the Cowboys|date=March 18, 2006|work=www.ESPN.com|publisher=ESPN|access-date=January 3, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910051454/https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2374189|url-status=live}}</ref> The Cowboys started the season 3–2. During a week 7 matchup against the [[2006 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], Bledsoe, who had been struggling since the start of the season, was pulled from the game and was replaced by backup [[Tony Romo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='He was a nobody': Inside Tony Romo's rise |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/17784668/oral-history-how-tony-romo-dallas-cowboys-became-starting-quarterback |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Romo was unable to salvage that game and Dallas lost 36–22. However, Romo was named the starter for the team and went 5–1 in his first 6 games. Dallas ended the season with a 9–7 2nd-place finish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2006.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They were able to clinch the number 5 playoff seed. They traveled to play the [[2006 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] where the Seahawks won 21–20.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks - January 6th, 2007 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200701060sea.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After the season Parcells retired and was replaced by [[Wade Phillips]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-22 |title=Parcells retires from coaching |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2738949 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-08 |title=Cowboys hire Phillips to be coach |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2758164 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>
==== Wade Phillips years (2007–2010) ====
{{See also|Wade Phillips}}
Dallas started the [[2007 Dallas Cowboys season|2007 season]] with a bang, winning their first five games. They won 12 of their first 13 games, with their only loss during that span being to the [[2007 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]], who went undefeated that season. Despite dropping two of their last three regular-season games, the Cowboys clinched their first number 1 NFC seed in 12 years, which also granted them a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2007.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They lost in the divisional round 21–17 to the eventual [[Super Bowl XLII|Super Bowl]] champion [[2007 New York Giants season|New York Giants]].<ref name="b752">{{cite web | last=Aron| first=Jaime|agency=Associated Press | title=Giants 21, Cowboys 17: Cowboys corralled by Giants | website=MetroWest Daily News | date=2008-01-14 | url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/sports/2008/01/14/giants-21-cowboys-17-cowboys/41279825007/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
In the tumultuous [[2008 Dallas Cowboys season|2008 season]], the Cowboys started off strong, going 3–0 for the second straight year, en route to a 4–1 start. However, things soon went downhill from there, after quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken pinkie in an overtime loss to the [[2008 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]]. With [[Brad Johnson (American football)|Brad Johnson]] and [[Brooks Bollinger]] playing as backups, Dallas went 1–2 during a three-game stretch. Romo's return showed promise, as Dallas went 3–0. However, injuries mounted during the season, with the team losing several starters for the year, such as [[Kyle Kosier]], [[Felix Jones]], safety [[Roy Williams (safety)|Roy Williams]], punter [[Mat McBriar]], and several other starters playing with injuries.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ellis|first=Josh|title=The Injury List Just Keeps On Growing|url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=45AB0937-BED6-CFD1-02344872888433B6|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=October 28, 2008|access-date=January 11, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081031063704/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=45AB0937-BED6-CFD1-02344872888433B6|archive-date=October 31, 2008 }}</ref> Entering December, the 8–4 Cowboys underperformed, finishing 1–3. They failed to make the playoffs after losing to the [[2008 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] in the final regular-season game which saw the Eagles reach the playoffs instead.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2008.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
On May 2, 2009, the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility collapsed during a wind storm.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mosley |first=Matt |date=2009-05-02 |title=Cowboys' practice facility collapses from storm |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4127852 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> The collapse left twelve Cowboys players and coaches injured. The most serious injuries were special teams coach [[Joe DeCamillis]], who suffered fractured cervical vertebrae and had surgery to stabilize fractured vertebrae in his neck, and Rich Behm, the team's 33-year-old scouting assistant, who was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after his spine was severed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2010 |title=Jerry Jones, workers settle on collapse |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5512609 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
The [[2009 Dallas Cowboys season|2009 season]] started positively with a road win against the [[2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], but fortunes quickly changed as Dallas fell to a 2–2 start. In week five, with starting wide receiver Roy Williams sidelined by injury, receiver [[Miles Austin]] got his first start of the season and had a record-setting day (250 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns) to help lead Dallas to an overtime win over the [[2009 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cowboys 26-20 Chiefs (Oct 11, 2009) Final Score |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/291011012 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=ESPN |language=en}}</ref> Following their [[bye week]], they went on a three-game winning streak including wins over the [[2009 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]] and NFC East division rival [[2009 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. Despite entering December with a record of 8–3, they lost their slim grip on 1st place in the division with losses to the [[2009 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] and [[2009 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]]. Talks of past December collapses resurfaced, and another collapse in 2009 seemed validated. However, the team surged in the final three weeks of the season with a 24–17 victory against the eventual [[Super Bowl XLIV]] champion [[2009 New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]] at the Louisiana Superdome, ending the Saints' previously unbeaten season in week 15. For the first time in franchise history, they posted back-to-back shutouts when they beat their division rivals, the [[2009 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] (17–0) and Philadelphia Eagles (24–0) to end the season. In the process, the Cowboys clinched their second NFC East title in three years as well as the third seed in the NFC Playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2009.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Six days later, in the wild-card round of the playoffs, Dallas played the Eagles in a rematch of week 17. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles for the first Cowboys post-season win since the 1996 season, ending a streak of six consecutive NFL post-season losses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - January 9th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001090dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> However, their playoff run ended after being routed 34–3 in the Divisional Round against the [[2009 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings - January 17th, 2010 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201001170min.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
After beginning the [[2010 Dallas Cowboys season|2010 season]] at 1–7, Phillips was fired as head coach and was replaced by offensive coordinator [[Jason Garrett]] as the interim head coach.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 8, 2010 |title=NFL Network: Cowboys fire Wade Phillips as head coach, promote Jason Garrett |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/11/nfl-network-cowboys-fire-wade-phillips-as-head-coach-promote-jason-garrett/1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708101924/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/11/nfl-network-cowboys-fire-wade-phillips-as-head-coach-promote-jason-garrett/1 |archive-date=July 8, 2012 |access-date=November 8, 2010 |work=USA Today}}</ref>
==== Jason Garrett years (2010–2019) ====
{{See also|Jason Garrett}}
With Garrett as interim head coach, the Cowboys finished the 2010 season 6–10 after beginning at 1–7.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Calvin |date=2011-03-30 |title=Jason Garrett set for full-time challenge |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=watkins_calvin&id=6271933 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> With this improvement, the Cowboys signed Garrett as the head coach for the 2011 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watkins |first=Calvin |date=2011-01-06 |title=Dallas Cowboys' coach is Jason Garrett |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=5995105 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lazarus |first=Adam |date=January 6, 2011 |title=Dallas Cowboys: Will They Be Better With Jason Garrett in 2011? |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/564488-jason-garrett-will-the-cowboys-be-better-with-him-in-2011 |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Tony Romo tries to get a pass over Xavier Adibi.jpg|thumb|[[Tony Romo]], pictured here in 2010, was starting quarterback for the Cowboys from 2006 to 2015]]
To start the [[2011 Dallas Cowboys season|2011 season]] the Cowboys played the [[2011 New York Jets season|New York Jets]] on a Sunday night primetime game in New York, on September 11. The Cowboys held the lead through most of the game, until a fumble, blocked punt, and interception led to the Jets coming back to win the game. In week 2 the Cowboys traveled to San Francisco to play the [[2011 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]. In the middle of the 2nd quarter, while the Cowboys trailed 10–7, Tony Romo suffered a rib injury and was replaced by [[Jon Kitna]]. Kitna threw 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions until Romo returned in the 3rd quarter as Dallas trailed 17–7. Romo then threw 3 touchdown passes to [[Miles Austin]] as the Cowboys rallied to send the game into overtime. On their opening possession after a 49ers punt, Romo found wide receiver [[Jesse Holley]] on a 78-yard pass, which set up the game-winning field goal by rookie kicker [[Dan Bailey (American football)|Dan Bailey]].<ref name="m401">{{cite web | last=Youmans | first=Kyle | title=Countdown: Jesse Holley's Shining Moment | website=Dallas Cowboys | date=2022-06-26 | url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/countdown-jesse-holley-s-shining-moment | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> The Cowboys ended the season 8–8. They were in a position to win the NFC East but lost to the [[2011 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] in a Week 17 primetime Sunday Night game on [[NBC]] which allowed the Giants to win the division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Borden |first=Sam |date=2012-01-02 |title=Giants Rout the Cowboys and Win the N.F.C. East |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/sports/football/giants-defeat-cowboys-to-take-final-playoff-spot.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The Giants would go on to win [[Super Bowl XLVI]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Battista |first=Judy |date=2012-02-06 |title=Giants Beat Patriots in Final Rally |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/sports/football/super-bowl-resilient-giants-edge-patriots-to-win-super-bowl-xlvi.html |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
The Cowboys started off the [[2012 Dallas Cowboys season|2012 season]] on a high note by defeating the defending Super Bowl champion [[2012 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] 24–17 on the opening night of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants - September 5th, 2012 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201209050nyg.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They would hover around the .500 mark for the majority of the season. They lost a close Week 6 game to eventual [[Super Bowl XLVII]] champion [[2012 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] 31–29 at [[M&T Bank Stadium]] in Baltimore. Going into Week 17 they found themselves once again one win away from winning the division. Standing in their way were the [[2012 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]], who had beaten them on Thanksgiving at [[AT&T Stadium]] and who were one win away from their first division title since [[1999 Washington Redskins season|1999]]. Led by [[Robert Griffin III]] the Redskins defeated the Cowboys at home 28–18.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2012 |title=Alfred Morris-led Redskins take NFC East, eliminate Cowboys |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=321230028 |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> Dallas once again finished the season 8–8.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2012.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In the [[2013 Dallas Cowboys season|2013 season]] the Cowboys started off by defeating the [[2013 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] for the second straight year; this time 36–31. It was the first time since 2008 that the Cowboys were able to defeat the Giants at home. The win was punctuated by [[Brandon Carr]] intercepting an [[Eli Manning]] pass for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter. For the third straight year, Dallas once again found itself stuck in the .500 area. In Week 5, they lost a shootout to the eventual AFC champion [[2013 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] 51–48.<ref name="q532">{{cite web | agency=Associated Press| title=Tony Romo throws late interception; Dallas Cowboys lose 51-48 to Denver Broncos on last-second FG | website=Dallas News | date=2013-10-06 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2013/10/06/tony-romo-throws-late-interception-dallas-cowboys-lose-51-48-to-denver-broncos-on-last-second-fg/ | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref> They battled it out with the [[2013 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] for control of the division throughout the season. In December however they lost 2 crucial back-to-back games to the [[2013 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] and [[2013 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]. They were very successful in division games having a 5–0 division record heading into another Week 17 showdown for the NFC East crown against the Eagles. That included beating the [[2013 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] 24–23 on Week 16 thanks to the late-game heroics of [[Tony Romo]]. However, Romo received a severe back injury in that game which prematurely ended his season. The Cowboys called upon backup quarterback [[Kyle Orton]] to lead them into battle on the final week of the season. Orton was unsuccessful who threw a game-ending interception to the Eagles which allowed the Eagles to win 24–22. Dallas ended the year at 8–8 for the third year in a row. The two differences from this 8–8 ending compared to the others was that Dallas ended the season in second place compared to the 2 previous 3rd-place finishes, along with their season-ending defeat taking place at home instead of on the road.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2013.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
To start off the [[2014 Dallas Cowboys season|2014 season]] Dallas began by losing to the [[2014 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] 28–17. After that, they went on a 6-game winning streak. The highlight of this streak was defeating the [[Super Bowl XLVIII]] champion [[2014 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] at [[CenturyLink Field]] 30–23. In Week 8, the [[2014 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] ended the Cowboys' winning streak by winning in overtime 20–17, and Romo injured his back again. He missed next week, a home loss to the [[2014 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] 28–17 with backup quarterback [[Brandon Weeden]]. Romo returned in Week 9 to lead a 31–17 victory over the [[2014 Jacksonville Jaguars season|Jacksonville Jaguars]], which was played at [[Wembley Stadium]] in [[London, England]] as part of the [[NFL International Series]]. Dallas played their traditional Thanksgiving home game against their division rival [[2014 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. Both teams were vying for first place in the division with identical 8–3 records. The Eagles got off to a fast start and the Cowboys were unable to catch up, losing 33–10. They would rebound the next week when they defeated the [[2014 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] 41–28. Week 15 was a rematch against 1st place Philadelphia. This time it was the Cowboys who got off to a fast start going up 21–0. Then the Eagles put up 24 points but Dallas came back to win 38–27 to go into first place for the first time in the season and improve to 10–4. Going into their Week 16 matchup at home against the [[2014 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]], Dallas was in a position to clinch their first division title since 2009 by defeating the Colts 42-7 and the Eagles losing that week to the Redskins. They became the 2014 NFC East Champions, eliminating the Eagles from the playoffs. Dallas ended the regular season with a 12–4 record and an 8–0 away record when they won on the road against Washington 44–17.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2014 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2014.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
On January 4, 2015, the Cowboys, as the number 3 seed, hosted the number 6 seed [[2014 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] in the wild-card round of the [[2014–15 NFL playoffs|NFL playoffs]]. In the game, the Lions got off to a hot start, going up 14–0 in the first quarter. Dallas initially struggled on both sides of the ball. However, towards the end of the second quarter, Romo threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Williams. [[Matt Prater]] of the Lions would kick a field goal before halftime to go up 17–7. Dallas came out swinging to start the second half by picking off Detroit quarterback [[Matthew Stafford]] on the first play of the third quarter. However, the Cowboys failed to capitalize on the turnover, as Dan Bailey missed a field goal during Dallas's ensuing drive. Detroit then kicked another field goal to make the score 20–7. A DeMarco Murray touchdown later in that quarter closed the gap to 20–14. A 51-yard Bailey field goal almost 3 minutes into the fourth quarter trimmed the Cowboys' deficit to 3. The Lions got the ball back and started driving down the field. On 3rd down-and-1 of that Lions drive, Stafford threw a 17-yard pass intended for Lions tight end [[Brandon Pettigrew]], but the ball hit Cowboys linebacker [[Anthony Hitchens]] in the back a fraction of a second before he ran into Pettigrew. The play was initially flagged as defensive pass interference against Hitchens. However, the penalty was then nullified by the officiating crew. The Cowboys got the ball back on their 41-yard line and had a successful 59-yard drive which was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown pass from Romo to Williams to give the Cowboys their first lead of the game at 24–20. The Lions got the ball back with less than 2:30 to play in regulation. Stafford fumbled the ball at the 2-minute mark. The fumble was recovered by Cowboys defensive end [[DeMarcus Lawrence]], who then fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Lions. Lawrence would redeem himself by sacking Stafford on a 4th down-and-3 play. The sack led to Stafford fumbling the ball again, which Lawrence recovered to seal the game for the Cowboys, who won 24–20.<ref name="m743">{{cite web | last=Birkett | first=Dave | title=Dallas 24, Detroit 20: Lions out of playoffs in controversial fashion | website=Detroit Free Press | date=2015-01-05 | url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/01/04/detroit-lions-dallas-cowboys-playoffs/21269819/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> This was the first time in franchise playoff history that Dallas had been down by 10 or more points at halftime and rallied to win the game.
The following week, the Cowboys traveled to [[Lambeau Field]] in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]] to play the [[2014 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] in the [[Dez Caught It|Divisional Round]]. Despite having a 14–7 halftime lead, the Cowboys fell to the Packers 26–21, thus ending their season. The season ended on an overturned call of a completed catch by Dez Bryant. The catch was challenged by the Packers, and the referees overturned the call because of the "Calvin Johnson rule."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chavez |first=Chris |date=February 27, 2018 |title=NFL Competition Committee says Dez Bryant, Calvin Johnson caught it |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/02/27/nfl-competition-committee-dez-bryant-calvin-johnson-catch-rule-change-1 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us}}</ref>
During the 2015 offseason the Cowboys allowed running back [[DeMarco Murray]] to become a free agent. Murray signed with the [[Cowboys–Eagles rivalry|division rival]] [[Philadelphia Eagles]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=George |first=Brandon |date=July 13, 2018 |title=Flashback: The full story of how DeMarco Murray became an Eagle and the fallout from it for the Cowboys |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2018/07/13/flashback-the-full-story-of-how-demarco-murray-became-an-eagle-and-the-fallout-from-it-for-the-cowboys/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref> On July 15 wide receiver [[Dez Bryant]] signed a 5-year, $70 million contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dez Bryant signs new five-year, $70m deal with the Dallas Cowboys |url=https://www.skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/9914261/dez-bryant-signs-new-five-year-70m-deal-with-the-dallas-cowboys |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref>
The [[2015 Dallas Cowboys season|Cowboys]] started the 2015 season at home against the [[2015 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], in which Dallas won 27–26. [[Dez Bryant]] left the game early with a fractured bone in his foot. On the road against the [[2015 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]], Romo suffered a broken left collarbone, the same one he injured in 2010, and [[Brandon Weeden]] replaced him. Dallas won 20–10 to begin the season 2–0, but then went on a seven-game losing streak. They finished the season 4–12 and last in their division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2015 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2015.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
In [[2016 Dallas Cowboys season|2016]], after a preseason injury to [[Tony Romo]], rookie quarterback [[Dak Prescott]] was slated as the starting quarterback, as Romo was expected to be out 6–8 weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantorno |first=Joe |date=August 27, 2016 |title=Dak Prescott Reportedly Named Cowboys Starting QB After Tony Romo Injury |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2660165-dak-prescott-reportedly-named-cowboys-starting-qb-after-tony-romo-injury |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> In week 1 against the [[2016 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], Dallas lost 20–19. After this loss, Dallas would go on an eleven-game winning streak. After much speculation leading to a potential quarterback controversy, Romo made an announcement that Prescott had earned the right to take over as the Cowboys starting quarterback.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gantt |first=Darin |date=November 15, 2016 |title=Jerry Jones: Tony Romo's handing being benched for a rookie really well |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jerry-jones-tony-romos-handing-being-benched-for-a-rookie-really-well |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>
In game 10, Romo suited up for the first time in the season and was the backup quarterback. Dallas defeated the [[2016 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] to win their 9th straight game, breaking a franchise record of 8 straight games set in 1977. It also marked rookie running back [[Ezekiel Elliott]] breaking [[Tony Dorsett]]'s single-season rushing record for a Cowboys rookie. Prescott also tied an NFL rookie record held by [[Russell Wilson]] and [[Dan Marino]] by throwing multiple touchdowns in 5 straight games. Dallas finished 13–3, tying their best 16-game regular-season record. While Dallas defeated the [[2016 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] at [[Lambeau Field]] in week 6, the Packers would win at AT&T Stadium in the divisional round of the [[2016–17 NFL playoffs|NFL playoffs]] on a last-second field goal, ending the Cowboys’ season.<ref name="i327">{{cite web | last=Davis | first=Scott | title=Packers tight end makes incredible 35-yard catch on his toes to help set up Packers win over the Cowboys | website=Business Insider | date=2017-01-15 | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/packers-jared-cook-incredible-catch-cowboys-2017-1 | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
[[File:Elliott Prescott.jpg|thumb|[[Dak Prescott]] and [[Ezekiel Elliott]] were both [[NFL Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] finalists in 2016 after leading the team to a 13–3 record, with the former winning the award]]
Dak Prescott was named [[NFL Rookie of the Year Award|NFL Rookie of the Year]] in the NFL honors on February 4, 2017, and Ezekiel Elliott led the league in rushing yards. Jason Garrett was named [[NFL Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]]. Both Prescott and Elliott made the [[2017 Pro Bowl]]. This is the first time the Cowboys sent two rookies to the Pro Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-21 |title=News: Dak And Zeke Headline Cowboys' Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016/12/21/14029926/cowboys-news-notes-dak-and-zeke-headline-dallas-cowboys-pro-bowl-selections |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223180319/http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016/12/21/14029926/cowboys-news-notes-dak-and-zeke-headline-dallas-cowboys-pro-bowl-selections |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Blogging The Boys|publisher=SB Nation |language=en}}</ref>
[[2017 Dallas Cowboys season|2017]] was the first season since 2002 without quarterback Tony Romo, who retired on April 4 after 14 seasons with the Cowboys.<ref name="j437">{{cite web | title=Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo retiring from NFL | website=NFL.com | date=2017-04-04 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/dallas-cowboys-qb-tony-romo-retiring-from-nfl-0ap3000000797371 | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> The season also featured second-year running back Ezekiel Elliott being suspended for 6 games after violating the league's conduct policy.<ref name="l3531">{{Cite web |last=Archer |first=Todd |date=2017-08-11 |title=Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott suspended six games for conduct |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20302469/ezekiel-elliott-dallas-cowboys-suspended-six-games |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> The suspension was to begin at the start of the year but was pushed back to November.<ref name="j890">{{cite magazine | last=McCann | first=Michael | title=Why Elliott's Suspension Was Reinstated, Does He Have Shot of Reversal? | magazine=Sports Illustrated | date=2017-10-31 | url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/10/31/why-ezekiel-elliotts-suspension-was-reinstated | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> The Cowboys finished the year at 9-7 without making the playoffs. Following the season, [[Dez Bryant]] was released after eight seasons in Dallas and tight end [[Jason Witten]], who holds several franchise receiving records, retired after 15 seasons, ending an era.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2018 |title=Dez Bryant released by Dallas Cowboys after eight seasons |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dez-bryant-dallas-cowboys-release-star-wide-receiver-after-eight-seasons-2018-04-13/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=CBS News|agency=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rapp |first=Timothy |date=April 27, 2018 |title=Jason Witten Reportedly 'Blindsided' Cowboys by Retiring During 2018 NFL Draft |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2772958-jason-witten-reportedly-blindsided-cowboys-by-retiring-during-2018-nfl-draft |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref>
The Dallas Cowboys' 2017 season was the subject of the third season of [[Amazon (company)|Amazon's]] sports documentary series ''[[All or Nothing (franchise)|All or Nothing]]''. The series is produced by NFL Films.<ref>{{cite news|title='All or Nothing' series to showcase Cowboys' 2017 season|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/all-or-nothing-series-to-showcase-cowboys-2017-season-0ap3000000918226|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=NFL.com|date=March 1, 2018|access-date=August 29, 2018|archive-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819120701/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000918226/article/all-or-nothing-series-to-showcase-cowboys-2017-season|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the 2018 season, the Cowboys finished with a 10–6 record and won the NFC East.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2018.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the Wild Card Round, the Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 24–22 before losing 30–22 to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round.<ref name="p414">{{cite web | last=Farmer | first=Sam | title=Cowboys hold off Seahawks 24-22 in NFC wild-card game | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2019-01-06 | url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-seahawks-cowboys-20190105-story.html | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref><ref name="v313">{{cite web | last=Beacham | first=Greg | title=Whitworth's line dominates as Rams power past Cowboys, 30-22 | website=AP News | date=2019-01-13 | url=https://apnews.com/whitworths-line-dominates-as-rams-power-past-cowboys-30-22-89c1bcc499b34d64959ceb055105114d | access-date=2024-08-25}}</ref>
==== Mike McCarthy years (2020–present) ====
{{See also|Mike McCarthy}}
Following the end of the 2019 season, where the Cowboys missed the playoffs for the 7th time in the last 10 seasons, it was announced that the team had parted ways with longtime head coach [[Jason Garrett]]. Both [[Marvin Lewis]] (former [[Cincinnati Bengals|Bengals]] coach) and [[Mike McCarthy]] (former [[Green Bay Packers|Packers]] coach who led Green Bay to a Super Bowl win) were interviewed for the head coaching position.<ref name="q406">{{cite web | title=End of an era: Jason Garrett fired as Cowboys coach | website=NFL.com | date=2020-01-05 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/end-of-an-era-jason-garrett-fired-as-cowboys-coach-0ap3000001093512 | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref>
McCarthy and the Cowboys picked up the first win against the [[Atlanta Falcons]] in Week 2.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archer |first=Todd |date=September 20, 2020 |title=Mike McCarthy's first win with Dallas Cowboys a comeback for the ages |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29931601/mike-mccarthy-first-win-dallas-cowboys-comeback-ages |access-date=July 27, 2021 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> On October 11, the Cowboys’ [[2020 Dallas Cowboys season|2020 season]] was all but lost when quarterback [[Dak Prescott]] suffered a grievous ankle injury that ended his season.<ref name="c794">{{cite web | last=Gehlken | first=Michael | title=Big win, bigger loss: Cowboys, Dak Prescott let emotions flow after QB's devastating ankle injury | website=Dallas News | date=2022-10-12 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2020/10/11/cowboys-qb-dak-prescott-carted-off-vs-giants-after-gruesome-injury/ | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> Despite the loss of Prescott, McCarthy's first year Cowboys still remained in the running for a playoff appearance throughout most of the regular season. They would go on to finish the season with a 6–10 record, which ranked the team third in the NFC East Division.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2020.htm|access-date=July 27, 2021|website=[[Pro Football Reference]]|language=en}}</ref> Throughout the 2020 season, the Cowboys’ defense struggled massively. Following the season, defensive coordinator [[Mike Nolan]] and defensive line coach [[Jim Tomsula]] were dismissed.<ref name="q521">{{cite web | last=Archer | first=Todd | title=Dallas Cowboys fire defensive coordinator Mike Nolan | website=ESPN.com | date=2021-01-08 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30675381/dallas-cowboys-fire-defensive-coordinator-mike-nolan-source-says | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref>
The Cowboys' [[2021 Dallas Cowboys season|2021 season]] resulted in the first winning season since [[2018 Dallas Cowboys season|2018]], and with the [[2021 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]]' Week 16 loss to the [[2021 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]], the Cowboys clinched their first playoff berth also since 2018. Following a [[2021 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]]' loss to the [[2021 Las Vegas Raiders season|Las Vegas Raiders]], the Cowboys clinched the NFC East, based on [[NFL playoffs#Breaking ties|strength-of-victory tiebreakers]]; this was their first division title since 2018.<ref name="g640">{{cite web | last=Haynie | first=Jess | title=NFC East 2021: Cowboys Clinch Division Title, Eagles Rise to Wild Card | website=Inside The Star | date=2021-12-28 | url=https://insidethestar.com/nfc-east-2021-cowboys-clinch-division-title-eagles-rise-to-wild-card/ | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> They swept the NFC East for the first time since [[1998 Dallas Cowboys season|1998]]. Rookie [[Micah Parsons]] was awarded as [[NFL Rookie of the Year Award#Defensive ROTY winners (1969–present)|Defensive Rookie of the Year]], and contributed to a league-leading defense.<ref name="o153">{{cite web | last=Patra | first=Kevin | title=Cowboys LB Micah Parsons named 2021 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year | website=NFL.com | date=2022-02-11 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-lb-micah-parsons-named-2021-ap-nfl-defensive-rookie-of-the-year | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> The Cowboys' strong offense finished the year with 530 points, the most in the league, and a team record.<ref name="w574">{{cite web | last=Gosselin | first=Rick | title=Cowboys boast NFL's most prolific offense, but history says stats rarely lead to Super Bowl glory | website=Dallas News | date=2022-01-14 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2022/01/12/cowboys-boast-nfls-most-prolific-offense-but-history-says-super-bowls-are-won-by-other-means/ | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> They finished the season with a 12–5 record, their best since 2016. But despite high expectations, the Cowboys lost in the [[2021–22 NFL playoffs#NFC: San Francisco 49ers 23, Dallas Cowboys 17|wild card round]] of the playoffs to the [[2021 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] 23–17.<ref name="s179">{{cite web | last=Daniels | first=Kurt | title=Game Recap: Cowboy Season Ends With 23-17 Loss | website=DallasCowboys.com | date=2022-01-17 | url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/game-recap-cowboy-season-ends-with-23-17-loss | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref>
The [[2022 Dallas Cowboys season|2022 season]] saw a repeat of the 12–5 record. Despite losing to the [[2022 Jacksonville Jaguars season|Jacksonville Jaguars]] in Week 15, the Cowboys clinched a playoff berth after a loss by the [[2022 Washington Commanders season|Washington Commanders]] later that day. This marked the first time since [[2006 Dallas Cowboys season|2006]]–[[2007 Dallas Cowboys season|2007]] the Cowboys qualified for the postseason in consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite web | last=Kerr | first=Jeff | title=NFL offseason needs 2023: NFC East priorities for Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, Commanders ahead of free agency | website=CBSSports.com | date=2023-02-13 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-offseason-needs-2023-nfc-east-priorities-for-eagles-giants-cowboys-commanders-ahead-of-free-agency/ | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> Quarterback Dak Prescott was awarded as [[Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award|Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year]], for his contributions to the community and charity.<ref name="i169">{{cite web | last=Gordon | first=Grant | title=Cowboys QB Dak Prescott named 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year | website=NFL.com | date=2023-02-10 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-qb-dak-prescott-named-2022-walter-payton-nfl-man-of-the-year. | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> In the [[2022–23 NFL playoffs#NFC: Dallas Cowboys 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14|wild-card round of the playoffs]], the Cowboys defeated the [[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] to win their first road playoff game since their [[1992 Dallas Cowboys season|Super Bowl-winning 1992 season]], and ended their winless streak against [[Tom Brady]] in what proved to be Brady's last game in his career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Tony |date=2023-02-02 |title=Cowboys retire Tom Brady after a 23-year career ⋆ Inside The Star |url=https://insidethestar.com/cowboys-retire-tom-brady-after-a-23-year-career/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=Inside The Star |language=en-US}}</ref> However, they were defeated by the [[2022 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] for the second consecutive season, this time in the [[2022–23 NFL playoffs#NFC: San Francisco 49ers 19, Dallas Cowboys 12|divisional round]], their seventh consecutive divisional round defeat.<ref name="d417">{{cite web | last=Dubow | first=Josh | title=49ers beat Cowboys 19-12 to advance to NFC title game | website=AP News | date=2023-01-23 | url=https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-49ers-dallas-cowboys-nfl-super-bowl-sports-f1268805853482b77d05a12a2fded011 | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref>
On February 16, 2022, a settlement of $2.4 million was paid after four cheerleaders accused Rich Dalrymple, the now-retired senior vice president of public relations and communications, of voyeurism in their locker room as they undressed during a 2015 event at AT&T Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |last=Van Natta |first=Don Jr. |title=Cowboys paid $2.4 million to settle cheerleaders' voyeurism allegations against senior team executive |date=February 16, 2022 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33231841/dallas-cowboys-paid-24-million-settle-cheerleaders-voyeurism-allegations |publisher=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jerry Jones comments on Dallas Cowboys' $2.4 million settlement paid to cheerleaders |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2022/02/26/jerry-jones-comments-on-dallas-cowboys-24-million-settlement-paid-to-cheerleaders/ |access-date=February 27, 2022 |publisher=Dallas Morning News |date=February 26, 2022}}</ref>
After the NFL allowed teams to seek blockchain sponsorships,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Jabari |title=The NFL will now let teams seek limited blockchain sponsorships, but cryptocurrency promotion remains banned |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/22/nfl-lets-teams-blockchain-sponsorships-crypto-ban.html |publisher=CNBC |date=March 22, 2022}}</ref> the Cowboys became the first team to do so, signing a multi-year contract with the platform [[Blockchain.com]] on April 13, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Archer |first1=Todd |title=Dallas Cowboys seal partnership with cryptocurrency platform Blockchain.com |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33731497/dallas-cowboys-seal-partnership-cryptocurrency-platform-blockchaincom |publisher=ESPN |date=April 14, 2022}}</ref>
In [[2023 Dallas Cowboys season|2023]], the Cowboys again achieved a 12–5 record, for the third year in a row.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2023.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The team won the [[NFC East]] division for the first time since the [[2021 Dallas Cowboys season|2021 season]] and the second time in three seasons.<ref name="u019">{{cite web | last=Gordon | first=Grant | title=Cowboys win second NFC East title in three seasons with win over Commanders | website=NFL.com | date=2024-01-08 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-win-second-nfc-east-title-in-three-seasons-with-win-over-commanders#:~:text=With%20their%2038%2D10%20win,claimed%20the%20NFC%20East%20title. | access-date=2024-07-30}}</ref> They ended up in a three-way tie with the [[2023 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] and the [[2023 Detroit Lions|Detroit Lions]] for first place in the NFC at 12–5. However, they lost the conference record tiebreaker to the 49ers but won the head to head tiebreaker over the Lions, giving them the second seed in the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Dallas |date=December 31, 2023 |title=NFC No. 1 Seed Playoff Scenarios: 49ers, Eagles, Lions, Cowboys Still in Mix for First-Round Bye |url=https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfc-no-1-seed-playoff-scenarios-49ers-eagles-lions-cowboys-2023/ |access-date=March 11, 2024 |website=Pro Football Network}}</ref> Although the Cowboys lost to the [[2023 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]] in Week 15, they clinched their third straight playoff berth before taking the field when the [[2023 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] and [[2023 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]] lost to the [[2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] and [[2023 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]], respectively.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |date=December 17, 2023 |title=Cowboys clinch third straight trip to postseason following losses by Packers, Falcons |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-clinch-third-straight-trip-to-postseason-following-losses-by-packers-fal |work=NFL.com}}</ref> This marked the Cowboys' first run of three consecutive postseason appearances since appearing in six straight from [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|1991]] to [[1996 Dallas Cowboys season|1996]]. However, the Cowboys collapsed in the [[2023–24 NFL playoffs|playoffs]], and, despite having one of the best-ranked offenses and defenses of the league, were crushed 48–32 by their [[Cowboys–Packers rivalry|rival]], seventh-seeded [[2023 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]] in the Wild Card round, at one point trailing 48–16 during the fourth quarter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2024 |title=Packers 48-32 Cowboys (Jan 14, 2024) Game Recap |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401547752/packers-cowboys |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Treacy |first=Dan |date=2024-01-14 |title=No. 7 seeds to win an NFL playoff game: How Packers made history with wild-card win over Cowboys {{!}} Sporting News |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-playoffs-7-seeds-history-wild-card-packers-cowboys/8800e011a2caa58ac5d5b10a |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gharib |first=Anthony |date=2024-01-15 |title=Notable numbers from Packers' wild-card win over Cowboys |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39310237/green-bay-packers-dallas-cowboys-numbers |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> With the loss, the Cowboys became the first team to lose to a #7 seed since the playoff bracket expanded for the [[2020–21 NFL playoffs]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Beviglia |first=Jim |date=January 24, 2024 |title=Why Can't Dallas Win in the NFL Playoffs? |url=https://www.cappertek.com/blog.asp?b=5-reasons-the-cowboys-keep-failing-in-the-playoffs |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=CapperTek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maaddi |first=Rob |date=January 15, 2024 |title=Analysis: After another playoff failure by Dallas, maybe a call to Belichick can save the Cowboys |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2024/01/15/analysis-after-another-playoff-failure-by-dallas-maybe-a-call-to-belichick-can-save-the-cowboys/72229899007/ |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=USA TODAY|agency=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hamm |first=Timm |date=January 25, 2024 |title='Ain't Gonna Work!' Deion Supports Coach McCarthy, Reveals Cowboys Weakness |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-mike-mccarthy-deion-sanders-jerry-jones-robert-griffin-iii-rg3-podcast |access-date=January 25, 2024 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> This also marked the first time a team failed to reach a Conference Championship Game despite winning at least 12 games in three consecutive seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clawson |first=Douglas |date=2024-01-15 |title=Cowboys' playoff failures by the numbers since last NFC title game appearance |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/cowboys-playoff-failures-by-the-numbers-since-last-nfc-title-game-appearance/ |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Thanksgiving Day games==
In their seventh season in [[1966 Dallas Cowboys season|1966]], the Cowboys agreed to host a second [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|NFL Thanksgiving game]]; the tradition of a team hosting on [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] had been popularized by the [[Detroit Lions]] (who had hosted a game on the day mostly un-interrupted since moving to Detroit in [[1934 Detroit Lions season|1934]]). General manager [[Tex Schramm]] wanted to find a way to boost publicity on a national level for his team, which had struggled for most of the 1960s. In fact, the NFL guaranteed a cut of the gate revenue in the belief that the game would not be a hit because of said struggle. With a kickoff just after 5 p.m. [[Central Time Zone|CST]],<ref name="clldbg">{{Cite news |date=November 24, 1966 |title=Cowboys, Browns to collide in Dallas' biggest NFL game |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C7hdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AF4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5906%2C2859586 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |page=12 |agency=Associated Press|via=Google News}}</ref> over eighty thousand fans (and millions viewing on [[NFL on CBS|CBS]]) saw the Cowboys beat the [[1966 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] 26–14 at the [[Cotton Bowl (stadium)|Cotton Bowl]].<ref name="bcpbr">{{Cite news |date=November 25, 1966 |title=Villanueva boots Cowboys by Browns|via=Google News |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DLhdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AF4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5829%2C2958431 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |page=11A |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="mpdiel">{{Cite news |date=November 25, 1966 |title=Meredith puts Dallas in East lead |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bUsqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pk8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7270%2C3484806 |work=Pittsburgh Press|via=Google News |page=42 |agency=UPI}}</ref><ref name=tgexpl>{{cite news |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/dallas-cowboys-thanksgiving-explained/146o1kch215gx1q57og4dlqqvs |work=Sporting News |last=McCarriston |first=Shanna |title=Here's why the Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving, explained |date=November 24, 2021 |accessdate=November 25, 2021}}</ref>
In [[1975 Dallas Cowboys season|1975]] and [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]], at the behest of <!--then- -->[[History of the NFL Commissioner|Commissioner]] [[Pete Rozelle]], the <!-- then- -->[[1975 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]] replaced Dallas as a host team. Dallas then hosted St. Louis in [[1976 Dallas Cowboys season|1976]] in an effort by the NFL to give St. Louis national exposure. Although the Cardinals, at the time known as the "Cardiac Cards" due to their propensity for winning very close games, were a modest success at the time, the games did not prove as successful. Owing to factors that ranged from ugly contests to opposition from the [[Kirkwood–Webster Groves Turkey Day Game]] (a local [[high school football]] contest) led to Dallas resuming regular hosting duties in [[1978 Dallas Cowboys season|1978]]. It was then, after Rozelle asked Dallas to resume hosting Thanksgiving games, that the Cowboys requested (and received) an agreement guaranteeing the Cowboys a spot on Thanksgiving Day for good; as such, the Cowboys play in the late afternoon.<ref>{{cite news|last=McManaman|first=Bob|title=Cardinals, not Cowboys, could have been an NFL Thanksgiving Day staple|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2017/11/22/cardinals-nfl-thanksgiving-dallas-cowboys-host-team/883790001/|website=AZCentral.com|date=November 22, 2017|access-date=November 23, 2017}}</ref>
==Logos and uniforms==
===Logo===
[[File:Cowboys 75anniv throwback.png|thumb|upright=1|The throwback double-star uniforms introduced in 1994 for the NFL's 75th Anniversary]]
The Dallas Cowboys' blue star logo, which represents Texas as "The Lone Star State," is one of the most well-known team logos in professional sports. The blue star originally was a solid shape until a white line and blue border were added in 1964. The logo has remained the same since. Today, the blue star has been extended to not only the Dallas Cowboys, but owner Jerry Jones' defunct [[Arena Football League|AFL]] team, the [[Dallas Desperados]] that used a similar logo based on that of the Cowboys. The blue star also is used on other entries like an imaging facility and storage facility.
===Uniforms===
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The Dallas Cowboys' white home jersey has royal blue (PMS 287 C) solid socks, numbers, lettering, and two stripes on the sleeves outlined in black. The home pants are a common metallic silver-green color (PMS 8280 C) that helps bring out the blue in the uniform. The navy (PMS 289 C) road jerseys (nicknamed the "Stars and Stripes" jersey) have white lettering and numbers with navy pinstripes. A white/gray/white stripe is on each sleeve as well as the collared V-neck, and a Cowboys star logo is placed upon the stripes. A "Cowboys" chest crest is directly under the NFL shield. The away pants are a pearlish metallic-silver color (PMS 8180 C) and like the home pants, enhance the navy in the uniforms. The team uses a serifed font for the lettered player surnames on the jersey nameplates.<ref name="CowboysMediaGuide"/><ref name="CowboysTeamCapsule" />
The team's helmets are also a unique silver with a tint of blue known as "Metallic Silver Blue" (PMS 8240 C) and have a blue/white/blue vertical stripe placed upon the center of the crown. The Cowboys also include a unique, if subtle, feature on the back of the helmet: a blue strip of [[Dymo]] tape with the player's name embossed, placed on the white portion of the stripe at the back of the helmet.
====Home and away uniform history====
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When the Dallas Cowboys franchise debuted in 1960, the team's uniform included a white helmet adorned with a simple blue star and a blue-white-blue stripe down the center crown. The team donned blue jerseys with white sleeves and a small blue star on each shoulder for home games and the negative opposite for away games. Their socks also had two horizontal white stripes overlapping the blue.
In 1964, the Cowboys opted for a simpler look (adopting essentially the team's current uniform) by changing their jersey/socks to one solid color with three horizontal stripes on the sleeves; the white jersey featured royal blue stripes with a narrow black border, the royal blue jersey white stripes with the same black outline. The star-shouldered jerseys were eliminated; "TV" numbers appeared just above the jersey stripes. The new helmet was silver-blue, with a blue-white-blue tri-stripe down the center (the middle white stripe was thicker). The blue "lone star" logo was retained, but with a white border setting it off from the silver/blue. The new pants were silver/blue, with a blue-white-blue tri-stripe. In 1964, the NFL allowed teams to wear white jerseys at home; several teams did so, and the Cowboys have worn white at home ever since, except on certain and special "throwback" days.<ref name="Morgan">{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Chris |date=October 25, 2021 |title=Why Do the Dallas Cowboys Always Wear White at Home? |url=https://fanbuzz.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys-colors/ |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=FanBuzz |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarden |first=Sam |date=December 29, 2022 |title=Cowboys all-white uniforms, explained: What to know about 'Arctic Cowboys' alternate helmets, jerseys |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/cowboys-white-uniforms-helmets/nnu5ooutg45ou511ivgofudf |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=Sporting News |language=en-us}}</ref><ref name="u873">{{cite web | title=Why Are the Dallas Cowboys Wearing Blue Jerseys at Home? | website=Pro Football Network | date=2023-11-23 | url=https://www.profootballnetwork.com/why-are-dallas-cowboys-wearing-blue-jerseys-at-home-nfl-2023/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
In 1966, the team modified the jerseys, which now featured only two sleeve stripes, slightly wider; the socks followed the same pattern. In 1967 the "lone star" helmet decal added a blue outline to the white-bordered star, giving the logo a bigger, bolder look. The logo and this version of the uniform have seen little change to the present day.
The only notable changes from 1970 to the present were:
* 1970 to 1973: The "TV" numbers were moved from the shoulders to the sleeves above the stripes (the TV numbers returned to the shoulders on the white jerseys in 1974, but remained on the sleeves of the blue jerseys through 1978).
* 1982 to 1988: The pants featured a white uniform number in an elliptical blue circle worn near the hip.
* the removal of the indented [[serif]]s on the front and back jersey numbers in the early 1980s (seen currently on the throwback jersey)
* 1980: The blue jersey was rendered in a slightly darker shade than the 1964–79 version; from 1981 to 1994 the dark jerseys sported numbers that were gray with white borders and a blue pinstripe. The stripes on the sleeves and socks also used the same gray with white border scheme (sans navy pinstripe).
* 1982 to present: Player names on jersey backs, which were originally in block-letter style, were slightly smaller and in a footed "serif" style.
* 1996 to present: The blue jersey features white/gray/white stripes on each sleeve and the collared V-neck, the Cowboys star logo placed upon the sleeve stripes, white lettering and numbers with navy pinstripes, and the "Cowboys" wordmark in the center of the neckline. The "Cowboys" wordmark was also placed at that same spot on the white jersey from 1996 to 1998.
During the 1976 season, the blue-white-blue stripe on the crown of the helmets was temporarily changed to red-white-blue to commemorate the United States' bicentennial anniversary. This stripe configuration returned in 2021 and is now worn for one regular season game annually when the team pays tribute to [[Medal of Honor]] recipients.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Breech |first=John |date=2022-12-04 |title=LOOK: Cowboys set to wear rare red stripe on their helmet for just the second time in 46 years and here's why |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/look-cowboys-set-to-wear-rare-red-stripe-on-their-helmet-for-just-the-second-time-in-46-years-and-heres-why/ |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 1994, the NFL celebrated their 75th Anniversary, and the Dallas Cowboys celebrated their back-to-back Super Bowl titles by unveiling a white "Double-Star" jersey on Thanksgiving Day. This jersey was used for special occasions and was worn throughout the 1994–95 playoffs. During the same season, the Cowboys also wore their 1960–63 road jersey with a silver helmet for one game as part of a league-wide "throwback" policy.
During the 1995 season, the team wore the navy "Double-Star" jersey for games at Washington and Philadelphia and permanently switched to solid color socks (royal blue for the white uniform, and navy blue for the dark uniform). The navy "Double-Star" jersey was not seen again until the NFL's ''Classic Throwback Weekend'' on Thanksgiving Day 2001–2003.
In 2004, the Cowboys resurrected their original 1960–1963 uniform on Thanksgiving Day. This uniform became the team's alternate or "third jersey" and was usually worn at least once a year, primarily Thanksgiving Day. Two exceptions were when the Cowboys wore their normal white uniforms on Thanksgiving in 2007 and 2008. While the team didn't wear the throwback uniform exactly on Thanksgiving Day in those two years, Dallas wore them on a date around Thanksgiving for those two years. In 2007 Dallas wore the throwback uniform on November 29, 2007, against the Green Bay Packers. In 2008 Dallas wore the throwback uniform on November 23, 2008, against the San Francisco 49ers. The team went back to wearing this uniform at home on Thanksgiving Day in 2009 while their opponent was the Oakland Raiders who wore their AFL Legacy Weekend throwbacks. Dallas wore this alternate uniform on October 11, 2009, as part of one of the NFL's AFL Legacy Weekends when they traveled to Kansas City to play the Chiefs who were sporting their AFL Dallas Texans' uniforms. This created a rare game in which neither team wore a white jersey and the first time the Cowboys wore the alternative uniform as a visiting team. The 1960–1963 uniform may also be used on other special occasions. Other instances include the 2005 Monday Night game against the Washington Redskins when the team inducted Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irving into the Cowboys Ring of Honor, and the 2006 Christmas Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2013, the NFL issued a new helmet rule stating that players would no longer be allowed to use alternate helmets due to the league's enhanced concussion awareness. This caused the Cowboys' white 1960s throwback helmets to become non-compliant. However, this rule became moot in 2022 when the NFL once again allowed teams to use an alternate helmet again, and the Cowboys reintroduced the 1960s white helmet.
During the "one-shell era", in 2013,<ref>{{citation|title=2013 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2013|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> 2014,<ref>{{citation|title=2014 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2014|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> 2016,<ref>{{citation|title=2016 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2016|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> and 2017,<ref>{{citation|title=2017 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2017|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> the team wore their normal blue jerseys at home for Thanksgiving; the only exceptions were in 2015<ref>{{citation|title=2015 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2015|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> and 2020<ref>{{citation|title=2020 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2020|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> when the Cowboys wore the "Color Rush" uniforms (''see below''), and in 2018,<ref>{{citation|title=2018 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2018|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> 2019<ref>{{citation|title=2019 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2019|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> and 2021<ref>{{citation|title=2021 Thanksgiving Day uniforms|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=bottom-bar-pages&game-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Game&page-title=Thanksgiving%20Day%20Games&year=2021|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=July 31, 2022}}</ref> when they wore their regular white uniforms.<ref name="2013BlueJerseys">{{cite web|last=Eatman|first=Nick|title=Cowboys To Wear Blue Jerseys At Home Thursday|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowboys-to-wear-blue-jerseys-at-home-thursday-344596|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=November 26, 2013|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-date=September 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903220857/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowboys-to-wear-blue-jerseys-at-home-thursday-344596|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, the team initially announced that they will wear blue jerseys at home on a more regular basis, only to rescind soon after.<ref name="HanzusCowboys" /><ref name="DaSilvaCowboys">{{cite news|last=DaSilva|first=Cameron|title=Here's the real reason behind the Dallas Cowboys' mismatched uniform colors|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/dallas-cowboys-nfl-uniforms-mismatched-gray-blue-home-away-throwback-thanksgiving-changes-061317|work=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=August 25, 2017|archive-date=August 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826031452/http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/dallas-cowboys-nfl-uniforms-mismatched-gray-blue-home-away-throwback-thanksgiving-changes-061317|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2015, the Cowboys released their [[NFL Color Rush|Color Rush]] uniform, featuring a variation of the 1990s "Double Star" alternates with white pants and socks. The uniform was first used in a Thanksgiving game against the Carolina Panthers and in subsequent ''[[Thursday Night Football]]'' games since 2016. In 2022, the "Color Rush" uniforms would be worn with a white helmet; this design would emulate their current silver helmets but without any silver elements.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2022 |title=CONFIRMED: Cowboys Will Wear Two Different White Helmet Designs in '22 |url=https://uni-watch.com/2022/07/28/confirmed-cowboys-will-wear-two-different-white-helmet-designs-in-22/ |access-date=July 29, 2022 |website=Uni Watch |language=en-US|author=Lukas, Paul}}</ref>
The Cowboys also unveiled a navy uniform-white pants combination which was first used on December 10, 2017, against the Giants.
In 1964, Tex Schramm started the tradition of the Cowboys wearing their white jersey at home, contrary to an unofficial rule that teams should wear colored jerseys at home. Schramm did this because he wanted fans to see a variety of opponents' colors at home games.<ref name="2013BlueJerseys" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Gross|first=Shannon|title=CowBuzz: Boys' To Wear Navy Jerseys This Weekend|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowbuzz-boys-to-wear-navy-jerseys-this-weekend-341996|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=September 25, 2013|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-date=September 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903220901/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowbuzz-boys-to-wear-navy-jerseys-this-weekend-341996|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lukas|first=Paul|title=The Island of Misfit Unis|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/051219|work=[[ESPN]]|date=December 19, 2005|access-date=November 23, 2015|archive-date=July 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701091004/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas%2F051219|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Here's the real reason behind the Dallas Cowboys' mismatched uniform colors |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/heres-the-real-reason-behind-the-dallas-cowboys-mismatched-uniform-colors |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=FOX Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lukas |first=Paul |title=The Island of Misfit Unis |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/051219 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701091004/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas%2F051219 |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2007 |publisher=ESPN}}</ref><ref name="Morgan"/>
According to current Cowboys' Equipment Director, Mike McCord, another reason why the team chose to wear white uniforms at home was because of the intense Texas heat during the early part of the season at [[Texas Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Ryan|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/the-cowboys-are-going-to-wear-their-navy-blue-jerseys-more-in-2017/ |title=The Cowboys are going to wear their navy blue jerseys more in 2017 |website=CBSSports.com |date=June 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2013 |title=Dallas Cowboys Uniforms |url=https://theboysareback.wordpress.com/dallas-cowboys-uniforms/ |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=THE BOYS ARE BACK |language=en}}</ref>
Throughout the years, the Cowboys' blue jersey has been popularly viewed to be "[[sports-related curses|jinxed]]" because the team often seemed to lose when they wore them. This purported curse drew attention after the team lost Super Bowl V with the blue jerseys.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lukas|first=Paul|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/071025|title=ESPN Page 2 – Uni Watch: How 'bout them Cowboys?|work=ESPN|date=October 26, 2007|access-date=November 28, 2008|archive-date=July 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080712070016/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas%2F071025|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the roots of the curse likely date back earlier to the 1968 divisional playoffs, when the blue-shirted Cowboys were upset by the [[1968 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]] in what turned out to be Don Meredith's final game with the Cowboys. Another example was a 1976 regular season road game against the [[1976 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]], in which the Cardinals elected to wear white as the home team and promptly defeated the then-undefeated Cowboys 21–17 for their first loss in six games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=LaDarius |date=January 16, 2023 |title=History behind the Cowboys' blue jersey curse explained |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/history-behind-cowboys-blue-jersey-curse-explained |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=www.sportskeeda.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
Since the white home uniform tradition began in 1964, the only season Dallas never wore blue uniforms in a regular season game was in the [[1972 Dallas Cowboys season|1972 season]], even though they wore them thrice in the preseason.<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1972|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1972|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> The only other times Dallas wore blue in one regular season game came in [[1968 Dallas Cowboys season|1968]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1968|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1968|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> [[1975 Dallas Cowboys season|1975]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1975|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1975|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> [[1976 Dallas Cowboys season|1976]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1976|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1976|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|1977]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1977|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1977|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> [[1998 Dallas Cowboys season|1998]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 1998|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=1998|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> [[2010 Dallas Cowboys season|2010]],<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 2010|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=2010|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> and [[2020 Dallas Cowboys season|2020]].<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 2020|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=2020|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> Conversely, the [[2019 Dallas Cowboys season|2019 season]] saw Dallas wear their blue uniforms eight times, the most of any season.<ref>{{citation|title=List of NFL uniforms worn in 2019|url=https://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/controller/controller.php?action=wwww&year=2019|publisher=The Gridiron Uniforms Database|access-date=January 17, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Mike |date=August 26, 2019 |title=Rhapsody in Blue: Cowboys to wear dark jerseys in half of 2019 games |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/rhapsody-in-blue-cowboys-to-wear-dark-jerseys-in-half-of-2019-games |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=FanNation Dallas Cowboys News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref>
Since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, league rules were changed to allow the Super Bowl home team to pick their choice of jersey. Most of the time, Dallas will wear their blue jerseys when they visit Washington, Philadelphia (sometimes), Miami, or one of the handful of other teams that traditionally wear their white jerseys at home during the first half of the season due to the hot climates in their respective cities or other means. Occasionally opposing teams will wear their white jerseys at home to try to invoke the curse,<ref>{{cite news|title=Cowboys going with retro look|first=Charean|last=Williams| work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]|date=November 22, 2001}}</ref> such as when the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] hosted the Cowboys in the [[1980–81 NFL playoffs#Conference championships|1980 NFC Championship Game]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Wallace|first=William N.|title=EAGLES DEVISE COLOR SCHEME FOR COWBOYS|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/07/sports/eagles-devise-color-scheme-for-cowboys.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 7, 1981|access-date=December 10, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220110009/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/07/sports/eagles-devise-color-scheme-for-cowboys.html|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as their November 4, 2007, meeting. Various other teams followed suit in the 1980s.
Although Dallas has made several tweaks to their blue jerseys over the years, Schramm said he did not believe in the curse.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cowboys to Wash Out Blue|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/15/sports/cowboys-to-wash-out-blue.html|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 15, 1981|access-date=December 10, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220110845/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/15/sports/cowboys-to-wash-out-blue.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Since the league began allowing teams to use an alternate jersey, the Cowboys' alternates have been primarily blue versions of past jerseys and the Cowboys have generally had success when wearing these blue alternates. With the implementation of the 2013 NFL helmet rule for alternate jerseys, the team decided instead to wear their regular blue jerseys for their Thanksgiving game, something they have not done at home since Schramm started the white-jersey-at-home tradition.<ref name="2013BlueJerseys"/>
As of the {{nfly|2023}} season, the Cowboys have a cumulative 97–100–3 regular season record in their blue uniforms. They are also 15–11 at home while wearing the blue uniforms since 2001. The Cowboys also sport a 8–2 record when wearing the primary blue uniform/white pants combination since its 2017 debut.
The Cowboys are 2–6 in playoff games while wearing the blue uniforms. The only victories with the blue uniforms came in the [[1978–79 NFL playoffs#NFC: Dallas Cowboys 28, Los Angeles Rams 0|1978 NFC Championship Game]] against the [[1978 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]], and the [[2022–23 NFL playoffs#NFC: Dallas Cowboys 31, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 14|2022 NFC Wild Card Round]] against the [[2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=LaDarius |date=January 16, 2023 |title=History behind the Cowboys' blue jersey curse explained |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/history-behind-cowboys-blue-jersey-curse-explained |access-date=February 20, 2024 |website=Sportskeeda}}</ref>
[[File:Staubach and Lilly HOF jerseys.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Roger Staubach]] and [[Bob Lilly]] jerseys shown at the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in [[Canton, Ohio]]]]
[[File:DALvsWAS (50121325726).jpg|thumb|upright=1|Quarterback [[Dak Prescott]] handing the ball off to running back [[Ezekiel Elliott]], both in the blue jerseys during a [[2018 Dallas Cowboys season|2018]] game]]
==== Thanksgiving Day uniforms ====
With the Dallas Cowboys traditionally hosting [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day games]], the team donned new uniforms when they unveiled their white "Double-Star" jersey for the first time on November 24, 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Happened to the Throwback Uniforms |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/video/what-happened-to-the-throwback-uniforms-363651// |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827091518/https://www.dallascowboys.com/video/what-happened-to-the-throwback-uniforms-363651 |archive-date=August 27, 2022 |access-date=August 17, 2022 |website=DallasCowboys.com}}</ref> This game later became synonymous with future Cowboys Head Coach (2010–2019); then 3rd string Quarterback [[Jason Garrett]] as he led a come-from-behind victory against the Green Bay Packers.<ref>{{cite web|title=Throwback: Jason Garrett leads Cowboys comeback on Thanksgiving Day 1994 |website=[[NFL.com]] |url=https://www.nfl.com/videos/throwback-jason-garrett-leads-cowboys-comeback-on-thanksgiving-day-1994-281652//}}</ref>
In the 2004 season, the team went further into Cowboys history by choosing to don blue jerseys worn in their first 4 years of existence, which included white helmets and pants. However, keeping consistent with modern marketing, navy blue was used for this version as opposed to the original 1960-1963 royal color jersey.<ref name="HanzusCowboys" /> Aside from the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the Cowboys continued to use this "throwback" uniform through Thanksgiving Day 2012.
Before the start of the 2013 season, the NFL announced a "One-helmet" rule to help prevent potential player concussions.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL players take to Twitter to blast new helmet rule|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-players-take-to-twitter-to-blast-new-helmet-rule-0ap1000000152290/|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=NFL.com|date=March 20, 2013|access-date=September 10, 2023}}</ref> This regulation also prevented the Cowboys from pairing the white helmets with the throwback uniforms, as the team will often use the traditional silver-blue as their primary helmets throughout the season.
In the 2015 season, the Cowboys chose to wear a variation of the 1994 "Double-Star" jersey as their [[Color Rush]] on Thanksgiving Day against the Carolina Panthers on November 26, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gross|first=Shannon|title=CowBuzz: Cowboys Unveil New ColorRush Uniform For Thanksgiving Day Game|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowbuzz-cowboys-unveil-new-colorrush-uniform-for-thanksgiving-day-game-393151|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=November 20, 2015|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402194555/https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowbuzz-cowboys-unveil-new-colorrush-uniform-for-thanksgiving-day-game-393151|url-status=live}}</ref> Since then, the [[Color Rush]] was only used again on Thanksgiving against the [[2020 Washington Football Team season|Washington Football Team]] on November 26, 2020.<ref name="l353">{{cite web | last=Thompson | first=Tony | title=Cowboys' 2020 white, blue and Color Rush uniform schedule | website=Cowboys Wire|publisher=USA Today | date=2020-08-28 | url=https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2020/08/28/dallas-cowboys-2020-uniforms-jerseys-schedule/#:~:text=Many%20have%20asked%20so%20here,in%20their%20normal%20white%20jerseys. | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> In all other seasons, the team opted to wear their standard white or blue uniforms.
In 2022, the NFL restored the use of alternate helmets and the Cowboys reinstated the white helmet and navy 'throwback" uniforms on November 24, 2022, against the [[New York Giants]].<ref name="r502">{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Rob |date=2022-07-21 |title=Cowboys Unveil Alternate Helmet For 2022 Season |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/cowboys-unveil-alternate-helmet-for-2022-season |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=DallasCowboys.com}}</ref>
==Stadiums==
===Cotton Bowl===
{{Main|Cotton Bowl (stadium)}}
[[File:CottonBowl.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The main entrance to the [[Cotton Bowl (stadium)|Cotton Bowl]] in [[Dallas]]]]
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1932 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back [[Doak Walker]] drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as the Fair Park Bowl, it is located in [[Fair Park]], site of the [[State Fair of Texas]]. Concerts or other events using a stage allow the playing field to be used for additional spectators. The Cotton Bowl was the longtime home of the annual [[Cotton Bowl Classic]] college football bowl game, for which the stadium is named. (Beginning with the January 2010 game, the Cotton Bowl Classic has been played at [[AT&T Stadium]] in Arlington.) The Dallas Cowboys called the Cotton Bowl home for 11 years, from the team's formation in 1960 until 1971, when the Cowboys moved to [[Texas Stadium]]. It is the only Cowboys stadium within the Dallas [[city limits]]. The Cowboys hosted the Green Bay Packers for the [[1966 NFL Championship Game|1966 NFL Championship]] at the Cotton Bowl.<ref name="k235">{{cite web | last=D'Amato | first=Gary | title=50 years ago, Starr shined in epic NFL title game | website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | date=2016-12-27 | url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2016/12/27/50-years-ago-starr-shined-epic-nfl-title-game/95856906/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
===Texas Stadium===
{{Main|Texas Stadium}}
[[File:Texas Stadium.jpeg|thumb|upright=1|The outside of [[Texas Stadium]] in [[Irving, Texas|Irving]]]]
For the majority of the franchise's history the Cowboys played their home games at Texas Stadium. Just outside the city of Dallas, the stadium was located in [[Irving, Texas|Irving]]. The stadium opened on October 24, 1971, at a cost of $35 million and with a [[seating capacity]] of 65,675. The stadium was famous for its hole-in-the-roof dome. The roof's worn paint had become so unsightly in the early 2000s that it was repainted in the summer of 2006 by the City of Irving. It was the first time the famed roof was repainted since Texas Stadium opened. The roof was structurally independent from the stadium it covered. The Cowboys lost their final game at Texas Stadium to the [[Baltimore Ravens]], 33–24, on December 20, 2008. After Cowboys Stadium was opened in 2009, the Cowboys turned over the facility to the City of Irving.
In [[2009 NFL season|2009]], it was replaced as home of the Cowboys by [[AT&T Stadium|Cowboys Stadium]], which officially opened on May 27, 2009, in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/cowboys/2009-09-17-cowboys-stadium-cover_N.htm | work=USA Today | title='This transcends football': 'Boys boast as new stadium shines | first=Jarrett | last=Bell | date=September 18, 2009 | access-date=April 30, 2010 | archive-date=September 22, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922232210/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/cowboys/2009-09-17-cowboys-stadium-cover_N.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> Texas Stadium was demolished by implosion on April 11, 2010.<ref name="b784">{{cite web | last=Brock | first=Todd | title=Blowing up God's Peephole: The 10-yr anniversary of Texas Stadium's demise | website=Cowboys Wire|publisher=USA Today | date=2020-04-11 | url=https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/11/texas-stadium-implosion-10th-anniversary/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
===AT&T Stadium===
{{Main|AT&T Stadium}}
[[File:Cowboys Stadium field.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[AT&T Stadium]] during a game]]
AT&T Stadium, previously named Cowboys Stadium, is a [[domed stadium]] with a retractable roof in [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]]. After failed negotiations to build a new stadium on the site of the Cotton Bowl, Jerry Jones, along with the city of Arlington, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, funded the stadium at a cost of $1.3 billion.<ref name="s595">{{cite web | last=Mosley | first=Matt | title=Mosley: Stadium will be Jones' legacy | website=ESPN.com | date=2008-09-15 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=mosley_matt&page=hotread1/mosley | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> The stadium is located in [[Tarrant County, Texas|Tarrant County]], the first time the Cowboys has called a stadium home outside of [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]]. It was completed on May 29, 2009, and seats 80,000, but is expandable to seat up to 100,000. AT&T Stadium is among the largest domed stadiums in the world.<ref>{{cite web |last=Popik |first=Barry |url=http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/jerrydome_or_jerry_dome_dallas_cowboys_stadium_in_arlington/ |title=Jerrydome or Jerry Dome (Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington) – The Big Apple |publisher=Barrypopik.com |date=August 22, 2009 |access-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022175030/http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/jerrydome_or_jerry_dome_dallas_cowboys_stadium_in_arlington/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
A highlight of AT&T Stadium is its gigantic, center-hung [[high-definition television]] screen, at one point the largest in the world.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2011 |title=Jerry Jones to no longer have largest HDTV |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4678953/jerry-jones-to-no-longer-have-largest-hdtv |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[ESPN.com]]}}</ref> The {{convert|160|by|72|ft}}, {{convert|11520|ft2|adj=on}} scoreboard surpassed the {{convert|8736|ft2|0|abbr=on|adj=on}} screen that opened in 2009 at the renovated [[Kauffman Stadium]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] as the world's largest.<ref>{{cite web |last=Murph |first=Darren |url=http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/10/03/kansas-city-royals-to-get-worlds-largest-hd-led-scoreboard/ |title=Kansas City Royals to get 'world's largest' HD LED scoreboard |publisher=Engadgethd.com |date=May 18, 2009 |access-date=May 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926051042/http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/10/03/kansas-city-royals-to-get-worlds-largest-hd-led-scoreboard |archive-date=September 26, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 2008 |title=Jerry Jones aims to make all Cowboys' fans blind by 2010 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Jerry-Jones-aims-to-make-all-Cowboys-fans-blind?urn=nfl,87574 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022120859/http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Jerry-Jones-aims-to-make-all-Cowboys-fans-blind?urn=nfl,87574 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2008 |work=Yahoo! Sports}}</ref><ref name="x819">{{cite web | title=Cowboys reveal world's largest HD LED screen to the public | website=LEDs Magazine | date=2009-06-15 | url=https://www.ledsmagazine.com/home/article/16698860/cowboys-reveal-worlds-largest-hd-led-screen-to-the-public | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> In 2011, [[Charlotte Motor Speedway]] unveiled its plans for a new HDTV screen larger than the one in AT&T Stadium;<ref name=":1" /> that larger screen has since been completed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Speedway TV |url=https://sales.charlottemotorspeedway.com/brand-exposure/speedway-tv/ |website=[[Charlotte Motor Speedway]]}}</ref>
At the debut pre-season game of Cowboys Stadium, a punt by Tennessee Titans kicker, [[A. J. Trapasso]], hit the 2,100 in. screen above the field. The punt deflected and was ruled in-play until Titans coach [[Jeff Fisher]] informed the officials that the punt struck the [[scoreboard]]. (Many believe Trapasso was trying to hit the suspended scoreboard, based on replays and the angle of the kick.) The scoreboard is, however, within the regulation of the NFL guidelines – hanging approximately five feet above the minimum height. No punts hit the scoreboard during the entire 2009 regular season during an actual game. Also, on August 22, 2009, the day after AJ Trapasso hit the screen, many fans touring the facility noted that half of the field was removed with large cranes re-positioning the screen. According to some fans, a tour guide explained that Jerry Jones invited a few professional soccer players to drop kick soccer balls to try to hit the screen. Once he observed them hitting it consistently he had the screen moved up another 10 feet.
The first regular season home game of the 2009 season was against the New York Giants. A league record-setting 105,121 fans showed up to fill Cowboys Stadium for the game before which the traditional "blue star" at the 50-yard line was unveiled for the first time; however, the Cowboys lost in the final seconds, 33–31.<ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Rob|title=Open & Shut|url=http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=DBA2D9CD-CCD8-CBA6-3963CB2ABC03AEDF|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=September 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924233939/http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/news.cfm?id=DBA2D9CD-CCD8-CBA6-3963CB2ABC03AEDF|archive-date=September 24, 2009|access-date=August 29, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The Cowboys got their first regular-season home win on September 28, 2009. They beat the Carolina Panthers 21–7 with 90,588 in attendance. The game was televised on ESPN's ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' and marked a record 42nd win for the Cowboys on ''Monday Night Football''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 29, 2009 |title=Cowboys shut down Panthers' offense for first win in new stadium |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=290928006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117070137/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=290928006 |archive-date=January 17, 2016 |access-date=January 15, 2017 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
On July 25, 2013, the Cowboys announced that [[AT&T]] would be taking over the rights to the name of the stadium.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hanzus|first=Dan|title=Cowboys Stadium now called AT&T Stadium after deal|url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000220798/article/cowboys-stadium-is-now-called-att-stadium?|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=NFL.com|date=July 25, 2013|access-date=July 26, 2013|archive-date=July 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725211801/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000220798/article/cowboys-stadium-is-now-called-att-stadium|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Training camp sites==
[[File:Ford Center at the Star - May 2018 - Exterior.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Ford Center at the Star]] in [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]], home of Cowboys training camp since 2016]]
Dallas Cowboys training camp locations:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knowyourdallascowboys.com/2008/07/26/history-of-dallas-cowboys-training-camp-sites-2008-update/ |title=History of Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Sites, 2008 Update – Know Your Dallas Cowboys | Know Your Dallas Cowboys |publisher=Knowyourdallascowboys.com |access-date=September 3, 2012 |archive-date=April 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401014619/http://www.knowyourdallascowboys.com/2008/07/26/history-of-dallas-cowboys-training-camp-sites-2008-update/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 1960: [[Pacific University]], [[Forest Grove, Oregon|Forest Grove]], [[Oregon]]
* 1961: [[St. Olaf College]], [[Northfield, Minnesota|Northfield]], [[Minnesota]]
* 1962: Northern Michigan College, [[Marquette, Michigan|Marquette]], [[Michigan]]
* 1963–1989: [[California Lutheran University|California Lutheran College]], [[Thousand Oaks, California|Thousand Oaks]], [[California]]
* 1990–1997: [[St. Edward's University]], [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]]
* 1998–2002: [[Midwestern State University]], [[Wichita Falls, Texas|Wichita Falls]], Texas
* 2001, 2004–2006, 2008, 2012–2015: River Ridge Sports Complex, [[Oxnard, California|Oxnard]], California
* 2002–2003, 2007, 2009: [[Alamodome|The Alamodome]], [[San Antonio]], Texas
* 2010–2011: The Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas and River Ridge Sports Complex, Oxnard, California
* 2016–present: [[The Ford Center at The Star]], [[Frisco, Texas|Frisco]], Texas
==Nationwide fanbase==
===Fan support===
Ever since the team joined the NFL in 1960, the franchise have garnered strong fan support in both the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]] and the state of Texas. With its strong fanbase across the country, including the notable presence of fans at road games, the Cowboys are often referred to as "[[America's Team]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://insidethestar.com/why-are-the-dallas-cowboys-considered-americas-team/|title=Why are the Dallas Cowboys considered America's Team?|last=T|first=Bryson|date=February 18, 2021|website=Inside the Star|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/894983-how-the-dallas-cowboys-became-known-as-americas-team|title=How the Dallas Cowboys Became Known as "America's Team"|last=Shuck|first=Barry|date=October 15, 2011|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cw33.com/sports/study-says-dallas-cowboys-fans-are-the-most-devoted-fanbase-in-the-nfl/|title=Study says Dallas Cowboys fans are most devoted fanbase in NFL|last=Manning|first=Tyler|date=July 20, 2022|website=CW33.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref>
===Criticism===
Despite the historical success of the franchise and a large Cowboys' fanbase, many fans of other NFL teams have come to dislike the Cowboys.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/americas-team-why-nfl-fans-hate-the-dallas-cowboys|title=America's Team? Why NFL Fans Hate the Dallas Cowboys|date=April 8, 2022|website=[[Fox Sports]]|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thescore.com/news/2202309|title=Twitter map shows Cowboys are most hated NFL team|last=Holrolyd|first=Caitlyn|date=October 14, 2021|website=TheScore.com|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2094368-why-america-hates-the-dallas-cowboys|title=Why America Hates the Dallas Cowboys|last=Gagnon|first=Brad|date=June 19, 2014|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/cowboys-patriots-nfl-2015-1|title=The Cowboys Remain America's Most Hated NFL Team But The Patriots Are Not Far Behind|last=Gaines|first=Cork|date=January 29, 2015|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=December 1, 2023}}</ref> Over the years, the Cowboys' fanbase had been labeled as the most annoying in all of sports.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/dallas-cowboys-most-annoying-fanbase-sports-preseason-jerry-jones-tom-landry-rank|title=Cowboys Fans Rank as 'Most Annoying' in Sports|last=Hamm|first=Timm|date=August 25, 2022|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=December 1, 2023}}</ref> [[ESPN]] host and commentator [[Stephen A. Smith]] has validated this claim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2022/08/24/qa-with-espns-stephen-a-smith-cowboys-fans-hatred-meeting-jerry-jones-and-more/|title=Q&A with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith: Hatred of Cowboys fans, meeting Jerry Jones and more|last=Watkins|first=Calvin|date=August 24, 2022|website=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|access-date=December 1, 2023}}</ref>
==Rivalries==
The [[NFC East]], composed of the Cowboys, [[Philadelphia Eagles]], the [[Washington Commanders]] and [[New York Giants]], is one of the least-changed divisions of the original six formed in the wake of the [[NFL-AFL merger]] (its only major changes being the relocation of the [[Arizona Cardinals|Cardinals]] franchise from St. Louis to Arizona and its subsequent move to the [[NFC West]] in the league's [[2002 NFL season|2002 realignment]]). Three of the four teams have been division rivals since the Cowboys' entry into the NFL. As such, the Cowboys have some of the longest and fiercest rivalries in the sport.
===Divisional===
====Philadelphia Eagles====
{{Main|Cowboys–Eagles rivalry}}
[[File:Eagles Howard and Thomas pointing.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Game between the Dallas Cowboys and the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in December 2007]]
The competition between the Cowboys and the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] has been particularly intense since the late 1970s, when the long-moribund Eagles returned to contention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/texas-wants-to-know-how-did-the-eagles-become-the-cowboys-biggest-rival/3155241/|title=Texas Wants to Know: How Did Eagles Become the Cowboys' Biggest Rival?|last=Friday|first=Bayley|date=December 22, 2022|website=NBC DFW 5|access-date=December 1, 2023}}</ref> In January 1981, the two teams faced off in the NFC Championship, with Philadelphia winning 20–7. A series of other factors heightened tensions during the 1980s and 1990s, including several provocative actions by Philadelphia fans and Eagles head coach [[Buddy Ryan]]. Among these were the 1989 [[Bounty Bowl]]s in which Ryan allegedly placed a bounty on Dallas kicker [[Luis Zendejas]] and [[Veterans Stadium]] fans pelted the Cowboys with snowballs and other debris.
A 1999 game in [[Philadelphia]] saw Eagles fans cheering as [[Michael Irvin]] lay motionless on the field at [[Veterans Stadium]]. In 2008, the rivalry became more intense when in the last game of the year in which both teams could clinch a playoff spot with a victory, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Cowboys 44–6. The following season, the Cowboys avenged that defeat by beating the Eagles three times: twice during the regular season to claim the title as NFC East champions and once more in a wild-card playoff game by a combined score of 78–30, including a 24–0 shutout in week 17. That three-game sweep was Dallas' first over any opponent and the longest winning streak against the Eagles since 1992–1995 when Dallas won seven straight matches against Philadelphia.
During the 2013 season, Dallas won the first meeting 17–3 at [[Lincoln Financial Field]] in Philadelphia. The two teams met again in Week 17 at AT&T Stadium with the winner clinching the 2013 NFC East title. The Cowboys came into the game at a disadvantage with starting quarterback [[Tony Romo]] out with a season-ending back injury, which put backup [[Kyle Orton]] as the starter. It was a tight game with the Eagles up 24–22 with less than 2 minutes to go in regulation. Orton got the ball and started driving down the field when he was intercepted by the Eagles defense, which ended the game and the Cowboys season. In 2014, the Cowboys and Eagles both won against each other on the road with Philadelphia posting a dominant 33–10 win on [[National Football League on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day]] in Dallas, and Dallas returning the favor two weeks later by defeating the Eagles 38–27 at [[Lincoln Financial Field]] in Philadelphia. The second game between these rivals clinched a playoff spot for Dallas and led to formerly first-place Philadelphia missing out on the post-season. Dallas leads the all-time series 73–56.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
====New York Giants====
{{main|Cowboys–Giants rivalry}}
The first game ever played between the [[New York Giants]] and Cowboys was a 31–31 tie on December 4, 1960. Dallas logged its first win in the series on October 29, 1961, and New York's first was on November 11, 1962. Among the more notable moments in the rivalry was the Giants' defeat of Dallas in the 2007 playoffs en route to their victory in [[Super Bowl XLII]] and winning the first regular-season game played at [[Cowboys Stadium]] in 2009. Dallas currently leads the all-time series 75–47–2.<ref name="footballdb1"/>
====Washington Commanders====
{{Main|Commanders–Cowboys rivalry}}
The [[Washington Commanders]] and the Dallas Cowboys enjoy what has been called by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' the top NFL rivalry of all time and "one of the greatest in sports." Some sources trace the enmity to before the Cowboys were even formed, due to a longstanding disagreement between Washington owner [[George Preston Marshall]] and Cowboys founder [[Clint Murchison Jr.|Clint Murchison, Jr.]] over the creation of a new football team in the South, due to Marshall's TV monopoly in that region. The two teams' storied on-field rivalry goes back to 1960 when the two clubs first played each other, resulting in a 26–14 Washington victory. Since that time, the two teams have met in 126 regular-season contests and two NFC Championships. Dallas leads the regular season all-time series 78–46–2, and Washington leads the all-time playoff series 2–0.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=dal&tm2=was&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Cowboys currently have a 14–7 advantage over Washington at FedEx Field. Some notable moments in the rivalry include Washington's victory over Dallas in the 1982 NFC Championship and the latter's 1989 win over Washington for their only victory that season. The last Cowboys game with Tom Landry as coach was a win over Washington on December 11, 1988. In the 2010s, Washington has struggled to consistently compete for the Division title, but still play the Cowboys particularly tough, posting an impressive upset victory against Dallas in 2014, despite being outclassed by the Cowboys in the overall standings. The 2010s also included an important game in week 17 of 2012 which saw Washington defeat Dallas 28–18 to win the NFC East.
===Conference===
====San Francisco 49ers====
{{main|49ers–Cowboys rivalry}}
The bitter rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and [[San Francisco 49ers]] has been going on since the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Munoz |first=Michelle |date=August 27, 2009 |title=Cowboys-49ers: A Rivalry for the Ages |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/243616-cowboys-49ers-a-rivalry-for-the-ages |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012084352/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/243616-cowboys-49ers-a-rivalry-for-the-ages |archive-date=October 12, 2013 |access-date=November 4, 2013 |website=Bleacher Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ninersnation.com/2010/5/16/1474508/the-greatest-rivalries-in-the-nfl#comments |title=The Greatest Rivalries in the NFL: 49ers-Cowboys |date=May 16, 2010 |publisher=Niners Nation |access-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-date=October 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012040447/http://www.ninersnation.com/2010/5/16/1474508/the-greatest-rivalries-in-the-nfl#comments |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[NFL Top 10]] ranked this rivalry to be the tenth best in the history of the NFL. San Francisco has played Dallas in seven postseason games. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Championship games, and again in the 1972 Divisional Playoff Game. The 1981 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, which saw the 49ers' [[Joe Montana]] complete a game-winning pass to [[Dwight Clark]] in the final minute (now known as [[The Catch (American football)|The Catch]]) is one of the most famous games in NFL history. The rivalry became even more intense during the 1992–1994 seasons. San Francisco and Dallas faced each other in the NFC Championship Game three separate times. Dallas won the first two match-ups, and San Francisco won the third. In each of these pivotal match-ups, the game's victor went on to win the Super Bowl. Both the Cowboys and the 49ers are tied for third all-time in [[Super Bowl]] victories to the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and New England Patriots, with five each. The 49ers-Cowboys rivalry is also part of the larger cultural rivalry between California and Texas. The 49ers lead the all-time series with a record of 20–19–1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
====Green Bay Packers====
{{main|Cowboys–Packers rivalry}}
The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and the [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/10/06/packers-cowboys-a-great-nfl-rivalry-is-renewed-sunday/106356050/|title=Packers vs Cowboys: Great NFL rivalry is renewed|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=February 21, 2019|archive-date=February 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221112152/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2017/10/06/packers-cowboys-a-great-nfl-rivalry-is-renewed-sunday/106356050/|url-status=live}}</ref> is one of the best known intra-conference [[National Football League rivalries|rivalries]] in the NFL. The two teams do not play every year; instead, they play once every three years due to the NFL's rotating division schedules, or if the two teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions, they would play the ensuing season. The rivalry has also resulted in notable [[playoff]] games.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Macelli |first=Dawn |date=January 9, 2017 |title=Packers-Cowboys: A Playoff Rivalry As Old As The Super Bowl Itself |url=http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017/1/9/14209072/green-bay-packers-dallas-cowboys-a-playoff-rivalry-as-old-as-the-super-bowl-itself |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921114852/https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017/1/9/14209072/green-bay-packers-dallas-cowboys-a-playoff-rivalry-as-old-as-the-super-bowl-itself |archive-date=September 21, 2018 |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=[[SB Nation|Blogging the Boys]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Tramel|first=Berry|title=Dallas-Green Bay reaches the top of NFL playoff rivalries|url=http://newsok.com/article/5534129|newspaper=[[The Oklahoman]]|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=September 21, 2018}}</ref>
The all-time regular seasons series record is 20–17 in favor of the Packers, and the postseason series is also in favor of the Packers at 5–4.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
====Los Angeles Rams====
{{main|Cowboys–Rams rivalry}}
The Cowboys also had a fierce rivalry with the [[Los Angeles Rams]], particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. The two teams played eight postseason games during this period, including two NFC championship games. Between 1975 and 1980, the Cowboys faced the Rams in the playoffs five times in a six-year period. In both 1975 and 1978, the Cowboys won the NFC championship on the road in blowout fashion, only to be followed by close defeats at home in next year's divisional round. The 1980 Wild Card Round saw Dallas follow up last year's playoff defeat with another blowout victory. As of 2022, the Cowboys and Rams tied the all-time regular season series 18–18, but the Rams lead the all-time playoff series 5–4, having recently defeated the Cowboys in the 2018 Divisional Round.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 18, 2019 |title=The Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Rams: The Professor's playoff history course |url=https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/1/8/18168941/dallas-cowboys-los-angeles-rams-playoff-history-all-time |access-date=September 3, 2021 |publisher=[[SB Nation]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland/St. Louis/LA Rams |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=dal&tm2=ram&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
====Minnesota Vikings====
{{main|Cowboys–Vikings rivalry}}
Between the Dallas Cowboys and [[Minnesota Vikings]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/seven-1970s-rivalries-that-made-the-nfl-super-steelers-raiders-takes-top-spot/|first=Bryan|last=DeArdo|title=Seven 1970s rivalries that made the NFL 'super': Steelers-Raiders takes top spot|website=CBS|date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> the Cowboys lead the all-time series 18–15. The teams have met seven times in the post-season, the Cowboys third most played playoff opponent. The rivalry is home to many key memories, including the famous 1975 Hail Mary pass against the Vikings, the [[Herschel Walker trade]], the [[Randy Moss]] Thanksgiving game, and [[Brett Favre]] torching the Cowboys in what would be his last playoff win of his career in 2009. As of the 2023 season, the Cowboys lead the all-time series 19–15.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=dal&tm2=min&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
===Inter Conference===
====Houston Oilers/Houston Texans====
{{main|Governor's Cup (Texas)}}
The Cowboys have an intrastate interconference rivalry with the [[Houston Texans]] for which they compete in either a preseason or regular season game for bragging rights in [[Texas]], a tradition started between the teams prior to the Oilers relocating to [[Nashville, Tennessee]] to become the [[Tennessee Titans]]. The Texans defeated the Cowboys in the team's inaugural season in 2002. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 4–2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
====Pittsburgh Steelers====
{{Main|Cowboys–Steelers rivalry}}
The two teams met in the first regular-season game the Cowboys ever played in 1960 (a 35–28 loss to the [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Steelers]]), the first-ever regular-season victory for the expansion Cowboys in 1961, and would later meet in three Super Bowls, all of them closely contested events. The Steelers-Cowboys is to date the Super Bowl matchup with the most contests. The Steelers won [[Super Bowl X]] and [[Super Bowl XIII]]; both games were decided in the final seconds, first on a last-second throw by [[Roger Staubach]], then as a fourth-quarter rally by Dallas fell short on an [[onside kick]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl X - Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - January 18th, 1976 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197601180dal.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys - January 21st, 1979 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197901210dal.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Cowboys won [[Super Bowl XXX]] in January 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XXX - Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - January 28th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199601280dal.htm |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> It is said that the rivalry was fueled in the 1970s due to the stark contrast of the teams: the Cowboys, being more of a "flashy" team with [[Roger Staubach]]'s aerial attack and the "flex" [[Doomsday Defense]]; while the Steelers were more of a [[blue-collar worker|"blue-collar"]] team with a strong running game and the 1970s-esque [[Steel Curtain]] defense, a contrast that still exists today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/12/06/sports/steelers/doc493b5cd78829a110461455.txt |title=Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times Online – Steelers |work=The Times |location=UK |date=December 7, 2008 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-date=January 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107232922/http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/12/06/sports/steelers/doc493b5cd78829a110461455.txt |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, both teams have national fan bases rivaled by few NFL teams, and both come from areas with a strong following for football at all levels. Dallas leads the all-time series 17–16 including the playoffs.<ref name="footballdb1">{{cite web|url=http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/dallas-cowboys/opponents|title=Dallas Cowboys Records by Opponent|work=FootballDB.com|access-date=December 20, 2015|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222071822/http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/dallas-cowboys/opponents|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Season-by-season records==
{{Main|List of Dallas Cowboys seasons}}
==Players of note==
{{Main|List of Dallas Cowboys players}}
===Current roster===
{{Dallas Cowboys roster}}
===Pro Football Hall of Famers===
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/team/hall-of-fame|title=Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famers|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=November 23, 2019|access-date=January 3, 2020|archive-date=January 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103205459/https://www.dallascowboys.com/team/hall-of-fame|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Troy aikman 2011 cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame QB [[Troy Aikman]]]]
[[File:Tony Dorsett.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame RB [[Tony Dorsett]]]]
[[File:Cliff harris cowboys.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame S [[Cliff Harris]]]]
[[File:Bob hayes cowboys.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame WR [[Bob Hayes]]]]
[[File:Michael Irvin.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame WR [[Michael Irvin]]]]
[[File:Bob lilly signed.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame DT [[Bob Lilly]]]]
[[File:Super Bowl 44 Emmitt Smith (4344089199) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame RB [[Emmitt Smith]]]]
[[File:Staubach cowboys qb.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame QB [[Roger Staubach]]]]
[[File:Randy White signs autographs Jan 2014.jpg|thumb|upright|Hall of Fame DT [[Randy White (American football)|Randy White]]]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famers
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys}}"|Players
|-
! No.
! Name
! Position
! Seasons
! Inducted
|-
| 79 || {{sortname|Forrest|Gregg}} || [[Offensive tackle|OT]] || 1971 || 1977<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/forrest-gregg/|title=Forrest Gregg|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 19 || {{sortname|Lance|Alworth}} || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1971–1972 || 1978<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/lance-alworth/|title=Lance Alworth|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 74 || '''{{sortname|Bob|Lilly}}''' || [[Defensive tackle|DT]] || 1961–1974 || 1980<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/bob-lilly/|title=Bob Lilly|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 26 || {{sortname|Herb|Adderley}} || [[Cornerback|CB]] || 1970–1972 || 1981<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/herb-adderley/|title=Herb Adderley|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 12 || '''{{sortname|Roger|Staubach}}''' || [[Quarterback|QB]] || 1969–1979 || 1985<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/roger-staubach/|title=Roger Staubach|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 89 || {{sortname|Mike|Ditka}} || [[Tight end|TE]] || 1969–1972 || 1988<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/mike-ditka/|title=Mike Ditka|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 33 || '''{{sortname|Tony|Dorsett}}''' || [[Running back|RB]] || 1977–1987 || 1994<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/tony-dorsett/|title=Tony Dorsett|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 81 || {{sortname|Jackie|Smith}} || [[Tight end|TE]] || 1978 || 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/jackie-smith/|title=Jackie Smith|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 54 || '''{{sortname|Randy|White|dab=American football}}''' || [[Defensive tackle|DT]], [[Linebacker|LB]] || 1975–1988 || 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/randy-white/|title=Randy White|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 20 || '''{{sortname|Mel|Renfro}}''' || [[Cornerback|CB]] || 1964–1977 || 1996<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/mel-renfro/|title=Mel Renfro|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 25 || {{sortname|Tommy|McDonald|dab=American football}} || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1964 || 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/tommy-mcdonald/|title=Tommy McDonald|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 8 || '''{{sortname|Troy|Aikman}}''' || [[Quarterback|QB]] || 1989–2000 || 2006<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/troy-aikman/|title=Troy Aikman|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 70 || '''{{sortname|Rayfield|Wright}}''' || [[Offensive tackle|OT]] || 1967–1979 || 2006
|-
| 88 || '''{{sortname|Michael|Irvin}}''' || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1988–1999 || 2007<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/michael-irvin/|title=Michael Irvin|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 22 || '''{{sortname|Bob|Hayes}}''' || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1965–1974 || 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/bob-hayes/|title=Bob Hayes|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 22 || '''{{sortname|Emmitt|Smith}}''' || [[Running back|RB]] || 1990–2002 || 2010<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/emmitt-smith/|title=Emmitt Smith|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 21 || '''{{sortname|Deion|Sanders}}''' || [[Cornerback|CB]], [[Kick returner|KR]] || 1995–1999 || 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/deion-sanders/|title=Deion Sanders|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 73 || '''{{sortname|Larry|Allen}}''' || [[Guard (American football)|G]] || 1994–2005 || 2013<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/larry-allen/|title=Larry Allen|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 94 || '''{{sortname|Charles|Haley}}''' || [[Defensive end|DE]] || 1992–1996 || 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/charles-haley/|title=Charles Haley|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 81 || {{sortname|Terrell|Owens}} || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 2006–2008 || 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/terrell-owens/|title=Terrell Owens|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 17 || {{sortname|Harold|Carmichael}} || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1984 || 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/harold-carmichael/|title=Harold Carmichael|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 43 || '''{{sortname|Cliff|Harris}}''' || [[Safety (gridiron football position)|S]] || 1970–1979 || 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/cliff-harris/|title=Cliff Harris|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 88 || '''{{sortname|Drew|Pearson|dab=American football}}''' || [[Wide receiver|WR]] || 1973–1983 || 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/drew-pearson/|title=Drew Pearson|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 54 || '''{{sortname|Chuck| Howley}}''' || [[Linebacker|LB]] || 1961–1973 || 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/chuck-howley/|title=Chuck Howley|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 55 || {{sortname|Zach|Thomas}} || [[Linebacker|LB]] || 2008 || 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/zach-thomas/|title=Zach Thomas|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 94 || '''{{sortname|DeMarcus|Ware}}''' || [[Linebacker|LB]] || 2005–2013 || 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/demarcus-ware/|title=DeMarcus Ware|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys}}"|Coaches and Contributors
|-
! colspan=2|Name
! Position
! Seasons
! Inducted
|-
| colspan=2|'''{{sortname|Tom |Landry}}''' || Coach || 1960–1988 || 1990
|-
| colspan=2|'''{{sortname|Tex| Schramm}}''' || President/GM || 1960–1989 || 1991
|-
| colspan=2|{{sortname|Bill| Parcells}} || Coach || 2003–2006 || 2013
|-
| colspan=2|'''{{sortname|Jerry |Jones}}''' || Owner/Executive || 1989–present || 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/players/jerry-jones/|title=Jerry Jones|website=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 9, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| colspan=2|'''{{sortname|Gil|Brandt}}''' || Executive || 1960–1988 || 2019
|-
| colspan=2|'''{{sortname|Jimmy|Johnson|dab=American football coach}}''' || Coach || 1989–1993 || 2020
|-
|}
===Super Bowl MVPs===
The Cowboys have had seven players win Super Bowl MVP.<ref name="u369">{{cite web | title=Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Winners | website=[[Pro Football Reference]] | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/super-bowl-mvp-award.htm | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}};"|Super Bowl MVP Winners
|-
! style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys}};"|Super Bowl
! style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys}};"|Player
! style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys}};"|Position
|-
| V || Chuck Howley || [[Linebacker|LB]]
|-
| VI || Roger Staubach || [[Quarterback|QB]]
|-
| rowspan=2|XII || [[Randy White (American football)|Randy White]] || [[Defensive tackle|DT]]
|-
| [[Harvey Martin]] || [[Defensive end|DE]]
|-
| XXVII || Troy Aikman || QB
|-
| XXVIII || Emmitt Smith || [[Running back|RB]]
|-
| XXX || [[Larry Brown (cornerback)|Larry Brown]] || [[Cornerback|CB]]
|}
===Ring of Honor===
{{Main|Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor}}
Unlike many NFL teams, the Cowboys do not retire jersey numbers of past standouts as a matter of policy. Instead, the team has a [[Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor|"Ring of Honor"]], which is on permanent display encircling the field. Originally at Texas Stadium, the ring is now on display at [[AT&T Stadium]] in Arlington. The first inductee was Bob Lilly in 1975 and by 2005, the ring contained 17 names, all former Dallas players except for one head coach and one general manager/president.
The Ring of Honor has been a source of controversy over the years. Tex Schramm was believed to be a "one-man committee" in choosing inductees and many former Cowboys players and fans felt that Schramm deliberately excluded linebacker [[Lee Roy Jordan]] because of a bitter contract dispute the two had during Jordan's playing days. When Jerry Jones bought the team he inherited Schramm's Ring of Honor "power" and immediately inducted Jordan.
Jones also has sparked controversy regarding his decisions in handling the "Ring of Honor". For four years he was unsuccessful in convincing Tom Landry to accept induction. Meanwhile, he refused to induct Tex Schramm (even after Schramm's induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame). In 1993, thanks in part to the efforts of Roger Staubach as an intermediary, Landry accepted induction and had a ceremony on the day of that year's Cowboys-Giants game (Landry had played and coached for the Giants). In 2003, Jones chose to induct Tex Schramm. Schramm and Jones held a joint press conference at Texas Stadium announcing the induction. Unfortunately, Schramm did not live to see his ceremonial induction at the Cowboys-Eagles game that fall.
Troy Aikman, all-time NFL leading rusher Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, known as "The Triplets," were inducted into the Ring of Honor during halftime at a Monday Night Football home game against the archrival Washington Redskins on September 19, 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-09-20 |title='Triplets' honored: Aikman, Emmitt, Irvin in Dallas' Ring |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2166604 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
Defensive end [[Charles Haley]], offensive lineman [[Larry Allen]], and wide receiver [[Drew Pearson (American football)|Drew Pearson]] were inducted into the Ring of Honor during halftime of the Cowboys' game vs. the [[2011 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]] on November 6, 2011.<ref name="j961">{{cite web | title=Pearson, Haley, Allen going to Cowboys' Ring of Honor | website=NFL.com | date=2011-08-19 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/pearson-haley-allen-going-to-cowboys-ring-of-honor-09000d5d821972a8 | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref>
Safety [[Darren Woodson]] was inducted on November 1, 2015.<ref name="h811">{{cite web | last=Archer | first=Todd | title=Darren Woodson's Ring of Honor dream comes true | website=ESPN.com | date=2015-08-04 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas-cowboys/post/_/id/4743838/darren-woodsons-ring-of-honor-dream-comes-true | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> Executive [[Gil Brandt]] was inducted on November 29, 2018.<ref name="v788">{{cite web | title=Gil Brandt Announced Into Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor | website=DallasCowboys.com | date=2018-11-02 | url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/photos/gil-brandt-announced-into-dallas-cowboys-ring-of-honor | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref>
The most recent inductees were [[DeMarcus Ware]], who was inducted on October 29, 2023, and [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]], who was inducted on December 30, 2023.<ref name="x244">{{cite web | last=Boykins | first=William A. | title=DeMarcus Ware inducted into the Ring of Honor | website=Dallas Cowboys | date=2023-10-29 | url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/demarcus-ware-inducted-into-the-ring-of-honor#:~:text=Ware%20becomes%20the%20ninth%20defensive,Ware%2C%20the%20No. | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref><ref name="u575">{{cite web | last=Eatman | first=Nick | title=Jimmy Johnson opens up about Ring of Honor induction | website=Dallas Cowboys | date=2023-12-31 | url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/jimmy-johnson-opens-up-about-ring-of-honor-induction | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
|[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] finalist<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/YearlyFinalists.jsp| title = Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists by Year}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ff9; width:3em;"|
|Inducted or Enshrined in the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
| style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|'''No.''' || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|'''Name''' || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|'''Position ''' || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|'''Years With Club''' || style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Dallas Cowboys|border=2}}"|'''Inducted'''
|-
| 74 ||style="background:#ff9"|[[Bob Lilly]] || DT || 1961–1974 || November 23, 1975
|-
| 17 || [[Don Meredith]] || QB || 1960–1968 || November 7, 1976
|-
| 43 || [[Don Perkins]] || FB || 1961–1968 || November 7, 1976
|-
| 54 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Chuck Howley]] || LB || 1961–1973 || October 30, 1977
|-
| 20 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Mel Renfro]] || CB || 1964–1977 || October 25, 1981
|-
| 12 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Roger Staubach]] || QB || 1969–1979 || October 9, 1983
|-
| 55 || style="background:#cfecec"|[[Lee Roy Jordan]] || LB, C || 1963–1976 || October 29, 1989
|-
| — || style="background:#ff9"|[[Tom Landry]] || Head Coach || 1960–1988 || November 7, 1993
|-
| 33 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Tony Dorsett]] || RB || 1977–1987 || October 9, 1994
|-
| 54 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Randy White (American football)|Randy White]] || DT, LB, DE || 1975–1988 || October 9, 1994
|-
| 22 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Bob Hayes]] || WR || 1965–1974 || September 23, 2001
|-
| — || style="background:#ff9"|[[Tex Schramm]] || General Manager || 1960–1989 || October 12, 2003
|-
| 43 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Cliff Harris]] || S || 1970–1979 || October 10, 2004
|-
| 70 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Rayfield Wright]] || OT || 1967–1979 || October 10, 2004
|-
| 8 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Troy Aikman]] || QB || 1989–2000 || September 19, 2005
|-
| 88 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Michael Irvin]] || WR || 1988–1999 || September 19, 2005
|-
| 22 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Emmitt Smith]] || RB || 1990–2002 || September 19, 2005
|-
| 88 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Drew Pearson (American football)|Drew Pearson]] || WR || 1973–1983 || November 6, 2011
|-
| 94 || style="background:#ff9" | [[Charles Haley]] || DE || 1992–1996 || November 6, 2011
|-
| 73 || style="background:#ff9"|[[Larry Allen]] || OG, OT || 1994–2005 || November 6, 2011
|-
| 28 || style="background:#cfecec"|[[Darren Woodson]] || S || 1992–2004 || November 1, 2015
|-
| — || style="background:#ff9"|[[Gil Brandt]] || VP Player Personnel || 1960–1988 || November 29, 2018
|-
| 94 || style="background:#ff9"|[[DeMarcus Ware]] || LB || 2005–2013 || October 29, 2023
|-
| — || style="background:#ff9"|[[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]] || Head Coach || 1989–1993 || December 30, 2023
|-
|}
===Retired numbers===
The Dallas Cowboys do not officially retire jersey numbers; however, some are kept "unofficially inactive".<ref>{{cite news |last=Zagaris |first=Michael |date=June 4, 2019 |title=NFL Teams Should Uniformly Stop Retiring Jersey Numbers |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/04/teams-should-stop-retiring-jersey-numbers-bad-takes-week |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108002128/https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/06/04/teams-should-stop-retiring-jersey-numbers-bad-takes-week |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |access-date=November 9, 2020 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref><ref name="p981">{{cite web | last=Engel | first=Mac | title=How is CeeDee is another No. 88? The Dallas Cowboys' complicated history with numbers | website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram | date=2020-04-30 | url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article242404226.html | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> As of 2022, six numbers have been kept out of circulation: [[Troy Aikman]]'s No. 8, [[Roger Staubach]]'s No. 12, [[Bob Hayes]]' and [[Emmitt Smith]]'s No. 22,<ref name="d724">{{cite web | last=Taylor | first=Jean-Jacques | title=Only one Cowboys rookie has ever been brazen enough to request Emmitt Smith's No. 22 | website=ESPN.com | date=2016-05-07 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4751007/only-one-player-has-ever-been-brazen-enough-to-request-emmitt-smiths-no-22 | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref> [[Bob Lilly]]'s No. 74, and [[Jason Witten]]'s No. 82.<ref name="complic">[https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article242404226.html The Dallas Cowboys’ complicated history with numbers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718200540/https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article242404226.html|date=July 18, 2020}} by Mac Engel on Star Telegram, April 30, 2020</ref> The Cowboys are one of three NFL teams that do not officially retire numbers, with the other two being the [[Atlanta Falcons]] and [[Las Vegas Raiders]].
===Career leaders===
*'''Passing yards''': 34,183 [[Tony Romo]] (2004–2016)<ref name="dalpass">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Passing Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-passing.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Pass completions''': 2,898 [[Troy Aikman]] (1989–2000)<ref name="dalpass" />
*'''Passing touchdowns''': 248 [[Tony Romo]] (2004–2016)<ref name="dalpass" />
*'''Rushing yards''': 17,162 [[Emmitt Smith]] (1990–2002)<ref name="dalrush">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Rushing Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-rushing.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Rushing touchdowns''': 153 [[Emmitt Smith]] (1990–2002)<ref name="dalrush" />
*'''Receptions''': 1,215 [[Jason Witten]] (2003–2017, 2019)<ref name="dalrec">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Receiving Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-receiving.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Receiving yards''': 12,977 [[Jason Witten]] (2003–2017, 2019)<ref name="dalrec" />
*'''Receiving touchdowns''': 73 [[Dez Bryant]] (2010–2017)<ref name="dalrec" />
*'''Points scored''': 986 [[Emmitt Smith]] (1990–2002)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Scoring Summary Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-scoring.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Field goals made''': 186 [[Dan Bailey (American football)|Dan Bailey]] (2011–2017)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Kicking Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-kicking.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Total punt yardage''': 24,542 [[Mike Saxon]] (1985–1992)<ref name="dalpunt">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Punting Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-punting.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Punting average''': 45.3 [[Mat McBriar]] (2003–2011)<ref name="dalpunt" />
*'''Kickoff return yards''': 3,416 [[Kevin Williams (wide receiver, born 1971)|Kevin Williams]] (1993–1996)<ref name="dalkickreturn">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Kick & Punt Returns Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-returns.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Punt Return yards''': 1,803 [[Kelvin Martin (American football)|Kelvin Martin]] (1987–1992, 1996)<ref name="dalkickreturn" />
*'''Pass interceptions''': 52 [[Mel Renfro]] (1964–1977)<ref name="daldef" />
*'''Sacks''': 117.0 [[DeMarcus Ware]] (2005–2013)<ref name="daldef">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Career Defense Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/career-defense.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Forced fumbles''': 32 [[DeMarcus Ware]] (2005–2013)<ref name="daldef" />
===Single-season leaders===
*'''Passing yards''': 4,903 [[Tony Romo]] (2012)<ref name="dalsslpass">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Passing Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-passing.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Passing touchdowns''': 37 [[Dak Prescott]] (2021)<ref name="dalsslpass" />
*'''Rushing yards''': 1,845 [[DeMarco Murray]] (2014)<ref name="dalsslr">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Rushing Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-rushing.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Rushing touchdowns''': 25 [[Emmitt Smith]] (1995)<ref name="dalsslr" />
*'''Receptions''': 111 [[Michael Irvin]] (1995)<ref name="dalsslrec">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Receiving Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-receiving.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Receiving yards''': 1,603 [[Michael Irvin]] (1995)<ref name="dalsslrec" />
*'''Receiving touchdowns''': 16 [[Dez Bryant]] (2014)<ref name="dalsslrec" />
*'''Points''': 150 [[Emmitt Smith]] (1995)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Scoring Summary Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-scoring.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Field goals made''': 34 [[Richie Cunningham (American football)|Richie Cunningham]] (1997)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Kicking Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-kicking.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Total punt yardage''': 3,665 [[Toby Gowin]] (2003)<ref name="dalsslpunt">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Punting Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-punting.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Punting average''': 49.0 [[Mat McBriar]] (2008)<ref name="dalsslpunt" />
*'''Kickoff return yards''': 1,399 [[Tyson Thompson]] (2005)<ref name="dalsslretr">{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys Single-Season Kick & Punt Returns Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/single-season-returns.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Punt return yards''': 548 [[James Jones (running back, born 1958)|James Jones, Jr.]] (1980)<ref name="dalsslretr" />
*'''Pass interceptions''': 11 [[Everson Walls]] (1981) & [[Trevon Diggs]] (2021)<ref name="j933">{{cite magazine | last=Neumann | first=Thomas | title=Cowboys DB Trevon Diggs Aims to Break Team Record for Interceptions | magazine=Sports Illustrated | date=2022-07-28 | url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/07/28/trevon-diggs-dallas-cowboys-goal-interceptions-record | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
*'''Sacks''': 20.0 [[DeMarcus Ware]] (2008)<ref name="n958">{{cite web | title=Cowboys release franchise sacks leader Ware | website=USA TODAY | date=2014-03-11 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/03/11/cowboys-release-franchise-sacks-leader-ware/6299487/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
===All-time first-round draft picks===
{{Main|List of Dallas Cowboys first-round draft picks}}
The Cowboys have had the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft on three occasions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Cowboys All-Time Draft History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>
==Head coaches and staff==
===Head coaches===
{{Main|List of Dallas Cowboys head coaches}}
===Current staff===
{{Dallas Cowboys staff}}
==Radio and television==
{{see also|Dallas Cowboys Radio Network}}
{{as of|2010}}, the Cowboys' flagship radio station is [[KRLD-FM]].<ref name="k163">{{cite web | title=Dallas Sports Radio Station | website=Audacy.com | date=2024-07-31 | url=https://www.audacy.com/1053thefan | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> [[Brad Sham]] is the team's longtime [[sports commentator|play-by-play voice]].<ref name="h439">{{cite web | last=Moore | first=David | title=Brad Sham, voice of the Dallas Cowboys, on the mend after difficult offseason | website=Dallas News | date=2023-07-27 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2023/07/27/brad-sham-voice-of-the-dallas-cowboys-on-the-mend-after-difficult-offseason/ | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> Working alongside him is former Cowboy quarterback [[Babe Laufenberg]], who returned in 2007 after a one-year absence to replace former safety Charlie Waters.<ref name="b391">{{cite web | last=Engel | first=Mac | title=Dallas Cowboys radio analyst says grieving the loss of his son is a forever journey | website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram | date=2021-11-24 | url=https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article255933501.html | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> The Cowboys, who retain rights to all announcers, chose not to renew Laufenberg's contract in 2006 and brought in Waters. However, Laufenberg did work as the analyst on the "Blue Star Network", which televises Cowboys preseason games not shown on national networks. The anchor station is [[KTVT]], the [[CBS]] owned and operated station in Dallas. Previous stations which aired Cowboys games included [[KVIL-FM]], [[KRLD (AM)|KRLD]], and [[KSPF|KLUV-FM]]. Kristi Scales is the sideline reporter on the radio broadcasts.<ref name="y846">{{cite web | last=Scales | first=Kristi | title=Replay: Kristi Scales answers Cowboys questions (10/31/18) | website=Dallas News | date=2018-10-25 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2018/10/25/replay-kristi-scales-answers-cowboys-questions-10-31-18/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
During his tenure as Cowboys coach, Tom Landry co-hosted his own coach's show with late veteran sportscaster [[Frank Glieber]] and later with Brad Sham. Landry's show was famous for his analysis of raw game footage and for him and his co-host making their NFL "predictions" at the end of each show. Glieber is one of the original voices of the Cowboys Radio Network, along with [[Bill Mercer]], famous for calling the ''Ice Bowl'' of 1967 and both Super Bowl V and VI. Mercer is perhaps best known as the ringside commentator of [[World Class Championship Wrestling|WCCW]] in the 1980s. Upon Mercer's departure, [[Verne Lundquist]] joined the network, and became their play-by-play announcer by 1977, serving eight years in that capacity before handing those chores permanently over to Brad Sham, who joined the network in 1977 as the color analyst and occasional fill-in for Lundquist.
Longtime [[WFAA-TV]] sports anchor [[Dale Hansen]] was the Cowboys color analyst with Brad Sham as the play-by-play announcer from 1985 to 1996.<ref name="x852">{{cite web | last=Scales | first=Kristi | title=A funny moment between Dale Hansen, Brad Sham and Dallas Cowboys QB Troy Aikman | website=Dallas News | date=2017-02-09 | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2017/02/09/a-funny-moment-between-dale-hansen-brad-sham-and-dallas-cowboys-qb-troy-aikman/ | access-date=2024-08-24}}</ref>
Dave Garrett served as the Cowboys' play-by-play announcer from 1995 to 1997, when Brad Sham left the team and joined the Texas Rangers' radio network team as well as broadcast Sunday Night Football on Westwood One.
Seeking to expand its radio broadcasting scope nationally, the Cowboys began a five-year partnership with [[Compass Media Networks]] on February 2, 2011. The result was the America's Team Radio Network, a supplement to the franchise's regional one.<ref>[http://www.rbr.com/radio/compass-signs-the-dallas-cowboys-for-new-network.html "Compass signs the Dallas Cowboys for new network"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205233612/http://www.rbr.com/radio/compass-signs-the-dallas-cowboys-for-new-network.html |date=February 5, 2011 }}, ''Radio Business Report'', Wednesday, February 2, 2011</ref> Beginning with the 2011 season, [[Kevin Burkhardt]] and [[Danny White]] handled the broadcasts, with [[Jerry Recco]] as the studio host.<ref>{{cite web|title=Radio Broadcast Information|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/audio/radio-broadcast-information|publisher=NFL Enterprises, LLC|website=DallasCowboys.com|access-date=August 29, 2018|archive-date=August 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829110033/https://www.dallascowboys.com/audio/radio-broadcast-information|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Fight song==
The Dallas Cowboys fight song, "Cowboys Stampede March" by Tom Merriman Big Band was the official fight song of the Dallas Cowboys.<ref name="f569">{{cite web | last=Kennedy | first=Bud | title=Ice Bowl-era Cowboys rode to the sound of 'Stampede March' | website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram | date=2015-01-09 | url=https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/bud-kennedy/article5790426.html | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref> The Cowboys now play [[We Dem Boyz]] by [[Wiz Khalifa]] for starting defensive line, because of the saying "How Bout Dem Cowboys." For every touchdown scored by the Cowboys at a home game the song "Cowboys and Cut Cigars" by The Burning of Rome is played after a train horn.<ref name="k900">{{cite web | last=Tripp | first=Jaclyn | title=New Orleans Saints or Dallas Cowboys: who has best touchdown song? | website=WGNO | date=2024-06-18 | url=https://wgno.com/news/new-orleans-saints-or-dallas-cowboys-who-has-best-touchdown-song/ | access-date=2024-08-05}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders]]
* [[List of Dallas Cowboys seasons]]
* [[List of Dallas Cowboys players]]
* [[America's Team]]
* [[Doomsday Defense]]
==References==
* NFL 2002 Record & Fact Book {{ISBN|0-7611-2643-0}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
==Further reading==
* {{Cite book |last=Aron |first=Jaime |title=Dallas Cowboys: The Complete Illustrated History |publisher=MVP Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7603-3520-8}}
* {{Cite book |last=Hitzges |first=Norm |author2=St. Angelo, Ron |title=Greatest Team Ever: The Dallas Cowboys Dynasty of the 1990s |year=2007 |publisher=Rutledge Hill Press |isbn=978-1-4016-0340-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/greatestteamever00stan }}
* {{Cite book |last=Millman |first=Chad |title=The Ones Who Hit the Hardest: The Steelers, the Cowboys, the '70s, and the Fight for America's Soul. |publisher=Gotham Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-5924-0665-4}}
* {{Cite book |last= Myers |first= Gary |title= The Catch: One Play, Two Dynasties, and the Game That Changed the NFL |year= 2009 |publisher= Crown Archetype |isbn= 978-0-307-40908-9 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/catchoneplaytwod00myer }}
* {{Cite book |last= Patoski |first= Joe Nick |title= The Dallas Cowboys: The Outrageous History of the Biggest, Loudest, Most Hated, Best Loved Football Team in America |year= 2012 |publisher= Little, Brown and Company |isbn= 978-0-316-07755-2 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/dallascowboysout0000pato }}
* {{Cite book |last=Pearlman |first=Jeff |title=Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty |year=2008 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-125680-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/boyswillbeboysgl00pear }}
* {{Cite book |last=St. John |first=Bob |title=Landry: The Legend and the Legacy |year=2000 |publisher=Word Publishing |isbn=0-8499-1670-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/landrylegendlega0000stjo }}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Dallas Cowboys}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.nfl.com/teams/dallas-cowboys/ NFL.com team page]
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/ Pro Football Reference team page]
{{Dallas Cowboys}}
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{{s-ttl|title = [[Super Bowl]] champions|years = [[Super Bowl XII|1977 (XII)]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title = [[Super Bowl]] champions|years = [[Super Bowl XXX|1995 (XXX)]]}}
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[[Category:Dallas Cowboys| ]]
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