History of the Dallas Cowboys - 1980s

The Cowboys Set Records, Change Owners, and Lose Coach Tom Landry

Sep 3, 2009 Ronald G Falconberry

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 1980s at the top of the NFL but, by the end of the decade, the team had lost its glory and their beloved head coach Tom Landry.

The Dallas Cowboys extended the winning streak they had started in 1966 by posting an additional ten consecutive winning seasons through the 1970s, winning five NFC Conference titles, and winning two out of the five Super Bowl championship games they played in.

The wining streak continued into the 1980s but, by the time the decade ended, the Dallas Cowboys had lost their glory and the men who had made the NFL football team so great..

Major Changes for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s

The 1980s were a decade of great change at all levels of the Cowboys organization. At the executive level, ownership of the Dallas Cowboys changed twice during the 1980s. On March 19, 1984, the NFL owners approved of the sale from Clint Murchison, Jr. to H.R."Bum" Bright with the sale being completed on May 18. Five years later, on February 25, 1989, Jerry Jones, Sr. reached an agreement with Bum Bright to purchase the Cowboys.

On the coaching level, after his 1989 purchase of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones announced that Tom Landry, the Cowboys' head coach for 29 years, would be replaced with Jimmy Johnson, who coached the University of Miami football team to a national championship in 1987.

The player level was affected when quarterback Roger Staubach retired after the 1979 season. Danny White took over from Staubach and led the team through the 1980s but he retired prior to the start of the 1989 season. Tony Dorsett, one of the leagues's premier running backs, and wide receiver Drew Pearson also retired during the 1980s.

Dallas Cowboys Season Records in the 1980s

The Dallas Cowboys had six winning seasons to start the 1980s. Although their string of 20 consecutive winning seasons came to an end in 1986, it is a record which still stands unbroken in the NFL. Their overall win-loss-tie record during the 1980s was 79-73-0:

  • 1980: 12-4-0
  • 1981: 12-4-0
  • 1982: 6-3-0 (NFL Players' strike limited the season to nine games)
  • 1983: 12-4-0
  • 1984: 9-7-0
  • 1985: 10-6-0
  • 1986: 7-9-0
  • 1987: 7-8-0 (Game 3 against Buffalo was canceled)
  • 1988: 3-13-0
  • 1989: 1-15-0

Dallas Cowboys Championships in the 1980s

The Dallas Cowboys advanced to the playoffs in five out of the first six years of the 1980s.

  • 1980: Losing the NFC Eastern Division title by a tie-breaker to Philadelphia, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card game and the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional playoff. Advancing to the NFC Conference game, the Cowboys lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
  • 1981: Reclaiming the NFC Eastern Division title, the Cowboys beat Tampa Bay 38-0 in the Divisional playoff but lost the NFC Conference game 28-27 on a last-minute touchdown pass by San Francisco.
  • 1982: At the end of the strike-shorted season, a modified round of playoff games brought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers to Texas Stadium. Winning both games, the Cowboys advanced to the NFC Conference game where they lost to the Washington Redskins.
  • 1983: The Dallas Cowboys set an NFL record by advancing to the playoffs for nine straight years; however, they lost the Wild Card game to the Los Angeles Rams.
  • 1984: The Cowboys did not qualify for the playoffs with their 9-7 record.
  • 1985: Regaining the NFC Eastern Division title the Cowboys lost their Wild Card game to Los Angeles 20-0.
  • 1986-1989: The Dallas Cowboys failed to qualify for the playoffs.

1980s Dallas Cowboys in Ring of Honor or Football Hall of Fame

Only two Dallas Cowboys, who joined the team during the 1980s, have been inducted into the Texas Stadium Ring of Honor or into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Michael Irvin, a wide receiver from 1988 to 1999 with the Dallas Cowboys gained 11,904 yards on 750 receptions, produced forty-seven 100-yard receiving games - eleven of which came in 1995 and set an unbroken NFL record, and seven 1,000-yard seasons. Irvin was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2005 and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Troy Aikman, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback from 1989 to 2000, completed 2,898 passes for 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns during his career. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXVII. Troy Aikman was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2005 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Overview of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s

During the 1980s, the Dallas Cowboys complied a 79-73-0 record. During the decade, the team had six consecutive winning seasons and earned two division titles which culminated in a remarkable record of 20 consecutive winning season that included 18 years of being in the playoffs, 13 division titles, five NFC Conference championships and two Super Bowl championships.

The 1980s also brought two changes in ownership of the Cowboys, four losing seasons to end the decade and the firing of the legendary Tom Landry after 29 years as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach. Still, although new owner Jerry Jones, new coach Jimmy Johnson, and new quarterback Troy Aikman only managed one win during the 1989 season, they gained valuable experience that would lead to a revival in the 1990s of the Dallas Cowboys' winning tradition.

Additional Reading on the Dallas Cowboys

Sources:

The copyright of the article History of the Dallas Cowboys - 1980s in Football is owned by Ronald G Falconberry. Permission to republish History of the Dallas Cowboys - 1980s in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Dallas Cowboys Had 20 Consecutive Winning Seasons, Duke Ha - Wikipedia Dallas Cowboys Had 20 Consecutive Winning Seasons
Dallas Cowboys Season Records in the 1980s, Ronald G. Falconberry Dallas Cowboys Season Records in the 1980s
 
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