FRISCO, Texas – Seemingly the only "football" related activity occurring out here at The Star these days, with the offseason workouts completed, is the grounds crew scalping the grass practice field and construction workers clearing out the weight room that is under renovation.
But as unaccustomed quiet prevails – for now – the Dallas Cowboys' history continues to haunt. Consider these facts, especially after back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the turn of the century, along with missing the playoffs in both, too. Check this out.
In the final four seasons of the 1960s, the Cowboys strung together the NFL expansion franchise's first four winning seasons, the first two of those leading to NFL Championship Game appearances.
During the decade of the 1970s, the Cowboys only missed the playoffs one season (1974), stringing together 10 winning years. They also had five Super Bowl appearances while winning two Lombardi Trophies, and please consider they lost the other three by a combined 11 points: 3, 4 and 4.
During the first six years of the 1980s, the Cowboys went to three consecutive NFC Championship Games, extended their NFL record to 20 consecutive winning seasons, and went to the playoffs in five of those years before all the joy came to a screeching halt over the rest of the decade.
And, of course, in the glorious 1990s, the Cowboys won three Super Bowls, went to the NFC Championship Game four consecutive seasons (1992-95), strung together six consecutive winning and playoff seasons (1991-96) and only missed the playoffs twice over the decade. And one of those by one win in 1990.
Now, the past 26 seasons (2000-25). Just 11 playoff appearances, four first-round victories and lastly the two seven-win (one-tie) seasons, signifying a spoiled alert when seemingly for that 30-some year span, Cowboys fans figured playoffs were their inalienable right. Like, how could they?
For real.
Then this sobering stat came up last week, thanks to Quinnen Williams, the Cowboys' defensive lineman they traded for last year, nine games into the season. Willliams, a four-time Pro Bowler, is now entering his eighth NFL season, the first seven with the New York Jets. A 2019 first-round draft choice out of Alabama, where he lost just three games in three years and won a national title.
With all the whining going on over the back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2000-02 and consecutive non-playoff seasons for the first time since 2019-20, Q told Dak Prescott this:
"I've never even been to the playoffs."
"To hear him say he's never been to the playoffs, that's what you want to do it for," Prescott said. "And that's what I told him. I said, 'I'll get you to the playoffs. I'm going to need you to go help us win it.'"
But hell, playoffs?
Why, Williams has never, ever experienced an NFL winning season in his seven-year career, which, by the way, seven wins is the most he ever experienced in a single season with the Jets. Even worse, last year he left the Jets at 1-7, only to finish but 7-9-1 with the Cowboys, at least winning four of the final eight games.
"The first time I met him, he basically told me that, which is incredible," head coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Williams never having been to the playoffs, going on to say, "and he said to me, he goes, 'Coach, all I want to do is win. I just want to win. He said, 'It's not about the money. It's not about the recognition I get.' He goes, 'I just want to win.'"
And that should be the start for these Cowboys in 2026.
- Downs Up: The 2025 season awards keep rolling in for Caleb Downs, having been named the Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year. And just read this description of his performance in the Buckeyes' season-opening 14-7 victory over Texas. "The Longhorns' players and play callers alike were confounded by 'elite level' disguises from an Ohio State secondary under the supervision of new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, the former head coach of the Detroit Lions and a longtime defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Patricia's seamless blend of coverages, which (Texas head coach Steve) Sarkisian said were unfurled with aplomb by star safety Caleb Downs, forced Texas to punt on four consecutive drives to end the first half. The Longhorns retreated to their locker room having never advanced beyond the Ohio State 42-yard line." The Cowboys can only hope for such "aplomb" from Downs.
- Melting "Butter": At roughly 1:15 p.m. Wednesday out here at The Star, it was 92 degrees, with a feel like at 110. But there was Brandon "Butter" Aubrey, helmet on, all by his lonesome, practicing kicking field goals on the artificial turf field. And not like slopping it around. Nope, all routine, walking up to the ball placed on one of those makeshift holders, taking his precise steps back, then two to the side, each time now, and kicking. He had four balls. Then walked behind the end zone to retrieve them and start again. And if that were not eye-catching enough, considering you can see the heat radiating off the artificial turf, Aubrey began running sprints across the five-yard line, sideline to sideline, walk back and run again. Vacation, my foot. Doesn't magically become a three-time Pro Bowler or become the NFL's all-time leader with 112 field goals made in first 51 career games and second all-time scoring leader with 462 points in 51 games, just nine shy of leader Harrison Butker's 471. Sight to see, no matter the heat.
- Mims The Word: Leaving no stone unturned, the Cowboys are taking a whack at this sweeper of a personnel move, signing Denzel Mims, the one-time second-round draft choice of the New York Jets in 2020. The former Baylor first-team All-Big 12 receiver has not played in the NFL since 2022. Following a Jets trade to Detroit in 2023, he spent the majority of the next three seasons on practice squads, also the past two undistinguished years in the UFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks, and this past season with the Dallas Renegades. This might be Last-Chance U for the speedy receiver who has 42 catches for 646 yards and no touchdowns receiving in his three-year, 30-game NFL career.
- Messi Around: While quiet here at The Star, the World Cup has AT&T Stadium, currently known as Dallas Stadium per FIFA rules, exploding with excitement. And it was further electrified with the play of Argentina's Lionel Messi and the crowd participation for entire matches, along with team parades through the Arlington entertainment district to the stadium. Not seen anything like it before, and that includes Messi's two-match performance. And all I got to say is these were the first two games I've ever watched Messi play, albeit on TV, and he scored five goals. Only game I've ever seen Ronaldo play, two goals. And while the Argentines have gone crazy with Messi's five goals setting the World Cup career goal record at 18, he'd better watch out. Now France's Kylian Mbappe is right behind him at 16. Maybe Messi needs to make sure I'm watching next time out, come Saturday at AT&T, if he even plays since Argentina has already clinched a spot in the knockout rounds.
- Off Shorts: Was told that when Brendan Sorsby applied for the Supplemental Draft, it wasn't a slam dunk that the NFL would grant one for the first time in three years. And while the quarterback manipulated his way through college, through the court system to become initially eligible to play at Texas Tech, he has failed so far to manipulate his way into the NFL … While much is being made of the Cowboys now having to face Myles Garrett not only during the training camp practice with the Rams this summer, but also come Dec. 20 during the regular season at SoFi, this upcoming practice can't be any more combative than the one in 2024 when Rams rookie first-round draft choice Jared Verse hounded the Cowboys, both physically and verbally … Knowing what lead running back Javonte Williams can do after his sparkling 2025 season, bet we are going to see a lot of reps given to second-year backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah during camp practices and in those scrimmages against the Rams and Saints … Watching these offseason workouts is one thing, but can't wait to see a fully healthy cornerback Shavon Revel in training camp. His size, speed and arm length should create some kind of competition for that starting job … There would seem to be four sure-roster receivers, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin, leaving at most two openings, the front runners becoming veterans Marquez Valdes-Scantling and/or Jonathan Mingo, and a yougin' like seventh-round pick Anthony Smith or Traeshon Holden, a practice-squader last year.
And for this week's last word, let's go to the Cowboys' three-time Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith, and just to echo what we talked about from the beginning today, about so much attention being paid to getting back into the playoffs after the two-year drought. Here is Tyler having to answer that very question during the Cowboys' minicamp practices.
"I think this is the most important room in the building, to be honest," Smith said, referring to the locker room in regard to establishing that first step. "I think it's all about the culture we build. I think obviously training camp and what we do today is going to be a huge part of that.
"But just continue to build every day, continue to create championship habits, continue to do everything like a champion. Whether that be practice, eating, stretching, all of the things of that nature because ultimately that's what it's going to take to hoist up a Lombardi, so yeah."
Further evidence of, you see what I mean, "winning."
