Dallas Cowboys History

History of the Dallas Cowboys

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In 12 NFL seasons, Troy Aikman became one of the game's great quarterbacks. As one of only three players in NFL history to lead a team to three Super Bowl victories, Aikman has rewritten virtually every passing record in Cowboys' history. He closed his career with 94 regular season wins, including 90 in the decade of the 1990s -- making him the winningest starting quarterback of any decade in NFL history (Joe Montana held the record with 86 wins in the 1980s). Along with that mark, Aikman holds or is tied for 47 Dallas passing records, including the club's career records for attempts (4,715), completions (2,898), passing yards (32,942), touchdowns (165) and completion percentage (61.5% - third best in NFL history at the time of his retirement). He also posted a club-high 13 regular season 300-yard passing games during his career. 
Aikman retired from the game as the NFL's 15th ranked passer all-time with a quarterback rating of 82.6. Along the way to these marks, Aikman guided Dallas from the National Football League cellar of 1-15 in 1989 to six NFC East titles (1992-96 and 1998), four NFC Championship Games (1992-95) and three Super Bowl titles (XXVII, XXVIII and XXX). He was one of the game's most accurate passers, completing at least 60 percent of his passes in 98-of-165 career games (59.4% of his games). In the postseason, he reached the 60% completion mark in 12-of-16 games (75%). He completed 70 percent or more of his passes (min. 20 attempts) 41 times in his career, with Dallas posting a 37-5 record in those games, and he produced the top six single-season completion percentages in club history. With that passing accuracy, Aikman was able to establish a club-record with a career interception rate to 2.99%.

Although not known for his fleet feet, Aikman successfully ran for a first down 49-of-72 times on third or fourth down during career. That ability to avoid the sack also allowed him to post the highest career pass attempts per sack ratio (19.2) in team history. Despite winning just one of his first 15 NFL starts, Aikman went on to start a club-record 180 games (165 regular season) at quarterback and post a 105-75 (.583) record, which includes an impeccable 11-4 mark in the postseason - 3-0 in the Super Bowl.

For his career, Aikman led the Cowboys from behind 16 times in the fourth quarter, including six times in the final two minutes. Another six times, he led the team to wins after the score was tied in the fourth quarter. Five of his game-winning drives came in overtime.

In those 22 wins, Aikman was 146-of-214 (68.2%) for 1,888 yards (8.82 per attempt), 11 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 107.0 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter and overtime. In the postseason Aikman truly shined. His four 300-yard passing days were the third best total in NFL history (Montana-6, Fouts-5), and he holds the club records for postseason pass attempts (502), completions (320), yards (3,849), and completion percentage (63.7%). In addition, Aikman's 23 career postseason passing touchdowns was just one shy of Staubach's club record of 24.
  
 Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_hof.cfm

Troy Akiman

Tony Dorsett arrived in Dallas in 1977 via a draft-day deal the Cowboys swung with the Seattle Seahawks for the sole intention of selecting the Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Pittsburgh. Then Cowboys president and General Manager Tex Schramm paid what seemed like a bundle for the right to draft Dorsett: One first-round, and three second-round choices.

As his 11-career turned out in Dallas, a steal of a deal for an eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame player.

The Dorsett deal paid dividends in his very first year with the Cowboys, the four-time All-American picking up where he left off in college, rushing for 1,007 yards to earn NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and set the rushing bar for rookie running backs in Dallas.

"A lot of the people said I wouldn't last in this league," Dorsett said in 1987. "I was the skinny little kid from Aliquippa, Pa., who wasn't supposed to make it."

Dorsett did make it, in fact he became one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. On Sept. 26, 1988 while playing his final NFL season with the Denver Broncos, Dorsett moved into second place on the NFL all-time rushing list with 12,306 rushing yards, and eventually finished his career with 12,739 yards. At the time, Dorsett trailed only Walter Payton when he retired after suffering a knee injury the following summer, but now ranks fifth behind Payton, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson.

By the time Dorsett completed his 12-year career, he had collected a victory in Super Bowl XII, four Pro Bowl selections, one All-Pro honor and three All-NFC selections.

One of the most notable moments of Dorsett's career came on Jan. 2, 1983, before a Monday Night Football television audience playing against the Minnesota Vikings. Dorsett received a handoff from quarterback Danny White and proceeded to run 99-yards for a touchdown, thus recording an unbreakable NFL record. Dorsett's greatest season came in 1981 when he rushed for 1,646 yards, a franchise record at the time, a total that now ranks third to only Emmitt Smith's two, 1700-yard seasons.

"When he came to us, we hadn't had a strong running attack for about three years," Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach once said. "Tony Dorsett is one of the greatest backs in NFL history."

Dorsett was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1976 and was the first Pitt football player to have his jersey retired. Dorsett left Pitt as a four-time All-American and four-time 1,000-yard rusher. His final collegiate highlight was a 27-3 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to claim the national title.

In 1994 Dorsett became the ninth Cowboys player inducted into the Ring of Honor, and that same year he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Born April 7, 1954, in Rochester, Pa.

Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/

Tony Dorsett

Finally getting over the hump after coming up just short several times in the 1960's, the Cowboys made their first Super Bowl appearance, Jan. 17, 1971, against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V. 
But the Cowboys squandered this first shot at Super Bowl glory in a sloppy game featuring two teams unable to do much offensively. Led by legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts squeaked by the Cowboys, 16-13, before 79,204 people at the Orange Bowl in Miami after a fourth-quarter interception set up Jim O'Brien's 32-yard, game-winning field goal with only five seconds remaining.

The Cowboys got on the scoreboard first, connecting on a 14-yard field goal from kicker Mike Clark in the first quarter. He followed that up with a 30-yarder in the second quarter, giving the championship-starved Cowboys an early 6-0 lead.

Baltimore would tie the game on a touchdown defining the afternoon's lethargic play, but a blocked extra point kept the game tied at 6.

Unitas' touchdown pass, which eventually landed in the hands of tight end John Mackey, took an interesting path. The pass was actually intended for wide receiver Eddie Hinton, but he was unable to make the catch as the ball tipped off his fingers. Cowboys cornerback Mel Renfro had a shot intercepting the deflected ball, but he couldn't make the catch, either, the ball bouncing off his hands, too.

And when the bouncing ball came to a rest, it was Mackey's, and he dashed 75 yards for the tying score.

The Colts' next possession nearly spelled disaster. Cowboys defensive end George Andrie forced a fumble on the Colts' 29-yard line after hitting Unitas square in the ribs, knocking him out of the game.

Not only did Baltimore lose its star quarterback, they would lose the lead, too. Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton hooked up with running back Duane Thomas a few plays later for a 7-yard touchdown pass to give the Cowboys a 13-6 halftime lead.

The halftime break didn't seem to rejuvenate either offense. Colts defensive back Jim Duncan fumbled away the second-half kickoff, giving the Cowboys the ball deep in Baltimore territory. The Cowboys quickly drove downfield thanks to some efficient running by Thomas. But Thomas canceled out all his hard work by fumbling the ball right back to the Colts at, of all places, the one-yard line, denying the Cowboys of what might have been ? at least on this day ? an insurmountable 20-6 lead.

From then on, the Cowboys offense struggled, unable to score in the third, but at least heading into the fourth, thanks to the defense, still with the one-touchdown lead.

But the offense grew worse in the fourth quarter. Not only were the Cowboys having trouble scoring in the second half, now they injected life into the Colts when a Morton pass was intercepted by Rich Volk, who finally was brought down at the Dallas 3. Baltimore didn't waste this opportunity so close to the goal line as the Cowboys had previously, scoring two plays later on a two-yard run by Tom Nowatzke to tie the game, 13-13.

And if that wasn't enough offensive ineptitude, Morton was picked off yet again, this time causing the ultimate damage ? setting up the Colts' game-winning field goal.

Linebacker Mike Curtis intercepted Morton's pass, putting the Colts in business at the Cowboys 28-yard line with just more than a minute remaining in the game. The Colts then milked the clock while positioning themselves to attempt the game-winning field goal.

O'Brien, the rookie kicker, connected from 32-yards out with just five seconds remaining to give Baltimore its first Super Bowl title and deny the Cowboys once again of a world championship.

Considering how stagnant the two teams' offenses were, it was no surprise the game's MVP was a defensive player. But it was surprising the award went to someone from the losing team.

Linebacker Chuck Howley, who intercepted two passes and forced a fumble in the game, was named Most Valuable Player. Howley became the first defensive player to win the award, and is still the only player from a losing team to ever have won the award.

Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_hof.cfm

Super Bowl V

They convincingly beat the Miami Dolphins, 24-3, in Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, quarterback Roger Staubach turning in an MVP performance to help remove a gigantic monkey from his team's back on Jan. 16, 1972.

A year after that gut-wrenching 16-13 loss to Baltimore in Super Bowl V, the Cowboys were able to silence their critics with a dominant performance over the Dolphins, ridding themselves of the much hated "bridesmaid" label they had been tagged with because of their inability to win big games.

Staubach had taken over full-time at quarterback for Craig Morton midway through the 1971 Super Bowl-winning season, subsequently winning nine-straight games for the Cowboys. He capped off his magical season by earning the Most Valuable Player award in Super Bowl VI, completing 12 of 19 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cowboys led the entire game, and Miami's lone score, a second-quarter field goal, drew the Dolphins no closer than 10-3 at the time. And that was it for Miami, becoming the first team Super Bowl team unable to score a touchdown.

The Cowboys defense was dominant, holding Miami to only 185 yards, and only 80 of those rushing. The Cowboys, on the other hand, had their way with Miami's defense, racking up 252 yards on the ground.

Things went downhill for Miami from the start, running back Larry Csonka fumbling away a Bob Griese handoff at the Cowboys 48-yard line early in the first quarter. Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley recovered the ball, and kicker Mike Clark converted the turnover into a 3-0 Dallas lead on his nine-yard field goal.

Defensive tackle Bob Lilly was dominant, locking down his side of the ball, and his first-quarter sack of Griese became a Super Bowl record. After chasing Griese all over the field, Lilly finally got a hold of the quarterback, sacking him for the record 29-yard loss.

Riding the success of their defense, the Cowboys offense stretched the lead to 10-0 in the second quarter when Staubach finished a 76-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Lance Alworth.

But Miami showed a glimpse of resistance, not allowing the Cowboys to pitch a first-half shutout by driving 44 yards to set up Garo Yepremian's 31-yard field goal with only four seconds remaining in the half and cutting the Cowboys' lead to 10-3.

But whatever ideas the Dolphins had of rallying were quickly squashed at the start of the third quarter. The Cowboys, thanks to the powerful running of Duane Thomas, took the second-half kickoff and drove downfield with ease. Thomas capped off an eight-play, 71-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown, extending the Cowboys' lead to 17-3.

Thomas, the game's leading rusher, finished with 19 carries for 95 yards and the touchdown.

If that didn't spell the end for the Dolphins, this certainly would. Howley intercepted a Griese pass intended for running back Jim Kiick at midfield and returned 41 yards to the Miami nine-yard line. From there, Staubach would eventually hit tight end Mike Ditka with a seven-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys what proved to be an insurmountable 24-3 lead, securing the Cowboys' first-ever Super Bowl title.

After a standout performance in Super Bowl V where Howley was awarded the MVP despite a Cowboys' loss, he turned in yet another terrific game in Super Bowl VI, intercepting a pass and recovering a fumble. In two Super Bowl appearances, Howley collected three interceptions and recovered two fumbles.

And finally, the Dallas Cowboys had their world championship

Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_hof.cfm

Super Bowl VI

The Cowboys were but a wild-card team advancing to the Super Bowl X. The Pittsburgh Steelers were the defending champs, trying to become the third team to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles. 
And not until the fourth quarter at the Orange Bowl in Miami did the champs play like champs and the wild-card Cowboys play like the underdogs they were, Pittsburgh coming from behind and then holding on dearly for a 21-17 Super Bowl victory on Jan. 18, 1976.

Why the young Cowboys led 10-7 entering the final quarter, but committing one mistake after another allowed the Steelers to grab a 21-10 lead. And despite turning the ball over and having a punt blocked, the Cowboys still regrouped to position themselves for a comeback of their own.

After scoring a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys trailed, 21-17, and after stopping the Steelers on a fourth-down play, they had the ball at their own 39 with 1:22 to play and a last-gasp chance at victory. Needing to move the ball 61 yards for a touchdown, quarterback Roger Staubach got the Cowboys as far as the Pittsburgh 38-yard line.

Staubach, dubbed ?Captain Comeback? for his late-game heroics, had 22 seconds left in the game to pull out another dramatic victory. So he went for the jugular, Staubach desperately throwing for the end zone, only to have the ball was tipped by Steelers safety Mike Wagner and then intercepted by fellow safety Glen Edwards, securing Pittsburgh?s victory and its second consecutive championship.

But amazingly from the start, the young Cowboys displayed poise beyond their years. Holding a slight lead over Pittsburgh most of the game, it was clear the Cowboys were not frightened by the Steelers? aura.

The Cowboys scored first, Staubach finding running back Preston Pearson for a 29-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The Steelers fired back quickly when tight end Randy Grossman caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Terry Bradshaw to even the score, 7-7.

The only scoring in the second quarter was provided by Cowboys kicker Toni Fritsch, connecting on a 36-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the half to give the Cowboys a 10-7 halftime lead.

Pittsburgh would have an opportunity to tie the game in the third quarter, but kicker Roy Gerela missed. Gerela, who played hurt after making an open-field tackle on Cowboys linebacker Thomas ?Hollywood? Henderson on the game?s opening kickoff, connected on only two of four field-goal attempts and even missed an extra point.

That Dallas 10-7 lead held up through three quarters, both teams? defenses dominating in the third quarter. Staubach was intercepted one time in the quarter, one of three the Steelers grabbed. That one set up Gerela for a field-goal attempt, but his second miss of the game sent the Cowboys into the fourth quarter with a 10-7 lead.

The young Cowboys then unraveled. Steelers fullback Reggie Harrison blocked a Mitch Hoopes punt, swinging the momentum into Pittsburgh?s favor. The ball bounced off Harrison?s facemask and rolled through the end zone for a safety, cutting the Cowboys? lead to 10-9.

Then, a 36-yard field goal from Gerela less than three minutes later gave the Steelers their first lead of the game, 12-10. Moments later the Pittsburgh defense struck again, Wagner?s interception positioning the Steelers for yet another score. Though they had to settle for a Gerela 18-yard field goal, their lead now was 15-10.

The Steelers stretched their lead to 21-10 when Bradshaw connected with wide receiver Lynn Swann, the game?s Most Valuable Player, for an acrobatic 64-yard touchdown reception, giving him four catches for 161 yards ? a Super Bowl record.

Bradshaw unloaded the ball for Swann just in time, though, viciously hit by a number of Cowboys defenders. He was knocked out of the game and replaced by Terry Hanratty, who struggled to move the Steelers? offense the rest of the fourth quarter.

Gerela?s missed extra point left the Cowboys down 11, 21-10, but still with time for a comeback.

Catching fire, the Cowboys offense quickly moved downfield. Staubach capped off the drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Percy Howard ? the only catch of his NFL career ? bringing the Cowboys back into the game late in the fourth quarter, now trailing just 21-17.

With Bradshaw out of the game and passing really no longer an option, the Steelers ran the ball four straight times on their next possession, including on fourth down. The Cowboys defense held, giving the offense the ball on the Dallas 39-yard line.

With no timeouts and just 1:22 left in the game, the Cowboys were in a bind. But the situation was not unfamiliar to them, Staubach having made a career out of bringing his Cowboys from behind late in games.

This time, however, there would be no comeback.

Advancing to the Pittsburgh 38-yard line after an 11-yard run from Staubach and a pass completion to Preston Pearson, the Cowboys still had 22 seconds remaining. That?s when Staubach launched a pass into the end zone, only to have the ball picked off by Edwards. Staubach?s third interception of the game put an end to the Cowboys? comeback.

The loss dropped the Cowboys to 1-2 in Super Bowls and allowed the Steelers to join Green Bay and Miami as back-to-back Super Bowl winners, those three teams accounting for six of the first 10 Super Bowl titles.

Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_hof.cfm

Super Bowl X

In 15 seasons, Emmitt Smith made an impact on the NFL that few players can match at any position or in any era. As the NFL's all-time rushing leader, Smith won four NFL rushing titles, three Super Bowl titles and a league (1993) and Super Bowl (XXVIII) MVP award. He was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, with only Barry Sanders (10) having been selected more times among NFL running backs. 
Smith is the seventh player in NFL history to carry the title of all-time rushing leader, and he is the only player in NFL history to rush for more than 18,000 yards. Smith is also the NFL's career rushing touchdowns leader with 164, and he stands second in league annals in total touchdowns with 175, trailing the all-time leader, Jerry Rice, by 32.

The first player in NFL history with five straight seasons with over 1,400 rushing yards, Smith and Jim Brown are the only players with seven straight 10-touchdown seasons to start their career. With 1,021 yards rushing in 2001, Smith became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and the first to post 11 1,000-yard rushing seasons in a career. He is also the NFL's alltime leader in rushing attempts with 4,409. With a then NFL record 25 touchdowns in 1995, Smith scored 100 career touchdowns in just six seasons, the fastest anyone in league history has reached that mark (he tied Brown's NFL record by scoring 100 touchdowns in just 93 career games). His 164 career rushing touchdowns in 226 games gives him a 0.73 touchdown-per-game scoring average, second behind Brown's 0.90 for tops among the all-time rushing touchdown scorers (John Riggins 0.59 and Walter Payton 0.58 are next on the list). Smith's longevity and ability to score touchdowns have combined to give him three of the five best touchdown totals against a single opponent in league history. His 25 career scores against the Arizona Cardinals is the third best total by a player against an opponent since 1970, followed by his 24 scores against Washington and his 23 against the N.Y Giants.

Smith is one of only three players in Cowboys history with three career 100-point seasons, and he is the only non-kicker to accomplish the feat. His value to his team's success can be seen in the clubs' 101-26 mark (93-24 in regular season) when he carried the ball 20-or-more times a game and 65-18 record (58-18 in regular season) when he rushed for 100 yards. The century mark became a big number in Smith's career, having rushed for 100 yards in 155-of-326 games dating back to high school (45-of-49 at Escambia High School, 25-of-34 at Florida, 81-of-202 at Dallas, including playoffs, and two-of-25 at Arizona). His 45 100-yard games in high school is still the national record, and in NFL annals, Smith's 78 100-yard rushing games makes him the NFL's all-time leader - just ahead of Payton (77) and Sanders (76). Included in Smith's leaguerecord 78 regular season 100-yard rushing games are 18 days with over 150 yards (the fourth highest total of 150-yard games in NFL history).

Smith has rushed for over 100-yards against 23 of the 33 NFL teams he faced. In addition, he rushed for 2,466 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in his 15- year career, his best output against any single opponent. That total ranks second since 1970 for running backs against one team. Smith also has the third and fifth best totals in that category.

One reason Smith was such a workhorse over the years was his ability to answer the bell at game time, having started 236-of-243 career games - including playoffs. He missed just 11 career games due to injury. Smith also accumulated a number of NFL postseason records, including rushing touchdowns (19), consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (nine) and 100-yard rushing games (seven). His 1,586 yards rushing is also tops on the NFL postseason chart, and he shares the total playoff touchdown mark of 21 with Thurman Thomas. Smith is one of only five NFL players who have amassed over 10,000 career-rushing yards and 400 career receptions. He is also second on the NFL's all-time total yards from scrimmage list with 21,579 yards. 2004: Smith - who finished 2003 as a reserve - started the 2004 season at the Cardinals starting running back and accounted for 937 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 267 carries. His 267 carries marked his highest total since 2000 and his nine touchdowns were his highest total since scoring 11 times in 1999. He also caught 15 passes for 105 yards for Arizona. He opened the season at St. Louis (9/12) with 87 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He recorded his 49th one-yard touchdown run against New England (9/19), then totaled 45 yards on 18 carries and 11 yards on two catches at Atlanta (9/26). He posted his best game as a Cardinal the following week against New Orleans (10/3), totaling 127 rushing yards on 21 carries (6.0 avg.), including a 29-yard socring jaunt (his longest as a Cardinal). The Saints game marked his 77th career regular season 100-yard rushing game, tying Payton for the most in NFL history.

The last NFL player to eclipse the 100-yard mark in a game after his 35th birthday was Marcus Allen for Kansas City at Cleveland on Dec. 3, 1994. Smith also completed his first career pass against New Orleans, tossing a 21-yard scoring strike to fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo. Smith carried the ball 16 times for 63 yards and a touchdown at San Francisco (10/10), then broke Payton's record for career 100-yard rushing games when he totaled 106 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries against Seattle (10/24) He also added four catches for 30 yards, allowing him to become only the fourth player in NFL history to eclipse the 21,000-combined yards mark. At Buffalo, he accounted for 64 yards on 22 carries. After rushing 19 times for 42 yards and a score at Miami (11/7), he totaled 67 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries against the N.Y. Giants (11/14) to become the only player in NFL history to eclipse the 18,000 career rushing yard mark.

He was hampered with a toe injury at CArolina (11/21) and against the N.Y. Jets (11/28) before missing the game at Detroit (12/5) due to the toe problem. He returned to action against San Francisco (12/12) and carried the ball 18 times for 53 yards and a score. A week later, he totaled 71 yards on 19 carries and 24 yards on two receptions against St. Louis (12/19). He recorded 65 yards on 23 carries at Seattle (12/26) before closing out the season with 69 yards on 23 carries and 13 yards on two catches against Tampa Bay (1/2/05).

Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_hof.cfm

Emmit Smith

Facing an old friend, the Cowboys beat up on their former quarterback Craig Morton and the Denver Broncos, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII, capturing their second Super Bowl title of the 1970s. 
The Cowboys' vaunted defense, finishing first in the league for fewest yards allowed during the regular season, pitched a first-half shutout against Denver, recovering three fumbles and intercepting four passes before a sellout crowd at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and with more than 1 million viewers watching on TV.

Rewarded for the defense's performance, defensive leaders Harvey Martin and Randy White shared the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first co-MVPs in Super Bowl history on Jan. 15, 1978. Only two defensive players had won the MVP award prior to the Cowboys' defensive linemen accomplishing the feat in Super Bowl XII - the Cowboys' Chuck Howley and Miami's Jake Scott.

Morton, who had played 10 seasons for the Cowboys, led a Bronco offense that managed just 156 total yards. The Broncos' 35 yards passing represented a Super Bowl record low. Morton was intercepted four times in the first half, incredibly, the same number of passes he completed to his own team the entire afternoon.

Norris Weese replaced Morton in the third quarter, but had as much difficulty as Morton had completing passes against the Cowboys defense. The two quarterbacks combined to complete a measly 32 percent of their passes, connecting on only eight of 25 attempts.

Converting an early turnover into points, the Cowboys took advantage of the defense's hard work, as rookie running back Tony Dorsett scored on a three-yard run after safety Randy Hughes intercepted a Morton pass at the Denver 29-yard line.

Kicker Efren Herrera added to the Cowboys' lead, connecting on a 35-yard field goal toward the end of the first quarter. Herrera extended that lead to 13-0 by hitting a 43-yarder in the second quarter.

Down 13-0 at halftime, the Broncos finally got on the scoreboard in the third quarter when kicker Jim Turner connected from 47 yards away, having just enough power behind his kick to get it over the crossbar.

The Cowboys fired back with a quick touchdown, quarterback Roger Staubach finding a diving Butch Johnson in the end zone for a 45-yard score, giving the Cowboys a 20-3 lead.

A 67-yard kickoff return helped set up the Broncos' first - and only - touchdown, a one-yard run by running back Rob Lytle, cutting the Cowboys' lead to 20-10 at the end of the third quarter and giving the Denver faithful some hope.

But with less than eight minutes left in the game, Cowboys defensive end Harvey Martin recovered a Denver fumble to position the Cowboys for a game-clinching score. Fullback Robert Newhouse gave the Cowboys a commanding 27-10 lead late in the fourth quarter when he took a handoff from Staubach and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Golden Richards, finishing off the Broncos in thrilling fashion.

The victory was the Cowboys' second in four Super Bowl appearances, while the Broncos lost in their first Super Bowl appearance.
 Cited from Facing an old friend, the Cowboys beat up on their former quarterback Craig Morton and the Denver Broncos, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII, capturing their second Super Bowl title of the 1970s. 
The Cowboys' vaunted defense, finishing first in the league for fewest yards allowed during the regular season, pitched a first-half shutout against Denver, recovering three fumbles and intercepting four passes before a sellout crowd at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and with more than 1 million viewers watching on TV.

The Cowboys fired back with a quick touchdown, quarterback Roger Staubach finding a diving Butch Johnson in the end zone for a 45-yard score, giving the Cowboys a 20-3 lead.

The victory was the Cowboys' second in four Super Bowl appearances, while the Broncos lost in their first Super Bowl appearance.
Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_superBowl.cfm?sb=12

Super Bowl XII

Fighting to become the Team of the ?70s, the Cowboys and Steelers butted heads again in Super Bowl XIII, only three years after facing one another in Super Bowl X. 
A tight game all the way to the end, the Steelers pulled out another close Super Bowl win over the Cowboys, this time 35-31 at the Orange Bowl in Miami. They had beaten the Cowboys by the identical four points, 21-17, in Super Bowl X, the game becoming the first rematch of Super Bowl opponents.

The Cowboys entered Super Bowl XIII as the league's defending champion, a year after torching the Denver Broncos, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII. In their previous Super Bowl matchup, it was the Steelers who were the reigning champs.

Trying to not only protect their place in history, but also defend their pride, the Cowboys were confident they were capable of avenging their previous loss to the Steelers and evening the Super Bowl score.

Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, exemplifying this bravado, sent some choice words right at Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.

"Bradshaw couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the c and the t," Henderson said.

Bradshaw got the last laugh, though. After throwing for 318 yards and four touchdowns, he was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Afterward, Bradshaw shot back at Henderson for the remarks he made earlier in the week.

"Ask Henderson if I was dumb today," Bradshaw said.

Scoring first, the Steelers grabbed an early first-quarter lead after capitalizing on a turnover by Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson. The Cowboys offense was showing promise on the opening drive until Pearson coughed up the ball on a reverse, which was recovered by Steelers defensive end John Banaszak.

Bradshaw wasted little time, firing a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Stallworth to give the Steelers an early 7-0 lead.

Ironically, a recovered fumble also set up the Cowboys' first score. Defensive end Harvey Martin sacked Bradshaw, knocking the ball loose, and defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones was there to pick it up and provide the offense with a golden opportunity.

Three plays later, quarterback Roger Staubach found wide receiver Tony Hill for a 39-yard touchdown pass, tying the game, 7-7.

The Cowboys took a 14-7 lead in the second quarter when this time it was Henderson stripping Bradshaw of the ball and linebacker Mike Hegman returning it for a 37-yard touchdown.

But the Cowboys had no answer for Bradshaw when he hung onto the ball, leading the Steelers to another touchdown several plays later, again hooking up with Stallworth for a 75-yard score, tying the game again at 14-14.

Poised to regain the lead, the Cowboys methodically moved downfield until Steelers cornerback Mel Blount intercepted a Staubach pass intended for Pearson. The turnover proved costly, positioning Pittsburgh for the go-ahead score. With under a minute left in the first half, Bradshaw completed a seven-yard touchdown pass to running back Rocky Bleier, giving the Steelers a 21-14 lead at halftime.

The Cowboys held Pittsburgh scoreless in the third quarter, seemingly setting up a patented second-half comeback. But instead of tying the game, the Cowboys had to settle for a mere field goal after one of the most infamous dropped passes in Super Bowl history.

Staubach softly threw to a wide-open Jackie Smith in the end zone, but the usually sure-handed tight end stumbled and was unable to catch the ball Staubach admits was a little behind him. Missing out on the touchdown, the Cowboys settled for a 27-yard field goal from Rafael Septien, bringing the score to 21-17.

Pittsburgh added to its four-point lead in the fourth quarter, scoring two quick touchdowns. The first, a 22-yard touchdown run by running back Franco Harris, came after a controversial pass interference call was made on Cowboys cornerback Benny Barnes when Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann climbed his back, causing both players to hit the ground.

The Steelers' second touchdown in the fourth quarter was an 18-yard touchdown pass from Bradshaw to Swann, coming after the Cowboys fumbled away the kickoff. The score stretched Pittsburgh's lead to what seemed to be an insurmountable 35-17.

Seemingly out of the game, Staubach worked his magic with six minutes left. He hit tight end Billy Joe Dupree for a seven-yard touchdown, closing the gap to 35-24 with 2:23 left.

Almost miraculously, the Cowboys got the ball back when rookie defensive back Dennis Thurman recovered their onside-kick attempt at midfield. Several plays later, Staubach connected with Pearson for a 25-yard gain, giving the Cowboys possession inside the Pittsburgh five. Staubach then brought the Cowboys to within four points, 35-31, on a four-yard touchdown pass to Butch Johnson.

Problem was, only 22 seconds remained.

Needing to recover another onside kick for a chance to win the game, the clock finally struck midnight on the Cowboys as Rocky Bleier recovered the kick for the Steelers. Pittsburgh was able to run out the clock, clinching a 35-31 victory over the Cowboys and giving them their third Super Bowl title of what would become four during the decade.

The loss dropped the Cowboys' Super Bowls record to 2-3 and would have a lasting effect on the team's legacy that decade and also future Hall of Fame considerations.
Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_superBowl.cfm?sb=12

Super Bowl XIII

Arning their first Super Bowl appearance in 14 seasons, the Cowboys stormed back into the national spotlight with a roster full of young, talented and brash budding stars in Super Bowl XXVII against the Buffalo Bills. 
And the veteran-laden Bills were no match for the upstart Cowboys, who pounded Buffalo, 52-17, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., in the third most lopsided Super Bowl.

The Cowboys defense set a Super Bowl record by forcing nine turnovers, and the team's 52 points scored was second to only the 55 points by San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIV. This dominant unit set the tone from the outset, and it didn't take long for the offense to follow suit on a postcard Jan. 31, 1993, day.

And the leader of that pack was quarterback Troy Aikman, who after a slow start, had nearly a flawless performance, completing 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns to claim the game's Most Valuable Player award.

The Cowboys did struggle early, though, as Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker blocked a punt on the opening possession, setting up an early score for Buffalo. With the ball nestled on the Cowboys 16-yard line, Buffalo was able to punch in the game's first touchdown on a two-yard run by running back Thurman Thomas.

Still lacking offensive continuity, the Cowboys turned to their defense for help to jumpstart them on this Sunday. Safety James Washington intercepted a pass from Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, returning 13 yards to the Buffalo 47-yard line.

The turnover provided the Cowboys with the spark they needed, as quarterback Troy Aikman connected with tight end Jay Novacek for a 23-yard touchdown pass, tying the game, 7-7.

Defensive end Charles Haley gave the Cowboys another scoring opportunity just seconds later when he sacked Kelly, causing a fumble that fell into the hands of defensive tackle Jimmie Jones, who in one motion scooped the ball up and dived the necessary two yards into the end zone to give the Cowboys a 14-7 lead ? one they would never relinquish.

The 15-second span between scores represented the quickest back-to-back touchdowns by one team in Super Bowl history.

And while the offense did put up the two quick touchdowns, the Cowboys defense continued to frustrate the Bills. Next came the goal-line stand for the ages.

On third down from inside the Cowboys one-yard line, linebacker Ken Norton jolted Bills running back Kenneth Davis inches in front of the goal line, pushing him backward and preventing the Bills from tying the score. It was almost as if the vicious hit suck the life right out of the Bills.

Buffalo boldly opted to go for the touchdown on fourth down. Bad move. Safety Thomas Everett intercepted Kelly's pass into the end zone for a touchback, preventing Buffalo from getting any points out of the drive.

That, in essence, was the beginning of the end for the Bills, who unknowingly were about to be in for a long day, evidenced by Kelly being knocked out of the game in the second quarter when Norton landed on his knee. Sure the Bills salvaged that drive with a Steve Christie 21-yard field goal to pull within 14-10, but the lights were about to be turned out.

Turn on the Aikman-to-Michael Irvin show.

The Cowboys surged into a 21-10 lead on Aikman's 19-yard touchdown pass to Irvin on a deep post pattern that the Pro Bowl received turned the Bills corner every which way to break open by 10 yards.

A fumble by Thomas on the Bills' next drive quickly returned possession to the Cowboys, and here came the dynamic duo again, Aikman connecting with Irvin for an 18-yard touchdown pass ? Irvin twisting in for the final few yards to give the Cowboys a commanding 28-10 halftime lead.

The Cowboys did relinquish a little of their lead in the third quarter, giving up a controversial Buffalo touchdown after they had jumped to a 31-10 lead on Lin Elliott's 20-yard field goal. Buffalo backup quarterback Frank Reich appeared to pass the line of scrimmage before throwing his 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Don Beebe that slightly closed the gap to 31-17, but no flags were thrown on the play.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, the oversight proved insignificant. The Bills would never score again.

Aikman threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this one a 45-yarder to wide receiver Alvin Harper, who proceeded to dunk the ball over the crossbar after scoring. With a comfortable 38-17 lead, running back Emmitt Smith later joined in on the scoring, running one in from 10 yards out.

Fittingly, it was the defense that scored the game's final touchdown when Norton forced a fumble and scooped it up for a nine-yard score. It was the defense's second touchdown of the game, drawing the curtain on an incredible performance from the no-name squad that didn't send a single defensive player to the Pro Bowl that season.

Oh there would be that game-ending gaffe by defensive tackle Leon Lett, who began celebrating his apparent touchdown a tad too early when he was sprinting some 65 yards with his fumble recovery toward the end zone only to have Beebe knock the ball out at the one-yard line and through the end zone for a touchback.

But not much else had gone wrong this day for the Cowboys' playmaking defense and star-studded offense, earning the franchise's third Super Bowl victory.
Cited from http://www.dallascowboys.com/history_superBowl.cfm?sb=12

Super Bowl XXVII

The cries were "Back-to-back." 
And indeed the Dallas Cowboys hung their name alongside only a handful of teams, winning back-to-back Super Bowl title by spanking the same Buffalo Bills for the second consecutive year, this time 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII.

Winning consecutive championships placed the Cowboys in elite company. Only Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh (twice) and San Francisco had won consecutive titles prior to the Cowboys doing so in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII.

The Cowboys discovered first-hand how much tougher championships are to come by the second time around. Not only did they become the first team to recover from an 0-2 start in the regular season to win a Super Bowl, they also had to recover from a 13-6 halftime deficit at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, a far cry from their 52-17 blowout victory over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII the previous year at the Rose Bowl.

The Cowboys would need a second-half rally to regain the lead after a sluggish first half, the defense clamping down on the Bills and holding them scoreless the remainder of the game. The Cowboys did so by forcing two turnovers the second half, one immediately turned into a touchdown by safety James Washington to jumpstart the third quarter.

The Cowboys also were backed by a dominant rushing effort from NFL rushing champ Emmitt Smith, who earned Most Valuable Player honors by carrying the ball 30 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. And it was Smith who broke Buffalo's back during a third-quarter drive with a seven-carry, 61-yard effort, all capped by an inspiring 15-yard run to thrust the Cowboys into the lead for good.

The Cowboys' second-half performance barely resembled their stagnant selves of the first half. They began struggling from the opening possession, turning Kevin Williams' game-opening 50-yard kick-off return into only a 41-yard Eddie Murray field goal.

The two teams alternated field goals their next possessions, with Bills kicker Steve Christie nailing a Super Bowl record 54-yarder and Murray then connecting on a 24-yarder for a 6-3 Dallas lead.

Buffalo scored the game's first touchdown in the second quarter on a four-yard run from running back Thurman Thomas, giving the Bills a 10-6 lead that later ballooned to 13-6 before halftime on a 28-yard field goal from Christie.

But that deficit quickly evaporated in the second half, the Cowboys scoring 24 unanswered points while shutting out the Bills the remainder of the game.

Washington, who also sparked the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII with an interception that led to the team's first score, returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 13-13. A good argument could have been made for Washington winning the game's MVP award.

Defensive tackle Leon Lett had stripped Thomas of the ball on the play, resulting in Thomas' second fumble of the game. Plagued by turnovers, Thomas seemed unable to escape the funk he was in all afternoon.

Emmitt Smith then went to work after that, scoring the Cowboys' next two touchdowns en route to clinching MVP honors for himself.

Smith's 15-yard touchdown run on a drive in which he carried the ball every play but one broke Buffalo's morale. The Bills could not stop Smith regardless of how many players they put in the box to contain him, and he seemed to part the entire Buffalo defense on his legendary touchdown run.

While that touchdown had secured the Cowboys only a seven-point lead, it became clear Buffalo was losing more than just the game. Their confidence shattered, the Bills seemed destined for defeat, just as they suffered in the past three Super Bowls.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Washington struck again by intercepting Kelly to ignite yet another Cowboys scoring drive. Smith finished things off with his second touchdown of the game.

Murray converted a late field goal to give the Cowboys a 30-13 lead, but their fourth Super Bowl win in franchise history had already been locked up. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers had won as many Super Bowls at the time, each having notched four.

For Buffalo, the defeat marked its fourth consecutive Super Bowl loss, a dubious feat no other team in league history has suffered.

Super Bowl XXVIII

The Cowboys solidified their status as one of the most prolific dynasties in NFL history by becoming the first of now only two teams to win three Super Bowls in four seasons, knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17, in Super Bowl XXX thanks in large part to a very unlikely hero. 
Cornerback Larry Brown, usually lost in the shadow cast by fellow cornerback Deion Sanders, intercepted two overthrown passes from Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell to seal the victory and earn Most Valuable Player honors at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe Ariz., on Jan. 28, 1996.

Holding a 20-7 lead going into the fourth quarter, the Cowboys endured an intense Pittsburgh rally. The Steelers scored 10 consecutive points to close the gap to 20-17 with 6:36 left to play. The Steelers held, got the ball back again two minutes later and had the opportunity to take their first lead of the game.

But Brown ended any potential comeback, intercepting his second pass of the ballgame, returning the ball to the Steelers six-yard line, where Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith clinched the Super Bowl title with a four-yard touchdown run.

This emotional finish, which left the Cowboys players and coaches drained in the locker room afterward, sure was not indicative of how this game began before 76,347 people in the desert sun.

The Cowboys got off to a quick start, mounting a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and extending that lead to 13-0 midway through the second quarter. There seemed no stopping this offensive juggernaut.

But the Cowboys were unable to slam the door shut on the Steelers, their offense sputtering the remainder of the game, leaving the door open for the Steelers to make a comeback.

A Chris Boniol 42-yard field goal on their opening drive gave the Cowboys an early 3-0 lead that grew the following series. The Cowboys positioned themselves for a scoring opportunity after quarterback Troy Aikman completed a 47-yard pass to Sanders, who was lined up on offense to enhance the passing game. Aikman hooked up with tight end Jay Novacek on a three-yard touchdown pass several plays later, pushing the Cowboys' lead to 10-0.

With a somewhat comfortable lead after just one quarter, it looked as if the Cowboys could be on their way to another Super Bowl blowout. Their offense was moving the ball with ease and the defense was not allowing the Steelers to do much.

But their dominance slowed in the second quarter, only producing a 35-yard Boniol field goal. And worse, Pittsburgh pulled itself within six points just before halftime on O'Donnell's six-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Yancey Thigpen, slicing the lead to a precarious13-7.

Still, while the star-studded offense was struggling, the Cowboys defense made sure this Super Bowl title did not elude them. Brown intercepted his first pass of the game in the third quarter, returning the errant throw 44 yards to give the Cowboys' offense terrific field position at the Steelers 18.

From there, it was a chip-shot touchdown for the Cowboys, Smith scoring his first of two touchdowns from just one yard out to give the Cowboys a 20-7 lead.

The Cowboys took this lead into the fourth quarter, seemingly poised for a runaway victory. But the Steelers offense caught fire, scoring 10 quick points. Kicker Norm Johnson connected from 46 yards away and after stunning the Cowboys by recovering an onside kick, running back Bam Morris would score on a one-yard run to bring the Steelers back within three, 20-17.

And when the Steelers stopped the Cowboys on their next possession, and for the first time all game the Cowboys were in jeopardy of losing. There still was 4:15 left in the fourth quarter, and here came the Steelers, moving in position to score the go-ahead touchdown.

But O'Donnell made another costly error. On second down, the Pittsburgh quarterback threw right into the flat. Problem was, there was no receiver in the vicinity, only Brown, who intercepted the pass at the Steelers 39 and returned 33 yards to the six-yard line, where Smith took over from there, scoring the winning touchdown with just more than three minutes remaining.

By winning Super Bowl XXX, the Cowboys won their fifth Super Bowl, tying San Francisco for the most in NFL history. It was also the Cowboys' eighth Super Bowl appearance, another record.

The Cowboys became the league's latest dynasty with the victory, joining Pittsburgh from the 1970s and San Francisco from 1980s to have won three or more Super Bowls.

Familiar foes, the Cowboys and Steelers had battled in two previous Super Bowls prior to facing off in Super Bowl XXX. Barely winning both meetings, eclipsing the Cowboys by a combined eight points in the two games, Super Bowl XXX was the first Super Bowl Pittsburgh had lost in team history.

It also served as a sweet dish of revenge for two heart-breaking Super Bowl losses the Cowboys suffered at the hands of the Steelers in the '70s.

Super Bowl XXX

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