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Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson celebrated with the\u00a0Lombardi 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.<\/p>\n
The Dallas Cowboys<\/a>, with five Super Bowl titles, are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NFL.<\/p>\n To Cowboys fans, that’s extremely old news.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cAmerica\u2019s Team\u201d 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\u2019s most valuable sports franchise, according to\u00a0Forbes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know about the Dallas Cowboys:<\/p>\n Tom Landry applauded his players as they left the field following the Cowboys’ 23-6 win over Minnesota in the\u00a0NFC Championship Game on Jan. 1, 1977. Two weeks later, the Cowboys would win their second Super Bowl, beating the Denver Broncos.<\/p>\n ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n History<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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\u2019s early years include Roger\u00a0Staubach, Bob Lilly, Drew Pearson and Don Meredith.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The team had a run of losing seasons in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1989, H.R. \u201cBum\u201d Bright sold a majority interest in the team to Jerry Jones.<\/p>\n \u00a0It was a major turning point for the franchise.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0Herschel 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.<\/p>\n Led by the legendary \u201cTriplets,\u201d quarterback Troy\u00a0Aikman, 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\u00a0Woodson and Deion Sanders.<\/p>\n The third of those Super Bowls came under head coach Barry Switzer, who joined the franchise following Johnson\u2019s acrimonious departure after the 1993 season.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Key players<\/p>\n Here are some key players on the 2026 roster.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Wide receiver George Pickens: Blockbuster trade acquisition in 2025. He made his first Pro Bowl with Dallas that year and is\u00a0playing under the franchise tag in 2026, setting the stage for potential future contract drama.<\/p>\n Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams: Another blockbuster add in 2025. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro honoree.\u00a0<\/p>\n Safety Caleb Downs: The team\u2019s 2026 first-round pick. He was a\u00a0three-time All-American and national champion in college.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Honorable mentions: Kicker Brandon Aubrey, offensive lineman Tyler Smith, cornerback DaRon Bland and tight end Jake Ferguson.<\/p>\n Ownership<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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