1994 Dallas Cowboys season

In an attempt to be the first NFL franchise to "Three-Peat" Super Bowls, the Dallas Cowboys were off to a strong start under new head coach Barry Switzer. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner had departed to become head coach of the rival Washington Redskins and was replaced by veteran offensive assistant Ernie Zampese. However dominant, the team was fielded with injuries to many key starters. The most notable injuries were a near fatal car accident to tackle Erik Williams and a nagging hamstring strain to running back Emmitt Smith. The season also saw the brief emergence of back-up quarterback and future head coach Jason Garrett as he led a comeback victory against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day by leading the Cowboys to score 36 points in the second half.^[1] Dallas finished the regular season posting a 12–4 record and winning the NFC East.

Barry Switzer's debut as Cowboys head coach was a 26–9 victory over the Steelers and third-year coach Bill Cowher. Undrafted kicker Chris Boniol kicked four field goals while the Steelers managed a Neil O'Donnell touchdown run and a field goal. Despite the lopsided win, Michael Irvin said afterward, "We did not look sharp."

Dallas's home opener was a 20–17 win over their in-state AFC cousin the Houston Oilers. Though the Oilers closed to within 20–17 they got no further.

The Cowboys struggled against the Lions, falling behind 17–7, but rallied to tie the game. Lions' kicker Jason Hanson missed a short field goal attempt ending regulation, then in overtime another Hanson kick was blocked. Troy Aikman fumbled to the Lions and Hanson booted a 44-yarder for the 20–17 Lions win.

The Cowboys came off their bye week and their former offensive coordinator Norv Turner saw his Redskins get hammered 34–7 at RFK Stadium. The Skins lost four turnovers and managed just 110 yards of offense.

The Cardinals were obliterated at Texas Stadium 38–3 as quarterbacks Steve Beuerlein and Jay Schroeder were intercepted five total times.

With both teams at 4–1 the Cowboys took care of business in a 24–13 win. Randall Cunningham was intercepted four times.

The Cardinals had long given little reason for confidence but this game was radically different. Troy Aikman completed three passes and a touchdown to Alvin Harper but was knocked out by a vicious hit from Wilber Marshall. The Cardinals led 21–14 in the fourth but Rodney Peete completed 186 passing yards and two scoring drives for the 28–21 win. Arriving home, several players including Erik Williams went to a bar to relax. Seriously drunk, Williams drove away, then was seriously injured in a vicious highway accident, missing the remainder of the season.

Bengals coach Dave Shula was disliked by Cowboys players during his time on Jimmy Johnson's staff as a young offensive coach because of his mistrust of players and resultant dumbed-down play-calling. His Bengals entered this game winless and stayed that way after the Cowboys rallied from down 20–17 in the third quarter on two Boniol field goals.

The Cowboys led wire to wire in a 38–10 rout of the 3–6 Giants, out gaining them in yards 450–188 despite two fumbles. The game was marred by a scuffle between the two teams at the end of the first half.

Considered the game of the year going in, Dallas's fourth meeting in three seasons with the Niners was a defensive struggle with a combined fourteen punts for 592 yards. The Niners clawed out a 14–7 lead in the fourth and the Cowboys stormed to the Niners’ 7 when Aikman was intercepted (his third of the game). The Niners scored again before Dallas raced downfield and scored but could not recover an onside kick. The 21–14 win would mean San Francisco would host a playoff rematch.

Despite being out-gained in yardage 313–243 the Cowboys crushed the Redskins 31–7, snagging four interceptions and a fumble. Both teams used three quarterbacks apiece including future Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.

With Troy Aikman out with injury, Garrett started against the 6–5 Packers. Green Bay raced to a 24–13 lead before Garrett erupted to two touchdown throws and led two more drives ending in rushing scores. The result was a 42–31 Cowboys win, a year after their embarrassing Thanksgiving loss to Miami.

After a 7–2 start the Eagles were in free fall at 7–5 and lost again, this time at Veterans Stadium. The Eagles clawed to within 24–19 but Randall Cunningham was intercepted by Darren Woodson at the Cowboys 6 and Woodson finished a 31–19 Cowboys win.

The Cowboys lost any realistic chance at the top seed in the NFC while the Browns closed in on the playoffs in a 19–14 Cleveland win, picking off Aikman twice and adding two Cowboys fumbles. It began a six-game winning streak against the Cowboys by head coach Bill Belichick.

Dallas secured a playoff bye in a 24–16 win at the Superdome despite two more Aikman interceptions. Jim Everett of the Saints was worse with three picks and the two teams combined for just 517 yards of offense. One of Aikman's interceptions was by Darion Conner, who was notably chased down by rookie offensive lineman Larry Allen.

Dallas rested most of its starters, since winning or losing this game would not affect its seeding in the playoffs. The Cowboys finished with twelve wins while the Giants, in winning 15–10, salvaged a 9–7 record after starting 3–7. The two teams combined for just 437 yards and twelve penalties altogether.

• Dallas: 9/19 (Det)

The Cowboys' 12–4 regular-season record earned them the #2 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. They defeated the Green Bay Packers in the divisional-round playoff game at Texas Stadium. They then traveled to Candlestick Park to face the San Francisco 49ers for the third straight time in as many years in the NFC Championship game. Down 21 points in the first quarter, the Cowboys fought back valiantly, but fell short, 38-28.

The Cowboys led wire to wire, winning 35–9 as Aikman erupted for 337 yards while Brett Favre completed just eighteen passes and was benched with the game's competitive phase over for Mark Brunell in his final game for the Packers before league expansion sent him to the same Jacksonville Jaguars whose interest in Dallas's previous head coach had helped set off the controversial change of Dallas coaches before the 1994 season.

Dallas's run as Super Bowl champions ended in bitter 38–28 fashion as three turnovers in the first eight minutes of action led to 21 Niners points and a 31–14 San Francisco lead at halftime. Aikman managed 380 yards but three interceptions were part of five Dallas turnovers. The most bitter moment came on an encounter between receiver Michael Irvin (targeted 26 times with twelve catches and two touchdowns) and Niners defensive back Deion Sanders that was considered flagrant pass interference but didn't draw a penalty. Team owner Jerry Jones stated afterward "there is nothing we need to change to beat the Forty Niners," but the Cowboys would sign Sanders as a free agent at the start of the following season.

• Charles Haley, Defense, UPI NFC Player of the Year
• Emmitt Smith, Best NFL Player ESPY Award

The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2

• "1994 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
• Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Dallas Cowboys Official Site
• Houston Oilers at Dallas Cowboys, Week Two on YouTube