Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson celebrated with the Lombardi Trophy after the Dallas Cowboys defeated Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII on Jan. 31, 1993. It was their first Super Bowl win together and the Cowboys’ third NFL title.
The Dallas Cowboys, with five Super Bowl titles, are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NFL.
To Cowboys fans, that’s extremely old news.
After a dynastic run of success in the 1990s, the team entered a prolonged drought, enduring nearly three decades since their last appearance in the conference championship or Super Bowl. Even so, the Cowboys remain “America’s Team” with one of the biggest fan bases in sports. The team is a financial juggernaut with a $13 billion valuation, which makes it the world’s most valuable sports franchise, according to Forbes.
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Here’s what you need to know about the Dallas Cowboys:
Tom Landry applauded his players as they left the field following the Cowboys’ 23-6 win over Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 1, 1977. Two weeks later, the Cowboys would win their second Super Bowl, beating the Denver Broncos.
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History
The Cowboys were founded in 1960 and were led by legendary head coach Tom Landry and general manager Tex Schramm. The team struggled in its early years but broke through for its first playoff appearance in 1966.
That season, the Cowboys kicked off an NFL-record streak of 20 consecutive winning seasons that lasted until 1985. During that two-decade run, they made 18 playoff appearances, won two Super Bowls, and reached three other Super Bowls. Key players from the team’s early years include Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Drew Pearson and Don Meredith.
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The team had a run of losing seasons in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1989, H.R. “Bum” Bright sold a majority interest in the team to Jerry Jones.
It was a major turning point for the franchise.
Jones quickly overhauled the team, ending the decades-long tenures of Landry and Schramm, and bringing in Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson. The team traded away star running back Herschel Walker in 1989 in one of the biggest deals in league history. The draft capital from the trade enabled the emergence of a Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s.
Led by the legendary “Triplets,” quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin, the team won three Super Bowls in four seasons from 1992 to 1995. Other key players from this era include Larry Allen, Darren Woodson and Deion Sanders.
The third of those Super Bowls came under head coach Barry Switzer, who joined the franchise following Johnson’s acrimonious departure after the 1993 season.
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Since the turn of the century, the team has struggled to match the highs of its glory days. Despite 13 playoff appearances, the team has not made it back to the NFC Championship since its last Super Bowl run in 1996.
While playoff success has been hard to come by, the team has won seven regular season division titles in the 21st century and they have rarely lacked for star power on the field. Key players from recent decades include quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Tony Romo, pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, tight end Jason Witten and wide receivers Dez Bryant and CeeDee Lamb.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw a deep pass to wide receiver Ceedee Lamb during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025, in Arlington.
Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer
Key players
Here are some key players on the 2026 roster.
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Quarterback Dak Prescott: All-time franchise leader in passing yards and four-time Pro Bowler. He’s the highest-paid player in NFL history by annual salary, at $60 million.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb: Five-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro selection. He had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2021 to 2025.
Wide receiver George Pickens: Blockbuster trade acquisition in 2025. He made his first Pro Bowl with Dallas that year and is playing under the franchise tag in 2026, setting the stage for potential future contract drama.
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams: Another blockbuster add in 2025. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro honoree.
Safety Caleb Downs: The team’s 2026 first-round pick. He was a three-time All-American and national champion in college.
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Honorable mentions: Kicker Brandon Aubrey, offensive lineman Tyler Smith, cornerback DaRon Bland and tight end Jake Ferguson.
Ownership
Jones is one of the few sports owners who might be as big of a public figure as his players. Since he bought the Cowboys nearly 40 years ago, Jones has transformed the franchise.
Read more: The $13B Midas Touch: Why everything the Cowboys, Jerry Jones touch turns to gold
His ownership tenure has brought three Super Bowl titles and turned the team into a financial juggernaut and cultural staple unlike any other in American sports. Beyond his role as team owner, Jones is also deeply involved in the football side as president and general manager for the team. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer works on the sidelines during the NFL game against the Washington Commanders on Christmas Day 2025, in Landover, Md.
Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer
Coaching staff
The team has a staff of more than two dozen coaches and trainers. Here are the main names to know:
Head coach: Brian Schottenheimer
Offensive coordinator: Klayton Adams
Defensive coordinator: Christian Parker
Special teams coordinator: Nick Sorensen
Rivalries
The Cowboys are rivals with their three divisional opponents which are the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and, most notably, the Philadelphia Eagles. Beyond these teams, Dallas has a history of big-time playoff matchups against the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders (left) and wide receiver Michael Irvin (88) shared the Vince Lombardi trophy as NBC commentator Greg Gumbel interviewed them after Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, Ariz., in 1996. The Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17.
AP
Legends
The Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor is made up of 20 players, two executives and two head coaches, all of whom have shaped the franchise’s history. Here are all the members, by order of induction:
Name, position, team tenure
Bob Lilly, DT, 1961-1974
Don Meredith, QB, 1960-1968
Don Perkins, RB, 1961-1968
Chuck Howley, LB, 1961-1973
Mel Renfro, CB, 1964-1977
Roger Staubach, QB, 1969-1979
Lee Roy Jordan, LB, 1963-1976
Tom Landry, head coach, 1960-1988
Tony Dorsett, RB, 1977-1987
Randy White, DT, 1975-1988
Bob Hayes, WR, 1965-1974
Tex Schramm, general manager, 1959-1989
Cliff Harris, S, 1970-1979
Rayfield Wright, OT, 1967-1979
Troy Aikman, QB, 1989-2000
Michael Irvin, WR, 1988-1999
Emmitt Smith, RB, 1990-2002
Drew Pearson, WR, 1973-1983
Charles Haley, DE, 1992-1996
Larry Allen, OL, 1994-2005
Darren Woodson, S, 1992-2004
DeMarcus Ware, LB, 2005-2013
Gil Brandt, VP of player personnel, 1960-1988
Jimmy Johnson, head coach, 1989-1993