Cowboys Anniversary Countdown 60 for 60: Our Top 60 Moments in 'America's Team' History, Part 2
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. Part 1 of "60 for 60 Cowboys Countdown'' is here. Part 2 is below:
40. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS – Sept. 17, 1961: After managing only a tie and 11 losses in their first season, the Cowboys win their first NFL regular season game, 27-24, defeating the Steelers at the Cotton Bowl. Only 23,500 spectators see kicker Allen Green’s 27-yard game-winning field goal on the game’s final play.
39. CEMENTED OIL MAN – Aug. 5, 2017: In a bittersweet moment for some fans, Jerry Jones – the man who fired Tom Landry, ran off Jimmy Johnson and has overseen the longest Super Bowl drought in franchise history – is enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
38. CINDERELLA TO THE BALL – Jan. 4, 1976: A week after their improbable Hail Mary victory in Minnesota and highlighted by running back Preston Pearson’s diving touchdown catch, the underdog Cowboys annihilate the Rams 37-7 in the NFC Championship before a stunned 84,483 in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Roger Staubach throws four touchdowns to lead the Wild Card Cowboys into Super Bowl X.
37. COLOSSAL CONSOLATION – April 22, 1990: After failing to make several trades to move high into the early rounds of the 1990 draft in search of defensive help, the Cowboys opt to deal up four places and “settle” for Florida running back Emmitt Smith.
In consecutive drafts, the Cowboys’ top pick was receiver Michael Irvin, quarterback Troy Aikman and Smith, who went on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
36. 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.
35. 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.
34. 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.
33. 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.
32. 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.
31. 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.”
30. 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.
29. 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.
28. 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 eras in franchise history.
27. 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.
26. 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.
25. 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 the victorious locker room, owner Jerry Jones mimics yanking a monkey off his beleaguered back.
24. RUNNIN’ OF THE RAMS – Oct. 23, 2011: DeMarco Murray shreds the Rams for a 91-yard touchdown and a franchise-record 253 rushing yards in a 34-7 win. An unprecedented doubleheader is punctuated by the Texas Rangers beating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the World Series just across the street in Arlington.
23. SPRINT TO GLORY – Dec. 12, 1967: Bob Hayes catches an 86-yard touchdown pass and sets up two other scores with 60-plus-yard punt returns as the Cowboys (Capitol Division champs) defeat the Browns (Century Division champs), 52-14, in the NFL Eastern Championship Game before a crowd of 70,786 at the Cotton Bowl. With the win, the Cowboys advanced to the NFL Championship Game for the first time.
22. CELEBRATED CENTURIONS – Oct. 14, 1962: For the first time in NFL history, two 100-yard runs are produced by the same team in the same quarter, much less the same game. Cowboys kick returner Amos Marsh scores on a 101-yard kickoff return before teammate Mike Gaechter bookends the feat with a 100-yard interception return.
21. MONUMENTAL MONIKER – Feb 12, 1978: NFL Films, searching for a title for the Cowboys’ season highlights film in wake of their Super Bowl victory, gets a suggestion from team public relations director Doug Todd. Playing off the Cowboys’ unparalleled success and popularity, Todd offers: “Call it America’s Team.”
Talk about a nickname that has stuck.
There's Part 2. NEXT: Coming Friday, our Richie Whitt’s Cowboys Countdown 60 for 60 - The Top 60 Moments in Cowboys History, Part 3, - The Entire List - in the three-part series.
