Cowboys Anniversary Countdown 60 for 60: The Top 60 Moments in 'America's Team' History, Part 1
DALLAS - Five Super Bowls. 10 conference championships. 23 division titles. 18 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 ... Er, 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 thoughts from me, Richie Whitt, on their 60 best all-time moments. ... here, Part 1 of "60 for 60 Cowboys Countdown'':
60. STARS ARE BORN – Aug. 5, 1972: Sidelines and television screens are changed forever as master marketer Tex Schramm unveils his latest sideshow innovation – the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
After almost 50 years, the white short-shorts and go-go boots are as iconic as the football team’s star on the helmet.
59. RED FLAG – Nov. 24, 1994: Forced into the game via injuries to quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete, Cowboys ginger third-stringer Jason Garrett orchestrates one of the most amazing halves of football in franchise history in a 42-31 Thanksgiving Day win over the Packers. Garrett throws five touchdowns in a 19-minute span and helps Dallas erase a 17-6 deficit.
58. HEAD OVER HEART – May 8, 2014: From the Dept. of Sometimes the Best Moves Are the Ones You Don’t Make, Jerry Jones sidesteps his gut instinct to take Johnny Manziel and instead drafts perennial Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin. For the icing on the conservative-but-correct cake, the Cowboys take elite pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence in the second round.
57. DYNAMIC DUO – Sept. 8, 1986: Powering Dallas’ “Dream Team Backfield” with Tony Dorsett, heralded newcomer Herschel Walker hurdles his way to the winning 10-yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining as the Cowboys beat the Giants 31-28 in one of the most hyped openers in franchise history.
56. SMASHING DEBUT – Aug. 21, 2009: The first game is played at the new $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Though they defeat the Titans, 30-10, in the exhibition, the viral buzz surrounds Titans punter A.J. Trapasso sending a punt into the world’s largest video screen hanging directly over the field.
55. TURKEY TRIUMPH – Nov. 24, 1966: In the first Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas, a record crowd of 80,259 fans pack the Cotton Bowl to watch the Cowboys defeat the Browns 26-14. Dan Reeves catches a touchdown pass from Don Meredith and Don Perkins runs for a score as Dallas improves to 8-2-1.
54. CAPTAIN COMEBACK TO CANTON – Aug. 3, 1985: Already in his team’s Ring of Honor, Roger Staubach becomes the second Cowboy inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Staubach enters the Hall with more come-from-behind victories in the final two minutes than any player in NFL history.
53. RALLY CAPS – Sept. 21, 2014: Behind Tony Romo’s passing and a game-clinching Pick Six by Bruce Carter, the Cowboys stage the biggest comeback in franchise history against the Rams in St. Louis. Dallas wins 34-31 after trailing 21-0. Dez Bryant’s 68-yard touchdown from Romo ignites the rally, which is capped by Carter’s 25-yard return with six minutes remaining.
52. PRIME TIME IN PRIME TIME – Sept. 21, 1998: Deion Sanders dominates the Monday Night Football spotlight. Sanders highlights the Cowboys’ 31-7 victory over the Giants in New York by returning a punt 59 yards for a touchdown, scoring on a 71-yard interception runback and, for good measure, catching a 42-yard pass.
51. CURTAINS FOR COTTON – Oct. 11, 1971: The first Monday Night Football game in Cowboys history is also the last NFL game in the Cotton Bowl. Quarterback Roger Staubach throws two touchdowns as the Cowboys close the curtain on the fabled old stadium with a 20-13 victory over the Giants.
50. ROYALTY INTO THE RING – Nov. 23, 1975: Bob Lilly, known as “Mr. Cowboy,” becomes the first person inducted into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor during “Bob Lilly Day” at Texas Stadium. A dominating defensive tackle, Lilly earns 11 Pro Bowls and is named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team. Five years later he becomes the first Cowboy inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
49. HELMETLESS HORSEMAN – Nov. 4, 2017: Jason Witten has played through a broken jaw, sprained ankle, lacerated spleen and the embarrassment of a failed gig as analyst on Monday Night Football. But his signature moment is a 30-yard run – sans helmet – after taking what today would’ve been a flagged, head-to-head hit by Eagles’ safety Quentin Mikell.
48. NO-BRAINER – April 23, 1989: Reaping the rewards of a 3-13 season under Tom Landry, the Cowboys’ new brain trust of Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones select Troy Aikman with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. After a rocky start, Aikman goes on to win three Super Bowls in Dallas.
47. GOD’S COACH – Nov. 7, 1993: After years of an icy relationship in the wake of his firing by new owner Jerry Jones, a thawing leads to legendary coach Tom Landry accepting enshrinement into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium.
In a unifying day amongst Cowboys fans, Landry’s spot in the Ring is adorned by his trademark fedora.
46. SUPER SMACK – Jan. 23, 1994: In a bold, unprecedented stroke of bravado, Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson goes on a local radio show the Friday before the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers and proclaims, “We will win this ball game. Put it in three-inch headlines!”
Two days later the Cowboys beat the Niners, 38-21, and advance to Super Bowl XXVIII.
45. TEX & TONY – May 2, 1977: In another shrewd move by general manager Tex Schramm, the Cowboys trade their first-round pick (No. 22 overall) plus three second-round picks to the Seahawks for the rights to Seattle’s first round pick (No. 2 overall). After Tampa Bay selects running back Ricky Bell with the first overall pick, the Cowboys select Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett, who becomes the only Hall of Fame player in the draft.
44. WORLD’S FASTEST MAN – Dec. 20, 1970: Already with two Olympic gold medals, Bob Hayes turns into one of the NFL’s most productive receivers as he catches four touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 52-10 romp over the Oilers. On his 28th birthday, Hayes grabs six passes for 187 yards to also become the franchise’s all-time leading receiver.
43. MERRY SMITHMAS – Dec. 25, 1995: Emmitt Smith gives Cowboys fans a shiny Christmas present by setting the NFL record for single-season touchdowns with his 25th in a win over the Cardinals. In the 37-13 victory, Smith also seals his fourth NFL rushing title and sets a new team record for rushing yards in a single season with 1,773.
42. MAD BOMBER – Nov. 28, 1974: In one of the most memorable Thanksgiving Day games in franchise history, anonymous rookie quarterback Clint Longley from Abilene Christian replaces a dazed Roger Staubach and leads the Cowboys to a 24-23 victory over the Redskins by throwing two late touchdowns. After Longley’s 50-yard touchdown to Drew Pearson with 35 seconds remaining, veteran offensive lineman Blaine Nye jokingly describes the unlikely performance as “a triumph of the uncluttered mind.”
41. DRAMATIC DAK – Jan. 5, 2019: The Cowboys trail entering the fourth quarter of their Wild Card game against the Seahawks at AT&T Stadium, but rally for a 24-22 victory behind late touchdown runs by Zeke Elliott and Dak Prescott. It’s their first playoff win in four years.
There's Part 1. NEXT: Coming Thursday, our Richie Whitt’s Cowboys Countdown 60 for 60 - The Top 60 Moments in Cowboys History, Part 2 in the three-part series.
