DFW Sports #1: Dallas Cowboys (1960)

 Intro

So. HOW ‘BOUT DEM COWBOYS?! I’m not a Cowboys fan by any means (even though I live in Texas), but it felt appropriate to say since this first post in The Luna Sports is about dem Cowboys. With over 60 years of history, the Cowboys are one the NFL’s premier franchises. The most valuable sports organization in the entire world. Need I say more? So, let’s get right into it.

Background Information

Founded: January 28, 1960

League: NFL

Stadium: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)

Headquarters: Ford Center at the Star (Frisco, TX)

Championships: 5 (1971, 1977, 1992, 1993, 1995)

Retired Numbers*: 8, 12, 22, 74, 82

Rough Start (1958-1964)

There had not been a NFL team in the Southern US since the Dallas Texans (separate post) folded in 1952. Two businessmen tried to get a franchise in the Big D but failed.

The one above this is Lamar Hunt. He would respond by forming the AFL and owning the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs).

The one above this we’ll focus on for a while. That would be Clint Murchison Jr., the son of wealthy businessman Clint Murchison Sr.

Now Clint here wanted to bring a franchise to Dallas. However, another owner got in his way.

GEORGE PRESTON MARSHALL.

This man had a monopoly over the South, which prevented Murchison from owning a franchise in Dallas. This led Murchison to try a couple of things.

1. Tried to purchase the Redskins and move them to Dallas
2. Bought the rights to “Hail to the Redskins” before the 1959 expansion vote for $2500 (he would have to sell it back to Marshall in exchange for his lone dissenter vote).

In the end, Dallas got its franchise. Texas Earnest Schramm (mostly called Tex Schramm; middle) was hired as team president and general manager, Gil Brandt as head of player personnel (right), and Tom Landry as head coach (left).

However, January 28, 1960, was a bit too late for the college draft. However, SMU quarterback Don Meredith and New Mexico running back Don Perkins were signed by Murchison despite the fact both would be picked in the ‘60 draft. Meredith was picked by Chicago, and Perkins by Baltimore. Dallas would give up their 3rd and 9th round selections in 1962 to the two teams as compensation. They were originally the Rangers, but after the baseball owners reversed course on disbanding their Rangers on March 19, they became the Cowboys to avoid confusion.

However, like most expansion teams, things got off to a rough start. A REALLY rough start. The Cowboys did not win a single game in 1960, going 0-11-1. The lone tie (shown below) came against the Giants. However, said tie was rather significant. The 31-31 tie kept the Giants from winning the Eastern Conference crown for the third year in a row (Philadelphia clinched it that same week).

However, that season was BEYOND disastrous for the Cowboys. They were last in point scored (177, which converts to 14.75 ppg) and points allowed (369, or 30.75 ppg). Despite some big plays from the receiving core, the QBs struggled behind a porous offensive line, throwing a league high 33 interceptions. They also finished last in rushing offensively (1049 yds, 3.4 ypc) and defensively (2249 yds, 5.0 ypc). Kicking was not that good either, as despite a league high 69 kick returns, the Cowboys returners were some of worst in the league.

1961 through 1964 didn't fare much better than 1960. Here are the year-by-year records for each of those years:

• 1961: 4-9-1, 6th Eastern
• Dallas flipped to the Eastern Conference in '61 due to a safegaurd by the other Eastern teams against early Minnesota winters. SB 5 MVP Chuck Howley joined the squad. They also started 4-3 before losing six of their last seven tilts. (The only non-loss was a 28-28 tie against the Redskins in Week 10)
• 1962: 5-8-1, 5th Eastern
• QBs Eddie LeBaron and Don Meredith switched after every play in Week 1 against the Redskins (35-35 tie). Despite a 5-8-1 record, the Cowboys were among the best in terms of offense.
• 1963: 4-10, 5th Eastern
• First time that the Cowboys didn't tie in a season. Also, this is the first time the Cowboys were the only team in Texas as the Texans of the AFL moved to Kansas City to become the Chiefs.
• 1964: 5-8-1, 5th Eastern
• Mel Renfro (R2, P17) and Bob Hayes (R7, P88) were rookies in '64. Roger Staubach (R10, P129) was drafted as a future selection this year, not playing until 1969 due to serving in Vietnam. This was their last losing season until 1986.

It took until 1965 for the team to break .500, going 7-7. This put them in the Playoff Bowl, although they lost 35-3 to the Colts. Despite that loss, they went all the way the next year, winning two straight East titles in 1966 and 1967. However, they lost both years to the Green Bay Packers. The second of those two losses was in the infamous Ice Bowl.

They would then win two straight division titles in 1968 and 1969. However, they would get uprooted both times by the Cleveland Browns. Behind Craig Morton at QB, the Cowboys would go 10-4 in 1970. They would defeat the Lions 5-0 (lowest-scoring playoff game in NFL history), then the 49ers 17-10 in the first ever NFC championship game. A mistake-filled Super Bowl V (5) led to a 16-13 loss to the Colts. Despite the loss, LB Chuck Howley (below the video) won Super Bowl MVP, becoming the only player in Super Bowl history to win the award whilst on the losing side.

Week 6 of the next year would see them move stadiums from the Cotton Bowl to...

...Texas Stadium. It was the grandest of the sites in the DFW area. It opened on October 24, 1971 to the Cowboys manhandling the Patriots 44-21. For the second half of the 1971 season, Roger Staubach would be named the starter for the Cowboys, winning their last seven games to finish 11-3. They then defeated the Vikings 20-12 and the 49ers 14-3 en route to Super Bowl VI (6). Behind an MVP performance by Staubach (pictured below, running) and a then-record 252 yards rushing, the Cowboys beat the Dolphins 24-3 to win their first championship. With that win, they'd finally bury the "Next Year's Champions" stigma.

Both 1972 and 1973 saw them lose in the NFC Championship to the Redskins (26-3 at RFK Stadium) and the Vikings (27-10 at Texas Stadium), respectively. 1974 would ultimately see them miss the playoffs at 8-6. The main highlight that year was little-known Clint Longley (below) leading a comeback to win vs the Redskins 24-23 on Thanksgiving Day.

1975, however, was magical. They went 10-4, en route to a wild card spot (they would have been the East division winner if it weren't for two losses vs 4-10 Green Bay and 5-9 Kansas City). They would win against the Vikings in what is now known as the "Hail Mary" game, then shock the Rams in the NFC Championship, crushing them 37-7. However, their storybook season would come to an end at the hands of Glen Edwards and the Steelers, losing 21-17 off a game-sealing interception.

Dallas would go 11-3 and win the NFC East in 1976, but got stunned in the divisional round by the Rams, losing 14-12.

The 1977 Squad

Then we get to 1977. One of the greatest squads in Cowboys history. They would go 12-2 en route to the best record (tied with the Broncos) in the NFL. They thrashed most of their opponents, finishing with a +133-point differential. They crushed the Bears 37-7, then beat the Vikings 23-6 en route to Super Bowl XII.

Super Bowl XII (12), however, was quite messy on Denver's side. Denver could only complete EIGHT passes for 61 yards on Dallas' Doomsday Defense. Dallas also forced eight turnovers. The Cowboys dominated in quite convincing fashion, winning 27-10. For the first and only time in Super Bowl history, two players were named Super Bowl MVP. DT Randy White and DE Harvey Martin shared the award.

Disappointment Ensues (1978-1984)

The next year, the Cowboys made it back to the Super Bowl, but lost to the Steelers again. This time, they lost 35-31 behind a ridiculous performance by Terry Bradshaw which saw him get Super Bowl MVP.

Then disappointment will ensue over the next couple of seasons. In 1979, the Cowboys would be upset by the Rams (who'd go on to the Super Bowl) 21-19 in the divisional round. They then made the NFC Championship game the next three seasons but lost each time.

• 1980: Lost to the Eagles 20-7 at Veterans Stadium
• 1981: The Catch... (lost to the 49ers 28-27 at Candlestick Park)
• 1982: Lost to the Redskins 31-17 at RFK Stadium

1983 would see another defeat to the Rams, this time in the Wild Card game. They lost 24-17. Then in 1984, they missed the playoffs entirely for the first time in 10 years. However, they had a chance to make it after week 14. They just needed to win one of their last two games to make the playoffs (they could have also clinched the division if they won both). However, they would lose to the Redskins 30-28 due to RB John Riggins running it in for a score (Dallas also blew a 21-6 lead in this same game). They utterly needed a win against the Dolphins but lost again on a game-winning TD, this time by a score of 28-21. As a result, all hopes to getting into the playoffs were gone due to head-to-head record against the Giants and Cardinals, who they were a combined 1-3 against. Dallas made it back to the playoffs the next year, but lost to (yet again) the Rams 20-0.

The Downfall of the Old Cowboys (1986-1989)

1986 began a bit of a downward spiral for the Cowboys. After 20 straight winning seasons, the Cowboys finished 7-9 to get their first losing record since 1964 (Remember that they finished 1965 at exactly .500, so it doesn't count as a losing season). They would go 7-8 the next year, but 1988 and 1989 would prove to be far worse.

The 1988 Dallas Cowboys would start 2-2, but then proceeded to go on a ten-game losing streak. They would win against Redskins in Week 15, eliminating the defending champions from the playoffs. It also marked a bright spot as then-rookie Michael Irvin caught three touchdowns in that game. However, that was the only game they won in the twelve after the 2-2 start, as they finished 3-13. This also marked the end of an era, as Schramm, Landry, and Brandt left after this season.

Bum Bright, who brought the team in 1984, had to sell the team to oil man Jerry Jones (above) in 1989. Jones promptly fired Landry as head coach and hired former Arkansas teammate Jimmy Johnson (below; both of which led the Razorbacks to the 1964 national championship). Schramm would get fired a few months later, and Jones took control of all football matters. However, the Jones era had a slow start. The Cowboys went 1-15 that year. Their only win was, coincidentally, against the Redskins. However, things would get much brighter in the 90's.

The Team of the Nineties (1990-2002)

1990 would not exactly see too much success as they went 7-9 and just barely missed the playoffs. Despite that, Jimmy Johnson would win Coach of the Year. Now the Cowboys had some young talent that could prosper for years to come. With then-second year player Troy Aikman at QB, then-third year player Michael Irvin at WR, and then-rookie RB Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys began to develop into a contender once again. And thus, the Triplets era was born.

After a 6-5 start in 1991, Aikman was injured against the then-undefeated Redskins and was replaced by Steve Beuerlein (below) for the rest of the regular season. Beuerlein would lead the Cowboys to five straight wins to finish at 11-5 and clinch the 5th seed. They would get by the Bears just barely, winning 17-13. However, the season came to a disastrous end at the hands of the Lions, who whammed the Cowboys 38-6.

In 1992 it all came together. With a powerful offense and the best defense in the league, the youngest team in the NFL at the time posted a franchise-best 13-3 record. They would thrash the Eagles 34-10, then clinch a memorable playoff win against the 49ers, winning 30-20. Super Bowl XXVII (27) would be their first championship in 15 years, as they demolished the Bills 52-17 for their third championship. Super Bowl MVP Troy Aikman is shown below.

The next year they would do it again. Despite losing their first two games, Dallas finished 12-4 and were once again the first seed in the NFC. Maybe the most iconic game of that season came on Thanksgiving. After a Dolphins missed field goal, Leon Lett attempts to recover the ball, but slips and fails to do so. That resulted in a muffed kick which allowed the Dolphins to kick the game-winning field goal to give the Cowboys their fourth loss of the season. 

However, it would prove to be their final loss as they won their last their last five regular season games en route to winning the NFC East for the second time in a row. The Cowboys first beat the Packers 27-17 in the playoffs, which was followed by a 38-21 victory over the 49ers. In a rematch of the previous Super Bowl, Dallas won 30-13 to clinch Super Bowl XXVIII (28).

RB Emmitt Smith is shown with the Lombardi Trophy above. He was also the Super Bowl MVP for SB 28. He became the first and only player to win regular season MVP, the Super Bowl and its MVP award, and the rushing title all in the same season.

However, Jimmy Johnson would resign before the 1994 season after months of conflict between him and owner Jerry Jones. Despite this, the Cowboys finished 12-4 and got the two seed. However, after a 35-9 thrashing of the Packers in the divisional round, they fell just short of a third straight Super Bowl appearance as they lost to the 49ers 38-28.

1994 also introduced the infamous "Double Star" uniforms. They debuted on Thanksgiving Day 1994 and were worn for most of the rest of their games. They were meant to celebrate their two straight Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993. Aikman wearing his is shown above.

1995 would see even more success. In Barry Switzer's second season with the Cowboys, the Cowboys would go 12-4 again, but this time get the one seed. They would win the Divisional against the Eagles 30-11, then the NFC Championship 38-27 against the Packers. In Super Bowl XXX (30), the Cowboys finally got over the Steelers in the championship, winning 27-17. CB Larry Brown would win Super Bowl MVP here by making two crucial interceptions (which turned into two Cowboys TDs) to prevent the Steelers from making a comeback.

1996 through 2002 brought disappointment once again. Here are the year-by-year records of those years:

• 1996: 10-6, lost in the Divisional to the Panthers 26-17 (last season w/ a playoff win until 2009)
• 1997: 6-10, missed playoffs (first losing season since 1990, Switzer resigns after)
• 1998: 10-6, lost in the Wild Card to the Cardinals 20-7 (Gailey's first season)

• 1999: 8-8, lost the Wild Card to the Vikings 27-10 (Gailey is fired at season's end, Irvin's last season)

• 2000: 5-11, missed the playoffs (Campo's first season, Aikman's last season)
• 2001: 5-11, missed the playoffs
• 2002: 5-11, missed the playoffs (Campo and Smith's last season, end of the Triplets era)

Constant Disappointment (2003-present day)

2003 marked the beginning of a new era with the hiring of Bill Parcells as head coach. They would get their first winning season since 1998 and make the playoffs at 10-6. However, they lost in the Wild Card round to the Panthers 29-10. Despite the promise from the 2003 campaign, they would win only six games in 2004 and miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. Despite starting 7-3 in 2005, they would collapse and miss the playoffs after the Redskins won against the Eagles. They finished 9-7 that year.

In 2006, Drew Bledsoe would start for the Cowboys until week 8, when then-fourth-year QB Tony Romo started against the Panthers. Romo initially did well, going 5-1 in his first six starts, but went 1-3 in his last four of the regular season. In the Wild Card against the Seahawks, Romo attempted to run a botched hold into the end zone. However, he failed and was tackled by Jordan Babineaux. The season ended there as they lost 21-20 to the Seahawks. This was also Parcell's final season as head coach, with him retiring after the season.

NFC's Best, But at What Cost? (2007)

2007 saw the Cowboys at their best since 1996, as they went 13-3 and got the one seed for the NFC. However, they lost to the eventual Super Bowl XLII (42) champions in the 9-7 New York Giants, who they beat TWICE in the regular season. With that loss, it extended the playoff-win drought to eleven season and tied the record for most consecutive playoff games lost at six. Despite that, 13 players were named to the Pro Bowl, an NFL record (later tied by the 2019 Ravens).

After week 13 in 2008, they were 8-4 and looking to make the playoffs for the third straight year. However, they would lose three of their last four games to miss the playoffs at 9-7. A 33-24 loss to the Ravens was the last game at Texas Stadium before it was demolished in 2010. They would move to Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) for 2009.

In said 2009 season, Dallas went 11-5 in their first season at their new stadium and clinched the NFC East. Dallas finally got its first playoff win since 1996 against the Eagles, winning 34-14 in the Wild Card. They also finished a 3-0 season sweep of Philadelphia with the win. However, their season was ended by a 34-3 loss to the Vikings in the Divisional Round.

The 2010 season had high hopes for the Cowboys to become a contender, especially considering Super Bowl XLV (45) would be held in Cowboys Stadium. However, those hopes were all but gone after a 1-7 start to the season, after of which Wade Phillips was fired. He became the first Cowboys coach to be fired mid-season. He was replaced by Jason Garrett, who went a promising 5-3 in his interim term. Despite that, the Cowboys' 6-10 was nowhere near enough to make the playoffs.

In 2011, Dallas came close to making the playoffs as the NFC East was quite close at the top. However, due to a week 17 loss to the eventual-champion Giants, they missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year at 8-8. 2012 and 2013 both had the exact same fate as 2011 as the Cowboys missed the playoffs at 8-8 due to losing their last game.

2014, however, saw the Cowboys make the playoffs at 12-4 and at a three-way tie for first in the NFC. However, due to losing tiebreakers, they had to start in the Wild Card. They won 24-20 over the Lions, but then lost 26-21 to the Packers in the Divisional Round due to a controversial no-call on a Dez Bryant catch against the Cowboys.

2015 would be their worst year in quite some time. The whole season was plagued with injuries, including to QB Tony Romo. They would finish 4-12, which would also be their last losing season until 2020.

2016 brought something magical, on the other hand. They would go 13-3 and finish atop the NFC in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott's first season. They became the first team to go from the bottom to the top of the NFC since the AFL-NFL merger. Despite this historic achievement, they faced another brutal loss to the Packers, losing 34-31 in the Divisional Round. However, 2017 would mark their sixth time missing the playoffs in eight years, as they went 9-7.

2018 saw another magic season for the Cowboys, despite losing some key pieces. Dez Bryant and Dan Bailey were released before opening day, and Jason Witten retired. Despite that, the Cowboys went 10-6 and clinched the NFC East. They would beat the Seahawks 24-22 in the Wild Card round. However, they would suffer their sixth consecutive Divisional playoff loss (and eighth straight on the road), losing against the eventual NFC champion Rams 30-22.

After week 11 of the 2019 season, Dallas was 6-4 and had the lead in the NFC East. However, they would lose four of their last six games en route to finishing 8-8. The week 16 loss to the Eagles squandered their chances at defending the NFC East crown for the first time since the aforementioned Eagles did so between 2001 and 2004. Philadelphia's week 17 win over the Giants would eventually end any hopes at clinching the NFC East and end the Cowboys' season.

Then we get to 2020. The whole NFC East was an utter mess. Starting QB Dak Prescott would injure his ankle in Week 5 vs the Giants. But anyway you had it, NOBODY in the NFC East had a winning record that year. Dallas would go 6-10, but had a chance at the playoffs in Week 17, but blew it by losing to the Giants 23-19.

2021 would be a redemption year for Dallas. They would start 6-1 and finish the season 12-5 en route to winning the NFC East and clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2018. However, despite high expectations, the Cowboys lost in the Wild Card 23-17 due to not setting the play up in time.

Now that I've gone over the history of the Cowboys, now I'll mention some facts you might not have known about America's Team.

1. The Tie of 1960...Was Weird

Dallas went 0-11-1 in 1960, by far their worst single-season record. Their one tie occured on December 4, 1960 against the New York Giants. They tied the Giants 31-31 at Yankee Stadium. Said tie was significant because it would prevent the Giants from winning the Eastern crown for the third year in a row. It was also the second tie of their season. It marked the first season that two teams (Giants at 6-4-2 and Redskins at 1-9-2) had two or more ties in a season since 1940 when the Steelers and Cardinals both finished 7-2-2.

2. NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT!

Despite a winless 1960 season, the Cowboys were not blown out until week 4, where they lost to the Browns 48-7. Now you'd think everybody destroyed the Cowboys in their inaugural season just by the record. However, seven of their eleven losses were by less than 20 points. Outside the four blowouts, their worst loss was just 12 points, which were against the 49ers and Redskins (both losses ended with a score of 26-14).

3. Sudden Name Change

The Cowboys weren't always the Cowboys. During their expansion draft, they used the nickname "Rangers." However, the baseball owners reversed direction of folding the baseball team of the same name, which left then-owner Clint Murchison Jr to switch the team's name to the Cowboys.

4. "Dallas Killed the President!"

After JFK was assassinated in 1963, some Cleveland Browns fans carried signs to the home game vs. the Dallas Cowboys on November 24, denouncing the city of Dallas as having "killed the president." The game was close to start, with Cleveland leading 13-10 at half. However, the Browns pulled away in the fourth to win 27-17.

5. Expansion's First

The Cowboys were actually the NFL's first ever expansion team. They were also the first expansion team in any of the four major leagues, predating the LA Angels and the Washington Senators (now fellow DFW team Texas Rangers) by one year.

6. The Origin of America's Team

The Cowboy's infamous nickname, America's Team, originated from Bob Ryan, who is now Vice President and editor-in-chief of NFL Films. Ryan was quoted saying, "I saw all these fans in away stadiums. Hey, they're the most popular team in the country. How can I use that? Why don't we call them 'America's Team'?" It would be first used on broadcast in the Cowboys' 1979 opener against the Cardinals, in which CBS broadcaster Pat Summerall introduced the Cowboys with that nickname. The Cowboys would win that game 22-21 and the nickname stuck.

7. Sellout Record

Speaking of popularity, the Cowboys were so popular that they hold the record for the most games sold out consecutively (as in both home and away) at 160 straight. This streak began on December 23, 1990 (at Veterans Stadium against the Eagles) and ended on December 24, 1999 (at the Louisiana Superdome against the New Orleans Saints).

Thank you for taking your time to view this post, and I'll see you later!

OBSERVER, OUT!

*The numbers shown aren't retired but are out of circulation. The Cowboys don't traditionally retire numbers, so I had to use out-of-circulation numbers as a replacement. Any future scenario of OOC numbers will be italicized unless there's an asterisk.