List of Dallas Cowboys seasons
This article is a list of known as the Dallas Cowboys American football franchise of the National Football League (NFL). The list documents the season-by-season records of the Cowboys' franchise from 1960 to present, including postseason records, and league awards for individual players or head coaches. The Cowboys franchise was founded in 1960 as an expansion team.[1] The team has earned 33 postseason appearances, most in the NFL, the longest consecutive streak of winning seasons with 20, the second-most appearances in the NFC Championship Game (14, behind the San Francisco 49ers' 15) and the second-most Super Bowl appearances (8 with the Denver Broncos and Steelers). The Cowboys have played for 10 NFL Championships and have won 5, all five being Super Bowls.[2]
The Cowboys won Super Bowls VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII and XXX. They also played in and lost Super Bowls V, X, and XIII.[2]
The franchise has experienced two major periods of continued success in their history. The first period of success came from 1966–1985 when the Cowboys played in the postseason 18 times.[3] During this period, they played in two NFL Championships and five Super Bowls, winning two of them, winning a total of 20 playoff games.[3] The second period of success was between 1991–1996 when the Cowboys captured five straight NFC East Division titles and won three Super Bowls going 12–3 in the postseason.[3]
Outside of these two periods of success, the Cowboys have mostly been a sub average franchise. The three most notable periods of failure was from their 1960 inaugural season to 1965, during which the Cowboys did not have a single postseason appearance.[4] They did not win a single game during their first season, compiling an 0–11–1 record that is still the worst in franchise history.[4] Also, they did not have a single winning record in this period.[4] Between 1986 and 1990 the Cowboys had losing records in each season as veteran coach Landry retired and the team was radically overhauled, with the low point being the NFL's second 15-loss season (after the 1980 Saints) in 1989. After losing a Divisional playoff Game in 1996, the Cowboys between 1997 and 2008 lost five consecutive playoff games, one after a franchise-record 13–3 season in 2007, during which most predicted the Cowboys would break this streak.[5] This streak finally came to an end when the Cowboys beat their bitter rival, the Philadelphia Eagles 34–14 after an 11–5 season in 2009.[5] Over the last 23 season the Cowboys have only 5 playoff wins, all in the wildcard round.They have not won a division gave since
Nonetheless, through the 2018 NFL season, the Cowboys holds the league's all-time best winning percentage (.571) and has made more playoff appearances than any other NFL team (33).[6] Also, of the 31 other franchises it has faced, Dallas leads the head to head series in 24 matchups, trail in 4 (Cleveland, Baltimore, Denver and Green Bay) and is tied in 3 others (Oakland, Miami and Los Angeles Rams).[7]
Seasons
NFL Champions§ (1920–1969) | Super Bowl Champions† (1966–present) | Conference Champions* | Division Champions^ | Wild Card Berth# |
Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason Results | Awards | Head coaches | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | ||||||||
1960 | 1960 | NFL | Western | 7th | 0 | 11 | 1 | Tom Landry | |||
1961 | 1961 | NFL | Eastern | 6th | 4 | 9 | 1 | ||||
1962 | 1962 | NFL | Eastern | 5th | 5 | 8 | 1 | ||||
1963 | 1963 | NFL | Eastern | 5th | 4 | 10 | 0 | ||||
1964 | 1964 | NFL | Eastern | 5th | 5 | 8 | 1 | ||||
1965 | 1965 | NFL | Eastern | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | ||||
1966 | 1966 | NFL | Eastern* | 1st* | 10 | 3 | 1 | Lost NFL Championship Game (Packers) 34–27 | Tom Landry (COY) | ||
1967[8] | 1967 | NFL | Eastern* | Capitol^ | 1st^ | 9 | 5 | 0 | Won Conference playoffs (Browns) 52–14 Lost NFL Championship Game (at Packers) 21–17 |
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1968 | 1968 | NFL | Eastern | Capitol^ | 1st^ | 12 | 2 | 0 | Lost Conference playoffs (at Browns) 31–20 | ||
1969 | 1969 | NFL | Eastern | Capitol^ | 1st^ | 11 | 2 | 1 | Lost Conference playoffs (Browns) 38–14 | Calvin Hill (OROY) | |
1970 | 1970 | NFL | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 10 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Lions) 5–0 Won NFC Championship (at 49ers) 17–10 Lost Super Bowl V (vs. Colts) 16–13 |
Chuck Howley (SB MVP) | |
1971 | 1971 | NFL† | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 11 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (at Vikings) 20–12 Won NFC Championship (49ers) 14–3 Won Super Bowl VI (1) (vs. Dolphins) 24–3 |
Roger Staubach (SB MVP) | |
1972 | 1972 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd# | 10 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (at 49ers) 30–28 Lost NFC Championship (at Redskins) 26–3 |
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1973 | 1973 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^[9] | 10 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Rams) 27–16 Lost NFC Championship (Vikings) 27–10 |
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1974 | 1974 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 8 | 6 | 0 | |||
1975 | 1975 | NFL | NFC* | East | 2nd# | 10 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (at Vikings) 17–14 Won NFC Championship (at Rams) 37–7 Lost Super Bowl X (vs. Steelers) 21–17 |
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1976 | 1976 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 11 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional playoffs (Rams) 14–12 | ||
1977 | 1977 | NFL† | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 2 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Bears) 37–7 Won NFC Championship (Vikings) 23–6 Won Super Bowl XII (2) (vs. Broncos) 27–10 |
Tony Dorsett (OROY) Harvey Martin (DPOY, SB MVP) Randy White (SB MVP) | |
1978[10] | 1978 | NFL | NFC* | East^ | 1st^[11] | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Falcons) 27–20 Won NFC Championship (at Rams) 28–0 Lost Super Bowl XIII (vs. Steelers) 35–31 |
||
1979 | 1979 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^[12] | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Divisional playoffs (Rams) 21–19 | ||
1980 | 1980 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd#[13] | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (Rams) 34–13 Won Divisional playoffs (at Falcons) 30–27 Lost NFC Championship (at Eagles) 20–7 |
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1981 | 1981 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Buccaneers) 38–0 Lost NFC Championship (at 49ers) 28–27 |
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1982[14] | 1982 | NFL | NFC | 2nd# | 6 | 3 | 0 | Won First Round playoffs (Buccaneers) 30–17 Won Second Round playoffs (Packers) 37–26 Lost NFC Championship (at Redskins) 31–17 |
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1983 | 1983 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd# | 12 | 4 | 0 | Lost Wild Card playoffs (Rams) 24–17 | ||
1984 | 1984 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
1985 | 1985 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^[15] | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Divisional playoffs (at Rams) 20–0 | ||
1986 | 1986 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
1987[16] | 1987 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 7 | 8 | 0 | |||
1988 | 1988 | NFL | NFC | East | 5th | 3 | 13 | 0 | |||
1989 | 1989 | NFL | NFC | East | 5th | 1 | 15 | 0 | Jimmy Johnson | ||
1990 | 1990 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | Emmitt Smith (OROY) Jimmy Johnson (COY) | ||
1991 | 1991 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd#[17] | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (at Bears) 17–13 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Lions) 38–6 |
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1992 | 1992 | NFL† | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Eagles) 34–10 Won NFC Championship (at 49ers) 30–20 Won Super Bowl XXVII (3) (vs. Bills) 52–17 |
Troy Aikman (SB MVP) | |
1993 | 1993 | NFL† | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Packers) 27–17 Won NFC Championship (49ers) 38–21 Won Super Bowl XXVIII (4) (vs. Bills) 30–13 |
Emmitt Smith (MVP, SB MVP) | |
1994 | 1994 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Packers) 35–9 Lost NFC Championship (at 49ers) 38–28 |
Barry Switzer | |
1995 | 1995 | NFL† | NFC* | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional playoffs (Eagles) 30–11 Won NFC Championship (Packers) 38–27 Won Super Bowl XXX (5) (vs. Steelers) 27–17 |
Larry Brown (SB MVP) | |
1996 | 1996 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^[18] | 10 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (Vikings) 40–15 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Panthers) 26–17 |
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1997 | 1997 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||
1998 | 1998 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card playoffs (Cardinals) 20–7 | Chan Gailey | |
1999 | 1999 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd#[19] | 8 | 8 | 0 | Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Vikings) 27–10 | ||
2000 | 2000 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | Dave Campo | ||
2001 | 2001 | NFL | NFC | East | 5th | 5 | 11 | 0 | |||
2002 | 2002 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 5 | 11 | 0 | |||
2003 | 2003 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd# | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Panthers) 29–10 | Bill Parcells | |
2004 | 2004 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||
2005 | 2005 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
2006 | 2006 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd# | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card playoffs (at Seahawks) 21–20 | ||
2007 | 2007 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional playoffs (Giants) 21–17 | Greg Ellis (CBPOY) | Wade Phillips |
2008 | 2008 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
2009 | 2009 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^[20] | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (Eagles) 34–14 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Vikings) 34–3 |
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2010 | 2010 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 6 | 10 | 0 | Wade Phillips (1–7) Jason Garrett (5–3) | ||
2011 | 2011 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Jason Garrett | ||
2012 | 2012 | NFL | NFC | East | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | Jason Witten (WP MOY) | ||
2013 | 2013 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
2014 | 2014 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (Lions) 24–20 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Packers) 26–21 |
DeMarco Murray (OPOY) | |
2015 | 2015 | NFL | NFC | East | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | |||
2016 | 2016 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional playoffs (Packers) 34–31 | Dak Prescott (OROY) Jason Garrett (COY) | |
2017 | 2017 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
2018 | 2018 | NFL | NFC | East^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card playoffs (Seahawks) 24–22 Lost Divisional playoffs (at Rams) 30–22 |
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2019 | 2019 | NFL | NFC | East | 2nd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
Total | 520 | 388 | 6 | All-time regular season record (1960–2019) | |||||||
35 | 28 | 0 | All-time postseason record (1960–2019) | ||||||||
555 | 416 | 6 | All-time regular season and postseason record (1960–2019) | ||||||||
5 NFL Championships, 10 Conference Championships, 23 Divisional Championships |
Footnotes
- "1960 Dallas Cowboys". Dallas Cowboys' Official Website. Archived from the original on 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- "Dallas Cowboys' Championship History". NFLTeamHistory.com. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
- "Dallas Cowboys Championship History". NFLTeamHistory.com. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- "Dallas Cowboys History". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- "Dallas Cowboys Franchise History". SportsEncyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2011-12-17.
- "Team Encyclopedias and Records". Pro football reference.com. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- "Head to head – Dallas Cowboys". Pro football reference.com. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- The 1967 NFL season marks the first season in the league's history where the league was divided into two conferences which were subdivided into two divisions. Up to 1967, the league was either divided into two divisions, two conferences, or neither.
- At the end of the 1973 season, the Cowboys and the Redskins finished the season with identical 10–4 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on better point differential in head-to-head games.
- For the 1978 season, the NFL expanded from a 14-game season to a 16-game season.
- At the end of the 1978 season, the Cowboys and the Los Angeles Rams finished the season with identical 12–4 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Los Angeles was the top NFC seed over Dallas based on a better head-to-head record.
- At the end of the 1979 season, the Cowboys and the Eagles finished the season with identical 11–5 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East based on a better conference record.
- At the end of the 1980 season, the Cowboys and the Eagles finished the season with identical 12–4 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Philadelphia finished ahead of Dallas in the NFC East based on better net points in division games.
- The 1982 NFL season was shortened from 16 games per team to 9 games because of a players' strike. The NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament; eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8, and division standings were ignored.
- At the end of the 1985 season, the Cowboys, Redskins, and the Giants finished the season with identical 10–6 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas finished ahead of New York and Washington based on a better head-to-head record.
- The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 games per team to 15 games because of a players' strike. Games to be played during the third week of the season were canceled, and replacement players were used to play games from weeks 4 through 6.
- At the end of the 1991 season, the Cowboys and the Bears finished the season with identical 11–5 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Chicago was the first NFC Wild Card based on better conference record than Dallas.
- At the end of the 1996 season, the Cowboys and the Eagles finished the season with identical 10–6 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East based on better record against common opponents.
- At the end of the 1999 season, the Cowboys, Detroit Lions|Lions, and the Panthers finished the season with identical 8–8 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas was the second NFC Wild Card based on a better record than Detroit against common opponents and a better conference record than Carolina.
- At the end of the 2009 season, the Cowboys and the Eagles finished with identical 11–5 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East based on better head-to-head record.
References
- "Dallas Cowboys History". CBS Sportsline. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- "NFL.com – History – Yearly Standings". National Football League Official website. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "Pro Football Hall of Fame – Dallas Cowboys". Pro Football Hall of Fame Website. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "Dallas Cowboys (1960 – )". databasefootball.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "Dallas Cowboys (1960–Present)". Sports E-Cyclopedia. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "Dallas Cowboys History". JT-SW.com. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "History – Dallas Cowboys". Hickoksports.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- "Franchise page – Dallas Cowboys". Pro football reference.com. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- "Team Encyclopedias and Records". Pro football reference.com. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
- "Dallas Cowboys Live – Dallas Cowboys". cowboysgames.net. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- "Head to head – Dallas Cowboys". Pro football reference.com. Retrieved December 24, 2018.