The Dallas Cowboys had another 12-5 regular-season record in the 2023-24 season – that’s the third year in a row with that impressive record. And yet, it was another disappointing post season, with the Cowboys losing in the first round to the Green Bay Packers. This has been an unfortunate trend for Dallas over the last few decades. Here’s a little bit of the history of the Cowboys’ playoff and Super Bowl victories of the past and how long it’s actually been since they won anything of merit.
When was the last time the Cowboys won a playoff game?
In the 2022-23 season, the Dallas Cowboys won the Wild Card Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round, marking their seventh consecutive defeat. Before that playoff win, their last postseason victory was in 2018, when they beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round only to lost to the Rams in the Divisional.
When was the last time the Cowboys won a road playoff game?
The Cowboys’ win over the Buccaneers in 2022 was their first road playoff victory since 1992. They played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay and defeated Tom Brady for the first time.
When is the last time the Cowboys won the NFC Championship?
The Cowboys have not won an NFC Championship in 29 years. The last time the Cowboys won an NFC Championship Game was in 1995, when they beat Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers 38-27 and went on to play in Super Bowl XXX.
When was the last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl?
That same year is the last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl – 1995. It’s been nearly three decades since the Cowboys dynasty created in the 1990s.
The Cowboys clinched their spot in Super Bowl XXX after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC title game. They then faced the Pittsburgh Steelers and ended up winning the game 27-17.
ON THIS DAY in 1996 — Cowboys beat the Steelers 27-17 to win Super Bowl 30
Troy Aikman went 15/23 for 209 yards, Diana Ross performed the Halftime Show and the XXX logo is one of the best of all-time #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/ZqbfTk8nvK
— 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗬 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗘𝗦 (@TommySledge) January 28, 2019
Cowboys’ Super Bowl history
Let’s look back even further to The Cowboys’ first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Dallas joined the NFL in 1960 as an expansion team under head coach Tom Landry. They were off to a rough start as they had losing seasons through the first five years. But once they started gaining some traction, they were unstoppable.
Super Bowl V: 1971, vs Baltimore Colts (loss) 11 years after joining the NFL, in 1971, the Cowboys made their first Super Bowl appearance against the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts. The Cowboys lost with a score of 16-13, with the last Colts field goal winning it with five seconds left. Strangely enough, though the Cowboys lost, a member of their team, Chuck Howley, won the Most Valuable Player Award. He, a linebacker, was also the first player who wasn’t a quarterback to win the award.
Super Bowl VI: 1972, vs Miami Dolphins (win) One year later, in 1972, the Cowboys saw their first Super Bowl victory. They played the Miami Dolphins and held them to 185 yards and not a single touchdown in an epic 24-3 defeat. Meanwhile, the Cowboys had a record of 252 rushing yards. This was the era of Roger Staubach, Chuck Howley, and Duane Thomas.
Super Bowl X: 1976, vs Pittsburgh Steelers (loss) The Cowboys lost this one 21-17 to the Steelers, the first team ever to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The Steelers were losing by 3 in the final quarter but rallied to score 14 more points, with Dallas scoring only one more touchdown late in the game.
Super Bowl XII: 1978, vs Denver Broncos (win)This particular Super Bowl was the most-watched of all Cowboys Super Bowls, with over 100 million fans watching both at home and in front of a sold-out stadium. Perhaps this was because it was the first Super Bowl ever to be played in prime time in the Eastern US, or it was just because Staubach and Company were so fun to watch. It was a defense-dominant Cowboys team that forced eight turnovers and allowed only eight pass completions and 61 yards to the Broncos, which helped the Cowboys to the 27-10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
Super Bowl XIII: 1979, vs Pittsburgh Steelers (loss)This was an exciting Super Bowl for a few reasons. The Cowboys had an opportunity for a rematch after losing to the Steelers three years earlier, and both teams were looking to be the first to win a third Super Bowl. It was also the only Super Bowl featuring both teams, which had won two Super Bowls in that decade. Ultimately, the Cowboys lost in a close game, 35-31. There were 11 players on that Cowboys team who ended up in the Hall of Fame.
Super Bowl XXVII: 1993, vs Buffalo Bills (win)Here is where we get to the huge win streak. The 90s were a big time for the Dallas Cowboys. This game, in particular, was the biggest win the Cowboys ever had, with a 52-17 defeat over the Bills. We saw four touchdown passes from Troy Aikman and 108 rushing yards by Emmitt Smith, and this Cowboys team just made it look like a walk in the park.
Super Bowl XXVVIII: 1994, vs Buffalo Bills (win)The Cowboys and Bills rematch just one year later ended with a second consecutive Super Bowl victory for the Boys, 30-13 over the Bills. Again, the Cowboys just waltzed in and danced around the Bills, with Emmitt Smith rushing for 132 yards and two touchdowns.