Celebrating 100 Days Until 2022 Season

Best Of The Best: Mat McBriar – The Australian born punter was signed to the Cowboys' practice squad towards the end of the 2003 season before he assumed the punting duties full-time in 2004. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2006 and 2010, including becoming Dallas' first punter named to the Pro Bowl since 1971. He was also the first punter to average 48 yards per punt since 1963 and broke Sam Baker's franchise record in 2006 as well.

Kelvin Joseph becomes the first defensive player to wear No. 1. Last year, wide receiver Cedrick Wilson donned the jersey but Joseph took it this offseason when Wilson signed with the Dolphins.

The Play: Looking to put the Bills away for the second consecutive year in the Super Bowl, the Cowboys held a narrow 20-13 lead in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XXVIII. After working their way all the way to the Buffalo 6-yard line, Dallas faced a 4th and 1 on the 1-yard line after Emmitt Smith tried to punch it in the three previous downs. So, why not try it once more? That is what Smith and the Cowboys did as the Hall of Famer nabbed the 1-yard touchdown as the final exclamation point to their back-to-back Super Bowl runs. Watch now.

CeeDee Lamb has now assumed the role of the No.1 wide receiver with the departure of Amari Cooper this offseason. He posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2021 as well as making his first Pro Bowl, but his coming out party came against the Bucs to begin the season. Lamb grabbed one touchdown and over 100 yards against Tampa and will be looking for even more this Sunday against those Bucs.

Best Of The Best: Lin Elliott – The local product from Waco, TX. and Texas Tech alumnus was signed as a UDFA following the 1992 NFL Draft to compete for the kicking job. After he won the starting gig, Elliott hit 13 consecutive fields goals and nailed 24 on the season, including three over 50 yards. In total, he scored 119 points as part of the Super Bowl XXVII winning squad over the Buffalo Bills before he was let go the following season for Eddie Murray.

Blast From The Past: Anthony Wright – The Cowboys picked Wright up and signed him to the practice squad just before the start of the 2000 season. He served as the backup to Troy Aikman that season once Randall Cunningham went down with injury and made a handful of spot starts to round out the season. It was much of the same in 2001, as Wright was the backup to Quincy Carter and made a couple of starts in Quincy's absence before a knee injury sat him for the rest of the season.

The Play: Yeah, that play. The late Marion Barber probably demonstrated the toughest and most wild 2-yard run you could think of in 2007 against the Patriots. After being met in the backfield by Rodney Harrison, Barber stumbled all the way back into his own endzone to avoid multiple New England defenders. Eventually he would work his way to his right to avoid the safety, only to cut up field for the minor 2-yard gain before bouncing out of bounds. Watch Now.

The Cowboys defense provided plenty of great team moments and induvial performances during the 2021 season, and perhaps the season opener should have been sign. On the road in Week 1 against Tampa, Dallas forced four turnovers but that included two interceptions from Tom Brady by Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis.

Two seconds – all that was left on the clock when the Bucs finally regained the lead on the Cowboys in last year's opener. Dallas led 28-26 until Ryan Succop's game-winning field goal with two seconds to play, giving the Bucs a 29-28 victory and keeping Tom Brady undefeated against the Cowboys for his career.

Best Of The Best: Eddie Murray – Murray spent the first 12 years of his career in Detroit with the Lions before bouncing between the Chiefs and Buccaneers. The Cowboys signed the former seventh rounder early in the 1993 season to replace Lin Elliot and he delivered right away. Murray set plenty of field goal records during that season, including his 28 field goals on the season and tied the record for most makes in a game with five against the Packers. The native Canadian knocked through three more field goals en route to a Super Bowl XXVII.

Blast From The Past: Jon Kitna – Kitna was an ageless wonder by the time he joined the Cowboys in 2009 in his age 37 season over stints with the Seahawks, Bengals, and Lions. Though he did not play that season, he saw plenty of action the following year in 2010 following Tony Romo's broken clavicle before an injury sidelined him as well for the year. After he retired in at the end of the 2012 season, Kitna was recalled by Dallas to serve as the backup to Kyle Orton following Romo's back injury late that year. Kitna served as the quarterbacks coach in Dallas for two seasons before becoming the head coach for Burleson High School in 2020.

The Play: By the time the Cowboys got to Super Bowl XXX against the Steelers in 1995 they had already established themselves as the dynasty of the decade. With two titles already under their belt, Dallas handled Pittsburgh to win their third title and used a quick start to accomplish that. Looking to get on the board, Troy Aikman dropped back with pressure coming right towards him and dumped it off to a wide-open Jay Novacek for the 3-yard score. Emmitt Smith would pick up the other two touchdowns in the 27-17 victory. Watch Now.

In last season's opener against the Buccaneers, Dak Prescott had everything working including his three touchdown passes for over 400 yards. He will have different pieces around him this time when the Cowboys open up at home against the Bucs on Sunday.

Best of the Best: Dak Prescott – Not only does Dak wear the No. 4, but that was the round the Cowboys managed to get him in back in 2016. What a steal for the Cowboys to land Prescott, who wound up starting every game, leading the team to a 12-4 record on his way to winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. And since then, he's been the unquestioned leader of the franchise, earning all kinds of records and accolades along the way. As he enters his seventh season, Dak once again is the player the Cowboys are counting on to lead this team back to the playoffs. For him, he's already proven he's a great player but the time is now to move into elite status.

Blast From the Past: Mike Saxon – The first eight seasons of his 11-year career were spent in Dallas. And in that time, Saxon saw the Cowboys win the NFC East in his rookie year of 1985, only to struggle at the end of the decade to become the worst team in football. But then was on the squad in 1992 as the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. Saxon currently ranks second in Cowboys history with 591 career punts. He held the record with 166 career punts downed inside the 20 before it was broken in 2011, and he currently ranks third.

The Play: Arguably the longest that any player has ever run for a 4-yard gain, Tony Romo ran back about 35 yards backwards after a shotgun snap went over his head in a 2007 game with the Rams. After he finally picked up the ball, Romo went up the field and raced nearly 40 yards to pick up a first down in what the stats will show as a 4-yard run, but it will always go down as one of the most memorable plays for Romo, who was never one to give up on a play. Watch Now.

Best Of The Best: Dan Bailey – He was as automatic as they came during the peak of his powers with the Cowboys, and the numbers reflect that. Bailey got his first real chance with Dallas in 2011, making nearly 87% of his field goal attempts. He followed that up with back-to-back seasons of 93% on his attempts. The Oklahoma native led the league with extra-point makes by going 56-56, only to be named a Pro Bowler in 2015 with a league-best 93.8% success rate on field goals. Bailey missed just two extra-points in 108 games with the Cowboys and 33 field goals from 50 yards or more during that span.

Blast From The Past: Clint Stoerner – Stoerner was a star during his time at the University of Arkansas and found his way to the Cowboys when they signed him as a UDFA following the 2000 NFL Draft. He played in just five games for Dallas with three touchdowns and five interceptions before he was scooped up for NFL Europe in 2001. The Cowboys officially released Steoner in 2003 when another undrafted rookie passed him on the depth chart in Tony Romo.

The Play: Tony Romo wiggled out of a potential sack and turned it into an amazing play. How many times have we heard that before? Well, that's exactly what Romo did during the 2009 season against the Falcons. Looking at a chance to increase their lead more, Romo dropped back while Atlanta brought the heat. Naturally, Romo danced his way out of it to find Patrick Crayton for the 5-yard score. Watch Now.

Five Super Bowl titles. As hungry as Cowboys Nation is to get another one, the Cowboys still rank tied for third in NFL history with the five championships, tied with the 49ers and behind both the Steelers and Patriots with six. Those five titles include wins over the Dolphins in 1971, the Broncos in 1977, the Bills in 1992-1993, and the Steelers in 1995.

Best Of The Best: Chris Jones – Few fanbases can say one of their favorite players is their punter, but that's what Chris Jones became to Cowboys' Nation in a short amount of time. The Georgia native first came onto the scene in 2013 when he became the first Cowboys' punter to hit the jumbotron at AT&T Stadium during the preseason. Jones became known for his huge leg and ability to pin opposing teams deep in their own territory, but he also could put big hits on players during punt returns and run punt fakes with the best in the league.

Blast From The Past: Nick Folk – Folk spent the first three seasons of his career with the Cowboys after they took him in the 6th round of the 2007 draft from Notre Dame. He made 82% of his field goal attempts across 46 games of action in Dallas before moving on to the Jets and Patriots for the next decade.

The Play: Vying for a chance to return to the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade, the Cowboys had one team standing in their way. Enter the team of the 1980s, the 49ers in the NFC Championship game in 1993. Troy Aikman had quite the day with 322 passing yards, but it was Kelvin Martin who had just one catch for six yards on the game sealing touchdown to send Dallas to Pasadena with a 30-20 victory. Watch Now.

Dak Prescott has been known for his dominance of the NFC East during the course of his career. In fact, the Cowboys went 6-0 against their divisional opponents during the 2021 season for the first time since 1998, when they were 8-0 in the division that included the Cardinals.

Before all of the Super Bowl titles and fame arrived upon the Cowboys' stars of the 1990s, the makings of a special team were all there. During the 1990 season Troy Aikman had a team-best six game-winning drives. Dak has had five in a season on two occasions – 2016 and 2018 – but only three total in the past three seasons.

Blast From The Past: Steve Beuerlein – A valuable backup to Troy Aikman for two seasons (1991-92) at the dawn of the Cowboys' 1990s dynasty. Beuerlein didn't play much during his time in Dallas, but he did help the Cowboys clinch a playoff spot in the final month of the '91 regular season while Aikman was sidelined with a torn ligament in his knee.

Best Of The Best: Trevon Diggs – Diggs needed only his first two seasons in Dallas to earn the title of 'best No. 7.' After a solid rookie season in 2020, Diggs delivered a historic encore in 2021, tying Everson Walls for the most interceptions in franchise history for a single season (11). What does the All-Pro cornerback have in store for 2022?

The Play: We've got two plays for today's entry -- both from Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, both in Super Bowl VI. On Jan. 16, 1972 -- the Cowboys' first of five Super Bowl victories -- Staubach threw two touchdown passes, both 7-yard thro ws, to Lance Alworth and Mike Ditka as the Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins, 24-3. Watch Now.

Despite playing through a knee injury for all but the first month of the season, running back still managed to rank seventh in the NFL in rushing yards last season, reaching the 1,000-yard mark (1,002) in Week 18. The Cowboys have emphasized a stronger run game all offseason, and now healthy, Elliott will be a big part of it once again.

The Cowboys went 7-2 on the road last year, their highest win total away from AT&T Stadium since 2014. First road game this year: at the Giants on Sept. 26.

Best Of The Best: Troy Aikman – The Cowboys had been searching for the next great franchise quarterback after Roger Staubach retired at the beginning of the 1980s and Danny White succeeding him. Then Troy Aikman arrived from UCLA. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 draft came to Dallas with plenty of fanfare but went winless in his rookie season in 11 starts. That of course would change, as Aikman went on a stretch of six consecutive Pro Bowl seasons (1991-96) all while leading Dallas to three Super Bowl titles during that span including a Super Bowl MVP. The Hall of Famer served as the face of the Cowboys' 1990s dynasty after serving as the initial building block as owner Jerry Jones' inaugural draft pick.

The Play: In a battle of two bitter rivals, the Cowboys found themselves on the wrong end of a 34-21 score midway through their Week 16 matchup against Washington in 1979. Then Roger Staubach went to work. After finding Ron Springs for the 26-yard touchdown, Staubach led his team down the field before he dumped it off to Tony Hill for an 8-yard score for the game winner to round out the regular season. The win proved to be the final victory of Staubach's career. Watch Now.

The Cowboys have won five Super Bowl titles in their 62-year history but have made eight Super Bowl appearances during that span. Of course, three of those five titles came during the 1990s, with the other two coming under Tom Landry and Roger Staubach in the 1970s.

The coldest game in franchise history during the regular season took place during the 2013 season when the Cowboys traveled to take on the Chicago Bears with a balmy temperature of 8 degrees. Overall the coldest game Dallas played in was the 1967 NFL Championship against the Packers at Lambeau Field at minus-13 degrees.

Best of the Best: Tony Romo – Although a star at Eastern Illinois University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, Tony Romo was passed over entirely in the 2003 draft. Instead, the Cowboys signed him as a rookie free agent. Consider it one of the greatest moves in franchise history. After three seasons spent on the bench, Romo went on earn four trips to the Pro Bowl, the last of which came in 2014 when he topped the league in completion percentage (69.9), touchdown percentage (7.8) and passer rating (113.2). Now the lead analyst for CBS game broadcasts, he posted a career 78-49 record as a starter and is still the franchise's all-time leader in career passing yards (34,183) and touchdown throws (248).

Blast From the Past: Roger Ruzek – Signed by the Cowboys in 1987 after getting his start in the USFL, Roger Ruzek was good on 88 percent of his field goal attempts in his first season, a club record at the time. He also made all 26 of his extra point attempts to lead Dallas in scoring with 92 points. That was good enough for fifth in the league, earning him a spot on the NFL's All-Rookie team. Ruzek spent the next year with the Cowboys as well, but unable to find his form, was released during the 1989 season, going on to spend four-plus years in Philadelphia.

The Play: In his first season-opener of his career, Tony Romo showed the world he was ready to take over as the Cowboys' signal-caller. He had proved that in 2006 in the middle of the season, but in 2007, he led the Cowboys to a dramatic Week 1 win over the Giants. Fittingly enough, No. 9 had a key 9-yard touchdown run in the second half to keep the Cowboys in front of an eventual win. Watch Now.

The Cowboys' success in the playoffs ranks among the best in NFL history. They are second all-time in postseason appearances (34), tied for third in Super Bowl wins (5) and are fourth in playoff victories (35). Somewhat surprisingly, though, only nine of those tournament triumphs have taken place on the road. In addition, the team has just two road wins in the postseason since 1989 and none since 1992. Overall, the Cowboys are 9-16 in road playoff games and 21-10 at home.

Sure seems like Dak Prescott has the New York Giants' number. He lost his first two career games in the series during his rookie season of 2016, but since then he's reeled off nine straight victories over the NFC Eat rivals, outscoring the team 279-156. The only loss Dallas has had to New York over that span came on Jan. 3, 2021, when Prescott was sidelined due to injury. In his career against the Giants, he's thrown 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions for an impressive passer rating of 100.1.

Best Of The Best: Ron Widby – A multi-sport athlete all through his adolescence and early adult life, including being drafted by the Saints and Chicago Bulls in 1967, Widby made his way to Dallas that same year following his release from New Orleans. After assuming the starting punter job in 1968, the Tennessee native set an NFL and franchise record with an 84-yard punt and set a Cowboys' record for averaging over 53 yards per punt. He was also a part of the Cowboys' first Super Bowl winning team during the 1970 season and was named to the Pro Bowl.

Blast From The Past: Tavon Austin – The former first round pick spent his first five season in the Rams' organization as a wide receiver and return specialist after a strong collegiate career at West Virginia. The Cowboys traded for him prior to the 2018 season to help fill out the receiving corps and accumulated 21 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 21 games across two seasons.

The Play: Full of excitement every time they were on the field together, Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray were at it again in Week 16 of the 2013 season. Training 20-14 going into the fourth quarter, the Dallas defense held Washington to just a field goal as the Cowboys got the ball back with less than three minutes remaining. After a big play to Terrance Williams to set it up, Romo found Murray on fourth down with over a minute left for the 10-yard score to complete the comeback victory. Watch Now.

Special teams guru CJ Goodwin led the Cowboys with 10 special teams' tackles in 2021, and is the first player to the lead the team in that category for three consecutive seasons.

The longest run in NFL history happened with just 10 players on the field when Tony Dorsett broke out against the Vikings in 1982 for 99 yards. It stands as the only 99-yard play from scrimmage in franchise history and is one of two rushing scores of that distance in league history.

Best Of The Best: Danny White – Serving as the backup to Roger Staubach at the end of his illustrious career, White stepped into the starting role in 1980 and helped guide the Cowboys through the 1980s before the arrival of Troy Aikman in 1988. The Arizona native led the Cowboys to three consecutive NFC Championship appearances after taking over the starting gig and was named a Pro Bowler during the strike-shortened 1982 season. He followed that up in 1983 by passing for nearly 4,000 yards with 23 touchdowns.

Blast From The Past: Drew Bledsoe – After a nine-year run as the starter with the Patriots before an injury opened to door for Tom Brady to begin his reign and a stint in Buffalo, the former No.1 overall pick in 1993 came to Dallas to round out his career in 2005. Bledsoe, a four-time Pro Bowler, passed for over 3,600 yards and 23 touchdowns before handing over the reins to Tony Romo in 2006.

The Play: Emmitt Smith is remembered for a myriad of achievement during the course of his Hall of Fame career. Naturally the three-time Super Bowl winner is near the top of the list, but above that is his title as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, a feat he accomplished in Week 8 of the 2002 season against Seattle. With his family and former teammates in attendance, Smith broke Walter Payton's mark that he set at over 16,000 yards with an 11-yard run into immortality. In total, Smith still holds the record at just over 18,000 yards for his career.

Trevon Diggs had a season for the ages in 2021, leading the league in interceptions and also tied the franchise record with Everson Walls at 11. Diggs will be primed to continue that production this season as the Cowboys premier No.1 perimeter defender.

Another young defensive star that calls Dallas home, Micah Parsons, became the first linebacker to wear No. 11 and before too long, he could easily be the best Cowboys player to don the jersey. The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, who won unanimously with all 50 votes, set the franchise rookie sack record with 13 of them and also holds the record for most multi-sack games by a rookie with three.

Best of the Best: Roger Staubach – The one and only. Roger Staubach is arguably the greatest Cowboys player in franchise history. He's most certainly the best to wear No. 12 and probably the last, considering the team has not issued the number to any other player since Staubach retired in 1980. He was the leader of the Cowboys throughout the 70s, winning two Super Bowls and taking the franchise to others as the starter. When he retired, his 83.4 QB rating was No. 1 in NFL history, but now ranks 56th.

The Play: The Cowboys were down by 21 points in the fourth quarter in a Week 1 game at Washington back in 1999. But thanks to The Triplets, the Cowboys were able to rally to force overtime. Emmitt Smith scored first and Michael Irvin had two late touchdowns, including a 12-yard TD to cap a 90-yard scoring drive. The Cowboys were able to eventually win in OT with a 76-yard touchdown to Rocket Ismail. Watch Now.

While the season is likely remembered for the crushing playoff loss to the 49ers, the Cowboys did win 12 games in 2021. It was the first 17-game schedule in NFL history, and for the Cowboys to win a dozen games, still speaks volumes for the success they had and things they can build on for the 2022 season.

Blast from the Past: Lucky Whitehead – A flashy receiver and return specialist, Whitehead played two seasons (2015, 2016) with the Cowboys. He had great speed and a knack for the big play. In Dak's first-ever game, the 2016 preseason opener against the Rams, Whitehead opened the game with an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown, a play that undoubtedly helped him make the roster that season.

Best of the Best: Michael Gallup – The Cowboys are counting on Gallup to not only return from injury in 2022, but to be one of the top receivers in this offense for years to come. Drafted in the third round back in 2018, Gallup has always found a role in the offense, both as big-play threat and a goal-line option. Gallup's best occurred in 2019 when he produced 1,107 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The Cowboys are expected to keep Gallup on the active roster when the season begins, meaning he won't have to wait 4-6 weeks to return from his ACL injury.

The Play: In a back-and-forth game against the Giants in 2014 that saw one of the greatest catches in NFL history by Odell Beckham Jr., it was Tony Romo and Dez Bryant getting the last laugh. Down 28-24, Romo engineered a final drive, capped off by a 13-yard TD to Dez Bryant. The offensive line made the play happen, giving Romo nearly eight seconds in the pocket before he found Bryant in the back of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. Watch Now.

The Defensive Rookie of the Year, Micah Parsons led the Cowboys and led all rookies with 13 sacks. Parsons shattered D-Ware's rookie sack record, which also ranked third in NFL history. Had the Cowboys, or any team for that matter, known just what kind of pass-rusher Micah Parsons would be, there's no way he lasts until the 12th pick.

Best of the Best: Craig Morton – Selected fifth overall in the 1965 draft, Morton still ranks seventh all-time in Cowboys history with 10,279 passing yards, although he threw a touchdown on 6.1 percent of his attempts, the highest rate among Dallas quarterbacks with at least 60 starts. He would start for the Cowboys in their Super Bowl V loss to the Colts and later in his career would also start for Denver in Super Bowl XII, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to start in the championship game for two different teams. Alas, he would lose that one as well, this time to his former club, the Cowboys.

Blast From the Past Gary Hogeboom – With the retirement of Roger Staubach after the 1979 season, the Cowboys used their fifth-round pick to grab Central Michigan quarterback Gary Hogeboom. Involved in a quarterback controversy with Danny White, Hogeboom would finally get the nod from head coach Tom Landry in 1984 and start 10 games. Unfortunately, Hogeboom struggled, throwing seven touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions that season before seeing only two starts in 1985 and then being traded to the Colts prior to the 1986 draft.

The Play: The play was a simple dump-off to fullback Daryl Johnston, but as famed television announcer John Madden stated during the broadcast, "He doesn't make a lot of plays, but this one is a big one."

At 6-feet-2 inches tall and 238 pounds, Emmitt Smith's battering ram wasn't exactly known for his grace. His nickname was "Moose" after all. However, Johnston tipped the high toss to himself, stiff-armed a helpless tackler, burst to the end zone and then after crossing the goal line, dove over another Eagles defender and somersaulted to the ground. It was an effort sleek wideout Michael Irvin would have been proud to call his own.

Coming with 7:39 remaining in the game, Johnston's touchdown secured a 20-10 victory over rival Philadelphia, improved Dallas' record to 7-1 and sent 65,102 fans home happy, the largest crowd at Texas Stadium since 1985. Watch Now.

Trevon Diggs only has two seasons under his belt, but he already has 14 career interceptions, thanks to the 11 picks he notched last year, which tied the Cowboys' single-season record. By comparison, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders had 14 picks over his five seasons with the team from 1996-99. His 14 are also the second most for a Dallas player in his first two seasons behind only Everson Walls, who of course originally set the team mark with 11 interceptions in his rookie year of 1981. Walls would add seven more the next year to total 18 in his first two seasons.

Perhaps no other position in the NFL has changed as much over the decades as that of the kicker. Consider that in 2020, Greg Zuerlein made 34 field goals, which tied the Cowboys record and ranked third in the league. But the first Dallas kicker to even reach double-digits in field goals made came way back in 1962 when Sam Baker was good on just 14. But just like Zuerlein, he too finished third in the NFL. For kickers, times have definitely changed.

Best of the Best: Toni Fritsch – The first Austrian to play in the NFL, Fritsch had been a star soccer player in his home country, having appeared nine times with the Austrian National Team. But after retiring, and despite knowing no English, he tried out for the Cowboys and earned a contract.

Fritsch is perhaps most famously known for an onside kick against the 49ers in the 1972 divisional round of the playoffs. Down 28-23 with two minutes to go, he basically gave the ball a behind-the-back kick, crossing his right leg behind his left to change directions and fool the San Francisco return unit. The Cowboys recovered and went on to win the game.

Blast From the Past Babe Laufenberg – While his time on the field for the Cowboys may have been brief, Laufenberg has enjoyed a long-running connection to the team. As a backup quarterback to Troy Aikman, he appeared in just seven games combined for Dallas over the 1989-90 seasons, earning one start.

But the man who is credited with giving Daryl Johnston the nickname "Moose," parlayed his gift of gab into a media career. He was the lead sports anchor at KTVT-CBS 11 for 17 years and will now enter his 31st season with the Cowboys Radio Network, his 26th serving as the color analyst on game broadcasts.

The Play: "Oh, what a run by the league's MVP!"

That's how Brad Sham summed up Emmitt Smith's 15-yard scamper up the middle, which saw him immediately break a tackle in the backfield and then dart to the end zone for the Cowboys' first offensive touchdown of the game. Down 13-6 at halftime to Buffalo, Smith said to offensive coordinator Norv Turner, "Get the ball to me." Dallas did just that.

Less than a minute into the third quarter, safety James Washington tied the score with a 46-yard fumble return, but once the Cowboys offense got on the field, Smith took over. He ran the ball six straight times for 46 yards, took one play off and then made his touchdown run to give Dallas the lead for good.

The Cowboys would go on to steamroll their way to a 30-13 victory over the Bills for their second straight NFL title. And Smith would earn Super Bowl MVP honors after totaling 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Watch Now.

Since Jerry Jones took over ownership of the team in 1989, the Cowboys have won 15 playoff games. Of those, 12 came within the first eight seasons as Dallas won three Super Bowls in four years and was named the Team of the Decade for the 1990s. Since then, the Cowboys have earned first-round playoff wins in 2009, 2014 and 2018.

On Nov. 27, 1960, at Chicago, middle linebacker Jerry Tubbs was credited by the team with 15 unassisted tackles, a Cowboys record that still stands to this day. Tubbs would play the final seven seasons of his 11-year NFL career with Dallas before joining the coaching staff in 1966. He would go on to serve under legendary head coach Tom Landry for 21 years.

Best Of The Best: Vinny Testaverde – He played just one season in Dallas and considering he played 21 seasons in the NFL with seven different teams, Testaverde isn't considered by many as a true Cowboys player. But for that one season in 2004, he did pass for 3,532 yards. With that total, Testaverde is one of five NFL QBs to surpass 3,500 passing yards in a season over the age of 40.

Blast From The Past: Jesse Holley – One of the best stories in Cowboys history. Holley earned a roster spot in 2010 by winning Michael Irvin's reality TV show "4th and Long." After a year on the practice squad, he made the roster and had a memorable play in 2011, catching a 77-yard pass in overtime to help beat the 49ers. Holley's story was chronicled in Season 7 of Deep Blue with “From Reality to Holley-wood.”

The Play: With the Cowboys driving for the win, Jason Witten hauled in a 16-yard touchdown in Detroit, giving Dallas not only a comeback 28-27 win, but secured the NFC East title in 2007. The touchdown was also the 15th reception of the day for Witten, who later had 18 in a game. But the 15 catches in Detroit, was the second-most of his entire career. Watch Now.

The Cowboys franchise record for most seasons played with the team is 16, set by both Jason Witten and L.P. Ladouceur. Witten's 16 seasons came from 2003-17 and then he returned for the 2019 season after a year of retirement. Ladouceur played from 2005-2020.

The Cowboys are expecting CeeDee Lamb to be the new No. 1 receiver in 2022. Last year, Lamb made the Pro Bowl, but he ranked No. 16 in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,102 yards. And that was having to share the ball with Amari Cooper. Let's see if Lamb jumps into the Top 10 now that he'll have more targets.

Blast from the Past: Jason Garrett – Before he made his name with the organization more recently as the head coach from 2010 to 2019, Garrett was a part of the Cowboys Super Bowl teams as a backup quarterback. He was the backup to Troy Aikman for both Super Bowl 28 and 30 wins before winning the NFL Coach of the Year in 2016.

Best of the Best: Don Meredith – One of the original members of the Dallas Cowboys organization, Don Meredith was an institution from the beginning. He was added to the roster before Tom Landry and Gil Brandt were hired, and prior to the Cowboys nickname was officially adopted. He finished his career as a three-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1966. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium in 1976.

The Play: With under 35 seconds to play in the fourth quarter of a wild Week 13 matchup with Seattle, Julius Jones came to the rescue. Dallas trailed by 10 points with less than three minutes to play but the Jones rumble from 17 yards out capped off a 43-39 win over the Seahawks. Jones finished with 30 carries for 198 yards and three separate touchdowns along with his game winner. Watch Now.

CeeDee Lamb took just 17 games to reach the 1,000 receiving yard mark in his NFL career. Only Hall of Fame receiver Bob Hayes was quicker to reach the mark in Cowboys franchise history.

Dak Prescott has a total of 17 game-winning drives during his NFL career, the sixth most in the NFL since he was drafted in 2016. Those drives have also accounted for 17 fourth quarter and overtime wins over his six-year career. Only Tony Romo (24) had more as a Cowboys quarterback.

Best Of The Best: Chris Boniol – Boniol played just five years in the NFL, spending the first three years in Dallas. The Louisiana Tech product was fairly productive during his rookie campaign, converting almost 76% of his field goal attempts and was 48-48 on extra points in 1994. However, he proved to be a vital piece of the Cowboys Super Bowl run in 1995, knocking through over 96% of field goal attempts and over 95% of extra points. Boniol would depart for Philadelphia prior to the 1995 season.

Blast From The Past: Glenn Carano – Born the son of a former NFL quarterback in his own right, Carano spent the first portion of his Cowboys' tenure as the third quarterback behind Hall of Famer Roger Staubach in the latter stages of his career and Danny White. The UNLV alumnus is likely best remembered for leading a comeback win over the Bears on Thanksgiving Day during the 1981 season following an injury to White. Carano would play his last game in the league the very next time out against the Colts and childhood friend David Humm and would both be featured in the NFL Films documentary "My One and Only."

The Play: When you think of reliable Cowboys over the years, Jason Witten is assured to be at the top of the list. Though he was not the flashiest player on the field that didn't mean he wouldn't surprise you. With Dallas on the road against the winless 49ers in Week 7 during the 2017 season, Witten streaked up the seam before fading into the endzone with Jasquiski Tartt hanging off him to make the one-handed snag for the 18-yard touchdown from Dak Prescott. That would help propel the Cowboys to a 40-10 win. Watch Now.

If the Cowboys want to conquer the NFC this season, they will likely run into the Los Angeles Rams again outside of this Week 6 matchup. The two teams have as evenly matched of series as you can find, with an even 18-18 record against one another.

Prolific offenses are a staple of the Cowboys' great history and much of that is attributed to their rich history of quarterback. Dallas has 18 games of 400 yards passing or more with Dak Prescott accounting for half of those with nine. The others? Tony Romo, Don Meredith, Troy Aikman, and current offensive coordinator Kellen Moore with one.

Best of the Best: Miles Austin – One of the greatest career storylines in recent Cowboys history. Undrafted out of Monmouth in 2006, Austin rose to a prominent role in the Dallas offense quickly and received back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2009 and 2010. His eight-year tenure in Dallas included nearly 4,500 yards and 34 touchdowns before spending a season in Cleveland and Philadelphia.

Blast from the Past: Keyshawn Johnson – The first overall pick in the 1996 draft, Johnson made his way to Dallas after four seasons with the New York Jets and four more with Tampa Bay. He led the team in receiving and touchdown receptions in 2004 during his first season back with his former head coach Bill Parcells. However, he only played the two seasons in Dallas before a roster spot was cleared for Terrell Owens in 2006.

The Play: The final touchdown grab of Jason Witten's incredible Cowboys career was a one-handed snag from 19-yards out. It was his 72nd career touchdown catch, the second-most behind Dez Bryant (73). The grab set the tone with the first score of an impressive 44-21 Dallas win over the Rams in 2019. Watch Now.

It has been 19 seasons since the NFC East has had back-to-back division champions. The last repeat division winner was Philadelphia back in 2003 and 2004. Dallas will attempt to end that streak as the current defending NFC East champions.

The Dallas defense piled up 119 points off 34 takeaways in 2021, the second most in the NFL behind the Indianapolis Colts. As a team, 22.5% of the total points scored last season came as a result of a takeaway.

Best of the Best: Mel Renfro – How badly did the Cowboys want to draft Mel Renfro back in 1964. They delayed the draft, which back then had no time limit, six hours while they sent a doctor from Portland to the University of Oregon to examine Renfro's wrist injury. Needless to say, he was cleared and then selected by Dallas with the 17th overall pick in the draft.

His impact was immediate. Renfro earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his 10 seasons in the NFL, the first six as a safety with the last four coming at cornerback. He led the league in interceptions with 10 in 1969, totaling 52 over his 14-year career, which still ranks first in Cowboys history. The former track star also started his career as a kickoff and punt returner and remains second in club annals in kickoff return average at 26.4 yards.

A cornerstone of the Doomsday Defense, Renfro helped lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl five times, winning the championship twice. He entered the Cowboys' Ring of Honor in 1981 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Blast From the Past Darren McFadden – With the departure of DeMarco Murray after the 2014 season, many questioned whether the Cowboys running game would be able to recover. Did it ever.

In a shrewd move, the team signed former Arkansas great Darren McFadden to a two-year deal, and all he did was go on to finish fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,089), eighth in carries (239) and 10th in yards per game (68.1).

Alas, that 2015 season would be McFadden's last hurrah. Injuries and the arrival of Ezekiel Elliott the next year would limit his playing time. He would retire on Nov. 28, 2017.

The Play: To look at the final box score of the Cowboys' 27-3 clubbing of Indianapolis on Oct. 10, 1993, nothing in particular really jumps out. The two teams were on opposite ends of the spectrum with Dallas headed to a second straight Super Bowl title and the Colts limping to an eventual 4-12 finish.

But digging a little deeper, one play in particular stands out. A Darren Woodson fumble recovery midway through the second quarter, followed by a 2-yard pickup gave the Cowboys' possession at the Colts' 20-yard line with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

And then greatness happened. Emmitt Smith took a handoff on a sweep to the right, cut the ball back inside at the hashmarks, danced his way to the left, picked up a key block from tight end Jay Novacek and then sprinted his way to the left pylon, beating the defense to pay dirt. A 20-yard touchdown run never looked so good.

Staked with a 14-0 lead, the Cowboys had an easy time of it the rest of the day. Enough so, that most might overlook this blowout. But after sitting out the first two games of the season, Smith reasserted himself in this his third contest, finishing with his first 100-yard effort on his way to an MVP year. He was back and better than ever. Watch Now.

The New England Patriots finished 7-9 in 2020. The significance? They fell one season short of tying the NFL record for the most consecutive winning seasons. Their 19 straight winning campaigns couldn't match the Cowboys' high of 20, set from 1966 to 1985. Over that two decade span, Dallas would finish with double-digit wins 16 times, reach the postseason on 18 occasions and play in two NFL Championships, nine NFC Championship Games and five Super Bowls, winning the title twice. There has never been, nor perhaps ever will be, such a dominating run in the NFL.

By the time DeMarcus Ware entered his fourth season with the Cowboys, he had already posted double-digit sacks twice, been to two Pro Bowls and had been named an All-Pro the year before in 2007. What more could he do? Turns out he was just getting started. In that 2008 season, Ware was a nightmare for opposing offenses, racking up 20 sacks, officially recognized as a team record by the NFL and tied for the 12th most in league history. (Harvey Martin was credited by the Cowboys with 23 sacks during the 1977 season before sacks became an official NFL statistic.) Ware had a sack in 14 of 16 outings during that 2008 effort, including twice recording three sacks in a game, on his way to again earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. He finished with 117 sacks during his nine years in Dallas, a team record, before adding 21.5 more over three years with Denver, his 138.5 career sacks ranking ninth in NFL annals.

Best Of The Best: Deion Sanders – This is a close race with Ezekiel Elliott, but after five outstanding seasons with the Falcons and a pitstop in San Francisco, Sanders made his way to the Cowboys in 1995 and continued his Hall of Fame level production with three consecutive seasons Pro Bowls and first-team All-Pro play, including a Super Bowl title in his first season in Dallas. All in all, the first ballot Hall of Famer was an eight-time Pro Bowler and six time All-Pro. In Dallas, he racked up 14 interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and 159 tackles. Offensively, he totaled nearly 1,200 punt return yards and two scores to go along with over 600 rushing yards.

Blast From The Past: Mike Jenkins – In 71 games with the Cowboys, Jenkins was a serviceable piece of the 2010s Dallas secondaries. Entering the league in 2008, He was a Pro Bowler in 2008 with five picks and 49 total tackles. Overall, he started 48 games for the Cowboys with eight interceptions and 244 tackles before departing for the Raiders following the 2012 season.

The Play: Name your favorite Deion Sanders play. There would be so many to choose from you'd be hard-pressed to narrow that list down to a reasonable number. So how about this one? Vying for their third Super Bowl title of the 1990s, Dallas played host to the rival Eagles in the 1995 NFC Divisional round. Enter Primetime. Midway through the second quarter, the Cowboys dialed up a reverse handoff for Sanders and let him do the rest, taking it 21 yards for the score and the eventual 30-11 victory. Watch Now.

There are almost too many incredible stats to take away from Trevon Diggs' historic 2021 season. While we are all keenly aware of the interceptions, Diggs ranked second in the NFL last season in pass breakups with 21, just behind JC Jackson.

The Cowboys have a healthy history of phenomenal running backs, and Ezekiel Elliott is right in that conversation. While Emmitt Smith holds the franchise record for 100-yard games, Elliott sits at No. 3 with 30 and is quickly closing in on No. 2 spot that Tony Dorsett occupies with 43.

Best Of The Best: Emmitt Smith – No one's ever gained more rushing yards. Perhaps no one's ever played the running back position better. In 15 seasons with the Cowboys, Smith set the standard for excellence with an NFL-record 18,355 rushing yards – a total that likely will never be reached as teams move toward timeshares with carries. Smith is a Cowboys Ring of Honor member and a Pro Football Hall of Famer – unquestionably one of the all-time greats.

Blast From The Past: Bob Hayes – On almost any other team, Hayes' name would go in the "Best of the Best" category. That title for No. 22 might go to Emmitt Smith, but Hayes had an incredibly special career. He was a Super Bowl champion, a Cowboys Ring of Honor member and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. "Bullet Bob" also changed the game. Many credit him with helping shape the development of zone defenses because of his speed at the receiver position.

The Play: Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Pearson is known best for making "The Catch" from Roger Staubach in the 1975 NFC Playoffs, but this catch was pretty special, too. In the 1980 NFC Divisional Round against Atlanta, Pearson got behind the Falcons' defense and caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Danny White in the final minute to win the game, 30-27, and send the Cowboys to the NFC Championship game. Watch Now.

22 different Cowboys players scored a touchdown in 2021 – the most to score a touchdown in a single season in team history (and NFL history). The Cowboys will try to replicate that balance and production in 2022.

Quarterback Dak Prescott has thrown 22 of his 143 career touchdown passes to Amari Cooper, more than any other receiver. CeeDee Lamb is tied for sixth most on that list with eight touchdowns, and he'll undoubtedly get more chances now that he's the No. 1 receiver in place of Cooper, who's now with the Browns.

Blast From The Past: Tashard Choice – Choice racked up over 1,500 yards and 10 total touchdowns in just 54 games across four seasons with the Cowboys. He helped created a strong trio in the backfield with Marion Barber and Felix Jones, making an immediate impact during his 2008 rookie season with nearly 500 yards and two touchdowns with another almost 600 receiving yards total in Dallas.

Best Of The Best: Robert Williams – Playing seven seasons in Dallas, Williams was a valuable piece of a secondary that won back-to-back Super Bowls during his time with the Cowboys. He played in 84 games, recording over 250 tackles and four interceptions while also serving as a versatile piece of defense by playing at linebacker and safety along with his normal cornerback spot.

The Play: Known for his knack for coming up with big plays, Terrance Williams provided yet again when it mattered most. This time it was on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs in Seattle. Facing a 3rd and 20 and trailing 23-20 with less than five minutes to go, Tony Romo spun out of the pocket to avoid a potential game ending sack, thus finding Williams on the far side of the field to make a miraculous toe tapping 23-yard catch to extend the drive. Dallas eventually won 30-23. Watch Now,

It has been 23 years since a Cowboys' head coach took the team to the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The last to do that was Chan Gailey (1998-99) only to be relieved of his duties following that.

Though Mike McCarthy is entering his third season in Dallas after spending years in Green Bay, he has seen plenty of success in the NFC East. In his career, McCarthy has 23 career wins against those teams and will look to add to it in 2022.

Best of the Best: Everson Walls – A homegrown product who went to high school in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Everson Walls burst onto the scene to lead the NFL with 11 interceptions in his rookie season, a team record that was tied last year by Trevon Diggs. Going on to top the league for picks in both 1982 and 1985, the former cornerback is one of only two people in NFL history to finish first in that category three times.

Although he ended his career with the Giants, winning a Super Bowl in 1990, Walls will forever be a Cowboy, still ranking second in club history for career interceptions with 44. He is currently a finalist in the Seniors category for the class of 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame and will find out on Aug. 16 if he will be one of the three Senior candidates submitted to the deciding election committee.

Blast From the Past: Marion Barber – Perhaps the most physical runner in the history of the Cowboys, if not the entire NFL, Marion Barber spent six seasons in Dallas (2005-10) where he rushed for 4,358 yards, a mark that ranks eighth in Cowboys history, with 47 rushing touchdowns, which is fourth in team record books. His best season came in the 13-3 campaign of 2007 when he barreled his way to 975 yards and 10 scores to earn his only Pro Bowl honor. Sadly, Barber tragically passed away in late May due to heatstroke.

The Play: The Cowboys found themselves down 13-0 with just under five minutes remaining in their Oct. 13, 2002, game at the Carolina Panthers when second-year quarterback Quincy Carter finally found a spark. Three plays into Dallas' next possession, he hit Joey Galloway on an 80-yard bomb for his team's first score of the day.

After the Cowboys defense forced a punt, Carter and the offense then took over at their own 33-yard line with 2:48 remaining in the game. He marched Dallas down the field, but after a false-start penalty, a 1-yard gain and two incompletions, the Cowboys faced fourth-and-14 at the Panthers' 24-yard line with 1:03 left on the clock.

Carter would loft a pass up to Antonio Bryant, who leapt high and then juggled the ball on the way down before corralling it as he fell into the end zone. The play was reviewed, but the 24-yard touchdown stood, and with the extra point, the Cowboys had an unlikely, 14-13, come-from-behind victory.

He would be sacked six times in the game and have only 77 yards passing before those final two Cowboys series, but when the team needed him most, Carter was there. Watch Now.

Six players in Cowboys history have scored 24 points in a game with Emmitt Smith doing so twice. But the first to turn the trick was running back Dan Reeves on Nov. 5, 1967, when he scored four touchdowns in a 37-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons. His first two scores came via the pass, including a 60-yarder from Don Meredith, with the last two the result of 1-yard plunges into the end zone.

Would they ever win the big game? The Cowboys had lost in consecutive years (1966-67) to the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game and then had stumbled to a 16-13 defeat in Super Bowl V following the 1970 season. But in 1971, Dallas would simply dominate the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, limiting Miami to only 185 total yards in a 24-3 defeat to win the title. No longer could they be called "Next Year's Champions."

Best Of The Best: Xavier Woods – Woods, a sixth-round draft pick in 2017, emerged as a full-time starting safety in his final three seasons with the Cowboys (2018-2020). In 60 games, he had 247 tackles, five interceptions and 18 pass breakups. He signed with the Vikings last year and posted a career-high 108 tackles and three interceptions.

Blast From The Past: Derrick Lassic – Remember when Emmitt Smith held out the first two games of the 1993 season? Lassic, a fourth-round draft pick out of Alabama, was the fill-in starter for two games, rushing 35 times for 122 times, until Smith reached a new deal with Dallas after an 0-2 start. Lassic injured his knee in 1994 and did not play that season. The Carolina Panthers drafted him in the 1995 expansion draft.

The Play: The Cowboys' road win over an up-and-coming 49ers team in 2011 was an instant classic. Quarterback Tony Romo returned mid-game from a broken rib and punctured lung (medical term: pneumothorax) to bring Dallas back from a 14-point first-half deficit. Miles Austin caught a 53-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game, and his 25-yard TD in the fourth quarter – high-pointing the ball against the right sideline and extending his body just across the goal line – cut the 49ers' lead to three. Dan Bailey would kick two more field goals in regulation and overtime to complete the comeback. Watch Now.

The Cowboys clinched their 25th all-time division title last season. This year, they'll compete for their first back-to-back NFC East championship since 1996.

A couple Dak-related notes: Prescott has a career 25-6 record against the NFC East, and he's also scored 25 rushing touchdowns in his first six NFL seasons. Could more be in store? Prescott had one rushing score last year, a career low coming off his 2020 ankle injury. But he has enjoyed a full healthy offseason and training camp this year, so perhaps that TD total will rise in 2022.

Best Of The Best: Michael Downs – Despite never being named to a Pro Bowl in his eight-year stint in Dallas, Downs was as dependable as they came for the 1980s Cowboys teams. Signed as a UDFA in 1981 from Rice, the local product from Oak Cliff, Tx. immediately became an interception machine in his rookie campaign with seven picks in 15 games. Downs collected a total of 34 interceptions across 116 games, including a four-year streak of consecutive starts from 1983-1986.

Blast From The Past: Paul Palmer – After being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round in 1987, Palmer found himself in Dallas midway through the 1989 season after a trade from Detroit. He took over the starting running back job following the famous Herschel Walker trade, playing in nine games, and racking up 446 yards and two touchdowns. Palmer was the key to the Cowboys lone win that season as well against Washington with 110 yards and score.

The Play: Already holding just a narrow 6-point lead over the Eagles on the road in Week 2 of the 2015 season, Danny McCray provided an early season highlight in one of the most electric manners: a punt block. McCray blasted through the Philadelphia line to slap the ball off Donnie Jones' foot, allowing Kyle Wilber to scoop the ball up and haul it 26 yards for the touchdown in an eventual 20-10 victory. Watch NOW.

It's no secret that the Cowboys are at their best when Ezekiel Elliott is consistently running the ball with authority. In fact, Dallas is 26-4 when Zeke tops at least 100 rushing yards in a game.

Best Of The Best: Mike Gaechter – Gaechter was a starting defensive back for eight seasons (1962-69) and the better part of the Cowboys' first decade in the league. He recorded 21 interceptions in 108 career games, according to Pro Football Reference, and set a franchise record with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown during his 1962 rookie season.

Blast From The Past: Thomas Everett – Everett played only two seasons with the Cowboys (1992-93) but was a key contributor on their first two Super Bowl teams of the decade. Arriving in a trade with the Steelers early in the 1992 season, Everett was a starting safety for Dallas both years, had an interception in Super Bowl XXVII, and made the Pro Bowl the following season in 1993.

The Play: Tony Romo's fourth-quarter, 27-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant — and the Cowboys' eventual 20-19 victory over the Bengals on Dec. 9, 2012 — was insignificant compared to the horrific tragedy the team experienced the day before. Jerry Brown Jr., a cornerback on the practice squad, was killed in a car accident hours before the team's road trip to Cincinnati. The Cowboys dedicated their win over the Bengals to Brown. Watch Now.

The Cowboys open the 2022 season with two straight home games against the Bucs and Bengals, and AT&T Stadium has always been a comfort zone for quarterback Dak Prescott. Since joining the team in 2016, Prescott has recorded 27 games with at least a 100.0 passer rating at AT&T Stadium, the most by any quarterback in his home venue during that span.

The Cowboys have scored 27.3 points per game at home since moving into AT&T Stadium, the fourth-best average in the NFL.

Best Of The Best: Darren Woodson – A true throwback player who could've excelled in any era of football. Drafted in 1992 in the second round, Woodson was an all-around competitor who could run, hit, tackle, make plays on the ball and more than anything, a leader on the field.

Woodson helped the Cowboys win a Super Bowl ring his first two seasons, and then made five straight Pro Bowls from 1994-99, making his claim as one of the best safeties of the decade.

Woodson was also one of the best tacklers, becoming the Cowboys' all-time leader in tackles during the 2002 season, surpassing Lee Roy Jordan (1,236 tackles) and eventually ending his career with 1,350, which still ranks first in franchise history.

Woodson retired in 2004 after 12 seasons and remains the only player in Cowboys history to play for five different head coaches.

Blast From The Past: Tyson Thompson – One of the most accomplished high school players from the DFW area, Thompson was a local standout from Irving, not too far down the road from the Cowboys' training facility in Valley Ranch. In 2005, Thompson's speed helped propel him as one of the best kick returners in team history. He currently ranks second for the Cowboys with 2,416 yards and holds the single-season record with 1,399 kickoff returns yards in 2005, which is also a rookie record.

The Play: After missing more than half of the 1989 season with a knee injury, Michael Irvin needed to show his teammates, coaches and maybe even himself that he was fully back. That moment occurred late in a comeback win in 1990 over the Bucs. Troy Aikman engineered a late drive that ended in Irvin's 28-yard touchdown in the final seconds at Tampa Bay. Watch Now.

Best Of The Best: DeMarco Murray – In just four seasons, Murray became the seventh-leading rusher in Cowboys history with 4,526 yards. But the third-round pick of Oklahoma in 2011, Murray still owns two prestigious records in team history – totaling the most rushing yards in both a single-game and single-season. Murray's 253 yards against the Rams in 2011 is a franchise-best for any player, and also a rookie record. In 2014, Murray led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards, the most in Cowboys history.

Blast From The Past: Keith Davis – Not many players have traveled down the road as Davis, who had three different stints with the Cowboys. He made the team in 2002 as an undrafted rookie from Sam Houston State, but was cut from the team in 2003 by then head coach Bill Parcells. But after a successful season in NFL Europe, Davis rejoined the Cowboys and played four seasons, mostly as a special teams ace. He went to the Dolphins in 2008 but was cut before the season and returned to the Cowboys, becoming one of the best special teams players in team history, ranking third with 97.

The Play: The Cowboys' Doomsday Defense was the main reason they won Super Bowl XII – the second title in franchise history. But there were some big plays by the offense, including the game-clinching touchdown in the second half. Fullback Robert Newhouse surprised the Broncos with this halfback pass to Golden Richards for a 29-yard touchdown to help seal the day for the Cowboys, who cruised to a 27-10 win. Watch Now.

The Cowboys thought 29 points would be enough to beat Tom Brady for the first time. In Week of 2021, a late field goal got the Cowboys to a 29-28 lead over the Bucs, only to see Brady drive his team down for a winning FG as time expired. Fast-forward a full year and the Cowboys will now take on Brady and Tampa Bay at home in Week 1. Will 29 points be enough this time around?

Best Of The Best: Dan Reeves – Reeves, who passed away in January, was named a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist for the 2023 class in the Coach/Contributor category. Reeves had an outstanding head coaching career, highlighted by four conference titles and two NFL Coach of the Year awards with the Broncos and Falcons. It all began in 1970 as a Cowboys player-coach under Tom Landry. Reeves spent 10 seasons as a Cowboys assistant before becoming a head coach with Denver, and he was a productive running back, too, rushing for 1,990 yards in eight seasons with Dallas (1965-72). A tremendous football legacy.

Blast From The Past: George Teague – Teague played in Dallas for only the final four seasons of his nine-year NFL career, but he's forever beloved by Cowboys fans for one unforgettable moment in 2000: tackling Terrell Owens (then a member of the San Francisco 49ers) to prevent T.O. from celebrating on the midfield star logo at Texas Stadium.

The Play: Sure, Emmitt Smith ran behind one of the greatest blocking units in NFL history, but not all his NFL-record 18,355 career rushing yards came easy. A perfect example: his rugged 30-yard touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons in 1992, bouncing off multiple tacklers in the backfield before finding open turf down the right sideline for the score. Watch Now.

Mike McCarthy's career coaching record when his team scores at least 30 points: 82-9. The Cowboys went 7-1 last year when reaching 30 or more and will look to build on that offensive success in 2022.

Ezekiel Elliott has always felt right at home at AT&T Stadium. Since joining the Cowboys in 2016, Elliott has 30 rushing touchdowns in 44 career games at AT&T Stadium. His 36 total touchdowns are the most by any NFL player in his home stadium since 2016.

Best Of The Best: Roy Williams – Williams came into Dallas with high expectations over being selected eighth overall in the 2002 NFL Draft from Oklahoma and did not disappoint. After a strong rookie campaign, Williams hit the gas in his second year, beginning his first of five straight Pro Bowl seasons and earning first team All-Pro honors with two interceptions, two forced fumbles, as well as two sacks and 75 tackles from the safety spot. Williams also started 80 consecutive games for the Cowboys before that streak was snapped in 2007.

Blast From The Past: Brock Marion – Marion played 71 games across five seasons with the Cowboys, playing sparingly during his rookie season in 1993 and second year in 1994. However, he became a viable piece of Dallas' Super Bowl winning defense in 1995, racking up six interceptions and 80 tackles in 16 starts. He played in 26 games for the Cowboys in the following two seasons before departing for the Dolphins in the 1998 season.

The Play: Playing on the road against the Vikings in Week 3 of the 1995 season, the Cowboys held a slim 17-10 lead over Minnesota before Warren Moon hit Cris Carter for an 8-yard touchdown late in the fourth to force overtime. Dallas would win the coin toss and received the ball, working their way down the field before Emmitt Smith ripped off a 31-yard run to serve as a highlight of the Cowboys third Super Bowl winning season of the 1990s. Watch Now.

The Cowboys are synonymous with Thanksgiving Day football but have not had the recent success they are accustomed to on Turkey Day. Dallas has 31 wins on Thanksgiving but has been stuck on that number since 2018. They could match their longest drought since 1986-89 of four games with a loss against the Giants this season.

Dallas boasted one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL in 2021, leading the league with an average of 31 points-per-game. They also set the franchise record for most points in a season with 530.

Best Of The Best: Dennis Thurman – Thurman was a relatively under the radar draft pick for the Cowboys, going in the 11th round of the 1978 draft. Though he only started one game during that season, in which Dallas would go on to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history, he proved to be a force in the secondary for the next decade. Thurman racked up a career high nine interceptions in 1982, tallying 36 during his eight years in Dallas along with four pick sixes' despite never being named a Pro Bowler.

Blast From The Past: Walt Garrison – A true Swiss army knife during his nine-year run in Dallas, Garrison did a little bit of everything for Tom Landry out of the backfield. The Denton, Tx. native was a fifth-round selection in 1966 and made good on it, accruing nearly 4,000 rushing yards and almost 2,000 receiving yards. He earned one trip to the Pro Bowl in 1972 in 14 starts as part of the first Super Bowl winning team in Cowboys' history.

The Play: Trailing late in the fourth quarter during Week 17 during the 2018 season, the Cowboys were down to their final attempt on a 4th and 15 against the Giants. Needing a miracle, Dallas looked to Dak Prescott to complete a miracle throw for a go-ahead touchdown and he delivered with the help of Cole Beasley. Prescott rolled to his left to avoid pressure, firing a ball across his body and found a diving Beasley for the 32-yard score that stood after review to seal the win. Watch Now.

There have been 32 quarterbacks in Cowboys' history that have won a game under center in Dallas, with Cooper Rush being the most recent last season against the Vikings. Roger Staubach holds the record for most all-time with 107.

Dallas is 32-32 when playing their road games indoors, and will have a chance to increase that winning total with games against the Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 5 and at the Vikings at U.S Bank Stadium in Week 11.

Best Of The Best: Tony Dorsett – One of the greatest players in Cowboys history, Dorsett was drafted No. 2 overall in 1977 and immediately lifted the offense that year – and for a decade. Dorsett helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII and he became one of the NFL's most dangerous runners. He'll always share the NFL record for the longest run from scrimmage, scoring a 99-yard touchdown against the Vikings in the 1982 season. Dorsett currently ranks 10th all-time with 12,379 rushing yards.

Blast From The Past: Nate Jones – One of three seventh-round picks to make the team in 2004, Jones was a versatile defender that could play safety and cornerback. Jones thrived in the nickel defense, especially in the slot. One of his biggest moments of his career came in 2007 when he knocked Brett Favre out of the game and it led to Aaron Rodgers getting his first extensive snaps of his career. Jones went on to become an official and is currently an NFL referee.

The Play: A great athlete in his day at many sports, perhaps Jay Novacek was a hurdler during his earlier days. He scored a 33-yard touchdown against the Chiefs in 1995 on Thanksgiving Day, after hurdling a defender in the open field en route of the end zone. Watch Now.

Tyron Smith's health has remained a big topic of discussion, especially in the last few years. Throughout his career, which began in 2011, Smith has missed a total of 33 games, including 20 in the last two seasons.

Best Of The Best: Herschel Walker – When the Cowboys thought the the rival football league – USFL – might fold in the near future, they decided to use a fifth-round pick to land the league's best player. In 1985, Herschel Walker was drafted and eventually joined the Cowboys in 1986. He had three great seasons in Dallas and was clearly the best player on the 1989 team when Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson took over. The Cowboys decided to deal Walker to Minnesota in what is arguably the most significant trade in NFL history. The Cowboys received eight draft picks, including three first-round picks and three second-rounders. In all, the Cowboys eventually landed 18 players out of the trade, including players such as Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson and Russell Maryland.

Walker went to the Vikings and never took them to the Super Bowl. He went to the Giants and Eagles before returning to the Cowboys for two seasons in 1996 & 1997, becoming a dangerous kickoff returner in his mid-30s, showing why Walker will always be considered one of the purest athletes in not only Cowboys history but all of pro football.

Blast From The Past: Cornell Green – The Cowboys have made a history of finding players in the most unusual places. Cornell Green is no exception as the team signed him from the basketball court, with hopes he could develop into a defensive back. As it turned out, he was one of the best DBs, and most versatile, in team history. He played 13 seasons, including five Pro Bowls and five All-Pro selections. Not only did Green wear No. 34 but he finished his career with 34 interceptions, tied for fifth in franchise history.

The Play: A player can only be known for his great TD celebrations if of course, he's known for scoring touchdowns. Terrell Owens did both and in a 2007 win over the Dolphins, Owens' had some fun at the Patriots' expense. T.O. scored a fourth-quarter touchdown and then ran around the goal post to emulate a spying photographer, poking fun at New England, which had recently been in the news for spying on the opposing team before a Super Bowl, several years earlier.

The Cowboys have made it the postseason 34 times in their storied franchise history, including last season following a 12-5 season. But not since 2006-2007 have the Cowboys made it the playoffs in consecutive years.

The kicking game is a big question mark at training camp and heading into the season. The Cowboys decided to part ways with veteran Greg Zuerlein, who is tied for the team record with 34 field goals in a season. He tied Richie Cunningham's mark set in 1997.

Calvin Hill – Hill was drafted by the Cowboys in the first round of the 1969 NFL draft purely because of his immense athletic ability, and they were right. Just happened to be at a different position than they thought. After spending his time at linebacker and tight end initially, Hill was given his shot at running back and never looked back. He rushed for over 5,000 yards during his six seasons in Dallas, racking up four Pro Bowls and a first team All-Pro honor during his rookie year plus two Super Bowl titles.

Blast From The Past: Jacques Reeves – A local product from Lancaster, Texas, Reeves was a more than serviceable member of the Cowboys secondary during the mid-2000s. He totaled just over 100 tackles along with an interception and forced fumble across 60 games during his four-year stint in Dallas.

The Play: The Cowboys had lost their last three trips to Foxborough, Mass. coming into their Week 6 clash with the Patriots last season. They entered the matchup with a strong 4-1 record, though it was quickly in jeopardy with a late Patriots' rally in the fourth quarter that forced Dallas into overtime. New England was forced to punt after winning the coin toss, allowing Dak Prescott to orchestrate a drive that ended with him rolling out find CeeDee Lamb for a 35-yard touchdown pass for the win. Watch Now.

The Cowboys are no stranger to postseason success during the franchise's history. Of course, they have the five Super Bowl titles, but Dallas is also ranked third in the NFL since 1958 with 35 total playoff wins.

Best of the Best: Vince Albritton – Another number that hasn't seen many players wear it, No. 36 has been donned by just 13 players. Albritton is the only player who had it more than three years as he played safety for the Cowboys from 1984-91. He was also known as a hybrid linebacker who played close to the line of scrimmage for both Tom Landry and then Jimmy Johnson's first three teams.

Blast From The Past: Darian Barnes – A fullback for Bill Parcells and the Cowboys in 2004. In a Thanksgiving Day game against the Bears that had storylines on Drew Henson making his first start and a pair of brothers – Julius and Thomas Jones – squaring off as opposing starting running backs, it was Barnes who ended up scoring a decisive touchdown in a 21-14 victory. Barnes played just one season in Dallas.

The Play – Jason Witten finished his illustrious career with 72 touchdowns. But you can't get to 72 without No. 1, and his first NFL touchdown occurred in 2003. Witten caught a pass over the middle from Quincy Carter against the Giants. The 36-yard touchdown was his only score of his rookie season. The next 71 occurred over the next 15 seasons. Watch Now.

Best of the Best: James Washington – The Cowboys actually have another "James Washington" on the roster now, but back in the 1990s, this safety was a physical hitter and timely playmaker. His best game, of course, was Super Bowl XXVIII, when he changed the game with three big turnovers to beat the Bills. Washington had a fumble return for a touchdown, along with an interception and forced fumble. Many people today believe he should've won MVP honors over Emmitt Smith. Washington also had an interception the year before in Super Bowl XXVII. Washington played five years in Dallas (1990-95).

Blast From The Past: Bryan McCann – The only player in NFL history to have touchdowns of 97+ yards in consecutive games is Bryan McCann. And to think, these were just his second and third games of his young career. But called up from the practice squad in mid-season back in 2010, McCann had a 101-yard interception against the Giants, followed by a heads-up punt return against the Lions that went 97 yards to the house. Those two scores were the only two touchdowns in McCann's career.

The Play – Fool me once, shame on me. But fool me twice? That was going to happen, and Bill Parcells, special teams coach Bruce DeHaven and of course, Randal Williams, didn't allow it. Just three years earlier, the Eagles started the 2000 season with an onside kick surprise to open the game in a win over the Cowboys. But in 2003, they tried it again but this time, the Cowboys were ready. Williams jumped the gun on David Akers' onside attempt and caught the ball off the bounce at the 37. The speedy receiver had an open lane to the end zone and raced in for a score, which is still considered the fastest TD scored in NFL history. Watch Now.

Something has to give in Week 1 with the Cowboys taking on Tampa Bay. The Cowboys enter the game with a 37-37 all-time record on Sunday Night Football. Last year, the Cowboys went 2-1 on SNF, only losing to Tom Brady and the Bucs.

Dak Prescott was able to set the Cowboys' single-season touchdown record in 2021, throwing 37 touchdowns, including five in the season finale against the Eagles. Dak surpassed Tony Romo's record of 36, set in 2007.

Best of the Best: Jeff Heath – An undrafted safety from Saginaw Valley State, Heath went relatively unnoticed in his first camp, but he managed to stick around on the roster as a rookie. In his NFL start, just a few hours away from where he played college ball, Heath had a memorable game in Detroit, chasing down Calvin Johnson and forcing a fumble on Reggie Bush. Heath went on to play seven years in Dallas, primarily as a starter for the final three of them. Heath was also one of the better special teams players the Cowboys had.

Blast From The Past: Duane Hawthorne – An undrafted cornerback in 1999, Duane Hawthorne made the Cowboys' roster as a big surprise. Nicknamed "Scooter," he might have been small in stature, but Hawthorne was a heady cornerback that could play inside or outside. He was sent to NFL Europe in 2000, where he was a first-team All-Defensive Player. Hawthorne spent four years with the Cowboys and finished his final NFL season with the 49ers.

The Play – The Cowboys were coming off an embarrassing Week 1 loss to the expansion Houston Texans, but they were able to beat the former Houston team in Week 2, outlasting the Titans at home. A big play in the second half was Quincy Carter's 38-yard strike to veteran Joey Galloway, which led to the XXX win. Watch Now.

The most points Dak Prescott has scored in a season is 38, set in 2018, which happens to be the last time he's made a Pro Bowl. That year, Dak rushed for six touchdowns (36 points) and had a two-point conversion run as well. Now over the last three years, Prescott has developed more as a passer – evident by his team-record 37 TD passes in 2021. But to get back to their winning ways, the Cowboys will probably rely on Dak running the ball more, especially near the red zone.

The Cowboys will probably need to find a new punt returner in 2022, now that CeeDee Lamb is expected to be the No. 1 wide receiver. Since being drafted in 2020, Lamb has 38 career punt returns, easily the most experienced of any player on the team. But will the Cowboys rely on that or focus on having another alternative fielding punts?

Best of the Best: Brandon Carr – Of his 13-year career, six of which occurred in Dallas, including a five-year stint from 2012-17. Carr signed a free-agent deal with the Cowboys in the 2012 offseason, instantly becoming one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. Carr had three interceptions each in 2012 and 2013, only to have one pick in his final three years in Dallas. Carr went to the Ravens for three seasons but came back for a three-game stay with the Cowboys in 2020, his final season in the NFL.

Blast From The Past: Lousaka Polite – A fullback who made the team in 2004 under Bill Parcells, Polite turned into a journeyman that played nine years in the NFL on various teams. Polite played 27 games for the Cowboys before heading to Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and New England for the next five seasons. Polite's only career touchdown occurred in 2005 in a Cowboys win over the Eagles.

The Play – The Cowboys looked down and out during a 2004 home game against Washington. But with one last drive, veteran Vinny Testaverde hooked up with rookie receiver Patrick Crayton, who got behind the defense to catch a 39-yard touchdown that propelled Dallas to a last-second 13-10 victory at Texas Stadium. Watch Now.

Tony Pollard caught 39 passes – mostly out of the backfield – in 2021. But as it stands now, that number should likely increase this year. And the fact the Cowboys are without two veteran receivers for the start of the season in Michael Gallup and James Washington, it's possibly Pollard will get more reps as a receiver.

Best of the Best: Bill Bates – An undrafted player from Tennessee, Bates was supposed to be to small and too slow to make it in the NFL. He only last 15 years, mostly as a special teams player, but arguably one of the best special teams players in the history of the game. In fact, Bates' superb play covering kicks, he was one of the reasons the NFL decided to add that spot to the Pro Bowl and Bates was selected in 1984, his second NFL season. A true fan favorite, Bates didn't get to play in Super Bowl XXVII because of a knee injury, but returned to play the next year and again in the 1995 season. Bates ranks fourth in Cowboys history with 217 games played.

Blast From The Past: Danny McCary – Long before he was a TV star on the reality show "Survivor," McCray was another special teams ace that wore No. 40. He caught the eye of former Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, when he was actually looking at another LSU teammate on film. But McCray's instincts in the kicking game got him a contract in 2010 after the draft. He made the team and after two years, joined Bill Bates as the second player in franchise history to lead the team in special teams tackles.

The Play – Tony Pollard got the start in place of an injured Ezekiel Elliott against the 49ers in 2020 and made the most of it. His highlight play was a dazzling 40-yard touchdown in which he broke a few tackles en route to the end zone. Watch now.

Remember about 17 months ago when the Cowboys gave Dak Prescott a whopping new contract that averaged $40 million per season? At the time, Dak's $40 million per contract ranked second in the NFL, but now it's tied for sixth in the league as players such as Aaron Rodgers, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen and Deshaun Watson have had new deals to top it. After just one season with the new deal, could it already be time to start extending Dak again?

The goal every year is to win the division. That's the first goal that automatically gets a team into the playoffs. Now, if you can win every game, obviously that would do the trick. But what about dominating every team in every game? That's basically what the Cowboys did in 2021, not only going a perfect 6-0 against the NFC East. But the Cowboys averaged exactly 40 points per game, highlighted by scoring 56 points against Washington and 51 at Philadelphia in the final three weks of the season. On the flip side, the Cowboys allowed just 17.8 points in those six games.

Best Of The Best: Charlie Waters – One of the key pieces to the "Doomsday Defense," Waters was a force from the day the Cowboys selected him from Clemson in the third round of the 1970 NFL Draft. Appearing in five Super Bowls and helping lift Dallas to their first two titles, Waters recorded 41 interceptions and seven sacks across 11 seasons while earning Pro Bowl honors from 1976-1978.

Blast From The Past: Terence Newman – Newman was the fifth overall pick by the Cowboys in 2003 from Kansas State and went on to be a mainstay of the early 2000s Cowboys' defenses. He played nine seasons in Dallas, playing 16 games in six of those years and getting two Pro Bowl nods. In total, Newman recorded 32 interceptions and all three of his career touchdowns in Dallas.

The Play: An all-time Cowboys great, DeMarcus Ware racked up plenty of memorable moments in Dallas as one of the premier pass rushers in the league for almost a decade. However, it was in 2006 against the Falcons that Ware nabbed one of his three career interceptions and his only career touchdown. On the first play of the second half, Ware and Chris Canty broken through the offensive line, forcing Michael Vick to haphazardly to throw the ball right into Ware's chest and taking 41 yards for the score. Watch Now.

Rookie safety Markquese Bell might have one of the best chances to make the team among the undrafted free agents. Donning the No. 41, Bell has been productive in the offseason and currently running with the No. 2 defense at training camp.

In the franchises 62-year history, the Cowboys have played in 41 overtime games with a record of 22-19 all time. Last season, Dallas 1-1 in two overtime games including CeeDee Lamb's touchdown on the road against the Patriots in New England.

Best Of The Best: Barry Church – Church spent his first seven seasons with the Cowboys as a mainstay in the secondary after arriving in 2010. He started 63 games for Dallas during that span, collecting nearly 500 tackles and almost three sacks to go along with his five interceptions. Church has become a recognizable voice for Cowboys' fans by working in various capacities for DallasCowboys.com.

Blast From The Past: Troy Hambrick – Though he did see much action during his rookie season in 2000, Hambrick put up two solid seasons as the No. 2 running back Emmitt Smith during the end of his run in Dallas. After posting seasons of almost 600 yards in 2001 and over 300 yards in 2002, Hambrick became the fulltime starter in 2003 and post nearly 1,000 yards and five touchdowns before departing for the Cardinals that offseason.

The Play: Cowboys fans saw just how electrifying Trevon Diggs could in 2021 during his third season in the NFL. After all, he led the league in interceptions with 11 and set the franchise record for most interceptions in a season. But it was Week 6 against the Patriots where Diggs really left his mark. With Dallas trailing late in the fourth quarter, Diggs jumped Kendrick Bourne's route on a Mac Jones pass before taking it 42 yards for the touchdown to give the Cowboys a late lead in a game they'd eventually win in overtime. Watch Now.

Micah Parsons was every bit as advertised during his rookie campaign, culminating with a unanimous selection as the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year. With 13 sacks, Parsons also recorded 42 quarterback pressures as one of the Cowboys premier pass rushers. Whether it's in the linebacker spot or as an edge rusher, Parsons will continue to be a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive end.

Best of the Best: Cliff Harris – It's hard to find a more consistent and universally respected defender in Cowboys history than Cliff Harris. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, he is widely known as one of the best safeties in the history of the franchise. Six-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and a member of the Cowboys Ring of Honor as well as the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team.

Blast from the Past: Don Perkins – After he was drafted by the Colts in 1960, Perkins eventually landed in Dallas and became a pillar of the Cowboys' offense with six Pro Bowls in the next eight years. Tom Landry referred to him as a "remarkable runner" while Walt Garrison called him the "best fullback the Cowboys ever had."

The Play – The Cowboys' chances of winning this Monday Night game in Philadelphia seemed rather bleak late in the fourth quarter. It seemed this would be yet another crushing blow to head coach Bill Parcells, who had already attended his brother's funeral earlier that day in New Jersey. But the Cowboys pulled out some fourth-quarter magic, scoring a touchdown that cut the Philly lead to 20-14. And then, safety Roy Williams jumped in front of Donovan McNabb's sideline pass at the 46-yard line, and scampered down the sidelines for a dramatic touchdown, lifting the Cowboys to a 21-20 win. After the game, Williams presented his coach with the game ball and it was relayed to Parcells that his brother, a college football player at Army, wore No. 31, the same number as Williams, who won the game with his pick-six. Watch Now.

One of just four jersey numbers to have multiple representatives in the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Both Harris and Perkins were enshrined in the Ring of Honor under the number. The other three include 22, 54, and 88.

Tom Brady led the NFL with 43 touchdown passes in 2021. Despite briefly retiring this offseason, will be the Cowboys opening week opponent (in 43 days) on September 11.

The Best of the Best: Robert Newhouse – For 13 years, there weren't many things "House" couldn't do. Newhouse played running back, fullback and even threw a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XII over the Broncos. By the end of his career, Newhouse showed why he was the ultimate teammate, not only running down on kickoffs, but still making plays. He forced a fumble against the Giants in 1983 that led to a game-clinching touchdown. Just how many running backs make it to year 12 of their career, much less willing to run down on special teams, and still fast enough to be the first one to the ball? That was Robert Newhouse, who also spent many years working for the Cowboys after his career, before he passed away in 2014.

Blast From The Past: Robert Thomas – Nicknamed "Redrock," Thomas began his career as undrafted free agent that made the team as a linebacker. But by his second season, the Cowboys coaching staff thought he had a future on offense and switched him to fullback, where he blocked for Emmitt Smith for the next four years. Thomas was the lead blocker on Emmitt's record-breaking run in 2002.

The Play – Tony Pollard has the speed, which is why Cowboys fans are wanting him to get more touches in 2022. While that is likely to happen, it's run like this one in 2019 – his rookie year – that showed his electrifying potential. Pollard ripped off a 44-yard run in a blowout win over the Rams, one of many long-range touchdowns that has become a staple in Pollard's game. Watch Now.

Veteran punter Bryan Anger had the best season in Cowboys history in 2021, setting a franchise record with a 44.0 yard average per punt, the fourth-best average in NFL history. Anger was able to re-sign with the Cowboys on a three-year contract.

Since entering the league in 2016, Dak Prescott has 44 games of a 100+ passer rating. Prescott is actually tied with Troy Aikman with the 44 games of triple-digit QBR, and both trail Tony Romo for the franchise record with 67.

Best of the Best: Manny Hendrix – One of many undrafted success stories in Cowboys history, Hendrix made the team as a rookie in 1986 and went on to play six seasons in Dallas as a part-time starting cornerback. Hendrix was an All-WAC player for Utah – in basketball, not football – but he went undrafted by the NBA and gave football a try for the first time since high school. (Fun fact: Cornell Green made a similar transition from Utah State 25 years earlier and became a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Super Bowl champion with the Cowboys in 1971.)

Blast From The Past: Rod Smith – Smith teamed up with his brother, Jaylon, for three years in Dallas and was a solid special teams contributor and reserve running back. He appeared in 17 games for the Cowboys from 2015-18, rushing for 232 yards and four touchdowns on 55 attempts. He also had an 81-yard touchdown catch in a road win over the Giants in 2017.

The Play: The Cowboys' first Super Bowl title of the 1990s is best remembered as a blowout win over the Bills, but Buffalo actually showed signs of a comeback in the second half, cutting the deficit to 14. That was until Alvin Harper's 45-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter. Harper – a viable deep threat and a perfect complement to Hall of Famer Michael Irvin – beat Bills cornerback James Williams down the right sideline and Troy Aikman hit him in stride for the score, capped by Harper's celebratory dunk over the goalpost. The Cowboys never looked back, winning Super Bowl XXVII 52-17.

Of Dak Prescott's 4,449 passing yards last season, 2,027 (roughly 45%) came from yards after the catch by his receivers -- the eighth-most YAC for a quarterback in 2021.

A top priority for the offense this season is getting the run game on track. After a strong start last season, the production dipped down the stretch, and Dallas posted a season-low 45 rushing yards in a Week 16 loss to the Cardinals.

The Best of the Best: Mark Washington – For nearly the entire 70s decade, Washington was a contributing member of the Cowboys' defense at cornerback and special teams. From 1970-78, Washington played nine seasons and was a member of four Super Bowl teams, including two championships. Unfortunately for Washington, his most memorable moment is a flattering one, as he is the defender on two of Lynn Swann's highlight catches in Super Bowl X. Swann out-jumped Washington, who had good coverage on both plays, but couldn't come up with the play.

Blast From The Past: Erik Bickerstaff – Playing just one season for the Cowboys in 2003, Bickerstaff was added to the roster later in the season by Bill Parcells, who wanted a bigger, goal-line back all season. Bickerstaff only had 19 carries that season, totaling 56 yards and a touchdown before getting injured the next season. The 2003 season proved to be Bickerstaff's only year in the NFL.

The Play – The Cowboys' chances of winning this Monday Night game in Philadelphia seemed rather bleak late in the fourth quarter. It seemed this would be yet another crushing blow to head coach Bill Parcells, who had already attended his brother's funeral earlier that day in New Jersey. But the Cowboys pulled out some fourth-quarter magic, scoring a touchdown that cut the Philly lead to 20-14. And then, safety Roy Williams jumped in front of Donovan McNabb's sideline pass at the 46-yard line, and scampered down the sidelines for a dramatic touchdown, lifting the Cowboys to a 21-20 win. After the game, Williams presented his coach with the game ball and it was relayed to Parcells that his brother, a college football player at Army, wore No. 31, the same number as Williams, who won the game with his pick-six. Watch Now.

All offseason, Tony Pollard worked with the wide receivers – for a couple of reasons as the Cowboys are not only trying to get him more touches in the offense, but the receivers had plenty of injury setbacks this summer. But either way, it's clear the Cowboys want to get Pollard way more than the 46 targets he had in 2021. If the Cowboys are content on getting the ball to Zeke in the ground game, then getting Pollard on the field in the passing game is a way to get them both on the field and it's likely he'll get much more passing attempts than the 2.7 attempts per game in 2022.

Best of the Best: Ryan McNeil – Obviously, there aren't many players that donned this number if the best of the best played one year in Dallas. But that one season – 2000 – was a big year for McNeil, who was a free-agent signee that season. The Cowboys drafted three cornerbacks that year, but only McNeil was a real standout. He had two interceptions, but was clearly one of the best players on the entire defense. McNeil parlayed that year into another contract in San Diego, where he had eight picks the next year. Overall, he played 11 seasons with six teams and had 31 picks.

Blast From The Past: Dexter Clinkscale – Despite having arguably one of the best names in team history, Clinkscale was somewhat overshadowed by a group of DBs that always got their hands on the ball. But during his time in Dallas (1980, 1982-85), Clinkscale not only found the ball but the quarterbacks. He's one of 12 defensive backs in NFL history to record at least nine sacks and nine interceptions in their first five pro seasons.

The Play: Super Bowl XXX is known for a lot of things – most notably being the last time the Cowboys have won the Lombardi Trophy. But it was the game that Dallas avenged two earlier Super Bowl losses to the Steelers. The game Larry Brown found himself with two interceptions and the MVP. And the game, in which Deion Sanders lined up on offense, showing off not only his amazing versatility, but speed and hands. He hauled in a 47-yard bomb from Troy Aikman in the first quarter that led to an early touchdown. That play helped prompt the Cowboys to use Sanders as a starting wide receiver the following year – making him the first two-way player since the 60's. Watch Now.

When the Cowboys drafted Michael Irvin in 1988, he was known as the flamboyant, brash and downright cocky receiver that wore No. 47. But Irvin not only donned No. 88 and helped make it become one of the most sacred jersey numbers in team history, but he also set a franchise record with the most 100-yard receiving games in team history, racking up 47 over the course of his career.

This will be the first season in Cowboys history to play just three preseason games. Over the years, the Cowboys have fallen below the .500 mark, current owning a 47.2 winning percentage in the exhibition.

Best of the Best: Daryl Johnston – Daryl "Moose" Johnston was an all-time great player and nickname on the field during the Cowboys string of success in the 1990's. Johnston became a fan favorite quickly following his second-round selection in the 1989 NFL Draft. His physical brand of play led him to two Pro Bowl selections and three Super Bowl titles in his 10-year career in Dallas.

Blast from the Past: Joe Thomas – Over the years, Joe Thomas has gone from heavy underdog to NFL journeyman, including a three-year stint in Dallas. Thomas went undrafted in 2014 before bouncing back and forth between the Green Bay Packers and the Cowboys practice squads. Finally, after three seasons back in Green Bay, Thomas latched on with the Cowboys for 40 games and six starts between 2018 and 2020.

The Play: Week 12 of the 1990 season included one of the early shining moments of Emmitt Smith's legendary career. With time winding down in the fourth quarter, the 5-7 Cowboys were looking to run out the clock on a victory over Washington and hold on to a three-point lead. A young Smith had other plans as he squeezed through the line of scrimmage and put future Hall of Famer Darrell Green on skates for a 48-yard touchdown run. It was the longest touchdown run of his AP Rookie of the Year season. Watch Now.

Entering the 2022 season, DeMarcus Lawrence has tallied 48.5 career sacks over his eight seasons. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 2017 and 2018 with double-digit sack seasons and currently ranks 12th in franchise history for the category.

Since 2016, no NFL player has more games with over 100 scrimmage yards than Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott leads the way with 48 such games which is a dozen clear of the second-highest total in that period, held by Alvin Kamara with 32.

The Best: Jamize Olawale There haven't been many players in Cowboys history – four to be exact – that have worn No. 49 in a game. The best is likely fullback Jamize Olawale, who had two stints with the team. He was a rookie free agent in 2012 that didn't make the team but wound up with the Raiders. Then in 2018, he returned and played two seasons before opting to sit out the 2020 season and he hasn't been in the NFL since.

Blast From The Past – That's right – Jason Witten's first number issued by the Cowboys was not No. 82. As a rookie tight end – albeit a third-round pick in 2003 – Witten still got the No. 49, a jersey number rarely used to that point. That's a huge change for a player that actually wore No. 1 in college at Tennessee. Of course, Witten moved to No. 82 before training camp and now, who knows if anyone will ever don that number again.

The Play: In a huge division game between the Cowboys and Eagles in 2009, Tony Romo broke a 13-13 tie in the fourth quarter with a clutch pass to Miles Austin, who hadn't caught a ball all night. But the pump-and-go froze the Eagles secondary and put Austin wide open in the secondary, where he would cut into the middle of the field for the remaining yards of a go-ahead 49-yard touchdown in the eventual 20-16 win.

The largest margin of victory in a regular-season game is 49 points, occurring in 1966 when the Cowboys pummeled the Eagles 56-7. That record was nearly tied last year when Dallas had a 56-7 lead on Washington before a fumble in the end zone led to a touchdown and an eventual 56-14 outcome.

Best Of The Best: Sean Lee – Few players better embodied what it meant to be a member of the Cowboys than Sean Lee during his 10 years in Dallas. Drafted in the second round out of Penn State, Lee instantly became a fan favorite, including back-to-back Pro Bowls and First-Team All-Pro honors in 2016, all after missing 2014 with a torn ACL. In total, Lee compiled 802 tackles, 14 interceptions and four sacks before retiring in 2020.

Blast From The Past: D.D. Lewis – Lewis was a part of the first two Super Bowl winning teams in franchise history in 1972 and 1977. The Tennessee native was drafted in 1968 from Mississippi State in the sixth round, playing his entire 13-year career with the Cowboys.

The Play: With a wind chill of just 17 degrees, the Cowboys traveled to Minnesota just three days after Christmas to take on the Vikings in the 1975 NFC Divisional round as a heavy underdog. Dallas was shut out in the first half, trailing 7-0 going to the third quarter. The Cowboys would mount a comeback, with a touchdown in the third and 10 more in the fourth, including a 50-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson to seal the win. Dallas would advance to the NFC Championship, and actually Super Bowl X against the Steelers. Watch Now.

Not only has Dak proven that he can be an elite level passer at the quarterback spot, but also with his running ability. He became the fourth Cowboys quarterback to surpass 1,000 career rushing yards, tying Roger Staubach for the fewest number of games to reach the feat with 50.

Micah Parsons' rookie season was historic in many facets, but it all culminated with at the NFL Honors Ceremony. Parsons unanimously received all 50 votes in the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, while also taking home first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a rookie.

Best of the Best: Ken Norton Jr. – Former second-round pick Ken Norton Jr. overcame early injuries in his career to become one of the best linebackers in the NFL. The UCLA product was a large contributor in the Cowboys back-to-back Super Bowl titles during the 1990's. Including his infamous scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXVII. The star linebacker made his first of three Pro Bowls with the Cowboys in 1993 before signing with the 49ers a season later. He is currently the linebackers coach at his alma mater, UCLA.

Blast from the Past: Al Singleton – After five seasons and a Super Bowl title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Al Singleton joined the Cowboys in 2003 hoping to solidify the linebacker position. He was a full-time starter during his first two seasons in Dallas before a scheme change and a broken clavicle kept him from that role. He played four seasons in Dallas before retiring in 2006.

The Play: A monumental moment in one of the biggest comebacks in Dallas Cowboys history. After trailing Washington 23-3 at halftime, Tony Hill, Danny White, and the Dallas passing attack came alive with a one-handed basket-style grab for their second straight touchdown connection. Dallas would come away with a 31-30 win thanks to 28 straight points in one of the best Monday Night Football games of all-time. Watch Now.

Dallas scored 51 points in a Week 18 win over the Eagles to close the 2021 regular season. It marked just the 22nd time in league history that a team had scored over 50 points in a game multiple times through a single campaign. Cowboys teams have achieved the feat on three separate occasions in 1966, 1980, and now 2021.

In 1971, the Cowboys became the first team since the NFL merger to lead the league in takeaways (51) and points scored (406). Since then, only five other teams have led the league in both categories. With the most recent being the Cowboys last season with 34 takeaways and 530 points.

Best Of The Best: Dexter Coakley – Drafted out of Appalachian State in 1997, Coakley joined the Cowboys as a third-round pick and immediately won a starting job as a weak side linebacker and led all NFL rookies in tackles that season with 136. That mark stood as the Cowboys' rookie record until broken by Leighton Vander Esch in 2018.

Coakley, who was generously listed at 5-10 and around 225 pounds, used his speed to get to the ball over and over, finishing his career ranked fourth in franchise history with 1,046 tackles. He also had 13 career interceptions and scored four touchdowns. The game that likely got him on the map occurred in 1999 on Thanksgiving Day against Miami. Playing in front of the national audience, Coakley picked off Hall of Famer Dan Marino twice, including a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown as the Cowboys blanked the Dolphins, 20-0. Coakley earned his first Pro Bowl selection just a few weeks later.

Blast From The Past: Dave Edwards – Usually, the third-best linebacker on a team isn't going to be an impact player. But Dave Edwards was the exception to the rule. Playing alongside Ring of Honor members Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan, Edwards was a staple on the Doomsday Defense for 13 seasons. He also had 13 career interceptions and 15.5 sacks. Edwards is considered by many Cowboys historians as one of the greatest players in team history not to make a Pro Bowl.

The Play: In 1983, the Cowboys were 5-0 but the chances of a sixth straight win looked bleak. The Cowboys had the ball near midfield without any timeouts against the pesky Bucs. But while Danny White was trying to work the sideline, his pass to Timmy Newsome did more than that. Newsome cut up the field and raced past the defenders, tight-roping the sideline for a game-tying touchdown. It led to a field goal in overtime as the Cowboys were able to survive Tampa Bay, 27-24. Watch Now.

While Everson Walls and Trevon Diggs have garnered plenty of attention here recently as they now share the Cowboys single-season interception record with 11, both of them are behind the Cowboys' all-time leader. Mel Renfro has the Cowboys' record with 52 interceptions. Walls is second with 44 while Diggs has 14 in his first two years.

The Cowboys barely even tried to run the ball against the Bucs in Week 1 last year, totaling a season-low 52 rushing yards. It was a problem down by the goal line where the Cowboys had to settle for field goals in the red zone on two occasions. Tampa Bay has a stout defense that forces teams to run to the outside so it'll be interesting to see how the Cowboys approach that Week 1 game on Sept. 11. One difference this year should be the return of Zack Martin, who did not play in the game because of COVID-19 protocols.

Best Of The Best: Mark Stepnoski – Serving as the glue for the offensive line that helped lift the Cowboys two of their three Super Bowl titles in four seasons, Stepnoski was at the center of it all. Literally and figuratively. Dallas drafted the center from the University of Pittsburgh in the third round in 1989, the same draft as Troy Aikman. Stepnoski became an instant success with Aikman behind him, making three straight Pro Bowls from 1992-1994 and starting 182 games.

Blast From The Past: Bob Breunig – Breunig plated his entire nine-year career with the Cowboys after coming from Arizona State in the 1975 draft. The California native was an iron man as well, not missing a start from 1978-1980. That stretch also included Dallas' second Super Bowl title in franchise history, as well as two of Breunig's three Pro Bowl selections. He also led the Cowboys in total tackles from 1977-1981.

The Play: We all vividly remember the play, right? The Cowboys started the 2007 campaign on fire by starting 5-0 before a loss to the Patriots in Week 6 just before the bye week. Following the bye Dallas went to Philly where Jason Witten created one of the most memorable plays in Cowboys history. Tony Romo found Witten over the middle before he crashed into two Eagles defenders, causing him to lose his helmet. Instead of going down, Witten continued down all the way inside the 10-yard line, helmetless and fired up. And that play will not only live forever, but it likely won't have any company as the NFL has since changed the rule, blowing all plays dead once the ball-carrier's helmet comes off. Watch Now

After becoming the starting quarterback for the Cowboys in 2016, Dak Prescott has 53 wins in 85 starts over six seasons in Dallas. That sets him at fifth all time in franchise history. It also puts Prescott in fourth place among active quarterbacks during that span behind Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson.

The Cowboys had one of the most efficient offenses during the 2021 season, mostly due to their ability to have big success on first down. Dallas gained four or more yards on first down plays last season 53% of the time, third behind the Chiefs and Packers.

Best Of The Best: Randy White – Drafted as a linebacker in 1975, the Cowboys thought maybe Randy White would be better served on the defensive line instead. As it turned out, White is arguably the best defensive tackle in team history and a Hall of Famer who made the NFL's Top 100 players list. Known as the "Manster," White dominated his opponents at the line of scrimmage and played with an attitude that personified the "Doomsday Defense." From 1977-85, White earned nine straight Pro Bowl selections as the Cowboys made the playoffs all but one of those seasons.

Blast From The Past: Bruce Carter – The Cowboys have made a habit out of drafting players in the second round based off value and upside. Carter was one of those picks in 2011, after suffering a torn ACL in college that likely dropped him out of the first round. But while he spent four years in Dallas, Carter didn't exactly meet the expectations. He did have five interceptions in 2014, the most by any Cowboys player until Trevon Diggs surpassed that in 2021. Carter was a solid player, who ended up playing eight years, including the last four on three different teams.

The Play: It might not be the most memorable play of the 1994 win over the Saints, but Tony Tolbert picked up his first career interception and his first career touchdown when he snuffed out a screen pass in the flat and snagged the pick, racing to the house for the 54-yard touchdown. It was one of two Cowboys' pick-sixes that day (Darrin Smith) but they were both overshadowed by Larry Allen chasing down the Saints linebacker, turning himself into a household name overnight. Watch Now.

As great as Randy White was, he wasn't the first No. 54 to become a great player for the Cowboys. Linebacker Chuck Howley was also a Ring of Honor player and owns the distinction as the only player in Super Bowl history to win MVP honors on the losing team. Howley was named Super Bowl VI MVP in the Cowboys' loss to the Colts.

The No. 54 is one of four jersey numbers (88, 43, 22) that have multiple players in the Ring of Honor. And it's usually given to a young linebacker that has promise, likely drafted in the first few rounds. It doesn't always pan out, as player such as Bobby Carpenter, Bruce Carter and Jaylon Smith didn't live up to the lofty expectations. But the number was given out to Sam Williams, a second-round pick from Ole Miss who will see if he can be the next great No. 54 defensive player in Dallas.

Best Of The Best: Lee Roy Jordan – The middle linebacker is often known as the coach of the defense. Ironically enough, one of the best middle linebackers in Cowboys history had only two coaches past high school – legends Tom Landry and Paul "Bear" Bryant. So Lee Roy Jordan was likely destined for greatness from the start.

Jordan was a leader on the field but he also produced, racking up more tackles than any other player in franchise history and held the record of 1,236 yards for 26 years after he retired until Darren Woodson broke it during the 2002 season.

Jordan's 32 career interceptions are not only the most by a Cowboys linebacker but he's tied for third in NFL history for picks by a linebacker. Jordan also recorded three interceptions in one game against the Bengals in 1973, returning one for a touchdown. Jordan had 16 career fumble recoveries, which ranks fourth in franchise history.

He earned two All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowls and played in three Super Bowls, helping the Cowboys win their first-ever championship in the 1971 season.

In 1989, Jordan was inducted into the Ring of Honor, becoming the first inductee by current owner Jerry Jones.

Blast From The Past: Zach Thomas – At some point, maybe in the near future, Zach Thomas will be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And when that happens, it will be a proud day for the Miami Dolphins, who drafted Thomas in the fifth round in 1996. Thomas spent the first 12 years of his career in Miami, but he finished up his pro career not far from his hometown. Thomas, a kid that played at Pampa, Texas and starred at Texas Tech, finished up his illustrious career with Dallas in 2008. Thomas nearly racked up 100 tackles on a defense that ranked No. 8 in the NFL that year. Thomas certainly isn't known as a Cowboy, but he is yet another future Hall of Famer who did have a brief stint with the team.

The Play: In his rookie year, Ezekiel Elliott did everything for the Cowboys, enjoying one of the best seasons by a Dallas running back in franchise history. One of his best plays was a 55-yard touchdown run against the Lions, showcasing Zeke's burst, vision and his breakaway speed, something that has been missing the last few years. But on this night, no one was catching Zeke. Watch Now.

If Leighton Vander Esch's career was a rollercoaster, the "Wolf Hunter" ride would certainly be one with plenty of twists and turns and even a couple of loops. What started out as a promising superstar that made the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro as a rookie, Vander Esch hasn't been able to rekindle that kind of success in the last three seasons. And while it appeared he was ready to leave in free agency, the market actually led LVE back to Dallas, where he'll once again anchor the middle of the linebacker corps in Dan Quinn's defense.

LVE's last game – the Wild Card loss to the 49ers – was arguably his best game of the season and maybe the best in the last two years. Vander Esch had 13 tackles, the most since the 2019 season.

Best Of The Best: Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson – A first-round selection by Dallas during the 1975 NFL Draft from Langston University, "Hollywood" Henderson was part of the Cowboys' famous "Dirty Dozen" draft when 12 rookies made the team. None of them had the charisma and flamboyant nature as Henderson, who totaled 12.5 sacks over five seasons with the Cowboys, including a Pro Bowl selection in 1978.

Blast From The Past: Randall Godfrey – Godfrey played just four seasons with the Cowboys after being drafted in 1996 from Georgia in the second round. He totaled five sacks with 309 total tackles across 64 games. Godfrey was playing in a time when the Cowboys didn't put the highest value on linebackers and let him go in free agency. Godfrey signed with the Titans in 2000 but played with a total of five teams before retiring in 2007.

The Play: One of the long-standing members of the 2000s Cowboys in Terence Newman engineered one of the most electrifying plays of the 2006 season for Dallas in their Week 17 matchup against the Lions before heading into the playoffs. Dallas rallied from a 13-0 deficit in the first quarter, engaging in a back and forth contest the rest of the way, including Newman's 56-yard punt return in the third quarter and Terrell Owens' 56-yard touchdown receptions in the fourth. Watch Now.

A steady and consistent performer during his stint in Dallas, Bradie James became a force on the defensive side of the ball for the Cowboys by leading the team in tackles for six consecutive seasons from 2005-2010 – the only player in team history to be credited with six straight years as the tackle leader.

The Cowboys scored their season high in points against Washington last season in a 56-14 win at home. The 56 points in last year's Week 16 contest are the third most in team history and most in 41 years when they scored 59 against the 49ers in 1980 and against the Lions in 1968.

Best of the Best: Kevin Burnett – Dallas drafted Kevin Burnett in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft and he stuck around until 2008. Unfortunately, the start of his career was riddled with knee issues that limited his early production. In four seasons, he started just four games over 61 appearances with 149 tackles and four sacks.

Blast from the Past: Quentin Coryatt – Following a collegiate career at Texas A&M where he was named Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Quentin Coryatt was drafted by the Colts with the second overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. He was signed by the Cowboys before the 1999 season, hoping he could find his footing in the NFL after struggling in Indianapolis. Instead, an Achilles injury hindered his progress as he played in only four games, including one start.

The Play: In Week 5 of the 1989 season, the Cowboys took advantage of some sloppy offense and a slippery football for a 57-yard fumble recovery. A fumbled snap by the Green Bay offense was kicked nearly 15 yards backwards before Eugene Lockhart finally corralled the ball and took it the rest of the way for the touchdown. Watch now.

In 2016, Dak Prescott set the franchise record for rushing attempts by a rookie quarterback with 57. He finished that season with 282 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. He then surpassed that rushing total with 357 yards on the same number of rushing attempts (57) in his second season.

Entering the 2022 season, Dallas holds the second-best regular season winning percentage in the history of the NFL at 57.2%. The Cowboys held a league-best mark until the end of the 2020 regular season when the Green Bay Packers took over the top mark, currently at 57.3%.

Best of the Best: Mike Hegman – He spent 12 seasons with the Cowboys (1976-87), but didn't start until the 1980 season. Hegman was on plenty of successful teams – playing in 16 career playoff games. He actually scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XIII against the Steelers, ripping the ball away from Terry Bradshaw and returning it 37 yards for a touchdown. Hegman finished his career – all with the Cowboys – ranked 16th in team history with 649 tackles.

Blast From The Past: Dixon Edwards – Right place at the right time? Or right place at the wrong time? Edwards could make the argument on both sides. On one hand, his five-year stint with the Cowboys was one of the most successful times in NFL history as he played on five straight playoff teams from 1991-95, including three Super Bowl titles. However, he was also playing during a time in which the Cowboys didn't value linebackers like they do today. Edwards eventually had to leave to get a big payday. He played nine total seasons, but never had anything close to the success had early on in Dallas.

The Play: Let's go with two plays here – especially since they occurred about seven minutes apart. In a 2012 matchup with the Saints, Dez Bryant reeled in a pair of 58-yard touchdowns from Tony Romo, torching the New Orleans secondary on consecutive possessions during the second quarter. Watch now.

The argument between playing Tony Pollard more than Ezekiel Elliott usually comes down to Pollard's big-play ability. That was on display during a win over the Saints last year in which the offense was struggling. But Pollard ripped off a career-long 58-yard touchdown against the Saints that seemed to energize the entire team as the Cowboys rolled past the Saints in the second half. It's that type of run that will keep Pollard on the field even more in 2022. The 58-yard run was the longest run by any Cowboys player since 2017.

So just how good has Ezekiel Elliott been throughout his career? That one will always be up for debate, but as it stands currently, he ranks No. 58 on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 7,386. Last year, Elliott literally limped to his fifth 1,000-yard season. If he can manage to get at least 1,000 yards again in 2022, Zeke would jump to around No. 42 all time, depending on what a couple of other current NFL players do this year.

Best of the Best: Dat Nguyen – It's hard to find a more impressive career and overall story that took place over just seven NFL seasons, than Dat Nguyen. He was the first Vietnamese-American to be drafted and selected as an All-Pro (2003) in the league after a hall of fame career at Texas A&M. The third-round selection spent all seven seasons with the Cowboys and finished with 516 career tackles, seven interceptions while being named to the All-Rookie team in 1999.

Blast from the Past: Anthony Hitchens – Drafted from Iowa during the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Hitchens was instantly thrusted into a "do-it-all" linebacker role with an injury to Sean Lee. His ability to play inside, outside, and middle linebacker allowed him to see early playing time and establish a role in the front seven. Hitchens played in Dallas from 2014 to 2017 before joining the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won Super Bowl LIV just a few years later.

The Play: Deion Sanders took the nickname "Prime Time" to another level on Monday Night Football in 1998when he broke multiple tackles and evaded the entire Giants special teams unit for a dazzling 59-yard punt return. Early in the play, it appeared Deion Sanders was destined for a modest gain before he put a foot in the turf and reversed field to find a seam in a way only Sanders could do. But that wasn't his only highlight of the night. Sanders also had a 71-yard interception for a touchdown, caught a 55-yard pass on offense. In fact, the NFL gave out a special "Prime Time Player of the Week" award for Sanders' performance. Watch Now.

Emmitt Smith tallied a franchise-best 59 games with at least 100 scrimmage yards over the first six years of his career. Through the first six of his career, Ezekiel Elliott has managed 48 such games which ranks 15th most by a Cowboys player in that time period.

Dak Prescott has thrown 59 of his 143-career touchdown passes on second down. The most on a single down by a significant margin throughout his career with the second most being 42 scores thrown on first down.

Best of the Best: Derek Kennard – Known by his teammates as "Big Baby," Kennard played the final three years of his career with the Cowboys in 1994-96. He was mostly a backup, but started 16 games in 1994 as the Cowboys were forced to shuffle the line around due to injuries. Kennard had versatility, playing both guard spots at center during his career, which began with the Cardinals in 1986. He spent time with the Saints before wrapping up his career in Dallas.

Blast From The Past: Don Smerek – A role player during the Cowboys' Doomsday Defense of the 1980s, Smerek spent all seven of his years in Dallas. He only started four career games, but he still had 6.0 sacks in 1983 and 4.5 sacks in 1986.

The Play: There were lots of good choices here, but none better than Miles Austin's game-winning touchdown to beat the Chiefs in 2009. The 60-yard touchdown in overtime not only gave Dallas a 26-20 win in Kansas City, but capped off one of the greatest individual performances in team history. Austin got his first career start because of an injury to Roy Williams, and made the most of it with a 10-catch, 250-yard effort, thanks to the final play where Austin broke free of a tackle and raced 60 yards to give the Cowboys the win. Watch Now.

The birth of the franchise began in 1960, the first season the Cowboys took the field. The expansion team, coached by Tom Landry, lost its first 10 games of the season, before finally registering a 31-31 tie with the Giants. The Cowboys finished their inaugural season with an 0-11-1 record, the only time in team history when they failed to win a game.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has won 60 percent of his regular-season games, dating back to his first year coaching the Packers in 2006. McCarthy has a 143-92-2 record (.604) as a head coach, including last year's 12-5 record. It was McCarthy's first winning season since 2016.

Best of the Best: Nate Newton – One of the most beloved and consistent Cowboys of all-time, Nate Newton is an institution. Six-time Pro Bowler, three-time Super Bowl champion, and one of the anchors of arguably the greatest offensive line in history from 1986 to 1998. Throughout his career, he played nearly every position on the offensive line but was one of the best guards in the NFL during the 1990's. Also, Newton turns 61 this December.

Blast from the Past: Blaine Nye – He only registered seven seasons as a starter in the NFL, all of which with Dallas, and still put together quite the resume. Two Pro Bowl selections and a first-team All-Pro honor in 1972, Nye was an early force during his nine seasons with the Cowboys. From when he was named the starter at right guard in 1970, to his retirement in 1976, he continued to improve every year.

The Play: Troy Aikman to Michael Irvin will forever be a favorite connection among Cowboys lore. This 61-yard bomb is towards the top of the list as Aikman dropped back on 3rd and 11 to launch a deep ball to Irvin in coverage. The second-year receiver evaded a Rams defender to make the grab, then left them in the dust to break the tie and set up an eventual 24-21 win. Watch Now.

Entering the 2022 season, the Cowboys hold a record of 61-48 at AT&T Stadium since its opening in 2009. 58 of those wins came in the regular season and three in the postseason at home. Dallas went 5-3 in their eight home games this past season.

America's Sweethearts, the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were founded in September of 1961. Founded by the legendary Dee Brock as she appoached former president and general manager Tex Schramm with the idea. The formation of the team and the creativity surrounding it belonged to Brock who debuted the squad during the 1961 season.

John Fitzgerald - Though he did not play each of his first two seasons in Dallas, including during the Cowboys' first Super Bowl winning season, Fitzgerald was a fixture at the center position for Roger Staubach during the 1970s. He took part in three more Super Bowl runs from 1975-1978.

Blast From The Past: Brian Baldinger – Dallas signed Baldinger as an undrafted free agent following the 1982 NFL Draft from Duke. He stayed with the team through the 1987 season, totaling four starts across 55 games. Like many other players in Cowboys history, Baldinger has become a successful football broadcaster and is known for his "BaldyBreakdowns" – a popular video analysis of the NFL.

The Play: Coming off the first of three titles in four years in 1992, Dallas would follow that up with their second straight during the 1993 season, but not without some notable milestones along the way. The Cowboys hosted the Eagles in Week 9 with pouring rain coming down on the field in Texas Stadium en route to a 23-10 win. But it was Emmitt Smith who put the exclamation point on the day with a 62-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to cap off a 237-yard day, breaking the single-game franchise record of 206 set by Tony Dorsett in 1977, also against the Eagles. Smith's record lasted nearly 20 years until rookie DeMarco Murray ripped off 253 yards against the Rams. Watch Now.

Cowboys rookie kicker Jonathan Garibay will try to win the job this preseason and training camp. To do that, he'll have to prove he can be consistent, especially inside of 50 yards where the majority of his attempts will be. But he's proven he has a strong leg – evident by his game-winning 62-yard field goal in 2021 to help Texas Tech defeat Iowa State.

Tony Romo holds the team record for passing attempts in a game by attempting 62 throws twice during the 2012 season against Washington and the Giants.

Dallas set the franchise record with 62 sacks in a single season in 1985. Ed Jones led the Cowboys with 13 sacks, while Jim Jeffcoat and Randy White were just behind with 12 and 10.5, respectively. The closest the Cowboys have come to that mark is 59 sacks, set in 2008, led by 20 from DeMarcus Ware.

Best of the Best: Larry Cole – When you play long enough – even at defensive tackle – big plays are going to come your way. Cole was a staple on the Doomsday Defense for 13 years, playing from 1968-80. In that time, he scored four touchdowns – including one during his rookie year and one in his final season. But Cole's biggest play likely was a tackle for loss against Washington in the 1979 regular-season finale. That play allowed the Cowboys to get the ball back again, letting Roger Staubach rally the team for his final victory – a 35-34 win at Texas Stadium.

Blast From The Past: Kyle Kosier – Surrounded by players on the offensive line that were either Pro Bowlers, first-round picks or both, Kosier was a steady player for his time – 2006-2011. Despite playing with guys like Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo, Kosier was often dubbed as one of the most underrated players on the team, especially by quarterback Tony Romo. Kosier played 10 years in the league, including his final six with the Cowboys.

The Play: This was the "other" memorable play from the 1993 Thanksgiving Day game on ice. Long before Leon Lett's slip-and-slide fumble, rookie receiver Kevin Williams had his own fun in the snow, sliding into the end zone after a 63-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter. Watch Now.

Former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher found his way into the record books a few times with the longest field goal in team history. But his longest kick was a 63-yard field goal against the Eagles in 2019. Maher is credited with the four longest field goals in team history. And his 63-yarder is tied for third-longest in NFL history.

While the Cowboys might have had some occasional issues scoring in the red zone, they ranked sixth in the NFL with a 63.08 touchdown average. The best way to improve that stat will be to fix a stagnant running game, especially in the 20.

Best of the Best: Tom Rafferty– One of the most productive centers in franchise history, Rafferty was a starter for the majority of 13 seasons from 1977-89. Since he took over as the starter in 1977 – the season the Cowboys won their second Super Bowl – Rafferty only missed a total of three games until the 1989 season when he was eventually replaced by Mark Stepnoski.

Blast From The Past: Montrae Holland – Rather quiet off the field, Holland was a solid contributor to the Cowboys' offensive line in his three seasons (2008, 2010-11). Holland started the final 10 games of the 2011 season, which proved to be his final season in the NFL. Overall, he played eight years, including the first four with the Saints.

The Play: Eight years earlier, the Cowboys were able to trade their best player – Herschel Walker – for a ton of draft picks that eventually built the dynasty of the 90s. But in a 1997 game against the Jaguars, Walker was back on the Cowboys in a backup role. Trailing by three in the final minutes, Troy Aikman found Walker out of the backfield for a first down. But Walker still had his world-class speed and outran the entire Jags secondary to the end zone for a game-winning touchdown. Watch Now.

Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons became an instant superstar, turning heads mainly with his ability to rush the passer and get sacks. But let's not forget Parsons did record 64 tackles, good for fifth on the team. And 12 of those tackles were behind the line of scrimmage.

The year of 1964 doesn't seem like a memorable one for the Cowboys, who went just 5-8-1, posting their fourth straight losing season. But something happened that year that changed the course of the franchise forever. Instead of looking for a new coach, the Cowboys decided to give Tom Landry a 10-year contract, which is still believed to be the longest in pro sports history that time. It turned out to be the right move as Landry didn't have a losing season for the next 22 years.

Best of the Best: Andre Gurode – From the moment Andre Gurode was taken in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, he was a core member of the Cowboys offensive front. Over the next eight years, he tallied five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro selections before departing for Baltimore in 2011. Part of history with Emmitt Smith's record-breaking run against Seattle in 2002 and other countless moments for nearly a decade.

Blast from the Past: Ron Leary – Once thought of as a Day Two level of player in the 2012 NFL Draft, Leary was signed as an undrafted free agent thanks to a knee condition. After struggling to make the active roster for a year, he eventually made a leap to the starting job in 2014 and was a key contributor on one of the best offensive lines in the league. However, eventual competition from La'el Collins pushed him out of a starting job and eventually out of Dallas in 2017.

The Play: Known for wrecking NFL backfields throughout his career, it's surprising to think one of Jim Jeffcoat's finest moments came on an interception. In the final home game of the 1985 regular season, Jeffcoat elevated at the line of scrimmage to bat a pass into the air for an easy interception. From then-on-out, it was nothing but green grass as the defensive end took it 65 yards for a crucial pick-six in a 28-21 win over the New York Giants. This was Jeffcoat's second of four career touchdowns for the Cowboys. Watch Now.

Over his 65 punts in 2021, Bryan Anger set a franchise record and led the NFL with a net average of 44.6 yards per punt. That number was the fourth-highest by a player over a single season in NFL history. He also set the record with 48.4 gross yards per punt as well.

Hall of Famer "Bullet" Bob Hayes wasted no time introducing himself to the NFL. During rookie season in 1965, he tallied 1,003 yards receiving and led the NFL with 12 touchdowns. Both marks still remain as franchise rookie records and he is the only player to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in his first season.

Best of the Best: George Andrie – Dallas has just completed their second season in existence when Gil Brandt helped make the selection of Andrie from Marquette in the 6th round of the 1962 draft. He became a key cog of the Doomsday Defense alongside Bob Lily, earning five straight Pro Bowl appearances from 1965-1969 with 98.5 career sacks and helping Dallas defeat the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI for their first championship.

Blast From The Past: Kevin Gogan – While the late 1980s were not extremely kind to the Cowboys they did land Gogan in the eighth round in the 1987 draft out of Washington. Gogan played seven seasons in Dallas, including winning back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993 before departing for the Raiders.

The Play: While the 2009 season ended in a tough loss to Brett Favre and the Vikings in the playoffs, the Cowboys finished the regular season atop the NFC East. The Cowboys boasted a strong offensive unit and got out to a quick start in the season against the Buccaneers on the road in Week 1. Dallas led 13-7 coming into the second half before Tony Romo hit Roy Williams in stride up the right hash for a 66-yard touchdown to take the 34-21 victory. Watch Now.

Connor McGovern is set to enter his third season in Dallas after compiling 14 starts across 30 games over his first two seasons. With depth on the offensive line proving to be a crucial area for the Cowboys this season, the Penn State alum could see an increased role this season. While the Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith in the first round, presumably to unseat McGovern at left guard, that hasn't exactly happened this offseason just yet. McGovern was praised by head coach Mike McCarthy for his consistency this summer. And with Smith getting some left tackle reps as well, it's not a given that McGovern will be a backup just yet. It'll be an interesting training camp for sure for McGovern and some of the other linemen battling for starting spots.

The Cowboys playing on Thanksgiving Day has become a rite of passage for across multiple generations. But it started on November 24th, 1966, against the Cleveland Browns. Since then, the Cowboys have a 31-22-1 record, including a current three-game losing streak on Turkey Day.

Best of the Best: Pat Donovan – His entire nine-year career was spent in Dallas, where Donovan earned four straight Pro Bowls from 1979-82. Donovan was one of the team's best left tackles of all-time. Once he took over as the starter in 1977, Donovan started 109 consecutive games until missing one in 1983, which was his last pro season.

Blast From The Past: Russell Maryland – Only three times in Cowboys history has the franchise drafted a player No. 1 overall in the draft. After "Too Tall" Jones in 1974 and Troy Aikman in 1989, Russell Maryland was picked first in the 1991 draft. Maryland obviously had plenty of ties to Cowboys coaching staff, which had recruited Maryland to the University of Miami. Although he didn't quite live up to the lofty expectations of the No. 1 pick, Maryland did make a Pro Bowl in 1993 and was a key member of a rotating defensive line for his five years in Dallas. Maryland earned three Super Bowl rings before playing four years with the Raiders and one last year in Green Bay, giving him a 10-year career.

The Play: Linebackers usually don't cover a lot of ground in the open field but Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson was far from ordinary. He had already returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown in 1975. And three years later, he was at it again – this time with an interception near the sideline against the Rams, before returning it 67 yards for a touchdown in a 1978 game. Watch Now.

Has it already been six years since Dak Prescott was a rookie? That glorious 2016 season saw plenty of highlights from the eventual Rookie of the Year. But Prescott also set an NFL rookie record with a 67.8 completion percentage. Although New England's Mac Jones threatened the record in 2021 with a 67.7 completion percentage, Prescott still has the rookie mark, entering the 2022 season. It's also the third-best percentage by any Cowboys player at any point in their career.

The year 1967 started and ended in similar, yet disappointing fashion. On Jan. 1, 1967, the Cowboys lost to the Packers in the NFL Championship Game, 34-27, ending the 1966 season. Then later that year, the 1967 season ended on Dec. 31 in the infamous "Ice Bowl" with the Packers scoring late in the game to win 21-17 in the first-ever NFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl I.

Best of the Best: Herb Scott – Of the long linage of great Cowboys' offensive lineman, Herb Scott is certainly in the conversation for one of the best. The Virginia Beach native and Virginia Union College alumnus was a 13th round pick by Dallas in 1975. He went on to be a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first team All-Pro player and was a part of the 1977 Super Bowl winning squad.

Blast From The Past: Doug Free – Free was one of the more unheralded members of the mid 2000s Cowboys teams. Drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft from Northern Illinois, Free played in just one game in his rookie season before coming an iron man for Dallas at the tackle spot. He would play seven consecutive seasons from 2010-2016 without missing a start before his retirement following the 2016 season.

The Play: During the 1984 season, Dallas got out to a quick 3-1 start before they returned home to face the vaunted 80s defense of the Chicago Bears and coach Mike Ditka. But the Cowboys had offensive weapons of their own to combat the Monsters of the Midway with running back Tony Dorsett and their own legendary coach in Tom Landry. Down 7-3 in the first half, Cowboys quarterback Gary Hogeboom hit Dorsett on a routine screen pass that went for a 68-yard touchdown, eventually leading to a 23-14 win. Watch Now.

With some question marks on the offensive line heading into the 2022 season, Matt Farniok enters into his second year with the Cowboys at the guard spot with a real chance to contribute. After a solid offseason, he can help increase depth at the position and possibly even compete for a starting spot at center.

Last season, Dallas ranked third in the NFL with 68 knockdowns on the defensive end. The year prior in 2020, the Cowboys ranked near the bottom of the league with just 45 knockdowns at 26th.

Best of the Best: George Hegamin – One of the forgotten pieces of the 1990's offensive line, Hegamin was a quality back-up piece for one of the greatest fronts in history. After being drafted in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft, he started 10 of his 31 games with the Cowboys until 1997. After struggling for playing time early in his career, he filled in for nine starts in his final season as a Cowboy due to injuries up front.

Blast from the Past: Henry Melton – Emerging from nearby DeSoto, Texas, Melton made his way to Dallas in 2014 after four seasons with the Chicago Bears. His signing was a hopeful one after earning a Pro Bowl bid in 2012. However, a torn ACL three games into the 2013 season hindered his consistency when he signed with Dallas a year later. Melton played through a few injuries in training camp and started three games for Dallas and registered five sacks.

The Play: Over his legendary Cowboys tenure, DeMarcus Ware scored just two defensive touchdowns. This was his first, as Greg Ellis jarred the ball loose from Donovan McNabb. Ware looked up and reeled in the fumble before taking off for a 69-yard touchdown return, giving the Cowboys a 14-10 lead. Watch Now.

In a 1978 NFL Films highlight piece, writer Bob Ryan dubbed a line saying the Cowboys were as familiar to the public as anyone, due to their vast success in the 1970's. This led to the first mention of Dallas being "America's Team," read by narrator John Facenda. The nickname has stuck, through the ups and the downs, in many forms of media over the history of the franchise.

The first Dallas defender to ever register double-digit interceptions in a single season was Mel Renfro in 1969. His 10 receptions stood as a franchise record until Everson Walls tallied 11 in 1981 and Trevon Diggs tied that mark last season.

Best of the Best: Zack Martin – Tough call here, especially since there's a Hall of Fame player on the other side, but when it's all said and done, Zack Martin could be the best offensive lineman in Cowboys history, aside from maybe Larry Allen. Martin already has seven Pro Bowls in his eight-year career, including another this past season. When he's healthy, Martin is still one of the very best players in the NFL at his position.

Blast From The Past: Rayfield Wright – This past spring, the Cowboys lost one of their greatest players in Wright, who passed away at the age of 76. Wright is considered the first great lineman in team history. He was finally recognized for his achievements by getting into the Ring of Honor in 2004 and then the Hall of Fame in 2006.

The Play: Arguably, one of the most important plays in franchise history, and it wasn't even a touchdown. But in the 1992 NFC Championship Game, the Cowboys held a 24-20 lead over the 49ers, who had just scored and had all the momentum with four minutes to play. But instead of sitting on the ball and trying to milk the clock, the Cowboys stayed aggressive. On first down from the 20, Troy Aikman fired a pass to Alvin Harper, who took off for a 70-yard completion that would eventually lead to the game-clinching score. That play propelled the Cowboys to not only the Super Bowl, but it started a dynasty of three titles in a four-year span.

In 1970, the Cowboys finally made it over the hump, advancing to their first-ever Super Bowl. However, a sloppy performance by both teams – resulting in a multitude of errors and turnovers, was eventually won by the Colts on a last-second field goal. To this day, it's the only Super Bowl where a player from the losing team won MVP as Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley claimed the honor.

Best of the Best: Mark Tuinei– An undrafted free agent from Hawaii back in 1983, Tuinei actually began his career as a defensive lineman before eventually switching to tackle. After starting only 23 games in the first six seasons of his career, Tuinei was the full-time starter in 1989 when Jimmy Johnson took over. From there, his game improved along with the team as he was one of the anchors of the "Great Wall of Dallas." Tuinei made two Pro Bowls (1994 & 1995) before his career ended in 1997.

Blast From The Past: La'el Collins – This is hardly a player from the "past" considering Collins was released this offseason and designated a June 1 cut. But he did spent seven years in Dallas after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Collins was dubbed the "enforcer" by owner Jerry Jones for his toughness and having his teammates' backs, especially the quarterback. Collins signed in Cincinnati, where he will block for Bengals QB Joe Burrow. The Cowboys should see Collins back in Week 2 as Cincinnati returns to AT&T Stadium for the first time since 2016.

The Play: It's not used often, especially in Dallas, but the Cowboys worked the "flea-flicker" to perfection in a 2005 win over the Chiefs. A fake run by Marion Barber got the ball back into Drew Bledsoe's hands before he heaved a bomb to a wide open Terry Glenn for the 71-yard touchdown in what turned into a dramatic 31-28 win over the Chiefs. Watch Now.

The Cowboys have played in just three home stadiums. The second of which opened in 1971 as the team introduced Texas Stadium, a unique, state-of-the-art venue that served as the Cowboys' home turf for 38 seasons.

Finally, the title of "Next Year's Champions" could be put to rest. In 1971, the Cowboys overcame a plethora of issues, including a mid-season quarterback controversy to put the pieces together on the team's first-ever championship run. The Cowboys capped off the 71 season with a 24-3 win in Super Bowl VI over the Dolphins.

Best of the Best: Ed 'Too Tall" Jones – Jones was the No.1 overall pick in the 1974 NFL Draft by the Cowboys from Tennessee State. The 6'9 defensive instantly became a franchise icon for Dallas by serving as an integral part of the "Doomsday Defense" with 106 sacks. He helped lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl appearances and one title in 1978 while racking up three Pro Bowl appearances and earning First Team All-Pro honors in 1982 during his 16 seasons.

Blast From The Past: Travis Fredrick – The Cowboys selected Fredrick with the 31st pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin to help anchor the middle of the offensive line. All Fredrick did in return was become a 4-time Pro Bowler and was named AP First Team All-Pro in 2016. He played six seasons with the Cowboys, and never missed a game except for missing the 2018 season with Guillain-Barre Syndrome before retiring after the 2019 season.

The Play: After opening the 2008 season on the road against the Cleveland Browns with a win, the Cowboys returned home to Texas Stadium for a Sunday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia kicked a field goal on their opening drive, they handed the ball to Dallas for their first chance, culminating in a 72-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo to Terrell Owens. That would be one of Owens' two touchdown receptions for the Cowboys en route to a 41-37 win. Dallas would finish the season at 9-7 and finish third in the NFC East. It would also be Owens' final season with the Cowboys. Watch Now.

1972 proved to be a year full of milestones and record-breaking feats for the Cowboys. Calvin Hill became the first Cowboy to rush for 1,000 yards, cementing the record on December 9th against Washington at Texas Stadium with 111 yards for the game. In total, Hill totaled 1,036 yards and a record 245 carries.

Jason Witten finished his Cowboys career with 72 receiving touchdowns, most by a tight end in franchise history. His total number finished just one shy of Dez Bryant's record mark of 73 touchdown grabs.

Best of the Best: Larry Allen – One of the most decorated Cowboys offensive linemen of all time, Larry Allen could also be considered as one of the best the NFL has ever seen. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013, named to both the 1990's and 2000's All-Decade Teams and the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor after over 200 games played in his career.

Blast from the Past: Ralph Neely – Towards the top of the list of under-the-radar greats to play for the franchise. Neely went from a second-round pick in 1965 to a two-time Super Bowl champion, a member of the 1960's All-Decade Team and a four-time All-Pro. While he's not a member of the Hall of Fame or Ring of Honor, his presence on the offensive line in the early decades is an all-time great contribution.

The Play: All who watched the Cowboys in the 1990's and 2000's know exactly what type of athlete Larry Allen was. There isn't a single play that completely shows his grit and athleticism quite like the way he tracked down a potential pick-six in 1994. New Orleans linebacker Darion Conner picked off a Troy Aikman pass and was headed to the endzone before the 6-foot-3, 335-pound Allen caught him from behind. A 56-yard return that was stopped 16 yards short because of the rookie's effort. Watch Now.

Dez Bryant holds the all-time Cowboys mark with 73 career receiving touchdowns. Edging out a pair of Hall of Famers in Bob Hayes who had 71 and Michael Irvin who finished with 65.

2022 first round pick Tyler Smith will wear number 73 as a rookie this season. Smith has often referred to Larry Allen as his favorite former Cowboy. He's the first to wear the number since Joe Looney in 2020.

Best of the Best: Bob Lilly – Mr. Cowboy. Not only was Bob Lilly the first draft choice in the history of the Cowboys franchise, but he was one f the best. His long list of career achievements includes being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, and both a member of the 1960s and 1970s All-Decade Teams. Lilly will always be remembered as an all-time great and a foundational piece to the early years of the franchise.

The Play: One of the shining moments in the early history of the Cowboys organization. Bob Lilly cemented a 29-yard loss with a sack of the retreating Bob Griese in Super Bowl VI. The first quarter loss still stands as the biggest for a single play in Super Bowl history and set the tone for a 24-3 drumming of the Dolphins. Watch Now.

74 is the only Dallas jersey number to only have been worn by a singular player. Bob Lilly is the only player to wear the number. Other numbers that were worn previously but have gone unworn since a franchise great last sported the number are 8 (Troy Aikman), 12 (Roger Staubach) and 22 (Emmitt Smith).

Over the history of the Cowboys franchise, they've played in a total of 74 Sunday Night Football games. Entering 2022, they hold a record of 37-37 and will put their .500 record on the line Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Best of the Best: Jethro Pugh– One of the greatest players in team history to never make a Pro Bowl, Pugh spent 14 seasons in Dallas (1965-78). He played in four Super Bowls and was a starter for 12 years, being a formidable member of "Doomsday Defense." Pugh currently ranks sixth in team history with 95.5 sacks.

Blast From The Past: Marc Colombo – In 2005, Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells was intrigued about a player he once valued as a top-tier first-round pick who was now available. So the Cowboys signed Marc Colombo, with the hopes he could finally get healthy and develop into the player the entire NFL expected he would be. It turned out to be true as Colombo was a five-year starter at right tackle, helping the Cowboys form one of the best offensive lines in football from 2006-2010.

The Play: In 1989, the Cowboys lost eight straight games to start the season before getting an upset win over Washington. One week later, they're in Phoenix, looking for a second win. Down by four, late in the game, rookie Troy Aikman fired a pass to speedy James Dixon, who went the distance on a 75-yard touchdown. Aikman didn't see the score, as he was belted and suffered a concussion just before the throw. The Cowboys took the lead but it was short-lived, as the Cardinals rallied for a late touchdown to steal the win, keeping Dallas with just one win in the eventual 1-15 season. Watch Now.

No team has been on the wrong side of Cowboys victories more than Washington. Dallas has won 75 games against the franchise over the year, the most of any opponent (75-47-2). When the teams square off on Oct. 2 in Dallas, it will be the Cowboys' first-ever game against the team now nicknamed the "Commanders."

The Cowboys had one of the more memorable draft classes in the history of the franchise in 1975, when they had 12 players make the team. The rookies were dubbed the "Dirty Dozen," headlined by No. 2 overall pick Randy White. The Cowboys used those host of rookies to boost the team to a playoff run that included the "Hail Mary" before an eventual Super Bowl loss to the Steelers.

Best of the Best: Flozell Adams– A second-round pick in 1998, Adams started his career at guard, waiting for his turn to be the next left tackle. That would take place two years later but it wasn't until 2003 did Flozell really become the player the Cowboys were expecting. That's when Bill Parcells showed up and made re-signing Adams a No. 1 priority. After that, Adams made the Pro Bowl five of the next six years, only missing it because of a knee injury. Adams will go down as one of the best left tackles in Cowboys history.

Blast From The Past: John Niland – Just like Adams is one of the best at his position, the same could be said for Niland, one of the first great linemen in team history. Niland made six straight Pro Bowls from 1968-73, starting at left guard for two Super Bowl teams. After nine years in Dallas, Niland played his final season with the Eagles in 1975.

The Play: In the 1999 season opener, the Cowboys wanted to see what kind of speed Rocket Ismail had in his first game with his new team. In the first quarter in Washington, Troy Aikman fired a deep ball to Rocket that went incomplete. But they would definitely hook up again. The Cowboys rallied from 21 points down in the fourth quarter to tie the game and send it to overtime. That's where the Cowboys got the ball back and Aikman again went to Ismail, who had no issues hauling in this 76-yard score, giving the Cowboys a dramatic 41-35 win.

No player in team history carried his team the way Emmitt Smith did. For the entire 1990's decade and beyond, Smith racked up a team-record 76 games of 100 yards rushing or more. And when that happened, the Cowboys definitely had their success, owning a record of 57-19 when Emmitt hit the 100-yard mark. To compare, Ezekiel Elliott has 30 100-yard games with the Cowboys winning 26 of those contests.

The Cowboys allowed 76 plays last season of 20 yards or more – either by run or pass. That's an average of just 4.4 plays during the regular season. However, in the NFC Wild Card loss to the 49ers, the Cowboys gave up just three plays of 20+ yards and still were out of the game until the final few minutes.

Best of the Best: Tyron Smith – Since his selection in the top 10 of the 2011 NFL draft, Tyron Smith has been among the league's best offensive lineman. Eight Pro Bowl selections, four-time All-Pro, and a member of the 2010's All-Decade team, Smith has cemented himself among some of the greats to ever play up front for the Cowboys.

Blast From the Past: Jim Jeffcoat – Replacing the great Harvey Martin, Jeffcoat was pushed into a starting role in 1984 and exploded on the scene with 11.5 sacks and 82 tackles. He never missed a game during his 12 seasons in Dallas and won two Super Bowls with the franchise. He later returned in a coaching role from 1998 to 2004 coaching the defensive line.

The Play: With the 2011 'battle in the bay' against San Francisco pushed into overtime, it was time for an unlikely hero to emerge. Following a defensive stop, Tony Romo opened the next drive with a deep strike over the middle to Jesse Holley, who took it down to the one-yard line. The longest reception of Holley's career set up a 19-yard Dan Bailey field goal for a 27-24 Cowboys win. Watch Now.

Since he joined the Cowboys in 2018, Amari Cooper converted 77% of his third down receptions into first downs. He also converted 77% of his 2021 receptions into a first down or a touchdown, ninth-most in the NFL. Dallas will have to replace that production following his trade to Cleveland in March.

Tony Romo and Dak Prescott are the only two quarterbacks in franchise history with over 30 passing touchdowns in a single season. Out of those campaigns, Tony Romo had a franchise-best 3.77 touchdown to interception ratio in 2014. Prescott was second with a 3.70 ratio last season.

Best of the Best: Leon Lett – Great player for Super Bowl winning teams, and now a veteran assistant coach on the staff under two different regimes. But even Lett knows he'll always be remembered more for two infamous plays in the 1992 & 1993 seasons. Aside from Lett's premature celebration that led to a fumble in Super Bowl XXVII or his slip-and-slide mishap on a snowy Thanksgiving loss to the Dolphins, he was a two-time Pro Bowler and an anchor of a defensive line that was star-studded and productive for an entire decade. A seventh-round pick in 1991 out of Emporia State, Lett played 10 seasons with Dallas and another in Denver.

John Dutton – The Doomsday Defense had a lot of well-known names in the 70s and then into the 80s. But it wasn't just "Too Tall" Jones, Randy White and Harvey Martin. John Dutton was also a force in the middle. He played five seasons with the Colts before joining the Cowboys in 1979. Dutton spent the last nine years in Dallas, where he had seven seasons of at least 2 sacks. Before joining the Cowboys, Dutton had a 17-sack season with the Colts in 1975.

The Play: With the score tied in the fourth quarter against the Eagles in 2012, Dwayne Harris gave the Cowboys the lead with a 78-yard punt return in front of the Dallas sideline. Harris got some great blocks and was barely even touched en route to the end zone. The Cowboys took that momentum and rolled to a 38-23 win in Philadelphia. Watch Now.

Only two tight ends in Cowboys history have caught 78 passes or more in a season: Jason Witten and Dalton Schultz, who had a career-high 78 receptions last season, leading to him getting the 1-year franchise tag. Now, Witten did accomplish that feat seven times, but even though, Schultz has found himself in elite company based off last year's performance.

Two years ago, Terence Steele was an undrafted tackle from Texas Tech, likely hoping to land a spot on the practice squad. He ended up starting the season opener and most of the entire season in 2020, followed up by 13 starts last season. Now, he's the projected right tackle starter as the Cowboys parted ways with La'el Collins. Steele is the only offensive lineman in team history to start a game and catch a touchdown pass.

Best of the Best: Harvey Martin – Hometown hero Harvey Martin rose from humble beginnings out of Dallas' South Oak Cliff High School, to East Texas State, before becoming an all-time great for the Cowboys. Martin was one of the pillars of the Doomsday Defense winning MVP for Super Bowl XII, and Defensive Player of the Year in 1977.

Blast from the Past: Erik Williams – Affectionately remembered by the moniker "Big E" Williams was an All-Pro contributor on the offensive line throughout the 1990's. He began his career by sliding Nate Newton to the tackle spot and starting at right tackle. He won three Super Bowls, was named to four Pro Bowls, and was a key member of the "Great Wall of Dallas" offensive line.

The Play: Entering the 1992 season, only a select few could make the defending champions from Washington look silly. That short list included Kelvin Martin. The player known in the locker room as "K-Mart," did so by putting a foot in the ground and slicing through the heart of the Washington punt team for a 79-yard score to seal a 23-10 victory. Watch Now!

CeeDee Lamb led the Cowboys with 79 receptions in 2021. His 1,102 yards and six touchdowns both led the team as well and put him second in franchise history for receiving yards over a player's first two seasons. Only Bob Hayes had more.

Tony Romo ended his career with 79 career multi-touchdown games, most in Cowboys history. Second on that list is Roger Staubach with 48 and Dak Prescott sits tied for third with 44 multi-score games with Danny White.

Best of the Best: Tony Hill – Often overshadowed because he played alongside Hall of Famer and Ring of Honor member Drew Pearson, Tony Hill was arguably just as good, especially in terms of production. Hill played all 10 of NFL seasons in Dallas (1977-86), winning a Super Bowl as a rookie although he had a limited role in the offense. But by his second year, Hill was a staple in the offense and ended up with three 1,000-yard seasons and three Pro Bowl selections. Hill ranks third in Cowboys history with 7,988 yards, behind only Jason Witten and Michael Irvin.

Blast From The Past: Martellus Bennett – A second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2008, Bennett was one of the more flamboyant players in recent years. He was also a pretty productive player, as both a tight end and pass-catcher. Playing behind Jason Witten early in his career might have limited his stats, but he turned into one of the best blocking tight ends in team history. He spent four years in Dallas before playing with the Giants, Bears, Patriots and Packers to finish his 10-year career. Bennett made the Pro Bowl with Chicago in 2014, when he had a season-high 90 catches for 916 yards. In Dallas, his best season was 2010 with 33 catches.

The Play: Who says the speedy wide receivers make all the big plays? Sometimes even the players out of the backfield have the longest touchdowns, evident by this 80-yard scoring strike from Danny White to Ron Springs against the Bucs in 1980. Springs was a do-it-all back that complemented the speedy tailback Tony Dorsett. Against the Bucs, Springs snuck out down the seam of the defense, but then used enough speed to get into

Midway through the 2022 season, owner/GM Jerry Jones will turn 80 years of age. Jones was 47 when he purchased the team back in 1989.

The Cowboys signed James Washington in free agency this offseason, with hopes he can take on a larger role, and perhaps help with replacing Amari Cooper. In his four years with the Steelers, Washington's career-high in targets was 2019, when he had 80 passes thrown his way. Of those attempts, he caught 44, the most of his career. The Cowboys would likely take those numbers this year, but then again, that was Washington's best season of his career. Much will be expected from him, although he did miss most of the offseason with a foot injury.

Best of the Best: Terrell Owens – One of the NFL's premiere talents and polarizing personalities, Terrell Owens made his way to Dallas for three memorable seasons from 2006 to 2008. His best season came in 2007 where he led the league in touchdown passes and was named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro lists. Owens was later named to the NFL 2000's All-Decade Team and finished with nearly 16,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns in his career.

Blast From the Past: Rocket Ismail – Ismail took an unconventional route to the NFL as he elected to join the CFL's Toronto Argonauts instead of being selected by the Cowboys in the 1991 NFL Draft. He eventually debuted in the NFL during the 1993 season before making his way to Dallas in 1999. Following a career-ending injury to Michael Irvin that season, Ismail became the team's leading receiver before struggling through his own injuries over the next two seasons.

The Play: There are only a few better ways to close out a divisional win than an 81-yard strike. That's what Dak Prescott and Rod Smith did against the Giants in 2017 as they connected for Smith's only career receiving touchdown. Dallas was leading by seven and driving in the fourth quarter of a road game in New York when Smith broke open over the middle and Prescott found him for a long trip to the endzone.

1981 was one of the best defensive seasons in the history of the franchise. That season, the defense set a franchise record with 37 interceptions, 11 of which came from rookie Everson Walls. Since then, the Cowboys have only mustered 30-plus interceptions one time (1985 – 33).

Percy Howard caught just one pass in his NFL career. It just so happened that his one grab was a 34-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach in Super Bowl X. He was the second rookie to ever score in a Super Bowl, but that game would be his last in the league.

Best of the Best: Jason Witten- Who else? In fact, that should be a question the Cowboys ask themselves regarding this number. Who else will ever wear No. 82 after Witten? There hasn't been anyone so far and because of the new number rules by the NFL, there are a lot more options for receivers. So it's possible Witten will be the last to wear No. 82. Without a doubt, one of the greatest players to ever play for the Cowboys and one of the best tight ends as well. That's why Jason Witten will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. Not only was Witten a great pass-catcher – evident by numerous records including the most catches and yards in team history – but he was one of the toughest players as well. His 255 games played is the most in franchise history, highlighted by the fact he only missed one game in his 16-year career.

Blast From the Past: James McKnight – He spent 10 seasons in the NFL, but had just one season on the field with the Cowboys. Yet, McKnight made the most of it. After suffering a torn ACL in the 1999 season after signing with the Cowboys, McKnight returned in 2000 to post a career-best 926 receiving yards, despite the Cowboys starting three different quarterbacks. His top three receiving days of his career, including a 164-yard game against the Bengals, all came in that 2000 season. McKnight used that season to join the Dolphins in free agency. Overall, McKnight had 222 receptions in his career.

The Play: To think, the Cowboys actually tried replacing Patrick Crayton on punt returns two weeks earlier. But after an injury to the new returner – Allen Rossum – the Cowboys went back to Crayton, who returned a punt for a touchdown against the Falcons. And then the next week, lit up the Seahawks with this 82-yard punt return to help the Cowboys pull away from Seattle in this 2009 regular-season game. Crayton joined "Bullet" Bob Hayes as the only two players in franchise history to return punts for TDs in consecutive games.

The Cowboys are counting on rookie wide receiver Jalen Tolbert to be a playmaker right away. Obviously, the competition will be much stiffer in the NFL than what Tolbert saw last year at South Alabama. But the third-round pick is coming off an 82-catch season. Tolbert set numerous school records last year, racking up 1,474 yards and eight TD catches.

The 1982 season will go down as one of the more unique seasons in NFL history. A players' strike in the middle of the season forced the league to cancel seven regular-season games. As a result, the NFL opted for a playoff tournament, adding three more teams than usual. The Cowboys (6-3) made the playoffs and won two home games before losing to Washington, 31-17, in the NFC Championship Game. It was the Cowboys' third straight road loss in the NFC Championship.

Best of the Best: Terry Glenn- When Bill Parcells was the head coach in Dallas (2003-06), he didn't hide the fact that he preferred to acquire some of his former players. And one of them he traded for was Glenn, who played for Parcells in New England, but had a disappointing season in Green Bay in 2002 before being dealt to the Cowboys. Glenn shined in Dallas, despite having four different quarterbacks in his four full seasons with the Cowboys. Whether he caught passes from Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe or Tony Romo, Glenn was a big-play threat, resulting in two straight 1,000-yard seasons. In 2005, he led the NFL with an 18.3 yard average per catch. Glenn, who played 12 seasons overall, tragically passed away at the age of 43 back in 2017.

Blast From the Past: James Whalen – In the early 2000s, Whalen was a versatile pass-catcher who came to the Cowboys after an illustrious career at Kentucky, where he was the school's single-season catch leader until just recently. Whalen played three seasons in Dallas, enjoying his best year in 2002 when he had 17 catches. Whalen is the only player in Cowboys history to wear four different jersey numbers. Along with 83, he wore 46, 82 and 81. On more than one occasion, Whalen sold his number to a veteran.

The Play: One of the more memorable games of the 2016 season, was the Cowboys' comeback win over the Steelers. While Zeke had the game-winning TD run in the final seconds, he also had this 83-yard touchdown reception. The play started as a play-action run, faking the ball to Elliott, who snuck out in the flat to make the catch. After getting two big blocks from his offensive linemen, Zeke then got another down-the-field block, from No. 83 Terence Williams, who helped pave the way for Zeke's 83-yard touchdown, the longest of his career.

The Cowboys have currently played 83 games on Monday Night Football. They have a 48-35 overall record and will look to extend that with a MNF appearance in New York in Week 3.

When Cowboys legend Roger Staubach retired from the NFL in 1980, he was the league's all-time leader in passer rating with an 83.7 mark. To show how much the game has changed over the last 40 years, Staubach now ranks 56th in NFL history, just ahead of current journeyman QB Bryan Hoyer (82.9 rating).

Best of the Best: Jay Novacek – Over the span of seven seasons in Dallas, Jay Novacek won three Super Bowls, made five straight Pro Bowls, and was an All-Pro twice. Widely known as an under-the-radar signing in 1990, he quickly became one of the best signings in team history and will be known as one of the top tight ends as well.

Blast From the Past: Joey Galloway – The tale of Joey Galloway's time in Dallas is one of hope and loss. Dallas traded for the star wide out in 2000, using two first-round picks, before signing him to a deal that made him the second-highest paid receiver in the NFL. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in the first game of his Cowboys tenure and was never the same afterwards. He was then traded in 2004 to Tampa Bay for Keyshawn Johnson.

The Play: Woody Dantzler turned an improbable play into an unforgettable moment. On a short kick to the 16-yard line, Dantzler was immediately met with multiple San Francisco defenders but miraculously emerged and bolted to the sideline. A stiff arm, balance, and a burst of speed were enough to get him into open space and into the endzone. Cementing one of the most impressive plays in franchise history. A total of eight 49ers made contact with Dantzler on the play, but zero were able to bring him down.

Dallas posted some prolific offensive numbers as a unit last season. Trailing only Tampa Bay, Dallas finished 2021 tied with Buffalo for second in the NFL with 84 scoring drives. It took the Cowboys an average of 8.1 plays and 59.5 yards to score.

On December 14, 1986, Herschel Walker made history as the only player with two 84-plus yard offensive touchdowns in the same game. It started with a run in the first quarter, followed by a reception in the fourth quarter during a 23-21 loss against Philadelphia.

Best of the Best: Kevin Williams – The former second round pick was the definition of versatility during his four seasons with the Cowboys. In 1994, he became the first player in team history to score a punt return, kick return, rushing, and receiving touchdown all in the same season. He rode his role to becoming a two-time Super Bowl champion and a feared return man.

Blast From the Past: Kevin Ogletree – Ogletree played for seasons with the Cowboys from 2009 to 2012 where he found a role as a return man on special teams. He worked his way to the third spot on the depth chart in 2012 and posted career-best numbers, including eight receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants in the season opener that season.

The Play: Part of a rookie season that put the league on notice, Roy Williams celebrated the 2002 regular season finale with an 85-yard pick six against Washington. It was the second time as a rookie that Williams took an interception to the house (both against Washington), which tied the franchise record for pick-sixes in a season at the time.

Dak has started a total of 85 career games. He ranks fifth in NFL history with 169 total touchdowns over a quarterback's first 85 contests. The only names above him are Dan Marino (195), Aaron Rodgers (189), Andrew Luck (182), and Cam Newton (172).

Cowboys have had draft picks reach the Pro Bowl 85 times since 2002, 15 more than any other team over that span. That list includes 29 different players, as well as players who made the Pro Bowl after leaving Dallas.

Best of the Best: Butch Johnson — The Cowboys had no shortage of depth at receiver in the late 70s and early 80s. More than just Drew Pearson and Tony Hill, the Cowboys had Butch Johnson, who played eight seasons as the No. 3 receiver. His biggest moment of his career occurred in Super Bowl XII when he made a diving touchdown catch against the Broncos. Even if the pass probably would've been ruled incomplete in today's game, Johnson's touchdown helped the secure the Cowboys' second championship. Johnson was also known for his electric touchdown celebrations, including the "California Quake."

Blast From the Past: Isaiah Stanback – A fourth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2007, Stanback was a college quarterback from Washington that made the transition to receiver. While he played only two years in Dallas, Stanback went to the Patriots and later the Giants, where he won a Super Bowl ring after the 2011 season. Currently, Stanback is back in Dallas, a regular on podcasts and TV shows as a media member for the Dallas Cowboys.

Dalton Schultz is certainly hopeful of landing a new contract after coming off two career seasons that helped him earn the franchise tag this offseason. He became the second tight end in franchise history, joining Jason Witten, to record 70+ catches and 800+ receiving yards. He's also the only tight end in team history with eight touchdowns or more in a season.

For nearly 15 years, Tony Dorsett held the Cowboys' record for most touchdowns in a career with 86. Emmitt Smith not only came along and shattered it, but finished his Cowboys career with nearly double (164). Dorsett still ranks second all-time with his 86 touchdowns – 77 by rush and 13 TD catches.

The Play:In the middle of the 1993 season, the Cowboys were trying to survive an injury by Troy Aikman against the Cardinals. While Jason Garrett started the game, he was relieved by veteran Bernie Kosar, who was signed just a few days earlier. Kosar didn't have the strongest arm, but he could definitely check it down to Emmitt Smith. On this play, Emmitt did all the work, bouncing off a few defenders before racing 86 yards to the 1-yard line to set up a score.

Best of the Best: Jay Saldi - The Cowboys have never ever had a true superstar wear No. 87. In fact, not many players haven't stayed in the jersey for long. Jay Saldi, a backup tight end, played seven seasons from 1976-82. Saldi was a solid No. 2 tight end, playing behind Pro Bowlers Billy Joe DuPree and then eventually Doug Cosbie.

Blast From the Past: Ken-Yon Rambo - One of the best names in Cowboys history, Rambo played just part of two seasons in Dallas. The former Ohio State had his best game in a 2002 win over the Jaguars when he had clutch fourth-quarter catches to help the Cowboys secure a big upset. Overall, Rambo played four years in the NFL, but another eight in the CFL, where he was an All-Star in 2008.

The Cowboys undoubtedly have to improve the offense line in 2022, which is why they dedicated their first-round pick to Tyler Smith. But according to the analytic website ProFootballFocus, the Cowboys had the best run-blocking group in the league. PFF ranked Cowboys No. 1 in 2021 with a 87.1 grade. The Cowboys might not have seen the best year from Ezekiel Elliott, who barely reached the 1,000-yard plateau, but the combination of Zeke and Tony Pollard, coupled with the O-line's blocking, gave the Cowboys the best unit in the NFL. With Smith likely playing left guard, could they even be better?

Some of the most obscure players in Cowboys history found their way on the 87 roster. In 1987, the NFL had a players strike, which led to the owners using replacement players, also known as "scab" players. The Cowboys went 2-1 in the three games, but unlike other teams, many veteran players such as Tony Dorsett, Danny White and Randy White were contractually obligated to cross the picket line and play during those three games.

The Play:One of the most lethal combinations in the 90s was the quick strike from Aikman to Irvin, who had enough strength to make the comeback route nearly an automatic first down. Against the Cardinals in 1992, Irvin used that strength to turn a first quarter pass into much more as he raced down the sidelines for an 87-yard touchdown. It was the longest play of his career and the first of three TDs that game against the Cards.

Best of the Best: Michael Irvin – It's hard to pick just one guy from this number, especially when it has been celebrated so much over the years. But still, Irvin is arguably the very best receiver in club history and considered the "heart and soul" of the 90s dynasty. Irvin has more catches (750) and receiving yards (11,904) than any other wide receiver in team history and it didn't take long for him to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The "Playmaker" will always go down as one of the very best players the Cowboys have ever had.

Blast From The Past: Antonio Bryant –He doesn't get mentioned with the others, mainly because he played a little more than two years in Dallas, but in terms of talent, Antonio Bryant was right there with the others, if not more talented. Drafted in the second round in 2002, Bryant nearly broke Bob Hayes' rookie record (45 catches) with 44 for 733 yards and six touchdowns. Known as "AB," Bryant had his share of highlight grabs throughout his eight-year career. He did post two 1,000-yard seasons after his time with Dallas, as Bryant played for the Browns, 49ers and Bucs.

It's impossible to list just a single play for the No. 88. So why not a few from some of the best. From Irvin's game-changing TD in the Super Bowl, to Drew Pearson's first clutch playoff moment, to a pair of unreal catches from Dez and CeeDee, here are some of the great plays that you might not see later on this countdown of great moments.

While we think of Pearson, Irvin, Dez and CeeDee when discussing the players that wore No. 88, the Cowboys have had 12 players overall wear the number. Among the players you certainly know, there have been others such as Colin Ridgway, Reggie Rucker, Jackie Harris and Brett Peirce.

The last victory of Tom Landry's legendary career came in 1988 – against Washington – late in the year. The Cowboys limped to a 3-13 finish. But on this late-December day, the Cowboys beat their rivals 24-17, thanks to three TD receptions by a rookie receiver – Michael Irvin, donning the jersey No. 88.

Best of the Best: Billy Joe DuPree – Long before Jason Witten entered the picture, DuPree was one of the first great tight ends in Cowboys history. Drafted in the first round in 1973, DuPree made three Pro Bowls in his 11-year career, which was all spent in Dallas.

Blast From The Past: Randal Williams – In four years with the Cowboys (2001-04), Williams caught just one pass – playing mostly on special teams. But his size and speed combination was rare and the Cowboys kept him around in hopes he could blossom into a contributing player. His best moment occurred in 2003 when he alertly caught the Eagles' onside kick attempt to open the game and raced 37 yards for a touchdown. It still ranks as the quickest touchdown – 3.7 seconds – to begin any NFL game. Williams spent his last two years with the Raiders, listed as a tight end, and caught 28 passes in 2006.

The Play: When you think Herschel Walker and "89," it usually starts with the blockbuster trade that occurred in 1989 between the Cowboys and Vikings. But often forgotten is the fact Walker came back to the Cowboys in 1996 and spent two years as a third-down back and kick returner. Walker still had blazing speed and ripped off this 89-yard return in 1996, the longest play of the season for the Cowboys.

According to PFF, Micah Parsons had the highest grade last season among all linebackers in the NFL. That includes the inside backers and even the outside pass-rushers. Parsons had a 89.7 rating making him the only rookie to lead his perspective position. Parsons was also the unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The 1989 NFL Draft Class was certainly top-heavy, led by the Cowboys taking Troy Aikman with the No. 1 pick. But the Cowboys had other options, including Barry Sanders, who went No. 3. The Cowboys eventually landed three of the top six picks in that class, later signing both Deion Sanders and Broderick Thomas.

Best of the Best: Jay Ratliff – The 2005 Draft will go down as one of the best all-time classes for the Cowboys, who were able to transition from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 in one year. And while D-Ware, Canty and Spears all helped, the seventh-round pick of Jay Ratliff might have been the best pick overall. Ratliff was able to play nose tackle – albeit undersized – but eventually earned four straight Pro Bowl selections from 2007-10.

Blast From The Past: Alonzo Spellman– A former No. 1 pick by the Bears, Spellman joined the Cowboys in 1999 and played two years in Dallas. Spellman had 5.0 sacks in each of his two seasons. He also had his share of tense moments, including getting ejected after a fight with Washington in 2000. Spellman played 10 seasons and recorded 43 sacks.

The Play: In 1999, the Cowboys were trying to figure out how to play without Michael Irvin, who suffered his career-ending neck injury earlier in the season. By the end of the year, Jason Tucker became one of Troy Aikman's favorite targets. In the season finale with the playoffs on the line, Aikman hit Tucker on a quick slant from the 10-yard line, just hoping to get a first down and some breathing room. Tucker did more than that, ripping off a 90-yard touchdown, which is still tied for third-longest in franchise history.

For the last five years, DeMarcus Lawrence has been the leader of the Cowboys' defense but that could be changing with the emergence of Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs – not to mention D-Law's stats have decreased while the injuries are piling up. But "Tank" is still one of the anchors of this Cowboys' defense. D-Law restructured his contract to lower his base salary but guarantee the next two years in Dallas.

Even though the Cowboys gave up the No. 1 overall pick in 1990, they still managed to hit a Grand Slam by getting Emmitt Smith with the 17th pick. The Cowboys forfeited No. 1 by taking Steve Walsh in the 1989 Supplemental Draft. But after the Herschel Walker trade, the Cowboys not only had a lot of other picks, but they needed a running back. Enter Emmitt Smith and his polka-dotted outfit that he donned when he got to Dallas.

Best of the Best: L.P. Ladouceur – The only player in franchise history to play 16 consecutive years with the Cowboys, LP Ladouceur was arguably the most consistent player to ever wear the star. The deep snapper joined the team in 2005 as the Cowboys were looking for an upgrade at deep snapper. As it turned out, just being on the West Coast for a week led the Cowboys to sign Ladouceur, who kept the job until the end of the 2020 season. He ranks second in games played with 253, two behind Jason Witten.

Blast From The Past: Matt Vanderbeek– The Cowboys have only had six players in franchise history to wear the No. 91. The second player to have it was linebacker/defensive end Matt Vanderbeek, who spent three years with the Colts before he joined the Cowboys in 1993. Vanderbeek was a key member of the special teams as they defended their Super Bowl title. Vanderbeek was a core member of the kicking game for two seasons. He was one of the free-agent signings by Washington in 1995 and finished his seven-year career in D.C.

As the Cowboys look for more stability at the kicker position this year, perhaps with a rookie as well, they can possibly look to the 1997 season, when rookie Richie Cunningham hit a franchise record 34 field goals in one season. Not only did he make a lot of kicks, but he was accurate as well, connecting on 91 percent of his attempts.

The Cowboys' current roster includes Carlos Watkins, who became the first player to wear the jersey and score a touchdown. Watkins intercepted a pass against the Saints and returned it 29 yards for a score.

The Play: DeMarco Murray was supposed to just split carries with Tashard Choice, who actually started the game. But Murray ended up with a career day, sparked by a 91-yard run in the first quarter in which he was barely touched. Murray ripped off the second-longest run in franchise history. He eventually finished the day 253 yards, breaking the Cowboys' single-game record and it still ranks tied for ninth in NFL history for most yards in a game.

Best of the Best: Tony Tolbert – No other number 92 comes close to the legacy and production that Tolbert brought to Dallas in the 1990's. He was selected with a fourth-round pick in 1989 after one of the best collegiate careers in UTEP history. He continued that legacy with three Super Bowl titles, 59 career sacks, along with a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection in 1996.

Present Player:

Current Player: Dorance Armstrong – Outside of Tolbert, no other player has worn the number 92 for more seasons than Armstrong. It's taken a couple of seasons for the Houston native to find his footing in the NFL, but he is coming off a career season in 2021. His five sacks were third on the team behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence and he is expected to see more playing time this season.

92 Notes:

Jayron Kearse led the Cowboys in 2021 with a career-high 92 tackles. That tally was the best by a Cowboys defensive player since Barry Church had 93 in 2014.

Michael Gallup took a higher percentage of his snaps outside the formation than any other Cowboys wide receiver in 2021. His 92% led the team but he was still third in total snaps outside with 322, behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb.

In one of the single-most impressive individual plays in franchise history, Tony Dorsett evaded five different defenders for a 92-yard touchdown. This reception against the Colts in 1978 is still listed as the second-longest passing play in Cowboys history and remains the longest since it's occurrence.

Best of the Best: Anthony Spencer – For nearly the first 30 years of the franchise history, the Cowboys didn't give out many numbers in the 90s, if at all. The No. 93 has gone to several players over the last 30+ years, but Anthony Spencer seemed to wear it the best. The 2007 first-round pick got to play opposite of DeMarcus Ware for most of his career. By the middle of his career, Spencer was averaging about 5 sacks per year, but in 2012, he enjoyed a career season with 11, earning him his first and only Pro Bowl selection. Spencer, who had 33 career sacks, eventually retired after eight seasons – all with the Cowboys.

Blast From The Past: Peppi Zellner – The Cowboys have always been known to take mid-round chances in the draft, either from small schools or players that starred in other sports. For Zellner, he actually falls in both categories. The Cowboys drafted him in the fourth round in 1999 from Fort Valley State. Zellner, who was also a standout basketball player, was considered a project player in the NFL. But he played four years in Dallas and then one each with Washington and Arizona. Zellner finished his career with nine sacks.

One fun fact about Zellner, he was one of four players on the 2000 roster with the letters "Zell" in his name, joining Flozell Adams, Izell Reese and Chris Brazzell.

Zack Martin doesn't appear to be slowing down at all. Not only did he earn another All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2021, but according to ProFootballFocus.com, Martin was the fourth-rated player in the NFL with a 93.4 overall grade, which was second among guards behind Joey Bitonio (93.6). The only two players with higher grades were Trent Williams and Aaron Donald.

Arguably the best team in franchise history, the 1993 Cowboys were able to repeat as Super Bowl champions, despite staring 0-2 with Emmitt Smith holding out the first two games without a contract. Other highlights from that season included Smith setting a then-rushing record 237 yards vs. Philly before he eventually won NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP.

The Cowboys are hoping for several pass-rushers to take the next step here in 2022. But often overlooked in the conversation is Tarell Basham, who joined the Cowboys last year for his fifth pro season. He tied his career-high with 3.5 sacks last year.

The Play: Sometimes, even the rookies can be the best players on the field. In 2010, the Cowboys had their hands full with the Giants on Monday Night Football, but it would've been worse had Dez Bryant not scored three touchdowns. His most dazzling play of the game – and probably the season – occurred when he fielded a punt inside his 10 and eventually started up the field at the 7, resulting in a 93-yard touchdown return – his second punt return for at TD that season.

Best of the Best: DeMarcus Ware – One of the greatest defenders to ever wear a Cowboys uniform, Ware imposed his will on offenses for nine seasons in Dallas. One of just seven players to lead the NFL in sacks for two separate seasons (2008 and 2010). He remains the franchise's all-time leader in sacks (117), fumbles forced (32), tackles for loss (145.0), and quarterback hits (185).

Blast From The Past: Charles Haley – Prior to Tom Brady, only one player in NFL history had won more than four Super Bowls in their playing career, Charles Haley. The five-time champion won two with the San Francisco 49ers and three more with the Cowboys. Enshrined into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2011 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 after 100 career sacks and 26 forced fumbles.

Mr. Cowboy, Bob Lilly, finished his legendary NFL career with 94 career sacks. A number that still puts Lilly inside the top-ten in franchise history.

Troy Aikman holds the most wins by a Cowboys quarterback as a starter with 94. Followed on the list by Roger Staubach (85), Tony Romo (78), and Danny White (62).

The Play: The ultimate dagger. With under 7-minutes to play, Philadelphia was driving deep into Cowboys territory with a chance to take the lead and keep their chances for a divisional title alive. However, Darren Woodson picked off Randall Cunningham and returned it 94 yards to the endzone to seal the win and clinch the 1994 NFC East crown.

Best of the Best: Chad Hennings – While Roger Staubach is the most famous player drafted from a military school that eventually made it to the Cowboys, Chad Hennings had a similar route. He was drafted late in the 1988 draft out of Air Force and finally made the Cowboys roster in 1992, just in time to help win three Super Bowls in four years. Hennings played his entire nine-year career with the Cowboys, starting 72 games. In 1994, Hennings did not start a game but had a career-best seven sacks.

Blast From The Past: Jason Ferguson – The Cowboys made a splash back in March of 2005, signing three veteran players all in one day. One of them was Jason Ferguson, a defensive tackle who had experience with Bill Parcells back with the Jets. Ferguson ended up playing just three years with the Cowboys, missing most of the 2007 season with a torn pectoral muscle. All in all, Ferguson had a 13-year career, playing with Jets, Cowboys and Dolphins.

The number "95" is referenced often these days, especially after every season the Cowboys don't make it to the Super Bowl. The 1995 season is the last time the Cowboys advanced to the big game, beating the Steelers for their fifth world championship. But since then, they haven't even made it to an NFC Championship game.

The only other 95-yard touchdown in Cowboys history occurred in a 1999 regular-season meeting with the Packers. George Teague saved the day with an interception of Brett Favre at the 5, and raced down the sideline for a touchdown, giving Dallas a 27-13 win. It was the first game played in the 90's decade that didn't include Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith or Michael Irvin – all three were sidelined with injuries.

The Play: Bob Hayes came to the Cowboys as an Olympic sprinter with the hopes he could turn into an NFL wide receiver. As it turned out, "Bullet" Bob Hayes changed the way defenses were played. His speed – evident on this long bomb from Don Meredith in 1965 – was an example how teams had to change its coverage to keep Hayes in front of them. This touchdown is still the longest pass play in Cowboys history.

Best of the Best: Marcus Spears – A national champion with Nick Saban's LSU Tigers in 2003, Marcus Spears was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Injuries hindered his early production as a pro defensive lineman, but his presence was consistent in the middle of the Dallas defense from 2005 to 2012. Despite never making a Pro Bowl or being named an All-Pro, Spears was a key contributor and a locker room-favorite throughout his career.

Blast From The Past: Daniel Stubbs – After winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, Stubbs reunited with his college coach Jimmie Johnson via trade in 1990. He had an impressive first season in Dallas with 7.5 sacks over all 16 games but was released after just nine games in 1991. A sandwich named his honor, 'The Stubb', can still be found on the menu of a Coppell, Texas deli.

During the 2022 season, the Dallas defense allowed just 96 points in the second quarter through all 17 games. The Cowboys outscored opponents by 50 points in the second frame alone, their best score differential of a singular period last season.

In 2007, Jason Witten had the best season the Cowboys had ever seen with 96 receptions, 1,145 yards, and seven touchdowns. All three were records for the position until Witten broke his own records with 110 catches in 2012 and eight touchdowns in 2013.

The Play: Against the Cardinals in 1975, rookie linebacker Thomas Henderson scampered 96-yards for a kick return touchdown off a reverse. Resulting in one of the most memorable plays in Cowboys history. The play was another stroke of genius for Tom Landry, as the whole sequence started with a fumble by Rolly Woolsey that was promptly handed off to Henderson for the long return.

Best of the Best: La'Roi Glover – From 2002 to 2005, the Cowboys made the playoffs just one time and never won the NFC East. A lack of talent was the big reason for that. But they had a few great players and La'Roi Glover was one of them. He made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with the Cowboys, despite the team's lack of on-field success. Glover was a steady force in the middle and could play in any defensive scheme.

Blast From The Past: Jason Hatcher – Drafted in the third round out of Grambling, Hatcher was more of a role player early in his career before blossoming into a Pro Bowl player. Hatcher had just 16 sacks in his first seven years, but exploded for 11 in 2013, resulting in a big contract with Washington. Hatcher played 10 years in the NFL, mostly with the Cowboys.

Knowing the rules, even the obscure ones, is always an advantage and in 2010, rookie cornerback Bryan McCann put that on display when he alertly grabbed the ball after the Lions touched it first when downing a punt. McCann wasn't the primary returner on the play but took the ball at the 3 and turned it into a 97-yard touchdown to help beat the Lions. Ironically enough, that play came one week after McCann scored on a 101-yard interception return against the Giants. He was the first player in NFL history to have touchdowns of 97+ yards in consecutive games.