1989 Dallas Cowboys season

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1989 Dallas Cowboys season
Head Coach Jimmy Johnson
Home Field Texas Stadium
Results
Record 1-15
Place 5th in NFC East
Playoff Finish none
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1988 1990

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. 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 Bowls.

Contents

[edit] Offseason

[edit] NFL Draft

Pick # NFL Team Player Position College
1 Dallas Cowboys Troy Aikman Quarterback UCLA

[edit] Regular Season

[edit] Season Schedule

Opponent Result
at New Orleans Saints 0 28 L
at Atlanta Falcons 21 27 L
Washington Redskins 7 30 L
New York Giants 13 30 L
at Green Bay Packers 13 31 L
San Francisco 49ers 14 31 L
at Kansas City Chiefs 28 36 L
Phoenix Cardinals 10 19 L
at Washington Redskins 13 3 W
at Phoenix Cardinals 20 24 L
Miami Dolphins 14 17 L
Philadelphia Eagles 0 27 L
Los Angeles Rams 31 35 L
at Philadelphia Eagles 10 20 L
at New York Giants 0 15 L
Green Bay Packers 10 20 L

[edit] Herschel Walker

Main article: Herschel Walker trade

In 1989, at the height of his NFL career, the Cowboys traded him 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)". [1]

[edit] Awards and Honors

[edit] References

  1. ^ By Viking Update Staff (2001-06-20). History: Walker Trade. Scout.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.


1989 NFL season
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AFC East Central West NFC East Central West
Buffalo Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Indianapolis Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit LA Rams
Miami Houston LA Raiders Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
New England Pittsburgh San Diego Phoenix Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Seattle Washington Tampa Bay
1989 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl XXIV