The Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane

After an embarrassing 54–13 loss to the Vikings in week five and a humiliating 38–0 loss to the Cardinals on Monday Night Football in week nine, the 1970 Cowboys were 5–4, and the playoffs seemed out of reach. They beat the Redskins 45–21 in week ten to up their record to 6–4.

They now needed to win their next four games to have any chance of reaching the playoffs. They won those four games and outscored their opponents 108–15. They played the Lions at the Cotton Bowl in the playoffs and won 5–0.

Now it was on to Keezar Stadium to play the 49ers in the NFC Championship. They beat the 49ers 17–10 and were off to sunny Miami to play the Colts in Superbowl V. Colts kicker Jim O’Brien kicked a field goal with five seconds left in the game to give Baltimore a 16–13 victory.

Cornerback Mel Renfro, linebacker Chuck Howley, guard John Niland, and defensive tackle Bob Lilly made the Pro Bowl. Howley also made All-Pro and won the Superbowl MVP award. Running back Duane Thomas won the Rookie of the Year award.

Rebounding From A Close Loss

The 1971 season started much like 1970, with the Cowboys looking like Champions one week and then looking like also-rans the next. They were 4–3 at the midway point, and Coach Tom Landry couldn’t decide on a starting quarterback.

Roger Staubach was given the starting job in week eight, and the Cowboys never lost again for the remainder of the season. They finished the regular season with an 11–3 record and traveled to Minnesota for the playoffs, where they beat the Vikings 20–12. They would play the 49ers in the NFC Championship for the second year in a row.

They won 14–3 and were on their way to New Orleans for the Superbowl, where they easily defeated the Dolphins 24–3 for their first World Championship. Roger Staubach, Chuck Howley, Bob Lilly, John Niland, Mel Renfro, tackle Rayfield Wright, punter Ron Widby, and strong safety Cornell Green made the Pro Bowl. Lilly, Niland, and Wright made All-Pro.

The 1972 season got off to a bad start when Roger Staubach separated his shoulder in the preseason and was lost for almost the entire regular season. Despite losing their starting quarterback, a 28–7 win over the Eagles in week ten gave the Cowboys an 8–2 record, and they were favored to play in their third Superbowl in a row.

But a 31–10 loss to the 49ers on Thanksgiving day shook the teams’ confidence. They won the next two games but lost their final game to the Giants 23–3. They had to settle for a Wild Card berth and travel to San Francisco for the playoffs. Dallas fell behind 28–13, with little time remaining in the game. Roger Staubach came off the bench, and the Cowboys pulled off an unlikely comeback to win the game 30–28.

Now they would travel to Washington, DC, to play the Redskins in the NFC Championship. Washington led 10–3 going into the fourth quarter and then ran away with a decisive 26–3 victory. Running backs Calvin Hill and Walt Garrison made the Pro Bowl, along with Bob Lilly, John Niland, Mel Renfro, Cornell Green, and Rayfield Wright. Wright and Niland also made All-Pro.

Missing The Playoffs?

After outscoring their first three opponents 105–30, it looked like the Cowboys would breeze through the 1973 season, but they lost three of their next four games. They won six of the next seven to finish 10–4 and would have home-field advantage in the postseason. Dallas beat the Rams 27–16 to advance to the NFC Championship for the fourth year in a row, but two of their top players, Bob Lilly and Calvin Hill, were lost to injuries.

The Cowboys were no match for the Vikings, losing 27–10, and the season was over. Calvin Hill, Bob Lilly, John Niland, Rayfield Wright, Mel Renfro, and middle linebacker Lee Roy Jordon made the Pro Bowl. Rayfield Wright also made All-Pro.

For the first time since 1965, the Cowboys did not make it to the postseason. After digging themselves a big hole, losing four of their first five games, the 1974 Cowboys rebounded to win seven of their next nine. But their 8–6 record wasn’t good enough to qualify for the playoffs.

Calvin Hill, Rayfield Wright, Lee Roy Jordon, guard Blaine Nye, free safety Cliff Harris, and wide receiver Drew Pearson made the Pro Bowl. Pearson also made All-Pro.

The Cowboys were an aging team, and many changes were made during the off-season. Some players, such as 14-year veteran Bob Lilly retired, while others were traded. Twelve rookies named the “Dirty Dozen,” made the 1975 team. Many so-called experts predicted a long season for the Cowboys, but after four weeks, the Cowboys had yet to lose a game.

They went 6–4 the rest of the way to finish the regular season at 10–4. They traveled to Minnesota and outplayed the 12–2 Vikings in the famous “Hail Mary Game.” The 17–14 win had them traveling to LA to face the 13–2 Rams in the NFC Championship. Dallas played a nearly perfect game, destroying LA 37–7. Now it was on to Miami to play in their third Superbowl in the last six years.

Going into the fourth quarter with a 10–7 lead, it looked like the Cowboys might pull off another upset against the defending World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. But the Steelers came back to win 21–17. While it was a disappointing loss, it was a season no one would forget. Roger Staubach, Cliff Harris, and Rayfield Wright made the Pro Bowl.

Trying To Get Back To Super Bowl

After ten weeks, the 1976 Cowboys were 9–1 and were favored to play in their fourth Superbowl. But they lost three of their next five games, including a 14–12 loss to the Rams in the playoffs. Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson, Blaine Nye, Rayfield Wright, tight end Billy Joe Dupree, defensive end Harvey Martin, and safeties Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris made the Pro Bowl. Harris and Pearson also made All-Pro.

The one missing ingredient that was keeping the Cowboys from another Superbowl victory was a dominant running attack. Duane Thomas was traded prior to the 1972 season after a contract dispute. Calvin Hill left the team after the 1974 season to play in the WFL, and Walt Garrison retired prior to the 1975 season after injuring his knee in the rodeo.

The Cowboys got what they needed when they drafted running back Tony Dorsett for the 1977 season. The Cowboys were undefeated after eight games but then hit a bump in the road, losing two in a row. They won their next four games to finish the regular season with 12 wins and two losses, which was their best record since 1968. Dallas would have home-field advantage in the playoffs.

They easily defeated the Chicago Bears 37–7, which meant they would play in the NFC Championship for the sixth time in the last seven years. The Cowboys had no trouble with the Vikings, winning 23–6. They marched into the Superbowl with a 14–2 record and destroyed the Broncos 27–10 for their second Vince Lombardi trophy.

Roger Staubach, Charlie Waters, Billy Joe Dupree, Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris, Harvey Martin, Randy White, and kicker Efran Herrera made the Pro Bowl. Harris, Martin, and Pearson also made All-Pro.

Repeat As Super Bowl Champs?

After a week ten loss to the Dolphins, the 1978 Cowboys appeared to be sleepwalking with a 6–4 record. But the sleeping giant woke up and won their next six regular season games. They did not have an easy time with the Falcons in the playoff game, pulling out a 27–20 win.

The Cowboys would now travel to LA for the NFC Championship. Dallas won 28–0, but the score was a bit misleading, as the game was tied 0–0 at halftime. The game went into the fourth quarter with the Cowboys up 7–0 before they finally wore down the Rams and took over the game.

The team would now travel to Miami to play in their fifth Superbowl in the last nine years. They would play the Steelers, the first rematch in Superbowl history. Dallas gave Pittsburgh all it could handle, but they came up four points short, just as they had three years earlier.

Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Billy Joe Dupree, Cliff Harris, Randy White, Harvey Martin, Charlie Waters, linebacker Thomas Henderson, and receiver Tony Hill made the Pro Bowl. Cliff Harris and Randy White made All-Pro.

At the halfway point of the 1979 season, the Cowboys were 7–1 and looked like they might be on their way to another Superbowl. But suddenly, the Cowboys went into a terrible slump, losing four of their next five games. They won their final three games, including a wild come-from-behind victory against the Redskins in the season finale.

The team appeared to be hitting their stride just in time for the post-season, but the Rams pulled off an upset, beating Dallas 21–19 in the playoffs. Roger Staubach, Tony Hill, Randy White, Harvey Martin, Cliff Harris, tackle Pat Donovan, middle linebacker Bob Breunig, and guard Herb Scott made the Pro Bowl. Randy White also made All-Pro.

The bottom line. Regular season record — 105–39 (the best record of the 1970s). Postseason record — 14–7. Division titles — seven. NFC titles — five. Superbowl titles — two.

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Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond. He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.

He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training (Second Edition): A Guide for People with Limited Time and Running Wild: (Growing Up in the 1970s)