During their fifty years of existence, the Dallas Cowboys have built a reputation as one of the most successful and profitable franchises in the National Football League having won 19 divisional championships, 10 conference championships and five Super Bowls.
They have not always been successful, however. When the Cowboys first entered the NFL, they struggled to win games but, through the 1960s, they slowly built a winning team that eventually won them the nickname of "America's Team."
The Dallas Cowboys Join the NFL
The Dallas Cowboys joined the National Football League on January 28, 1960, when the NFL granted a franchise to Clint Murchison, Jr., the majority owner, and Bedford Wynne.
One month earlier, Tom Landry had been signed to a personal services contract and, once the NFL franchise had been awarded, Landry was named as the Cowboy's head coach. He served in that position for 29 years. Tex Schramm was hired as the team's general manager and Gil Brandt as the director of player personnel. To help build their roster, the Dallas Cowboys were allowed to pick three players from each of the 12 NFL teams in March, 1960.
Dallas Cowboys Season Records in the 1960s
The Dallas Cowboys suffered five straight losing seasons before finally breaking even in their sixth year. Their seventh year brought the Cowboys their first winning season and began a streak of 20 consecutive winning seasons, a record which is still unmatched in the NFL.
The team posted an overall win-loss-tie record of 67-65-6 during the 1960s:
- 1960: 0-11-1
- 1961: 4-9-1
- 1962: 5-8-1
- 1963: 4-10-0
- 1964: 5-8-1
- 1965: 7-7-0
- 1966: 10-3-1
- 1967: 9-5-0
- 1968: 12-2-0
- 1969: 11-2-1
Dallas Cowboys Playoff Games in the 1960s
Beginning in 1966, the Dallas Cowboys advanced to the playoffs in four consecutive years.
- 1966 - Led by quarterback Don Meredith, the Cowboys secured their first Eastern Conference title with a 10-3-1 record and advanced to their first playoff game, the NFL Championship. They lost to the Green Bay Packers, 34-27.
- 1967 - The Dallas Cowboys earned the Capitol Division title and won their first playoff game, defeating the Cleveland Browns 52-14 for the Eastern Championship. They lost the NFL Championship game to Green Bay 21-17 in what has been dubbed the "Ice Bowl" because of the frigid, below zero temperatures.
- 1968 - The Cowboys repeated as Capitol Division champions but lost to Cleveland in the Eastern Division championship game, 31-20. They defeated the Minnesota Vikings 17-13 in the Playoff Bowl in Miami on January 5, 1969. This was Don Meredith's last season with the Cowboys.
- 1969 - With Craig Morton as the Cowboys' quarterback, the team won their third consecutive Capitol Division title but lost to Cleveland 38-14 in the Eastern Division game and lost the Playoff Bowl, 31-0, to Los Angeles.
Home Stadium for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s
The Cotton Bowl in Dallas served as the Cowboys' home stadium throughout the 1960s. They won their first NFL game in the Cotton Bowl in the 1961 season opener and the Cotton Bowl was the site of the 1966 NFL Championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
On December 23, 1967, Clint Murchison, Jr. announced plans to build a new stadium in Irving which would seat at least 58,000 visitors. Ground was broken on January 25, 1969, and the Cowboys played their first game in Texas Stadium against the New England Patriots on October 24, 1971.
1960s Dallas Cowboys in Ring of Honor or Football Hall of Fame
Eight Dallas Cowboys players, who started with the team in the 1960s, have been recognized for their contributions by being inducted into the Texas Stadium Ring of Honor or into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Bob Lilly, a defensive tackle (1961-1974) was the first college player drafted by the Cowboys (1961) and the first Cowboy to be inducted into the Ring of Honor (1975) and into the Hall of Fame (1980).
- Don Meredith, the Cowboys' quarterback (1960-1968), was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 1976.
- Don Perkins, a running back (1961-1968), was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 1976.
- Chuck Howley, who played with the Cowboys as a linebacker (1961-1974), was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 1976 along with Meredith and Perkins.
- Mel Renfro, a defensive back (1964-1977), was inducted into both the Ring of Honor (1981) and into the Hall of Fame (1996).
- Lee Roy Jordan, a Cowboys linebacker (1963-1976), was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 1989.
- Bob Hayes, dubbed the "World's Fastest Human" during the 1964 Olympics, was a wide receiver (1965-1974) for the Dallas Cowboys and was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2001.
- Rayfield Wright played as an offensive tackle with the Cowboys (1967-1979). He was inducted into the Ring of Honor (2004) and into the Hall of Fame (2006).
Overview of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s
Although the history of the Dallas Cowboys began with a dismal record of five straight losing seasons, by the end of the 1960s, they had risen to the top of the NFL. Having posted a 42-12-2 record in their final four years and played in three championship games, they were poised for the 1970s which turned out to be a record decade for the Cowboys.
Additional Reading on the Dallas Cowboys
Sources:
- Team History by Season, DallasCowboys.com
- History of Football - Dallas Cowboys, NFL.com
Ronald G Falconberry - Ron Falconberry is an IT professional and freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on Bible topics, history, and ...
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