Five Super Bowls. 10 conference championships. 23 division titles. 17 Hall of Famers. A lifetime of goosebumps. America’s Team.
Despite the existence of an entire generation of DFW 20-somethings that have yet to witness it with their own eyes, the Dallas Cowboys were once a successful, superior organization.
They’re still proud. Still relevant. Just, let’s be honest, no longer very good.
Our Heroes Have Always Been Were Once Cowboys.
Last Super Bowl appearance 24 years ago. No road playoff wins in almost 10,000 days. Only teams with a longer drought from an NFC Championship Game: Redskins and Lions.
God used to watch his favorite team through the hole in the roof. But these days, like the rest of us, he’s merely scouring YouTube for clips of the glory (bygone) days.
As the Cowboys embark on their 60th season, let’s reboot the warm-’n-fuzzies with their 60 best all-time moments. In today’s third part of the series, we list the countdown’s next dozen, Nos. 36-25:
- FLUSHING FARVE – Jan. 14, 1996: Emmitt Smith rushes for 150 yards and three touchdowns and Michael Irvin catches two scores as the Cowboys advance to Super Bowl XXX with a 38-27 victory over Brett Favre’s Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Texas Stadium. Green Bay leads entering the fourth quarter, but a Smith touchdown run was followed by a Larry Brown interception that set up another Smith score.
- MR. COWBOY – Dec. 27, 1960: TCU All-American defensive lineman Bob Lilly becomes the first draft pick in the history of the expansion Cowboys. Taken in the first round and 13th overall, “Mr. Cowboy” will go on to a spot in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- MILES TO GO – Oct. 11, 2009: Filling in for injured starter Roy Williams, undrafted free agent Miles Austin produces a franchise-record 250 receiving yards and the 60-yard touchdown in overtime to stun the Chiefs in Kansas City.
- DOMINANT DOOMSDAY – Jan. 2, 1972: In the first playoff game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys defense smothers the 49ers in a 14-3 victory that earns them a spot in Super Bowl VI. The Cowboys allow only 61 rushing yards, nine first downs and produce three interceptions. Defensive end George Andrie’s pick sets up Dallas’ first score, a 1-yard run by Calvin Hill.
- DIRTY DOZEN – Jan. 28-29, 1975: The Cowboys produce one of the most successful drafts in NFL history, selecting 12 rookies that make the roster on a team that plays in Super Bowl X. Dallas’ “Dirty Dozen” includes Randy White, Thomas Henderson, Burton Lawless, Bob Breunig, Pat Donovan, Randy Hughes, Kyle Davis, Rolly Woolsey, Mike Hegman, Mitch Hoopes, Herb Scott and Scott Laidlaw.
- NORTH TEXAS’ SUPER BOWL – May 22, 2007: Aided by Jerry Jones’ soon-to-open $1.2-billion stadium and an impassioned sales pitch by Roger Staubach, NFL owners in Nashville vote to play Super Bowl XLV in Arlington in 2011. The Metroplex’s biggest joint venture since the building of DFW Airport in the 1970s, the Super Bowl belongs to “North Texas.”
- THRICE AS NICE – Sept. 19, 2005: Fittingly, the Cowboys “Triplets” – Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin – are inducted together into Texas Stadium’s Ring of Honor. Redskins’ receiver Santana Moss spoils the party with two late touchdown catches in a 14-13 Dallas loss on Monday Night Football.
- PEAK PERFORMANCE – Dec. 9, 2007: Jason Witten catches a 16-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo with 18 seconds remaining as Dallas improves to 12-1 with a 28-27 rally against the Lions in Detroit. Behind Terrell Owens and the highest scoring team in franchise history, the Cowboys win the NFC East and capture the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs.
- ROUGH REBIRTH – Feb. 25, 1989: The Cowboys are stunningly sold to Arkansas oil man Jerry Jones, who fires Tom Landry, hires college coach Jimmy Johnson and sets into motion the most tumultuous, winningest and losingest era in franchise history.
- SOLIDLY SUPER – Jan. 3, 1971: Despite quarterback Craig Morton completing only seven of 22 passes, the Cowboys beat the 49ers, 17-10, to win their first NFC Championship and a date against the Colts in Super Bowl V. Lee Roy Jordan and Mel Renfro set up touchdowns with interceptions and Duane Thomas rushes for 143 yards in the last game played at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium.
- TURKEY TROTS – Aug. 23, 1966: Acting on a recommendation by Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm, the NFL awards the Cowboys a Thanksgiving Day afternoon game, giving Dallas the advantage of a home game on a short week and the league with a holiday doubleheader tradition led by the Lions. Holiday plans in DFW are forever changed.
- MONKEY EXTRACTION – Jan. 9, 2010: Ending a drought of 13 years and six games, the Cowboys finally win another playoff game, this one 34-14 at Cowboys Stadium against the rival Eagles. Tony Romo throws two touchdowns and Felix Jones scores on a 73-yard run to at least temporarily make Dallas again relevant.
(In tomorrow’s countdown dozen, Richie looks back at the birth of the ‘America’s Team’ name, George Teague cleansing the star, and the Cowboys’ amazing 1964 draft).
