Roster
| Dallas Cowboys 1966 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
Rookies in italics | |||
| 1966 Dallas Cowboys season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Clint Murchison, Jr. |
| Head coach | Tom Landry |
| Home field | Cotton Bowl |
| Local radio | KLIF |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–3–1 |
| Division place | 1st NFL Eastern |
| Playoff finish | Lost NFL Championship (vs. Packers) 27–34 |
| Pro Bowlers | 9
|
| AP All-Pros | 4
|
The 1966 Dallas Cowboys season was the seventh for the franchise in the National Football League. The Cowboys, who had never previously finished with a winning record in their history, would improve dramatically. Dallas finished 10-3-1 and won the Eastern Conference title, their first of six consecutive division titles. They hosted the NFL Championship Game at the Cotton Bowl, where they lost to the defending NFL champion Green Bay Packers, thus missing out on the chance to play in the first Super Bowl which the Packers went on to win two weeks later.
Quarterback Don Meredith had the best season of his career throwing for 2,805 yards, 24 touchdowns (both career highs) and 12 interceptions.
| 1966 Dallas Cowboys draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | John Niland * | OG | Iowa | |
| 2 | 22 | Willie Townes | DT | Tulsa | |
| 5 | 79 | Walt Garrison * | FB | Oklahoma State | |
| 6 | 86 | Bob Dunlevy | OT | West Virginia | |
| 7 | 100 | Arthur Robinson | WR | Florida A&M | |
| 8 | 116 | Don Kunit | RB | Penn State | |
| 9 | 130 | Darrell Elam | WR | West Virginia Tech | |
| 10 | 146 | Mason Mitchell | RB | Washington | |
| 11 | 160 | Austin Denney | TE | Tennessee | |
| 12 | 173 | Les Shy | DB | Long Beach State | |
| 12 | 176 | Craig Baynham | RB | Georgia Tech | |
| 13 | 190 | Ron Lamb | RB | South Carolina | |
| 14 | 206 | Lewis Turner | RB | Norfolk State | |
| 15 | 220 | Mark Gartung | OT | Oregon State | |
| 16 | 236 | Tom Piggee | RB | San Francisco State | |
| 17 | 250 | George Allen | DT | West Texas State | Signed with the AFL |
| 18 | 266 | Steve Orr | OT | Washington | |
| 19 | 280 | Byron Johnson | OT | Central Washington | |
| 20 | 296 | Lou Hudson | WR | Minnesota | Signed with the NBA |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bye | ||||||
| 2 | September 18 | New York Giants | W 52–7 | 1–0 | Cotton Bowl | 60,010 | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | Minnesota Vikings | W 27–17 | 2–0 | Cotton Bowl | 64,116 | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 47–14 | 3–0 | Atlanta Stadium | 56,990 | Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 56–7 | 4–0 | Cotton Bowl | 69,372 | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | at St. Louis Cardinals | T 10–10 | 4–0–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 50,673 | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | at Cleveland Browns | L 21–30 | 4–1–1 | Cleveland Stadium | 84,721 | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 52–21 | 5–1–1 | Cotton Bowl | 58,453 | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 23–24 | 5–2–1 | Franklin Field | 60,658 | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | at Washington Redskins | W 31–30 | 6–2–1 | D.C. Stadium | 50,927 | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 20–7 | 7–2–1 | Pitt Stadium | 42,185 | Recap |
| 12 | November 24 | Cleveland Browns | W 26–14 | 8–2–1 | Cotton Bowl | 80,259 | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 31–17 | 9–2–1 | Cotton Bowl | 76,965 | Recap |
| 14 | December 11 | Washington Redskins | L 31–34 | 9–3–1 | Cotton Bowl | 64,198 | Recap |
| 15 | December 18 | at New York Giants | W 17–7 | 10–3–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,735 | Recap |
Conference opponents are in bold text
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 24 | 21 | 7 | 52 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| Redskins | 6 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 30 |
at District of Columbia Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Don Meredith played through a broken rib
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | Passing | Don Meredith | 21/29, 406 Yds, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Dan Reeves | 13 Rush, 59 Yds | |
| Receiving | Bob Hayes | 9 Rec, 246 Yds, 2 TD | |
| Redskins | Passing | Sonny Jurgensen | 26/46, 347 Yds, 3 TD |
| Rushing | A.D. Whitfield | 7 Rush, 17 Yds | |
| Receiving | Charley Taylor | 11 Rec, 199 Yds, 2 TD |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Cowboys | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 26 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Game Site | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFL Championship | January 1, 1967 | Green Bay Packers | L 27–34 | Cotton Bowl | 75,504 | Recap |
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| Cowboys | 14 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Green Bay took an early 14–0 lead on two first-quarter scores; a 17-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr to Elijah Pitts and an 18-yard fumble return by Jim Grabowski on the ensuing kickoff. The Cowboys tied the score with two touchdowns towards the end of the quarter.
Starr's third touchdown pass of the game gave the Packers a 34–20 lead with 5:20 left in the game, but the Cowboys responded with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Don Meredith to Frank Clarke. Dallas advanced to the Green Bay 22-yard line on their next drive, when a pass interference penalty gave the Cowboys a first down at the Packer 2-yard line. But Green Bay's Tom Brown intercepted a Meredith pass in the end zone with 28 seconds left to play to preserve the victory for the Packers.
| NFL Eastern Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 9–3–1 | 445 | 239 | W1 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 8–5 | 326 | 340 | W4 | |
| Cleveland Browns | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 9–4 | 403 | 259 | W1 | |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 7–5–1 | 264 | 265 | L3 | |
| Washington Redskins | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 7–6 | 351 | 355 | L1 | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5 | 8 | 1 | .385 | 4–8–1 | 316 | 347 | W2 | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 2–5 | 204 | 437 | L1 | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 12 | 1 | .077 | 1–11–1 | 263 | 501 | L8 | |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
With the growth in popularity of televised NFL games, the league began looking for a second team in addition to the Detroit Lions, to host an annual Thanksgiving Day game. Every team turned down the offer, except for the Dallas Cowboys. General Manager Tex Schramm recognized this as an opportunity for the franchise to increase its popularity and establish its own Thanksgiving Day game tradition.
In 1966, the Cowboys who had been founded six years earlier, adopted the practice of hosting Thanksgiving games. It is widely rumored that the Cowboys sought a guarantee that they would regularly host Thanksgiving games as a condition of their very first one (since games on days other than Sunday were uncommon at the time and thus high attendance was not a certainty). Since then, the two "traditional" Thanksgiving Day pro football games have been in Detroit and Dallas.
| Dallas Cowboys 1966 roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
Rookies in italics | |||
| Category | Player(s) | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | Don Meredith | 2,805 | 4th |
| Passing touchdowns | Don Meredith | 24 | 3rd |
| Rushing yards | Dan Reeves | 757 | 6th |
| Rushing touchdowns | Dan Reeves/Don Perkins | 8 | t2nd |
| Receiving yards | Bob Hayes | 1,232 | 2nd |
| Receiving touchdowns | Bob Hayes | 13 | 1st |
| Points | Danny Villanueva | 107 | 2nd |
| Kickoff return yards | Mel Renfro | 487 | 12th |
| Punt return yards | Mel Renfro | 123 | 8th |
| Interceptions | Cornell Green | 4 | t6th |
| Sacks | George Andrie | 18.5 | 1st |
Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL. [1]
The 1967 NFL Championship Game was the 35th NFL championship, played on December 31 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The NFL playoffs following the 1967 NFL season culminated in the NFL championship game on New Year's Eve, and determined who would represent the league against the American Football League champions in Super Bowl II.
The 1966 NFL Championship Game was the 34th NFL championship, played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. It was the final game of the 1966 NFL season. This was also the last Championship game before the inauguration of the NFL playoffs the following year.
The 1966 Green Bay Packers season was their 48th season overall and their 46th in the National Football League (NFL). The defending NFL champions had a league-best regular season record of 12–2, led by eighth-year head coach Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr, in his eleventh NFL season.
The 1967 Green Bay Packers season was their 49th season overall and their 47th season in the National Football League (NFL) and resulted in a 9–4–1 record and a victory in Super Bowl II. The team beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Championship Game, a game commonly known as the "Ice Bowl," which marked the second time the Packers had won an NFL-record third consecutive NFL championship, having also done so in 1931 under team founder Curly Lambeau. In the playoff era, it remains the only time a team has won three consecutive NFL titles.
The 2007 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 89th overall and 87th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Packers finished the regular season with a 13–3 record. They received for the first time since 1997 a bye for the first round of the playoffs, won their divisional round playoff game, and lost in the NFC Championship game to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. It was the first time the Packers had lost a home NFC Championship game, and only their third home playoff loss ever. This was the last season for quarterback Brett Favre as a Green Bay Packer, as he initially retired following the season but came out of retirement and was subsequently traded to the New York Jets during the offseason.
The 1993 season was the Green Bay Packers' 73rd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 75th overall. They had a 9–7 record and won their first playoff berth in 11 years, but their first in a non-strike year in 21 years. The record also marked the first back-to-back winning season since the Packers 1967 season. During the regular season, the Packers finished with 340 points, ranking sixth in the National Football League, and allowed 282 points, ranking ninth. In his third year as a pro and second with the Packers, quarterback Brett Favre led the Packers offense, passing for 3,303 yards and 19 touchdowns. Favre, who played his first full season, was selected to his second of eleven Pro Bowl appearances.
The 1961 season was the Minnesota Vikings' first in the National Football League (NFL) after being created as an expansion franchise to become the league's fourteenth team. Their inaugural regular season game was a 37–13 victory at home to the Chicago Bears; rookie quarterback Fran Tarkenton came off the bench to toss four touchdown passes and run for another. However, under head coach Norm Van Brocklin, the Vikings won just two of their remaining 13 games, including a seven-game losing streak, and finished the season with a 3–11 record.
The 1982 Green Bay Packers season was their 64th season overall and their 62nd season in the National Football League (NFL), and was shortened due to a players' strike. The team posted a 5–3–1 record under coach Bart Starr. Due to the strike, the NFL ignored division standing and placed eight teams from each conference into the playoffs. The Packers finished the season in third place, which earned them a playoff berth. The Packers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 41–16 in the first round, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 37–26 in the second. Their playoff berth was the first for the Packers in ten seasons, their first playoff win in the post-Vince Lombardi era, and their only playoff win from 1968 to 1992. Additionally, the game against the Cardinals was their first home playoff game since the Super Bowl season of 1967.
The 1970 Dallas Cowboys season was the team's 11th in the National Football League (NFL).
The 1977 Dallas Cowboys season was their 18th in the National Football League (NFL). The club appeared twice on Monday Night Football. Rookie running back Tony Dorsett rushed for 1,007 yards and became the second member of the Cowboys to have a 1,000-yard rushing season. Dallas scored 345 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while its defense only gave up 212 points. Dallas finished with a 12–2 record. The Cowboys made it to their fourth Super Bowl and beat the Denver Broncos to capture their second Super Bowl title. They were the first team from the NFC East Division to win two Super Bowls. Their 15–2 (.882) record remains the highest single-season winning percentage in franchise history.
The 1991 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 62nd season in the National Football League, their 58th as the Detroit Lions. It stands as one of the team's best seasons since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, and the first time when the Lions made it to the NFC Championship Game.
The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the National Football League (NFL). For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the league, while the defense only gave up 208 points, 3rd best in the league. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night Football.
The 1968 Philadelphia Eagles season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL). They failed to improve on their previous output of 6–7–1, winning only two games. Eagles fans expected to get O. J. Simpson if they went winless. They finished 2–12, but the Buffalo Bills went 1–12–1 and got Simpson with the first pick. Before they won their twelfth game, which they won, the Eagles were on target for a winless season at 0–11. They were the first team in the NFL proper to lose eleven consecutive games in one season since their own 1936 season, though in the AFL the 1962 Oakland Raiders lost their first thirteen games.
The 2011 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 82nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th as the Detroit Lions, the 10th playing its home games at Ford Field and the third year under head coach Jim Schwartz. With a regular season record of 10–6, the team improved on its 6–10 record from 2010, making it their third consecutive improved season. It was the Lions' first winning season since 2000 and first 10 win season since 1995. The Lions' 5–0 start was their best since 1956. With their win over the San Diego Chargers on December 24, the Lions clinched an NFC Wild Card spot in the postseason. After their loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, it was determined the Lions would play the New Orleans Saints in one of the NFC Wild Card Games, which the Lions lost 45–28. It was their first playoff berth since 1999.
The 2011 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 93rd season overall and their 91st in the National Football League (NFL), and the sixth under head coach Mike McCarthy. The team not only improved on their 10–6 record from a season earlier, they became just the sixth team in NFL history to win 15 games during the regular season. As of 2023, the 15–1 record stands as the best in team history, as well as the best record for a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers won their first 13 games of the season to extend their winning streak from the previous season to 19, the second-longest in NFL history behind the 21-game winning streak of the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004, and also tied the record for the best start to a season in NFC history that the New Orleans Saints had set in 2009. The only loss for the Packers during the regular season was a Week 15 defeat in Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs. They also became the first NFC North team to go undefeated in the division since the 1987 Chicago Bears.
The 2013 season was the Green Bay Packers' 95th season overall, 93rd in the National Football League (NFL) and eighth under head coach Mike McCarthy. This for first time since 1998 Donald Driver was not on the opening day roster and for first time since 2005 Greg Jennings and Charles Woodson was not on the opening day roster. The Packers came into the 2013 season looking to win the NFC North for the 3rd year in a row. They came off a 45–31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs the previous season. The Packers started the 2013 season in a rematch with the San Francisco 49ers, to whom they lost 34-28. After winning their home opener against the Redskins, Green Bay lost 34–30 in Cincinnati to the Cincinnati Bengals after holding a 30–14 lead in the 3rd quarter. Following the loss in Cincinnati, the Packers won 4 games in a row to sit at 5–2 before losing a Monday Night game at home to the Chicago Bears, 27–20. In that game, the Packers lost star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a broken collarbone in the 1st quarter. He would be replaced by backups Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn during recovery. In Week 12, the Packers tied the Minnesota Vikings 26–26; it was Green Bay's first tie since 1987.
The 2014 season was the Seattle Seahawks' 39th in the National Football League (NFL) and their fifth under head coach Pete Carroll. The Seahawks started the season as the defending Super Bowl champions for the first time in franchise history.
The 2014 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 55th season in the National Football League (NFL), the sixth playing their home games at AT&T Stadium and the fourth full season under head coach Jason Garrett.
The 2023 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 64th season in the National Football League, their 35th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, and their fourth under head coach Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys matched their 12–5 record from the previous two seasons and won the NFC East division for the first time since the 2021 season and the second time in three seasons. They ended up in a three-way tie with the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions for first place in the NFC at 12–5. However, they lost the head-to-head and conference record tiebreaker to the 49ers but won the same two tiebreakers over the Lions, giving them the second seed in the playoffs. Although the Cowboys lost to the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, they clinched their third straight playoff berth before taking the field when the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers, respectively. This marked the Cowboys' first run of three consecutive postseason appearances since appearing in six straight from 1991 to 1996.
