How 1989 Draft Shaped The Cowboys' Dynasty

[CCBoy]

However, somewhat lost to history is the 1989 NFL Draft, the one before the most memorable and lopsided trade since the Louisiana Purchase.

This was the first under Jimmy Johnson, less than two months after Jerry Jones purchased the team. The upheaval for the Cowboys and the NFL during the seven weeks between the sale in February and the draft that April is simply mind boggling. Jones buys the Cowboys, fires Tom Landry, hires Johnson, Pete Rozelle announces he will soon step down as league commissioner after 29-plus years, Ring of Honor and Hall of Famer Randy White retires after 14 seasons with Dallas, and Cowboys President Tex Schramm, either the first or second most powerful man in professional football for 30 years, resigns.

Whew. Quick breather.

In the midst of that whirlwind was the everyday storyline of the No. 1 overall pick. Having finished 3-13 the season before, the Cowboys were in possession of that first selection, and while they could have just come out and said what everyone sort of, kind of, knew anyhow, that they would select UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, Johnson decided against that mindset...

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/how-1989-draft-shaped-the-cowboys-dynasty

Jeff Sullivan

AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

 

[big dog cowboy]

The genius of Jimmy Johnson.

 

[Ranching]

We owe it all to Jerry.

 

[CCBoy]

We owe it all to Jerry.

Sullivan authored the book upon The 50th Anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys published 2010...and probably why Jimmy Johnson isn't already in the Ring of Honor. Jimmy, all though in the Hall, has some more waiting for the other!

 

[CCBoy]

This falls into the same category as half the league's general managers would have taken Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning. Just doesn't seem possible, an urban myth of the highest accord. Thing is, Aikman was the not the consensus No. 1 overall pick. Heck, some in the Cowboys' scouting department thought Mandarich was the guy, never mind Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas or Deion Sanders, all eventual Pro Football Hall of Famers who rounded out the top 5. ("Prime Time" was the second player on Johnson's board.)

What's most impressive about Johnson's initial rodeo is that Dallas didn't have any additional picks entering the draft, outside of a fifth-round selection picked up from Denver the previous offseason for the aging Tony Dorsett. Give Johnson all the credit in the galaxy, but it's a lot easier to draft with double-digit choices in the first four rounds, as he did in 1992 and 1993.

Worth noting here, just because it's difficult to fathom in today's world, that Johnson was working without a contract. Everything happened so quickly when Jones bought the franchise and so much needed to be done that the former Arkansas football teammates simply shook hands and started working. In March, when asked, Johnson said, "The length and money have not been determined. It's not a high priority with me."

Less than a month later, shortly before the draft, Johnson was finally signed for 10 years, Jones calling the deal a "no-cut contract." Reports put the terms at roughly $400,000 per year, twice what he was making at Miami.
While longtime personnel director Gil Brandt was still in charge of the ever-dwindling scouting department (Jones let 10 scouts go along with 78 other employees) heading into the draft, he was fired shortly thereafter on May 2. This was clearly Johnson's show. He traveled alone to UCLA in March to work out Aikman, later claiming that's when his decision became final. When they signed Aikman, Jones recalled receiving a phone call from his ecstatic head coach...

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/how-1989-draft-shaped-the-cowboys-dynasty

Do take advantage of the entire article...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Sullivan authored the book upon The 50th Anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys published 2010...and probably why Jimmy Johnson isn't already in the Ring of Honor. Jimmy, all though in the Hall, has some more waiting for the other!

Nice to see you posting more again,

 

[CCBoy]

Nice to see you posting more again,

Thank you Sir...

 

[eromeopolk]

However, somewhat lost to history is the 1989 NFL Draft, the one before the most memorable and lopsided trade since the Louisiana Purchase.

This was the first under Jimmy Johnson, less than two months after Jerry Jones purchased the team. The upheaval for the Cowboys and the NFL during the seven weeks between the sale in February and the draft that April is simply mind boggling. Jones buys the Cowboys, fires Tom Landry, hires Johnson, Pete Rozelle announces he will soon step down as league commissioner after 29-plus years, Ring of Honor and Hall of Famer Randy White retires after 14 seasons with Dallas, and Cowboys President Tex Schramm, either the first or second most powerful man in professional football for 30 years, resigns.

Whew. Quick breather.

In the midst of that whirlwind was the everyday storyline of the No. 1 overall pick. Having finished 3-13 the season before, the Cowboys were in possession of that first selection, and while they could have just come out and said what everyone sort of, kind of, knew anyhow, that they would select UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, Johnson decided against that mindset...

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/how-1989-draft-shaped-the-cowboys-dynasty

Jeff Sullivan

AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Mandrich was never on Jimmy's draft board. That was a Jerry Jones thing. Jimmy recurited Aikman to OSU and knew him from Jr. high school. Gil Brandt and Landry was at every UCLA Cotton Bowl practice and Brandt was at the Cotton Bowl game Aikman's senior year. Aikman had dinner with Landry and Landry hired Jerry Rhome to groom him (Jimmy kept him on the staff). So no matter who was the Head Coach (Landry or Johnson), Troy Aikman was going to be the no.1 overall pick of the 1989 draft.

 

[CCBoy]

Mandrich was never on Jimmy's draft board. That was a Jerry Jones thing. Jimmy recurited Aikman to OSU and knew him from Jr. high school. Gil Brandt and Landry was at every UCLA Cotton Bowl practice and Brandt was at the Cotton Bowl game Aikman's senior year. Aikman had dinner with Landry and Landry hired Jerry Rhome to groom him (Jimmy kept him on the staff). So no matter who was the Head Coach (Landry or Johnson), Troy Aikman was going to be the no.1 overall pick of the 1989 draft.

Pretty good pick, huh...

 

[PAPPYDOG]

However, somewhat lost to history is the 1989 NFL Draft, the one before the most memorable and lopsided trade since the Louisiana Purchase.

This was the first under Jimmy Johnson, less than two months after Jerry Jones purchased the team. The upheaval for the Cowboys and the NFL during the seven weeks between the sale in February and the draft that April is simply mind boggling. Jones buys the Cowboys, fires Tom Landry, hires Johnson, Pete Rozelle announces he will soon step down as league commissioner after 29-plus years, Ring of Honor and Hall of Famer Randy White retires after 14 seasons with Dallas, and Cowboys President Tex Schramm, either the first or second most powerful man in professional football for 30 years, resigns.

Whew. Quick breather.

In the midst of that whirlwind was the everyday storyline of the No. 1 overall pick. Having finished 3-13 the season before, the Cowboys were in possession of that first selection, and while they could have just come out and said what everyone sort of, kind of, knew anyhow, that they would select UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, Johnson decided against that mindset...

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/how-1989-draft-shaped-the-cowboys-dynasty

Jeff Sullivan

AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Draft a TRUE franchise QB and win 3 Superbowls.
Yep as Mr.Mahomes and Mr. Burrows to name a few without one you are going nowhere!!!!!
Now let's keep on scoring under 20 points in big games and keep the couch warm for the winter!!!

 

[Established1971]

I was at this draft

 

[StarOfGlory]

Within a three-year period we drafted Gogan, Stepnoski (1989), and Williams, the foundation for the o-line that would rule the NFL. We drafted Johnston in 1989 as well, a bruising blocker in his own right. Allen was added a few years later. Good thing we paid attention to the line, since Buddy Ryan's Eagle defense was putting QB's in the hospital every other week it seemed. I believe in 1990 they knocked out the starting QB in eight out of 16 games, including both Washington QB's in the Body Bag Game. Our O-line did as well against them as any in the league, probably the best.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

88-92 drafts were probably the greatest stretch of drafts in NFL history.

Irvin
Norton
Hennings
Aikman
Wisniewski
Stepnoski
Moose
Tolbert
Emmitt
Jimmie Jones
Maryland
Harper
Dixon Edwards
Godfrey Myles
Erik Williams
Lett
Larry Brown
Kevin Smith
Robert Jones
Jimmy Smith
Woodson


That’s a crap ton of pro bowls.

 

[CCBoy]

Maybe one day Jones will take ownership for how his relationship with Johnson deteriorated. Regardless of who's to blame, though, it's an abomination that Johnson, a driving force in two of the Cowboys' five Super Bowl wins, can't get into the team's Ring of Honor because of a long-standing feud with the owner.

Johnson would love nothing more than to be enshrined in the Ring. The FOX analyst also understands it's out of his control and he's unaware when (or if) that day will come. Here's what he told 105.3 The Fan last year.

“I’d be honored. The Dallas Cowboys are a big part of my life, so I take great pride in that. Jerry has told me a half dozen times he’s gonna do it, but I have no control over that. That’s up to Jerry. When and if he decides to put me in, I would be honored. But if he decides he doesn't want to do it, I'd understand."

https://thelandryhat.com/posts/cowb...son-ring-of-honor-ceedee-lamb-injury-minicamp

Alright Jerry, do what is right for adults. Bury all hatchets as you should do at this point.

Renovate the hearts of your own fans!

 

[Cowboys5217]

That 89 draft was the beginning of the end of the 49ers reign of terror.

 

[NeathBlue]

We got lucky in that Green Bay incredibly won their final 2 games, otherwise they get the number 1 overall pick and probably select Aikman themselves.
That then gives us one of the great ‘what if‘ scenarios…
Packers get Aikman, who quite possibly doesn’t have the hall of fame career play in the cold of Green Bay.
What happens to Favre who then isn’t traded to the Packers… does he instead come to Dallas, or do the Cowboys go with Steve Walsh…. Who more than likely doesn’t have anything like the career Aikman had here.
I guess in a nutshell, the Packers winning those 2 games was as influential on the Cowboys next dynasty, as was the Herschel Walker trade.

 

[noshame]

Yep,
Parsons for the first pick, plus 2nd, and next year's #1.
Done deal.
We have a franchise QB and 3 super bowls

 

[CCBoy]

Yep,
Parsons for the first pick, plus 2nd, and next year's #1.
Done deal.
We have a franchise QB and 3 super bowls

Stay away from casinos...

 

[KJJ]

88-92 drafts were probably the greatest stretch of drafts in NFL history.

Irvin
Norton
Hennings
Aikman
Wisniewski
Stepnoski
Moose
Tolbert
Emmitt
Jimmie Jones
Maryland
Harper
Dixon Edwards
Godfrey Myles
Erik Williams
Lett
Larry Brown
Kevin Smith
Robert Jones
Jimmy Smith
Woodson


That’s a crap ton of pro bowls.

The Steelers drafted 9 Hall of Fame players from 1969 to 1974. They had 4 Hall of Fame players in the 74 draft. The Cowboys drafted 3 Hall of Fame players from 1988 to 1992.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

The Steelers drafted 9 Hall of Fame players from 1969 to 1974. They had 4 Hall of Fame players in the 74 draft.

Those Steelers teams are overly represented in the HOF. The accusations of HOF bias towards the Steelers are well documented. But that stretch is obviously comparable to the 88-92 stretch for Dallas.