Is this the worst season in Dallas Cowboys history? What do the records say?
The Dallas Cowboys (3-6) have lost six of their last eight games and quarterback Dak Prescott has just been ruled out for the rest of the season after he elected to have surgery on his injured hamstring.
The Cowboys, who currently sit in third place in the NFC East behind the Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles, have only a 3% chance of making the playoffs according to Next Gen NFL Stats.
How does this season compare to the worst seasons in franchise history?
Inaugural season
The worst season in franchise history was the franchise’s inaugural season. The Cowboys debuted in 1960 with legendary head coach Tom Landry, but failed to earn a single win going 0-11-1 and are one of four teams go winless post-World War II.
That list included the infamous 2008 Lions, 1978 Buccaneers and the 2017 Cleveland Browns.
Finding their footing
The 1963 season was only the team’s fourth year in existence and the team hadn’t yet figured out how to win consistently.
In the Cowboys’ first six seasons, the team never had a winning season with the majority of those years topping out at either five or four wins.
The 1963 team went 4-10 and was winless over the season’s first month.
The team was led by College Football Hall of Famer and Cowboys Ring of Honor Inductee Don Meredith who threw for 2,381 yards with 17 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Tom Landry and Bum Bright’s final season
The year 1988, the final season of Landry’s illustrious coaching career, was Bum Bright’s final season as owner before he sold the franchise to Jerry Jones.
After starting the season 2-2 the team would lose 11 of its final 12 games on their way to the a 3-13, then the worst season since the team’s founding.
The team only had one pro bowler that season, running back Herschel Walker, but did feature the debut of Cowboys legend Michael Irvin who had 32 catches for 654 yards with five touchdowns.
Jerry Jones’ tenure gets off to a rocky start
In 1989, Jones’ first season as Dallas Cowboys owner, was a tough one.
Eventually, he and head coach Jimmy Johnson would team up to make one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties. But their first season was not a portend of future success.
The season featured the debut of NFL Hall of Famer Troy Aikman and Cowboys fan favorite Daryl Johnston.
Aikman threw for 1,749 yards with nine touchdowns and 18 interceptions In his rookie season.
The Cowboys went 1-15 that season with their lone win against the Washington Commanders. However, the season would also include the trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in a trade that helped kickstart the Cowboys’ triplets era.
Injuries sink Jason Garret in second year as coach
Coming off the first playoff appearance of the Jason Garrett era the Cowboys would be unable to return to the playoffs in a season ravaged by injury.
In 2015, wide receiver Dez Bryant broke his foot after an opening-week victory against the New York Giants and the following week Tony Romo broke his clavicle and would only play four games that season which would be his last as starting quarterback.
The Cowboys limped to a 4-12 record and finished last place in the NFC East.
If the Cowboys were to fail to win another game this season it would be the third-worst season in franchise history and the second-worst during Jones’ tenure.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 8:49 AM.
