2000 Dallas Cowboys season
Encyclopedia
The 2000 Dallas Cowboys
season would mark their 41st in the NFL and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
would promote the team's long-time defensive coordinator, Dave Campo
to be the fifth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Michael Irvin
to retirement lead Jerry Jones to trade the team's first round pick in the 2000 draft and the 2001 draft to the Seattle Seahawks
for wide receiver Joey Galloway
. Pro Bowl
cornerback
Deion Sanders
would also be released after five seasons with the team. He would later sign with NFC East
division rival, the Washington Redskins
.
at home (in which the Eagles recovered an onsides kick on the opening kickoff). The loss would prove to be even more costly as quarterback
Troy Aikman
would suffer a serious concussion early in the game and newly acquired wide receiver Joey Galloway would suffer a season ending injury in the fourth quarter.
New faces like veteran quarterback Randall Cunningham
and wide receiver James McKnight
would fill in on offense under new offensive coordinator
Jack Reilly
. On defense, the loss of both starting cornerbacks in the off-season required the addition of veterans Phillipi Sparks and Ryan McNeil. Combined with perennial Pro Bowl
safety Darren Woodson
, the Cowboys
fielded one of the NFL's best secondaries. Unfortunately, a leaky run defense and an inconsistent, aging offense would lead to a 5–11 record.
In a blow-out loss to the San Francisco 49ers
, then controversial 49ers
wide receiver Terrell Owens
would cause an uproar by celebrating a touchdown on the large Cowboys star at midfield in Texas Stadium
, prompting anger and resentment off the field. This prompted a retaliation by running back
Emmitt Smith
with a his famous "Defend the Star" kneel down celebration of his own on the star. When Owens scored his second touchdown and promptly celebrated in midfield once more, then-safety George Teague
knocked Owens off and a short brawl ensued on the field. Ironically, Owens would become a Cowboy later on in his career.
Emmitt Smith's tenth consecutive 1,000 yard season(an NFL record), along with a season sweep of the rival Washington Redskins would prove to be the only highlights in an otherwise disappointing season.
The Cowboys finished 31st in the league in run defense that season, allowing 164.8 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.
Notable additions to the team include future starting cornerback Mario Edwards
, as well as Dwayne Goodrich
. Goodrich
would gain notoriety after being involved in a hit run which resulted in the deaths of two people. He was subsequently convicted of vehicular manslaughter.
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...
season would mark their 41st in the NFL and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
would promote the team's long-time defensive coordinator, Dave Campo
Dave Campo
Dave Campo is an American football coach, a former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and currently secondary coach with the Cowboys.-High school years:...
to be the fifth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Offseason
The loss of star wide receiverWide 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...
to retirement lead Jerry Jones to trade the team's first round pick in the 2000 draft and the 2001 draft to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
for wide receiver Joey Galloway
Joey Galloway
Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
. Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
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 also be released after five seasons with the team. He would later sign with 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....
division rival, the 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,...
.
Regular season
After a lackluster draft which saw the team draft three cornerbacks to replace the departure of star cornerback Deion Sanders, the Dave Campo head coaching era would have an inauspicious start with an embarrassing blow-out defeat to the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia 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...
at home (in which the Eagles recovered an onsides kick on the opening kickoff). The loss would prove to be even more costly as quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
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...
would suffer a serious concussion early in the game and newly acquired wide receiver Joey Galloway would suffer a season ending injury in the fourth quarter.
New faces like veteran quarterback Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
and wide receiver James McKnight
James McKnight
James Edward McKnight is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played for the Seattle Seahawks , the Dallas Cowboys , Miami Dolphins , and the New York Giants . He spent the 1999 season on injured reserve. McKnight played college football at Liberty...
would fill in on offense under new offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Jack Reilly
Jack Reilly (football coach)
Jack Reilly is a former college football and National Football League offensive coach. He served as an offensive coordinator with both the St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys. Reilly's background is in the Don Coryell-Ernie Zampese style West Coast offense.-References:...
. On defense, the loss of both starting cornerbacks in the off-season required the addition of veterans Phillipi Sparks and Ryan McNeil. Combined with perennial Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
safety Darren Woodson
Darren Woodson
Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004...
, 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...
fielded one of the NFL's best secondaries. Unfortunately, a leaky run defense and an inconsistent, aging offense would lead to a 5–11 record.
In a blow-out loss to the San Francisco 49ers
2000 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2000 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 51st year with the National Football League. Jerry Rice entered the 2000 season as the oldest player in the league at the Wide Receiver position.-Schedule:-Awards and records:...
, then controversial 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...
wide receiver Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
would cause an uproar by celebrating a touchdown on the large Cowboys star at midfield in 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...
, prompting anger and resentment off the field. This prompted a retaliation by 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...
with a his famous "Defend the Star" kneel down celebration of his own on the star. When Owens scored his second touchdown and promptly celebrated in midfield once more, then-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:...
knocked Owens off and a short brawl ensued on the field. Ironically, Owens would become a Cowboy later on in his career.
Emmitt Smith's tenth consecutive 1,000 yard season(an NFL record), along with a season sweep of the rival Washington Redskins would prove to be the only highlights in an otherwise disappointing season.
The Cowboys finished 31st in the league in run defense that season, allowing 164.8 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.
Notable additions to the team include future starting cornerback Mario Edwards
Mario Edwards
Mario L. Edwards is a retired American Football cornerback. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Florida State University. He also has a son Mario Edwards Jr...
, as well as Dwayne Goodrich
Dwayne Goodrich
Dwayne Lewis Goodrich is a former American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League...
. Goodrich
Dwayne Goodrich
Dwayne Lewis Goodrich is a former American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League...
would gain notoriety after being involved in a hit run which resulted in the deaths of two people. He was subsequently convicted of vehicular manslaughter.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3, 2000 | 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... |
L 41–14 | |
| 2 | September 10, 2000 | at 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... |
L 32–31 | |
| 3 | September 18, 2000 | at 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,... |
W 27–21 | |
| 4 | September 24, 2000 | 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... |
L 41–24 | |
| 5 | October 1, 2000 | at 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... |
W 16–13 | |
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | October 15, 2000 | at 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... |
L 19–14 | |
| 8 | October 22, 2000 | 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... |
W 48–7 | |
| 9 | October 29, 2000 | Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23–17 | |
| 10 | November 5, 2000 | 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... |
L 16–13 | |
| 11 | November 12, 2000 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
W 23–6 | |
| 12 | November 19, 2000 | at Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... |
L 27–0 | |
| 13 | November 23, 2000 | 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... |
L 27–15 | |
| 14 | December 3, 2000 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
L 27–7 | |
| 15 | December 10, 2000 | 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,... |
W 32–13 | |
| 16 | December 17, 2000 | 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... |
L 17–13 | |
| 17 | December 25, 2000 | at Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 31–0 | |
Roster
| Dallas Cowboys 2000 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Flozell Adams Flozell "The Hotel" Adams is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.... T 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 Jorge Diaz Jorge Diaz is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Texas A&M-Kingsville.Diaz also played for the Dallas Cowboys.... G Ben Fricke Benjamin Todd Fricke was an American football player who spent three seasons in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys football franchise.... C Kelvin Garmon Kelvin Garmon is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft... G Alcender Jackson Alcender O'Neal Jackson is a former American football guard in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. Jackson played collegiate ball for Louisiana State University before playing professionally for 2 seasons.-References:... T/G Craig Page Warren Craig Page is a former American football player in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Georgia Tech and the University of Louisville.... C Solomon Page Solomon Page is a former American football guard and tackle of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft... G/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
|
Linebackers
Joe Bowden Joe Tarrod Bowden III is a former American football linebacker who played nine seasons in the National Football League. He started for the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.-College career:... OLB Dexter Coakley William Dexter Coakley is a former American football linebacker who played 10 seasons in the National Football League. He was a third round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1997 NFL Draft, out of Division I-AA school Appalachian State... OLB Orantes Grant Orantes Laquay Grant is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. He played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft.... OLB Darren Hambrick Darren Hambrick is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League.At 6'2" and 227 lbs, Hambrick had his best season in 2000 when he led the Dallas Cowboys with 154 tackles. Hambrick later played for the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers... OLB Dat Nguyen Dat Tan Nguyen is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League . He was the first Vietnamese American to play in the NFL. He played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1999 to 2005. He played college football at Texas A&M. He was the Cowboys' assistant linebackers coach and... MLB Barron Wortham Barron Winfred Wortham is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played seven seasons for the Houston Oilers / Tennessee Oilers / Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys. He started for the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV... MLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Joey Galloway Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft... WR (IR)  Chad Hennings Chad William Hennings is a former American football defensive lineman for the Air Force Academy Falcons and Dallas Cowboys. He won the Outland Trophy in his senior year of college... DT (IR) Raghib Ismail Raghib Ramadian Ismail is a retired professional American and Canadian football player, who played Wide receiver in both the Canadian Football League and National Football League. He played college football at Notre Dame... WR (IR) Leon Lett Leon Lett, Jr. , nicknamed The Big Cat, is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos , after playing college football at Emporia State University. Lett was a two-time Pro Bowler, with selections in 1994 and... DT (IR) Mike Lucky Michael Thomas Lucky is a former American football tight end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was selected in the seventh round in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cowboys... TE (IR) Greg Myers (American football) Greg Myers is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado State.... SS/FS (IR) Mark Stepnoski Mark Matthew Stepnoski is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh.... C (IR) 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:... FS (IR) Darren Woodson Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004... SS (IR) Peppi Zellner Hunndens Guiseppi "Peppi" Zellner is a former American football player for the National Football League. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Arizona Cardinals... DE (IR) Rookies in italics 50 Active, 10 Inactive |
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