If you call yourself a Cowboys fan, you need to know these moments. The franchise has 60-plus years of history and these are the plays that defined it.
1. The Hail Mary (1975) Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson, 50-yard touchdown to beat the Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round. Staubach coined the term "Hail Mary" in the postgame interview. Source: NFL Films.
2. Emmitt Smith plays with a separated shoulder (1994) Week 16 against the Giants, Emmitt played the entire game with a separated shoulder, rushing for 168 yards and catching 10 passes. The Cowboys clinched the NFC East. Source: Pro Football Reference game log.
3. Super Bowl XXVII demolition (1993) Cowboys 52, Bills 17. Troy Aikman threw 4 TDs, the defense forced 9 turnovers. The most dominant Super Bowl performance in history.
4. The Catch That Wasn't — Dez Bryant vs. Green Bay (2015) 2014 NFC Divisional Round. Dez leaped over Sam Shields for a catch that was overturned by the "process of the catch" rule. Dallas lost 26-21. The debate has never ended.
5. Deion Sanders' debut (1995) Prime Time's first game as a Cowboy. An interception returned for a touchdown. The swagger was immediate.
6. Tony Romo's botched snap (2007) Wild Card round against Seattle. Romo fumbled the hold on a go-ahead field goal attempt. One of the most heartbreaking moments in franchise history.
7. Jackie Smith drops the TD in Super Bowl XIII (1979) Wide open in the end zone. Smith dropped what would have tied the game against the Steelers. Verne Lundquist's call: "Bless his heart, he's got to be the sickest man in America."
8. The Leon Lett Thanksgiving play (1993) Lett tried to recover a blocked field goal in the snow against the Dolphins instead of letting it go dead. Miami recovered and won. Became one of the most replayed bloopers in NFL history.
9. Emmitt Smith breaks Walter Payton's record (2002) 11-yard run in the 4th quarter against Seattle. 16,727 career yards and counting. Emmitt became the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
10. Super Bowl XXX — Larry Brown's interceptions (1996) Larry Brown picked off Neil O'Donnell twice in the Super Bowl, earning MVP honors and securing the Cowboys' 5th championship.
Sources:
- NFL Films — archival footage
- Pro Football Reference — game logs for all referenced games
- Dallas Cowboys official history
The Leon Lett Thanksgiving play is hilarious in hindsight but I remember my dad throwing the remote at the TV. Different energy in the moment.