1996 Dallas Cowboys season
Encyclopedia
Regular season
Against the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week one, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
would leave the game late with an injury that left him temporary paralyzed. Though not career-threatening, Smith's injury would hamper his effectiveness for the duration of the season. Adding to their difficulties, star wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
would be suspended for the first five games due his highly publicized off-season incidents. Star cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
would be the first player in the modern era of the NFL to start several games on both offense and defense.
After losing three of their first four games, the team would return to form, winning three straight before defeating former head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
, then head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on the way to their fifth consecutive NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
title. Although Dallas still moved the ball well on offense, they had serious late-season trouble scoring touchdowns (ultimately finishing just 25th in the league in points scored). They won games with Green Bay (21 to 6) and New England (12 to 6) (the season's eventual Super Bowl participants) without scoring a touchdown (seven field goals against Green Bay and four against New England); Dallas' defense finished third in the league in fewest points allowed.
The season would also see the return of former Cowboy
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
who added versatility as both a running back and kick off returner. Walker had ten carries for 83 yards and a touchdown and 27 kick returns for 779 yards.
The game of the year came on November 10 at San Francisco. The Cowboys stood at 5–4 with the Niners 7–2
1996 San Francisco 49ers season
The 1996 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 51st since its inception. In commemoration, the 49ers wore a special 50th anniversary patch. They also wore a new uniform reminiscent of the 1994 throwback uniforms with white pants and shadowed numbers, but with a darker shade of red and an...
; the Niners had won three straight meetings with the Cowboys since Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
was hired as head coach. Sacks by Broderick Thomas
Broderick Thomas
Broderick Lee Thomas is a former professional American football player in the National Football League.-High school career:Thomas graduated from Madison High School in Houston in 1985.-College career:...
and Jim Schwantz
Jim Schwantz
James William Schwantz is the Mayor of Palatine, Illinois. He is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco 49ers....
knocked Niners quarterback Steve Young out of the game and Elvis Grbac
Elvis Grbac
Elvis M. Grbac is a retired American football quarterback who played in the NFL. During his career he was a starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens...
, who'd shredded the Cowboys defense the previous year, came on, and after the Niners blew a 10–0 lead they took a 17–10 lead with 11:30 left in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys drove to the Niners redzone but Aikman was picked off in the endzone by Marquez Pope
Marquez Pope
Marquez Pope is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 2nd round of the 1992 NFL Draft. A 5'11" cornerback-safety from Fresno State University, Pope played for 5 teams in 10 NFL seasons from 1992 to 2001...
with 6:30 to go. Grbac, however, was intercepted at his six-yard line on the ensuing play by Fred Strickland
Fred Strickland
Fredrick William Strickland, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League from 1988 to 1999. He played college football at Purdue University and was drafted in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft....
, and three plays later Aikman connected with Eric Bjornson
Eric Bjornson
Eric Thomas Bjornson is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft...
for the tying touchdown. In the overtime a big Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
run set up Chris Boniol
Chris Boniol
Christopher Donald Boniol is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played first at Alexandria Senior High School and then college football at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana...
's winning field goal. With the win combined with a Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
loss to Arizona
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
the Cowboys surged to win the NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
.
After defeating the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
40 to 15 in the first round of the playoffs at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
(which was, until 2009, their last playoff win), the Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
would travel to Charlotte, North Carolina and lose the second year expansion team 12–4 NFC West Champion Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. Star receiver Michael Irvin was injured in the opening moments of the Carolina playoff game.
Notable additions to the team included linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Randall Godfrey
Randall Godfrey
Randall Euralentris Godfrey is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. Godfrey played college football at the University of Georgia, where he majored in housing and consumer economics. He also played High School Football at Lowndes High School in Valdosta Georgia...
and safety George Teague
George Teague
George Theo Teague is a former American football player who played free safety in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Miami Dolphins.-College:...
.
The Cowboys' win over the 49ers ended a curious decade-long losing streak in Week 10 games (this included an 0–3 record in week 10 games during World Championship seasons).
Also, with the win against the Miami Dolphins at Joe Robbie Stadium, this was the first time the Cowboys franchise won a football game in South Florida. During this period of futility, the Cowboys lost three Super Bowls in the Orange Bowl by a total of 11 points and lost twice to the Miami Dolphins in 1978 (23 to 16, also in a week 10 game) and in 1984 (28 to 21).
Schedule
| Opponent | Result | Notes | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
6 | 22 | L | Emmitt Smith Emmitt Smith Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for... injured |
|
| New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
27 | 0 | W | |
|
| Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
24 | 25 | L | Last second 57-yard FGA by Chris Boniol Chris Boniol Christopher Donald Boniol is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played first at Alexandria Senior High School and then college football at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana... bounced off the crossbar |
|
| at Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
7 | 10 | L | Troy Aikman Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys... sacked by Bruce Smith and suffered ankle injury |
|
| at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
23 | 19 | W | |
|
| Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
17 | 3 | W | Michael Irvin Michael Irvin Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his... returned from suspension |
|
| Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
32 | 28 | W | |
|
| at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
29 | 10 | W | First meeting between Cowboys and former coach Jimmy Johnson Jimmy Johnson Jimmy Johnson or Jim Johnson or Jimmie Johnson may refer to:In sports:* Jim Johnson , NFL assistant coach most notably with the Philadelphia Eagles... |
|
| Philadelphia Eagles | 21 | 31 | L | |
|
| at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
20 | 17 | W | First win over 49ers since 1993 playoffs 1993 Dallas Cowboys season The 1993 Dallas Cowboys season marked their 34th in the NFL and a quest for back-to-back Super Bowl titles. The season saw the franchise become the first team to start 0–2 and still reach the Super Bowl.-Regular season:... |
|
| Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
21 | 6 | W | Chris Boniol Chris Boniol Christopher Donald Boniol is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played first at Alexandria Senior High School and then college football at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana... tied a then NFL Record with 7 field goals in one game. |
|
| at New York Giants | 6 | 20 | L | |
|
| Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
21 | 10 | W | |
|
| at Arizona Cardinals | 10 | 6 | W | |
|
| New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
12 | 6 | W | Win clinched NFC East NFC East The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.... |
|
| at Washington Redskins | 10 | 37 | L | Final game at RFK Stadium; Troy Aikman Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys... and Emmitt Smith Emmitt Smith Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for... did not play |
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Roster
| Dallas Cowboys 1996 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
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Offensive Linemen
Larry Allen Larry Christopher Allen, Sr. is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft... G Ray Donaldson Raymond Canute Donaldson is a former American football Center who played 17 seasons in the National Football League. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and then he played in Super Bowl XXX as a member of the Dallas Cowboys... C George Hegamin George Russell Hegamin is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.... T Tony Hutson Tony Hutson is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.... T/G Derek Kennard Derek Craig Kennard is a former American football guard and center who played 11 seasons in the National Football League for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys... G Nate Newton Nathaniel Newton is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers . He also played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, in 1984 and 1985... G Clay Shiver Spencer Clay Shiver is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and one season for the Carolina Panthers.... C Mark Tuinei Mark Pulemau Tuinei was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys... T Erik Williams Erik George Williams is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League who played most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he was an NAIA All-American offensive lineman. Williams was... T Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Randall Godfrey Randall Euralentris Godfrey is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. Godfrey played college football at the University of Georgia, where he majored in housing and consumer economics. He also played High School Football at Lowndes High School in Valdosta Georgia... OLB/MLB Godfrey Myles Godfrey Clarence Myles was an American college and professional football player who played linebacker in National Football League for six seasons during the 1990s... OLB Jim Schwantz James William Schwantz is the Mayor of Palatine, Illinois. He is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and the San Francisco 49ers.... MLB/OLB Darrin Smith Darrin Andrew Smith is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. While with Dallas he won two Super Bowl rings. At different times in his pro career he has played all... OLB Fred Strickland Fredrick William Strickland, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League from 1988 to 1999. He played college football at Purdue University and was drafted in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft.... MLB Broderick Thomas Broderick Lee Thomas is a former professional American football player in the National Football League.-High school career:Thomas graduated from Madison High School in Houston in 1985.-College career:... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Reserve Lists
Currently vacant Rookies in italics 52 Active, 0 Inactive |
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