Record 12–4 Head coach Barry Switzer Home field Texas Stadium | Division place 1st NFC East Start date 1994 | |
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Playoff finish Won Divisional Playoffs (Packers) 35–9
Lost Conference Championship (at 49ers) 38–28 Similar 1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1995 Dallas Cowboys, 1977 Dallas Cowboys, 1970 Dallas Cowboys, 1964 Dallas Cowboys | ||
The 1994 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 35th in the NFL. Following their second consecutive Super Bowl title, the Cowboys would see a multitude of changes. In March, months of frustration finally reached its climax as team owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson held a press conference and announced Johnson's resignation. Jones would later hire former Oklahoma Sooners head coach and personal friend Barry Switzer to be the third head coach in franchise history. After a continue run of dominance in the regular season and finishing with a record of 12–4, the Cowboys fell short of a record third straight Super Bowl title with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game. The 1994 Cowboys draft yielded only one notable addition to the team, offensive guard Larry Allen and veteran linebacker Ken Norton Jr. left the team to sign with San Francisco.
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This season was also the 75th anniversary of the NFL and was designated by a diamond-shaped patch worn on the left breast of every NFL team's uniform. The Cowboys celebrated the league's history by donning their inaugural white jerseys from the 1960–1963 seasons against the Detroit Lions. The team also later debuted a special white "Double-Star" jersey on Thanksgiving Day 1994. These uniforms celebrated the Cowboys' most recent back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the 1992 and 1993 seasons and were used in most of the Cowboys' remaining games of the season, including the playoffs.
Regular season
In an attempt to be the first NFL franchise to "Three-Peat" Super Bowls, the Dallas Cowboys were off to a strong start under new head coach Barry Switzer. However dominant, the team was fielded with injuries to many key starters. The most notable injuries were a near fatal car accident to tackle Erik Williams and a nagging hamstring strain to running back Emmitt Smith. The season also saw the brief emergence of back-up quarterback Jason Garrett as he led a comeback victory against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day by leading the Cowboys to score 36 points in the second half. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner also departed to become head coach of the rival Washington Redskins and was replaced by veteran offensive assistant Ernie Zampese. Dallas still managed to finish the regular season posting a 12–4 record and defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional game at Texas Stadium. They would later travel to Candlestick Park to face the San Francisco 49ers for the third straight time in as many years for the NFC Championship Game. Down 21 points in the first quarter, the Cowboys fought back valiantly, but fell short, 28–38.
Throwback weekend games
Awards and records
Publications
The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2