1999 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1999 Dallas Cowboys season was their 40th in the National Football League. Their season ended with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the Wildcard round. The Cowboys would not return to the playoffs until 2003.
1999 Dallas Cowboys season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Chan Gailey |
Home field | Texas Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 8–8 |
Division place | 2nd NFC East |
Playoff finish | Lost NFC Wild Card Playoff (at Vikings) 10-27 |
Offseason
NFL Draft
1999 Dallas Cowboys draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 20 | Ebenezer Ekuban | Defensive end | North Carolina | |
2 | 55 | Solomon Page | Tackle | West Virginia | |
3 | 85 | Dat Nguyen | Linebacker | Texas A&M | |
4 | 118 | Wane McGarity | Wide Receiver | Texas | |
4 | 132 | Peppi Zellner | Defensive end | Fort Valley State | |
6 | 193 | MarTay Jenkins | Wide Receiver | Nebraska–Omaha | |
7 | 229 | Mike Lucky | Tight end | Arizona | |
7 | 243 | Kelvin Garmon | Guard | Baylor | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Hall of Fame Game
- Cleveland Browns 20, Dallas Cowboys 17 (Overtime) [1]
Regular season
The season began at Washington with a come-from-behind victory over the division-rival Washington Redskins. Trailing by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter they rallied to tie the game. Then free agent acquisition Rocket Ismail hauled in the winning touchdown catch in overtime while Troy Aikman threw for a franchise record five touchdowns in a single game (since matched by Tony Romo).
The team started with a 3–0 record, but a week-5 injury to wide receiver Michael Irvin against the Philadelphia Eagles eventually forced him into retirement. Afterwards, Dallas struggled down the stretch as age and injury began to take their toll. The team again made the playoffs despite an 8–8 season, but lost once more in the first round to the Minnesota Vikings. Despite leading the team to consecutive playoff berths and seemingly re-igniting the Dallas offense, owner Jerry Jones fired head coach Chan Gailey after the season.
A notable addition to the team was fan favorite linebacker Dat Nguyen, the only (to date) Vietnamese-American to play in the NFL.
This marked the final season for future hall-of-famer Michael Irvin and longtime Cowboys fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston. Irvin and Johnston both suffered season-ending (and as it turned out career-ending) injuries early in the season. Irvin was the last Cowboys player to have played for Tom Landry.
The annual Thanksgiving Day game featured the return of former head coach Jimmy Johnson to Texas Stadium as Dolphins head coach. It was the only game Johnson ever coached in Texas Stadium as a visiting coach. The Cowboys won, 20–0.
The Cowboys lost 4 games in which their defense only yielded 13 points in each contest.
Schedule
Week | Date | TV time | Opponent | Result | Attendance | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 12, 1999 | FOX 1:00 et | at Washington Redskins | W 41–35 (OT) | 1–0 | |
2 | September 20, 1999 | ABC 9:00 ET | Atlanta Falcons | W 24–7 | 2–0 | |
3 | Bye | |||||
4 | October 3, 1999 | FOX 1:00 et | Arizona Cardinals | W 35–7 | 3–0 | |
5 | October 10, 1999 | FOX 1:00 et | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 13–10 | 3–1 | |
6 | October 18, 1999 | ABC 9:00 et | at New York Giants | L 13–10 | 3–2 | |
7 | October 24, 1999 | FOX 1:00 et | Washington Redskins | W 38–20 | 4–2 | |
8 | October 31, 1999 | FOX 4:00 et | at Indianapolis Colts | L 34–24 | 4–3 | |
9 | November 8, 1999 | ABC 9:00 et | at Minnesota Vikings | L 27–17 | 4–4 | |
10 | November 14, 1999 | FOX 4:15 et | Green Bay Packers | W 27–13 | 5–4 | |
11 | November 21, 1999 | FOX 4:15 et | at Arizona Cardinals | L 13–9 | 5–5 | |
12 | November 25, 1999 | CBS 4:15 et | Miami Dolphins | W 20–0 | 6–5 | |
13 | December 5, 1999 | ESPN 8:30 et | at New England Patriots | L 13–6 | 6–6 | |
14 | December 12, 1999 | FOX 1:00 et | Philadelphia Eagles | W 20–10 | 7–6 | |
15 | December 19, 1999 | CBS 4:15 et | New York Jets | L 22–21 | 7–7 | |
16 | December 24, 1999 | FOX 1:05 et | at New Orleans Saints | L 31–24 | 7–8 | |
17 | January 2, 2000 | FOX 4:05 et | New York Giants | W 26–18 | 8–8 |
Standings
NFC East | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
(3) Washington Redskins | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 443 | 377 | W2 |
(5) Dallas Cowboys | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 352 | 276 | W1 |
New York Giants | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 299 | 358 | L3 |
Arizona Cardinals | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 245 | 382 | L4 |
Philadelphia Eagles | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 272 | 357 | W2 |
Roster
Awards and records
Publications
The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2
References
- NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 369