CFZ 30 Years: 1966-1995

[plasticman]

The Dallas Cowboys from 1966 to 1995, a 30 year period:

21 times in the playoffs

17 division titles

21 seasons of double digit wins

16 conference championship games

8 Super Bowls

5 Super Bowl championships

49 playoff games

Won 65.7% of their regular season games, ranked #1 for this 30 year period

Ranked #1 scoring offense 5 times

Ranked #1 offensive yardage 6 times

Ranked #1 defense in yardage allowed 3 times

3 Head Coaches, all Super Bowl winners

7 Super bowl MVP’s.

166 Pro Bowl selections, an average of 5.5 a season

57 1st Team All-Pro selections, an average of almost 2 per season.

24 players, 2 Head Coaches, 1 Personnel Director, 1 GM and 1 owner/GM in the Hall of Fame.

There will never be another 30 year run similar to this in the NFL, past, present or future. I was extremely privileged to witness almost all of it. I began watching them in 1970.

Any time I am frustrated with this team or any time someone asks why I am still a fan, this list reminds me that every team has it’s “era” but no team even came close to the length of the Cowboys era, three decades long. That is their legacy.

To this day, they still have the highest historic winning percentage in the NFL.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

The kind of success this franchise had from 66-95 spoiled many fans. But that doesn’t excuse zero conference title appearances over the past 26 seasons.

 

[CCBoy]

The kind of success this franchise had from 66-95 spoiled many fans. But that doesn’t excuse zero conference title appearances over the past 26 seasons.

Slap the face that showed one true pride...now, is that the real deal?

This group now, has earned respect the old fashioned way...they have earned it. You still insulting the heritage?

 

[noshame]

Sniff, sniff

 

[CCBoy]

Sniff, sniff

Ain't you the proud sniffler...who earned none of it.

 

[noshame]

Ain't you the proud sniffler...who earned none of it.

You're the proud sniffer, how's the scent up there?

 

[Hardline]

This is why most of us older fans are attacked for demanding excellence. We seen the glory years.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

This is why most of us older fans are attacked for demanding excellence. We seen the glory years.

and then we're told we're spoiled. It's hard to go from excellence to mediocrity like that.

 

[acr731]

The kind of success this franchise had from 66-95 spoiled many fans. But that doesn’t excuse zero conference title appearances over the past 26 seasons.

It's been longer than 26 years, but at this point no one really cares any more. I quit caring when Jerry admitted why he hired Parcels - he wanted support for a new stadium, not to compete for super bowls. It became obvious then that winning was no longer a priority, and that happened almost 20 years ago.

Times have changed, and not in a good way. We once wanted to dominate the NFL, but the trend now is to settle for and celebrate regular season success. It's mind boggling, but that's all they have left to hang their hat on.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The kind of success this franchise had from 66-95 spoiled many fans. But that doesn’t excuse zero conference title appearances over the past 26 seasons.

Coaches like Landry come around rarely. And for all of the success mentioned, Belichick and the Patriots have eclipsed some of Landry's records, such as consecutive playoff appearances with 11.

Not that Belichick is a better coach than Landry was (in my opinion, just to clarify), but it shows that streaks can occur for any team.

The Saints, from 1973 (using the same 6 years after inception) to 2003 had only 5 winning seasons, 0 SB appearances and so forth. But since then, 9 winning seasons, a SB appearance/win (and I would submit that they should have had another appearance at least, the infamous no-interference call of note). Lots of Pro Bowlers, etc.

My point is that, as they say in ads for mutual funds, etc., "past performance is no guarantee of future success". There's some luck involved in streaks, SB appearances, etc. Would the Cowboys have had the 3 SB wins in 4 years if the Vikings hadn't made the historically stupid Walker deal? Dallas got a huge mass of draft picks and a few pretty good players in one fell swoop, and that was shortly before the salary cap arrived. No way to tell if Jimmy would have had the success he did without that, though it's still possible, he maybe would have just done it a different way.

While I'm definitely upset at the lack of recent success, it doesn't mean Dallas can't go on another streak of SB appearances and wins, I'll keep watching and waiting as long as I'm able. That's all any of us can do...

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

and then we're told we're spoiled. It's hard to go from excellence to mediocrity like that.

It's very easy when that's what the league is designed to do because of the salary cap.

 

[gtb1943]

When you remember how many handicaps the Boys started the first season with...

No draft picks
Let along getting 2#1's and so on as later expansion teams in the 90's got

The AFL was starting at the same time and throwing around what was then crazy money

The pool of veteran players the boys were allowed to pick from was pretty sad- the NFL allowed teams to protect pretty much everyone who was worth a crap

Arguably the worst deal any new team ever got in the NFL.

Even for a HOF coach like Landry along with a great front office took 5 years to get a contender together.

But once it was....

I just DESPISE all those here who are satisfied with just making the playoff and have the gaul to criticize those that expect more
But what can you expect from people who think a participation trophy is something to boast about?

 

[ChronicCowboy]

It's been longer than 26 years, but at this point no one really cares any more. I quit caring when Jerry admitted why he hired Parcels - he wanted support for a new stadium, not to compete for super bowls. It became obvious then that winning was no longer a priority, and that happened almost 20 years ago.

Times have changed, and not in a good way. We once wanted to dominate the NFL, but the trend now is to settle for and celebrate regular season success. It's mind boggling, but that's all they have left to hang their hat on.

My bad….27.5 years….you’re right, I’ve lost count.

 

[diamonddelts]

I always felt like I was born in the wrong era. But at least I got to see the glorious early 90s.

 

[Motorola]

The Dallas Cowboys from 1966 to 1995, a 30 year period:
16 conference championship games

 

[blueblood70]

1960-1988=2 SB wins in 28 years
1989-2022=3 SB wins in 33 years

seems in line about SB wins correct? that the barometer not close calls I believe an extra SB win is worth 2-3 near misses.

 

[Motorola]

The Dallas Cowboys from 1966 to 1995, a 30 year period:

21 times in the playoffs

17 division titles

21 seasons of double digit wins

16 conference championship games

8 Super Bowls

5 Super Bowl championships

49 playoff games

Won 65.7% of their regular season games, ranked #1 for this 30 year period

Ranked #1 scoring offense 5 times

Ranked #1 offensive yardage 6 times

Ranked #1 defense in yardage allowed 3 times

3 Head Coaches, all Super Bowl winners

7 Super bowl MVP’s.

166 Pro Bowl selections, an average of 5.5 a season

57 1st Team All-Pro selections, an average of almost 2 per season.

24 players, 2 Head Coaches, 1 Personnel Director, 1 GM and 1 owner/GM in the Hall of Fame.

There will never be another 30 year run similar to this in the NFL, past, present or future. I was extremely privileged to witness almost all of it. I began watching them in 1970.

Any time I am frustrated with this team or any time someone asks why I am still a fan, this list reminds me that every team has it’s “era” but no team even came close to the length of the Cowboys era, three decades long. That is their legacy.

To this day, they still have the highest historic winning percentage in the NFL.

The Cowboys played in 14 conference championship games___
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978 seasons = 7 in the 70's
1980, 1981, 1982 seasons = 3 in the 80's
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 seasons = 4 in the 90's

The Cowboys played in two NFL championship games in the 1960s___
1966 and 1967 seasons -- before the NFL and AFL merged, then created the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference ‐- combining to become the new NFL .

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

1960-1988=2 SB wins in 28 years
1989-2022=3 SB wins in 33 years

seems in line about SB wins correct? that the barometer not close calls I believe an extra SB win is worth 2-3 near misses.

1989-1995=3 SB wins in 7 years
1996-2002=0 SB wins or NFCCG Appearances in 27 years

Fixed it for you. Oh yea and a 5-12 playoff record since then too.

 

[blueblood70]

1989-1995=3 SB wins in 7 years
1996-2002=0 SB wins or NFCCG Appearances in 27 years

Fixed it for you. Oh yea and a 5-12 playoff record since then too.

Not how it works its across a fulltime period not Cherry pickling, got it..i mean only TWO teams still only have more sb wins then us after this drought. its not big deal as fans make it ok, drama much?? why haven't they all caught up and past ups since SBs grow on trees. took KC 51 years between wins, Bengles 31 years between losses and still no bowls, eagles took 60 years to get 1 win..ya think it might be just how it is, they come in cycles, they cant be bought no blueprint, no one way to achieve it, it just has to catch fire one year.

good try though my timeline was real not cherry-picked Jerry still got 3 in his tenure,, whats better to have won ONE every 10 years to make 3 and somehow changes the math..thats a fan thing.. please stop whining. it is part of what sports teams go through. been some other pro sports teams that waited what 80-100 years for finally breaking through, called it a curse.,. 28 is a toddler compared to that,.

ironic 3 Pro sports teams in DFW Rangers 0 since 1970; Mavs 1since whenever they began 70s?; Stars 1 since the 1993s, Yet Jerry this oddball won't hire a real GM has 3 since 1989 regardless of the math-gymnastics you try to pull..

he bacisally came in and did more in 5 years then 3 other sports franchises combines in DFW.. crazy huh??? its called ring credit IMHO hes got the skins to wait, apparently the rest of the NFL is still playing catch-up after 28years of drought and till cant quite take the DC out in rings and well Landry era mr.bright only got 2..

ironic its about rings but Jerry got them too quick? should have spread them out make fans feel one every decade-=3 or 3 in 6 years oops too fast not good enough. Its a different 3? 3 doesn't = 3 when fans hate jerry the GM

im betting Texans/oilers would luv one in their existence. how long has it been for the bills to get back, 9ers to add another? Washington drought?

 

[gtb1943]

Not how it works its across a fulltime period not Cherry pickling, got it..i mean only TWO teams still only have more sb wins then us after this drought. its not big deal as fans make it ok, drama much?? why haven't they all caught up and past ups since SBs grow on trees. took KC 51 years between wins, Bengles 31 years between losses and still no bowls, eagles took 60 years to get 1 win..ya think it might be just how it is, they come in cycles, they cant be bought no blueprint, no one way to achieve it, it just has to catch fire one year.

good try though my timeline was real not cherry-picked Jerry still got 3 in his tenure,, whats better to have won ONE every 10 years to make 3 and somehow changes the math..thats a fan thing.. please stop whining. it is part of what sports teams go through. been some other pro sports teams that waited what 80-100 years for finally breaking through, called it a curse.,. 28 is a toddler compared to that,.

ironic 3 Pro sports teams in DFW Rangers 0 since 1970; Mavs 1since whenever they began 70s?; Stars 1 since the 1993s, Yet Jerry this oddball won't hire a real GM has 3 since 1989 regardless of the math-gymnastics you try to pull..

he bacisally came in and did more in 5 years then 3 other sports franchises combines in DFW.. crazy huh??? its called ring credit IMHO hes got the skins to wait, apparently the rest of the NFL is still playing catch-up after 28years of drought and till cant quite take the DC out in rings and well Landry era mr.bright only got 2..

ironic its about rings but Jerry got them too quick? should have spread them out make fans feel one every decade-=3 or 3 in 6 years oops too fast not good enough. Its a different 3? 3 doesn't = 3 when fans hate jerry the GM

im betting Texans/oilers would luv one in their existence. how long has it been for the bills to get back, 9ers to add another? Washington drought?

The Jerry minions are so funny.