1989 Dallas Cowboys season
Encyclopedia
The 1989
Dallas Cowboys
season was the first year of the franchise under the ownership of Jerry Jones
as well as under the helm of head coach
Jimmy Johnson
, who had compiled a 44–4 record in his last 4 years as coach of the University of Miami
Hurricanes.
Besides the entry of Johnson and Jones, the Cowboys made pre-season headlines by drafting UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman with the first pick in the NFL Draft. Curiously, they also drafted quarterback Steve Walsh later in the NFL's supplemental draft (in doing so, they gave up a number one pick in the 1990 draft). Walsh had played quarterback for Jimmy Johnson at the University of Miami and led the Canes to a 23–1 record as a starter and one national title.
Walsh and Aikman battled for the starting quarterback job in the pre-season, with Aikman winning the nod when the regular season began. Expectations were raised when the Cowboys finished with a strong 3–1 preseason record (and this season is often used as an example of the "lack of correlation" between pre-season and regular season performance).
On opening day, the Cowboys were beaten by the New Orleans Saints, 28–0, and went on to finish 1–15 for the season. Aikman broke his wrist in week four and Steve Walsh started the next 4 games (including the team's only win) before Aikman returned to finish the season.
Two of the few bright spots of the season were Linebacker Eugene "The hitting machine" Lockhart, who led the league in tackles, and James Dixon, who was one of the NFL's leaders in kickoff return average.
1989 was the first season in the history of Monday Night Football that did not feature at least one Cowboys game.
The only win by the Cowboys during the season was against the rival Redskins
in Washington. Though the season seemed a complete failure, it would prove to be the prelude to many great years ahead. Troy Aikman
and Michael Irvin
, future centerpieces of the Cowboys' dynasty, headlined this team. During the season, star running back
Herschel Walker
would be traded
to the Minnesota Vikings
for multiple players and draft picks. By finishing 1–15 they received the top spot in the 1990 NFL Draft
. Later, they would trade down and draft a running back out of Florida
named Emmitt Smith
. Other notable additions to the team that year include center
Mark Stepnoski
and fullback
Daryl Johnston
.
The two matchups between the Cowboys and Eagles (including one on Thanksgiving
) were particularly hostile and became known as the Bounty Bowl
s.
The 1989 season was the final NFL season for the legendary Ed "Too Tall" Jones and longtime offensive lineman Tom Rafferty.
to the Minnesota Vikings
for a total of five players (LB Jesse Solomon
, DB Issiac Holt
, RB Darrin Nelson
, LB David Howard, DE Alex Stewart) and six draft picks (which led to Emmitt Smith
, Russell Maryland
, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson
). This was judged to be one of the turning points in the rise of the Cowboys to the top echelon of the NFL. Walker's trade was widely perceived as an exceptionally poor move considering what the Vikings had to give up in order to get him, and remains one of the most frequently vilified roster moves of the team's history. The Vikings coaches reluctantly accepted Walker after the trade and never totally used the tool they had been given. Scout.com says, "but Walker was never used properly by the coaching brain trust (a total oxymoron in this case)".
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
season was the first year of the franchise under the ownership of Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
as well as under the helm of head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
, who had compiled a 44–4 record in his last 4 years as coach of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Hurricanes.
Besides the entry of Johnson and Jones, the Cowboys made pre-season headlines by drafting UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman with the first pick in the NFL Draft. Curiously, they also drafted quarterback Steve Walsh later in the NFL's supplemental draft (in doing so, they gave up a number one pick in the 1990 draft). Walsh had played quarterback for Jimmy Johnson at the University of Miami and led the Canes to a 23–1 record as a starter and one national title.
Walsh and Aikman battled for the starting quarterback job in the pre-season, with Aikman winning the nod when the regular season began. Expectations were raised when the Cowboys finished with a strong 3–1 preseason record (and this season is often used as an example of the "lack of correlation" between pre-season and regular season performance).
On opening day, the Cowboys were beaten by the New Orleans Saints, 28–0, and went on to finish 1–15 for the season. Aikman broke his wrist in week four and Steve Walsh started the next 4 games (including the team's only win) before Aikman returned to finish the season.
Two of the few bright spots of the season were Linebacker Eugene "The hitting machine" Lockhart, who led the league in tackles, and James Dixon, who was one of the NFL's leaders in kickoff return average.
1989 was the first season in the history of Monday Night Football that did not feature at least one Cowboys game.
The only win by the Cowboys during the season was against the rival Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in Washington. Though the season seemed a complete failure, it would prove to be the prelude to many great years ahead. Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
and Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
, future centerpieces of the Cowboys' dynasty, headlined this team. During the season, star running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
would be traded
Herschel Walker trade
The Herschel Walker trade, also known as "The Great Train Robbery", was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League. It involved 18 players and draft picks...
to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
for multiple players and draft picks. By finishing 1–15 they received the top spot in the 1990 NFL Draft
1990 NFL Draft
The 1990 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1990...
. Later, they would trade down and draft a running back out of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
named Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
. Other notable additions to the team that year include center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
Mark Stepnoski
Mark Stepnoski
Mark Matthew Stepnoski is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh....
and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Daryl Johnston
Daryl Johnston
Daryl Peter "Moose" Johnston is a former National Football League fullback who played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1999.-High school career:...
.
The two matchups between the Cowboys and Eagles (including one on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
) were particularly hostile and became known as the Bounty Bowl
Bounty Bowl
The Bounty Bowl was the name given to two notorious NFL games held in 1989 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. The first, the 1989 Thanksgiving Classic game in Dallas was most noted for allegations that the Philadelphia Eagles put a $200 bounty on Dallas Cowboys kicker Luis...
s.
The 1989 season was the final NFL season for the legendary Ed "Too Tall" Jones and longtime offensive lineman Tom Rafferty.
NFL Draft
| Round | |Player | |College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Troy Aikman Troy Aikman Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
UCLA University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... |
| 2 | 29 | Steve Wisniewski Steve Wisniewski Steve Wisniewski nicknamed "The Wiz" is a former Offensive Lineman who played 13 seasons with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders and is now an assistant offensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft. His rights were traded... |
Offensive Guard | Penn State |
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 10, 1989 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
L 28–0 | |
| 2 | September 17, 1989 | at Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–21 | |
| 3 | September 24, 1989 | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 30–7 | |
| 4 | October 1, 1989 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 30–13 | |
| 5 | October 8, 1989 | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 31–13 | |
| 6 | October 15, 1989 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
L 31–14 | |
| 7 | October 22, 1989 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L 36–28 | |
| 8 | October 29, 1989 | Phoenix Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 19–10 | |
| 9 | November 5, 1989 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 13–3 | |
| 10 | November 12, 1989 | at Phoenix Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 24–20 | |
| 11 | November 19, 1989 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 17–14 | |
| 12 | November 23, 1989 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–0 | |
| 13 | December 3, 1989 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
L 35–31 | |
| 14 | December 10, 1989 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 20–10 | |
| 15 | December 16, 1989 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 15–0 | |
| 16 | December 24, 1989 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 20–10 |
Standings
| NFC East NFC East The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.... |
||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants 1989 New York Giants season The 1989 New York Giants season was the 65th season for the club in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-Playoffs:... |
12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 348 | 252 |
| Philadelphia Eagles 1989 Philadelphia Eagles season The 1989 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason.-Player Selections:The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 342 | 274 |
| Washington Redskins 1989 Washington Redskins season The 1989 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 7-9 record from 1988. Despite a 10-6 record, they finished third in the NFC East and failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Week 11 game with Dallas was that team's only win of the season.-Regular season:In a week 14... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 386 | 308 |
| Phoenix Cardinals 1989 Phoenix Cardinals season The 1989 Phoenix Cardinals season was the team's 70th year with the National Football League and the 2nd season in Phoenix.-NFL Draft:-Regular season:In week 10, Tim McDonald returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown to beat the Dallas Cowboys... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 258 | 377 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 204 | 393 |
Herschel Walker
In 1989, at the height of his NFL career, the Cowboys traded himHerschel Walker trade
The Herschel Walker trade, also known as "The Great Train Robbery", was the largest player trade in the history of the National Football League. It involved 18 players and draft picks...
to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
for a total of five players (LB Jesse Solomon
Jesse Solomon
Jesse William Solomon is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994 for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted in the...
, DB Issiac Holt
Issiac Holt
Issiac Holt, III is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys....
, RB Darrin Nelson
Darrin Nelson
Darren Milo Nelson is a former professional American football player in the National Football League....
, LB David Howard, DE Alex Stewart) and six draft picks (which led to Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
, Russell Maryland
Russell Maryland
Russell James Maryland is a former professional American football player. He played defensive tackle for ten seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Cowboys first overall in the 1991 NFL Draft...
, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson
Darren Woodson
Darren Ray Woodson is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004...
). This was judged to be one of the turning points in the rise of the Cowboys to the top echelon of the NFL. Walker's trade was widely perceived as an exceptionally poor move considering what the Vikings had to give up in order to get him, and remains one of the most frequently vilified roster moves of the team's history. The Vikings coaches reluctantly accepted Walker after the trade and never totally used the tool they had been given. Scout.com says, "but Walker was never used properly by the coaching brain trust (a total oxymoron in this case)".
Roster
| Dallas Cowboys 1989 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Kevin Gogan Kevin Patrick Gogan is a former professional American football player who played guard for 14 seasons in the National Football League from 1987 to 2000... T/G Crawford Ker Crawford Francis Ker is a former American college and professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s and early 1990s. Ker played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Dallas... G Nate Newton Nathaniel Newton is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers . He also played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, in 1984 and 1985... G Tom Rafferty Thomas Michael Rafferty is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York, and went on to start four years for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University earning All-American honors in 1975.-Early years:Rafferty attended... C Mark Stepnoski Mark Matthew Stepnoski is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on to star at the University of Pittsburgh.... C Mark Tuinei Mark Pulemau Tuinei was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys... T Dave Widell David Harold Widell, Jr. is a former American football guard and tackle who played 11 seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Atlanta Falcons. He was a part of the Atlanta Falcons' Super Bowl XXXIII losing team... T Jeff Zimmerman Jeffrey Ross Zimmerman is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1999-2001 for the Texas Rangers.-Independent baseball:... G Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Jack Del Rio Jack Del Rio is an American football coach and former player. Del Rio played both football and baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, and then spent eleven years playing linebacker in the National Football League . He retired from playing in 1996 and went into coaching,... OLB Eugene Lockhart Eugene Lockhart, Jr. is a former American football linebacker who played for nine seasons in the National Football League from 1984 to 1992... MLB Randy Shannon Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.... OLB Jesse Solomon Jesse William Solomon is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994 for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and the Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted in the... MLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Currently vacant Rookies in italics 47 Active, 0 Inactive |
|||