Danny White became the Cowboys ' starting quarterback in 1980 after quarterback Roger Staubach retired.

" Bum " Bright purchased the Dallas Cowboys from Clint Murchison, Jr. As the Cowboys suffered through progressively poorer seasons ( from 10 – 6 in 1985 to 7 – 9 in 1986, 7 – 8 in 1987, and 3 – 13 in 1988 ), Bright became disenchanted with the team.

Gailey led the team to two playoff appearances with a 10 – 6 record in 1998 and an NFC East championship, but the Cowboys were defeated in the playoffs by the Arizona Cardinals 20-7 ; after an 8 – 8 season in 1999 ( during which Irvin suffered a career-ending spinal injury in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles ) ending in another playoff loss ( this time to the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 ), he was fired and became the first Cowboys coach who did not take the team to a Super Bowl.

In 2008 the rivalry became more intense when in the last game of the year in which both teams could clinch a playoff spot with a victory, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Cowboys 44 – 6, and clinched a playoff spot, where they would go to lose the NFC Championship game to the Arizona Cardinals.

White and Martin, who helped the Cowboys defeat the Denver Broncos, became the first defensive linemen to win the award.

# Quarterback Troy Aikman – Super Bowl XXVII – Aikman became the second Cowboys quarterback to earn the MVP honor as he led the Cowboys to victory against the Buffalo Bills.

However, the Vikings lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, 17 – 14, on a controversial touchdown pass from the Cowboys ' quarterback Roger Staubach to wide receiver Drew Pearson that became known as the Hail Mary.

Between 2001 and 2005, the Patriots became the second team in NFL history ( after the Dallas Cowboys ) to win three Super Bowls in four years ( Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX ), and the eighth ( and most recent ) to win consecutive Super Bowls.

However, they would fall victim to the Dallas Cowboys in week 14, going on to end the season with a 3 game losing streak ( Saints became the first team to win a Super Bowl after losing its last three regular season games ).

The Giants finished 10 – 6, and became NFC Champions after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers in the NFC Playoffs.

The Dallas Cowboys became the first team to win the Super Bowl after losing it the previous year.

The Cowboys, with their offense and " flex " defense, became the first NFC wild-card team to advance to the Super Bowl after posting a 10-4 regular season record and postseason victories over the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams.

As a result, the Cowboys became the first ever wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl.

The Cowboys became the first team to appear in five Super Bowls ( after playing in Super Bowls V, VI, X and XII ).

The Redskins became the second defending champion to lose a Super Bowl ( their divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, were the first, losing Super Bowl XIII after winning Super Bowl XII ).

The Cowboys also became just the second team to score two non-offensive touchdowns in a game.

Dallas ' Larry Brown became the first cornerback to be named Super Bowl MVP, by recording two interceptions in the second half, which the Cowboys converted into 2 touchdowns to prevent a Steelers comeback.

Barry Switzer became the second head coach, after former Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson, to win a college football national championship ( University of Oklahoma 1974, 1975, 1985 ) and a Super Bowl title.

Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley became the first player from a losing team to be named Super Bowl MVP.

** The Green Bay Packers become the first team in the modern era to win their third consecutive NFL Championship, 21-17 over the Dallas Cowboys in what became known as " The Ice Bowl ".

The team plays its home games at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, within the Dallas – Fort Worth metropolitan area, which finished construction in time for the 2009 season.

The Cowboys joined the NFL as a 1960 expansion team.

The Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 straight winning seasons ( 1966 – 85 ), in which they only missed the playoffs twice ( 1974 and 1984 ), an NFL record that remains unchallenged.

Prior to the formation of the Dallas Cowboys, there was not an NFL team south of Washington DC.

Although the Cowboys finished the 1989 season with a 1 – 15 record, their worst in almost 30 years, " The Trade " later allowed Dallas to draft a number of impact players to rebuild the team.

The Dallas Cowboys ' blue star logo representative of Texas as " The Lone Star State " is one of the best known team logos in professional sports.

Today, the blue star has been extended to not only the Dallas Cowboys, but owner Jerry Jones ' AFL team, the Dallas Desperados that have a similar logo based on the Cowboys.

This created a rare game in which neither team wore a white jersey and the first time the Cowboys wore the alternative uniform as a visiting team.

Other instances include the 2005 Monday Night game against the Washington Redskins when the team inducted Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irving into the Cowboys Ring of Honor, and the 2006 Christmas Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Throughout the years, the Cowboys ' blue jersey has been popularly viewed to be " jinxed " because the team often seemed to lose when they wore them.

It is said that the rivalry was fueled in the 1970s due to the stark contrast of the teams: the Cowboys, being more of a " flashy " team with Roger Staubach's aerial attack and the " flex " Doomsday Defense ; while the Steelers were more of a " blue-collar " team with a strong running game and the 1970s-esque Steel Curtain defense, a contrast that still exists today.

Dave Garrett served as the Cowboys ' play-by-play announcer from 1995 – 97, when Brad Sham left the team and joined the Texas Rangers ' radio network team as well as broadcast Sunday Night Football on Westwood One.

The team started off 2 – 0, defeating the Dallas Cowboys earning the NFL's highest winning percentage on opening days at. 750 with a record of 9 – 3 ), and shutting out the defending champs Pittsburgh Steelers.

The team made its first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VI, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24-3.

In both 1996 and 2003, the Panthers were responsible for eliminating the Cowboys in the playoffs which led to the local nickname for the Panthers being the " Cowboy killers ".

The Cowboys wore the road blue jerseys in both the 2003 and 2011 visits to New England at Gillette Stadium.

Both players finished their careers as backups, Brown returning to the Cowboys in 1998 and O ' Donnell playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans until his retirement in 2003.

* Sunni Cranfill, 2003 Miss Texas, Dallas Mavericks Dancer, 2009-2010 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader

In 2003 the town made an unsuccessful formal proposal to get the Dallas Cowboys to move to a “ 5-Point Park ” on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard when the lease for Texas Stadium expires.

Ten years after the Total Balalaika Show, on August 23, 2003, the Leningrad Cowboys and the Alexandrov ensemble returned to the Senate Square in Helsinki with UMO and various international performers for the spectacular Global Balalaika Show, was released on DVD directed by Timo Suomi, on November 21, 2003.

* Tex Schramm ( 1920 – 2003 ), original president and general manager of the U. S. National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise

Texas Earnest " Tex " Schramm, Jr. ( June 2, 1920-July 15, 2003 ) was the original president and general manager of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys franchise.

They are the Dallas Cowboys ( 1992, 1993, 1995 ) and the New England Patriots ( 2001, 2003, 2004 ).

Duane Charles " Bill " Parcells ( born August 22, 1941 ) is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006.

Following three straight 5 – 11 seasons, Dallas Cowboys ' owner Jerry Jones lured Bill Parcells out of retirement and made him the head coach in 2003.

Wore a silver alternate ( treated as a " white " jersey, against which opponents would wear colors — in fact, its first in-game use forced the Cowboys to don their " unlucky " blue jerseys ) from 2003 – 07.

In 2003, Pantera released a best-of album, The Best of Pantera: Far Beyond the Great Southern Cowboys ' Vulgar Hits!

Cowboys and Indians is an album by The Jeevas, released October 6, 2003.

Manning also led the Rebels to a 10-3 record and a 31-28 SBC Cotton Bowl Classic victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in 2003.

The Cowboys ' baseball teams have made several appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, most recently in 2000 and 2003.

The facility also was one of three " home " stadiums for the displaced NFL New Orleans Saints during the 2005 NFL season and was also the Dallas Cowboys ' training camp site in 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010.

The Dallas Cowboys held their 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2009 preseason training camps at the Alamodome, and will continue to do so through 2011.

Speakers have included Seattle city council member Nick Licata, actor / activist Woody Harrelson ( 1904 ), travel writer and TV host Rick Steves ( 2007 ), ( 2010 ) former Dallas Cowboys center Mark Stepnoski ( 2003 ), and former chief of the Seattle Police Department Norm Stamper ( 2006 ).

The Cowboys spent much of the 2003 season in the top eight with much improved performances from a host of players, including local talents Matt Bowen and Josh Hannay.

The 2003 season ended with the Cowboys four points adrift of a top eight play-off position.

Pantera disbanded in 2003 and also released the greatest hits compilation CD / DVD The Best of Pantera: Far Beyond the Great Southern Cowboys ' Vulgar Hits!

He became the team ’ s primary receiver late in the 2003 season, making his second Pro Bowl, mainly due to a dispute between receiver Keyshawn Johnson and the Buccaneers organization, which ultimately ended in Johnson being traded to the Dallas Cowboys for Joey Galloway.