1963 Dallas Cowboys season

The 1963 Dallas Cowboys season was their fourth in the league. The Cowboys became the only professional football team in Dallas, when the Texans of the AFL announced their move to Kansas City. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 5–8–1, winning only four games.[1] The Cowboys did not qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

1963 Dallas Cowboys season
Head coach	Tom Landry
Owner	Clint Murchison, Jr.
Home field	Cotton Bowl
Results
Record	4–10
Division place	5th NFL Eastern
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	Attendance	Recap
1	September 14	St. Louis Cardinals	L 7–34	0–1	Cotton Bowl	36,432	Recap
2	September 22	Cleveland Browns	L 24–41	0–2	Cotton Bowl	28,710	Recap
3	September 29	at Washington Redskins	L 17–21	0–3	D.C. Stadium	40,101	Recap
4	October 6	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 21–24	0–4	Franklin Field	60,671	Recap
5	October 13	Detroit Lions	W 17–14	1–4	Cotton Bowl	27,264	Recap
6	October 20	at New York Giants	L 21–37	1–5	Yankee Stadium	62,889	Recap
7	October 27	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 21–27	1–6	Forbes Field	19,047	Recap
8	November 3	Washington Redskins	W 35–20	2–6	Cotton Bowl	18,838	Recap
9	November 10	at San Francisco 49ers	L 24–31	2–7	Kezar Stadium	29,563	Recap
10	November 17	Philadelphia Eagles	W 27–20	3–7	Cotton Bowl	23,694	Recap
11	November 24	at Cleveland Browns	L 17–27	3–8	Cleveland Stadium	55,096	Recap
12	December 1	New York Giants	L 27–34	3–9	Cotton Bowl	29,653	Recap
13	December 8	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 19–34	3–10	Cotton Bowl	24,136	Recap
14	December 15	at St. Louis Cardinals	W 28–24	4–10	Busch Stadium	12,695	Recap

Conference opponents are in bold text

Game summaries

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 0 14 14 • Cowboys 0 7 0 10 17 Date: October 13 Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas Game weather: 76°F; wind 8

Scoring summary Q2 DAL Clarke 11 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 7–0 Q4 DAL Baker 13 yard field goal DAL 10–0 Q4 DET Cogdill 30 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) DAL 10–7 Q4 DAL Marsh 41 yard run (Baker kick) DAL 17–7 Q4 DET Cogdill 70 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) DAL 17–14

[2]

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 0 10 3 7 20 • Cowboys 7 7 7 14 35 Date: November 3 Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas Game weather: 57°F; wind 16

Scoring summary Q1 DAL Folkins 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 7–0 Q2 WSH Dugan 41 yard pass from Snead (Khayat kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 WSH Khayat 12 yard field goal WSH 10–7 Q2 DAL Clarke 13 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 14–10 Q3 WSH Khayat 49 yard field goal DAL 14–13 Q3 DAL Folkins 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 21–13 Q4 WSH Dugan 19 yard pass from Snead (Khayat kick) DAL 21–20 Q4 DAL Stiger 7 yard run (Baker kick) DAL 28–20 Q4 DAL Clarke 12 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 35–20

[3]

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 6 0 7 7 20 • Cowboys 7 10 7 3 27 Date: November 17 Location: Cotton Bowl Game attendance: 23,694 Game weather: 72°F; wind 18

Scoring summary Q1 DAL Norman 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 7–0 Q1 PHI McDonald 26 yard pass from Hill (kick failed) DAL 7–6 Q2 DAL Perkins 2 yard run (Baker kick) DAL 14–6 Q2 DAL Baker 33 yard field goal DAL 17–6 Q3 DAL Clarke 14 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 24–6 Q3 PHI Brown 24 yard pass from Hill (Clark kick) DAL 24–13 Q4 DAL Baker 27 yard field goal DAL 27–13 Q4 PHI Retzlaff 16 yard pass from Hill (Clark kick) DAL 27–20

[4]

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 0 14 0 14 28 Cardinals 0 14 10 0 24 Date: December 15 Location: Busch Stadium Game weather: 6°F; wind 11

Scoring summary Q2 DAL Meredith 1 yard run (Baker kick) DAL 7–0 Q2 STL Randle 62 yard pass from Johnson (Bakken kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 STL Triplett 16 yard pass from Johnson (Bakken kick) STL 14–7 Q2 DAL Lilly 42 yard fumble return (Baker kick) Tie 14–14 Q3 STL Wilson 35 yard run (Bakken kick) STL 21–14 Q3 STL Bakken 11 yard field goal STL 24–14 Q4 DAL Norman 12 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) STL 24–21 Q4 DAL Clarke 25 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) DAL 28–24

[5]

Standings

NFL Eastern Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	11	3	0	.786	9–3	448	280	W3
Cleveland Browns	10	4	0	.714	9–3	343	262	W1
St. Louis Cardinals	9	5	0	.643	8–4	341	283	L1
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	4	3	.636	7–3–2	321	295	L1
Dallas Cowboys	4	10	0	.286	3–9	305	378	W1
Washington Redskins	3	11	0	.214	2–10	279	398	L3
Philadelphia Eagles	2	10	2	.167	2–8–2	242	381	L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Season recap

The Cowboys were expecting to turn their fortunes around and have a good year, but won only 3 of their first 10 games. The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, stands out as a pivotal moment in the season. Not only was the nation's psyche impacted by this event, but also the image of the city of Dallas was tarnished. On November 24, just two days after this historic event, the NFL decided to play its normal schedule of games, with the Cowboys traveling to face the Cleveland Browns. On game day when the team was introduced, the public address announcer would not say the Dallas Cowboys, they were just the Cowboys. The crowd also vented their frustration and pain at the players during the contest. The Cowboys lost that day 17–27 and would go on to have only one more win in the remaining 3 games.

On September 29, 1963, Billy Howton became the NFL's all-time receiving leader, breaking Don Hutson's record for career receptions and receiving yards. He retired at the end of the year, after playing in 12 seasons with 503 catches, 8,459 yards and 61 touchdowns.

NFL Draft

1963 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	6	Lee Roy Jordan *	LB	Alabama
3	34	Jim Price	LB	Louisville
4	48	Whaley Hall	OT	Mississippi
7	90	Marv Clothier	OG	Kansas
10	132	Rod Scheyer	OT	Washington
11	146	Ray Schoenke	OG	SMU
12	160	Bill Perkins	RB	Iowa
13	174	Paul Wicker	OT	Fresno State
14	188	Lou Cioci	LB	Boston College
15	202	Jerry Overton	S	Utah
16	216	Dennis Golden	OT	Holy Cross
17	230	Ernie Parks	OG	McMurry
18	244	Bill Frank	OT	Colorado	Played in the CFL in 1963
19	258	Jim Stiger	RB	Washington
20	272	Tommy Lucas	E	Texas
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Roster

Dallas Cowboys 1963 roster
Quarterbacks 11 Sonny Gibbs 14 Eddie LeBaron 17 Don Meredith Running Backs 22 Amos Bullocks FB/KR 31 Amos Marsh 43 Don Perkins FB 40 Jim Stiger PR Wide Receivers 80 Gary Barnes 82 Frank Clarke 81 Billy Howton Tight Ends 83 Lee Folkins 84 Pettis Norman WR		Offensive Linemen 53 Mike Connelly C/G 75 Bob Fry T 51 Lynn Hoyem G/C 60 Joe Isbell G 72 Tony Liscio T 70 Dale Memmelaar G 76 Ed Nutting T 62 Lance Poimboeuf C/G 65 Ray Schoenke T/G 64 Jim Ray Smith G Defensive Linemen 66 George Andrie DE 74 Bob Lilly DT/DE 78 John Meyers DT 68 Guy Reese DT 79 Larry Stephens DE		Linebackers 52 Dave Edwards OLB 56 Harold Hays MLB 54 Chuck Howley OLB 55 Lee Roy Jordan OLB 50 Jerry Tubbs MLB Defensive Backs 44 Don Bishop CB 27 Mike Gaechter SS/CB 34 Cornell Green CB 21 Glynn Gregory CB/FS/WR 41 Warren Livingston FS/CB 20 Jerry Overton FS 42 Jim Ridlon SS Special Teams 38 Sam Baker K/P		Reserve Lists 33 Wendell Hayes RB (IR) Rookies in italics 40 Active, 1 Inactive

References

1. "1963 Dallas Cowboys". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
2. "Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys - October 13th, 1963". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
3. "Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys - November 3rd, 1963". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
4. "Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - November 17th, 1963". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
5. "Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Cardinals - December 15th, 1963". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.