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1993 Dallas Cowboys season

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The 1993 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League (NFL) and was the fifth and final year of the franchise under head coach Jimmy Johnson. During Johnson's tenure, the Cowboys made two of their three Super Bowl appearances between 1992 and 1995 and won back-to-back Super Bowl titles. The season is notable for seeing the Cowboys become the first team to start 0–2 and still reach (and subsequently win) the Super Bowl. The following off-season was marked by the surprising resignation of Johnson, who departed the Cowboys due to a dispute with owner Jerry Jones about who deserved more credit for the back-to-back Super Bowl wins. This would be Johnson's last head coaching job until 1996, when he became the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins to replace the retiring Don Shula, who had served as their head coach since 1970. They are, as of 2024, the most recent NFC team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions

1993 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerJerry Jones
General managerJerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson
Head coachJimmy Johnson
Home fieldTexas Stadium
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st NFC East
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Packers) 27–17
Won NFC Championship
(vs. 49ers) 38–21
Won Super Bowl XXVIII
(vs. Bills) 30–13
Pro BowlersQB Troy Aikman
WR Michael Irvin
RB Emmitt Smith
FB Darryl Johnston
TE Jay Novacek
OT Erik Williams
OG Nate Newton
C Mark Stepnoski
DE Russell Maryland
LB Ken Norton Jr.
FS Thomas Everett

The 1993 Cowboys ranked #23 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[1][2]

Season summary

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The Cowboys' journey towards Super Bowl XXVIII proved more difficult than the previous season. Running back Emmitt Smith held out the first two regular season games over a contract dispute. Dallas would lose both games to the Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills starting the season at 0–2. The team would also acquire veteran quarterback Bernie Kosar after his release from the Cleveland Browns as insurance for starting quarterback Troy Aikman, who suffered a severe concussion in the NFC Championship game versus San Francisco, and backup Steve Beuerlein signed with the Phoenix Cardinals.

In arguably his finest game as a professional, Emmitt Smith suffered a second degree separated shoulder in the regular season finale versus their NFC East division rival New York Giants. Smith willed himself through excruciating pain and carried the Cowboys to an overtime win. Dallas finished with an NFC-best 12–4 record and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Smith was later named the NFL MVP and with 1,486 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, also earned his third NFL rushing title. Smith would also later be voted Super Bowl MVP, giving him the honor of being the only player to win all three awards in the same season. Another outstanding Smith performance came against the Eagles, where he rushed for a career-high 237 yards.

The season was also notable for the Leon Lett "blunder" in the annual Thanksgiving Day game. With Texas Stadium unusually covered with snow and ice, Dallas led the Dolphins 14–13 with seconds remaining as the Dolphins' Pete Stoyanovich attempted a long field goal. The Cowboys' Jimmie Jones blocked the field goal, apparently ending the game. However, with the blocked ball rolling around at the Dallas 10, Lett attempted to fall on it and slipped, kicking the ball and making it "live" again. Miami's Jeff Dellenbach recovered and Stoyanovich made the most of his shorter second chance, giving the Dolphins a most improbable 16–14 win.

Aikman finished the regular season completing 271 out of 392 passes for 3,100 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Wide receiver Michael Irvin once again led the team with 88 catches for 1,330 yards and seven touchdowns. Wide receiver Alvin Harper had 36 catches for 777 yards and five touchdowns, and tight end Jay Novacek had 44 receptions for 445 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line consisted of Pro Bowlers Mark Stepnoski, Erik Williams, and Nate Newton. The defense was anchored by Pro Bowlers such as Russell Maryland, Ken Norton Jr., and Thomas Everett.

Preseason

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 August 1 Minnesota Vikings L 7–13 0–1 Texas Stadium Recap
2 August 8 vs. Detroit Lions T 13–13 (OT) 0–1–1 Wembley Stadium (London) Recap
3 August 14 Los Angeles Raiders W 13–7 1–1–1 Texas Stadium Recap
4 August 21 at Houston Oilers L 20–23 1–2–1 Houston Astrodome Recap
5 August 27 at Chicago Bears L 21–23 1–3–1 Soldier Field Recap

Regular season

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 6 at Washington Redskins L 16–35 0–1 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Recap
2 September 12 Buffalo Bills L 10–13 0–2 Texas Stadium Recap
3 September 19 at Phoenix Cardinals W 17–10 1–2 Sun Devil Stadium Recap
4 Bye
5 October 3 Green Bay Packers W 36–14 2–2 Texas Stadium Recap
6 October 10 at Indianapolis Colts W 27–3 3–2 Hoosier Dome Recap
7 October 17 San Francisco 49ers W 26–17 4–2 Texas Stadium Recap
8 Bye
9 October 31 at Philadelphia Eagles W 23–10 5–2 Veterans Stadium Recap
10 November 7 New York Giants W 31–9 6–2 Texas Stadium Recap
11 November 14 Phoenix Cardinals W 20–15 7–2 Texas Stadium Recap
12 November 21 at Atlanta Falcons L 14–27 7–3 Georgia Dome Recap
13 November 25 Miami Dolphins L 14–16 7–4 Texas Stadium Recap
14 December 6 Philadelphia Eagles W 23–17 8–4 Texas Stadium Recap
15 December 12 at Minnesota Vikings W 37–20 9–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Recap
16 December 18 at New York Jets W 28–7 10–4 Giants Stadium Recap
17 December 26 Washington Redskins W 38–3 11–4 Texas Stadium Recap
18 January 2 at New York Giants W 16–13 (OT) 12–4 Giants Stadium Recap

Game summaries

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Week 1 at Washington Redskins

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Despite two touchdown catches by Alvin Harper the Cowboys, playing without Emmitt Smith, fell 35–16 at RFK Stadium. Derrick Lassic, replacing Smith for the time being, rushed for 75 yards but the Cowboys offensive line, whose loyalty was to Smith, didn’t block for him with the same effort; safety James Washington called it “totally unfair to Lassic.”

Week 2 vs. Buffalo Bills

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Before a home crowd frustrated by the Cowboys’ slow start and the continuing contract holdout by Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys fell behind the Bills 10–0, clawed back to tie the game, then fell on Steve Christie’s 35-yard field goal. Lin Elliott missed two kicks (and was cut from the team), Troy Aikman was intercepted twice, and Derrick Lassic fumbled twice. An enraged Charles Haley threw his helmet through the wall in the locker room demanding ownership to end the Emmitt Smith contract issue.

Week 3 at Phoenix Cardinals

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Three days before the game, the Cowboys finally negotiated a four-year deal with Emmitt Smith. In Smith’s first game back, Derrick Lassic scored twice, but his 60 total yards came on fourteen carries, where Smith coming in cold had 45 yards on eight carries. Dallas outgained the Cardinals in yards 410–273 and won 17–10.

First bye week

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For the first time in NFL history, teams were allowed two bye weeks.

Week 5 vs. Green Bay Packers

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The Cowboys’ new kicker Eddie Murray booted five field goals as the Packers were crushed 36–14. Emmitt Smith had his first rushing score of the season.

Week 6 at Indianapolis Colts

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While a Louisiana high school quarterback was winning multiple high school player of the year awards that year, the present day quarterbacks of the Colts (Jack Trudeau and ex-Packer Don Majkowski) were being intercepted four times by the Cowboys in a 27–3 runaway. Emmitt Smith burst past 100 yards on the game with a score.

Week 7 vs. San Francisco 49ers

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1 234Total
49ers 10 070 17
• Cowboys 3 1373 26
Scoring summary
Q1SFEric Davis 4 yard fumble return (Mike Cofer kick)SF 7–0
Q1DALEddie Murray 48 yard field goalSF 7–3
Q1SFMike Cofer 25 yard field goalSF 10–3
Q2DALEddie Murray 39 yard field goalSF 10–6
Q2DALEmmitt Smith 1 yard run (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 13–10
Q2DALEddie Murray 29 yard field goalDAL 16–10
Q3SFBrent Jones 12 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick)SF 17–16
Q3DALMichael Irvin 36 yard pass from Troy Aikman (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 23–17
Q4DALEddie Murray 18 yard field goalDAL 26–17

[3]

Week 8 second Bye week

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Halloween at Philadelphia Eagles

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Emmitt Smith rushed for 237 yards as the Cowboys broke open a close game in the fourth quarter to win, 23–10. Troy Aikman and former Jet Ken O'Brien for the Eagles combined for just 203 yards and 23 incompletions.

Week 10 vs. New York Giants

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With both teams at 5–2, the battle for the NFC East was joined at Texas Stadium and this game became another Cowboys runaway, as Troy Aikman scored two touchdowns and Emmitt Smith added two more. In falling 31–9, Phil Simms and Kent Graham were sacked a combined five times.

The win proved costly, as Aikman suffered a leg injury in the fourth quarter and would miss the next two games.

During halftime, the Cowboys inducted Tom Landry into their Ring Of Honor.

Week 11 vs. Phoenix Cardinals

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Jimmy Johnson decided to start rookie Jason Garrett, but after Garrett proved ineffective with just two completions, Johnson benched him for recently signed ex-Brown Bernie Kosar, who completed thirteen passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, this despite an end zone intentional grounding penalty that made the final score 20–15 Cowboys.

Week 12 at Atlanta Falcons

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Despite two touchdowns Kosar could not get a victory as the struggling Falcons triumphed 27–14. Emmitt Smith gained just one yard as the Cowboys were limited to 230 yards of offense to 400 for the Falcons.

Week 13 Thanksgiving vs. Miami Dolphins

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Troy Aikman returned as the opening atop Texas Stadium allowed slushy snow onto the field. The Cowboys clawed to a 14–13 lead. In the final seconds, a Pete Stoyanovich field goal was blocked. The kick landed beyond the line of scrimmage, and once the ball stopped moving the play would be declared dead and Dallas would gain possession. However, the ball landed and began spinning on its tip, leading Cowboys lineman Leon Lett to try to gain possession. Lett slipped, fell, and knocked the ball forward. He had been pressed into service on the Cowboys' field goal block team despite having never played on special teams before. When it squirted off his foot, it became a live ball and the Dolphins recovered. Stoyanovich booted the ensuing field goal and the Dolphins had the 16–14 win.

While some teammates were angered at Lett’s gaffe, Jimmy Johnson blamed himself and reassured a disconsolate Lett in the locker room. It was Jimmy Johnson's last loss as Head Coach of Dallas.

Week 14 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

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Despite being sacked four times, Troy Aikman completed seventeen passes for 178 yards and a first quarter score to Michael Irvin as the Cowboys led wire to wire and won 23–17. Emmitt Smith had 172 yards on the ground.

Week 15 at Minnesota Vikings

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In a penalty-plagued game (twenty combined fouls for 124 yards) the Cowboys again led from start to finish in winning 37–20. Emmitt Smith added another 104 yards on the ground.

Week 16

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1 234Total
• Cowboys 0 7147 28
Jets 0 007 7
Scoring summary
Q2DALMichael Irvin 42 yard pass from Troy Aikman (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 7–0
Q3DALMichael Irvin 3 yard pass from Troy Aikman (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 14–0
Q3DALKevin Smith 32 yard interception return (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 21–0
Q4NYJBrad Baxter 1 yard run (Cary Blanchard kick)DAL 21–7
Q4DALDaryl Johnston 4 yard run (Eddie Murray kick)DAL 28–7

[4]

Week 17 vs. Washington Redskins

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The Redskins were obliterated 38–3 as Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith accounted for 346 of Dallas’ 380 yards of offense.

Week 18 at New York Giants

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Emmitt Smith put on a heroic effort overcoming a serious shoulder separation late in the second quarter to put up 229 yards of offense, 40 of them in overtime after the Giants tied the game. Eddie Murray's game winning field goal earned the Cowboys the division title and a first-round playoff bye. Following the game CBS broadcaster John Madden visited Smith in the locker room to shake his hand at his courage in finishing the game.

Standings

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NFC East
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(1) Dallas Cowboys 12 4 0 .750 376 229 W5
(4) New York Giants 11 5 0 .688 288 205 L2
Philadelphia Eagles 8 8 0 .500 293 315 W3
Phoenix Cardinals 7 9 0 .438 326 269 W3
Washington Redskins 4 12 0 .250 230 345 L2

Playoffs

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Schedule

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Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Game Recap
Wild Card First-round bye
Divisional January 16, 1994 Green Bay Packers (6) W 27–17 1–0 Texas Stadium Recap
NFC Championship January 23, 1994 San Francisco 49ers (2) W 38–21 2–0 Texas Stadium Recap
Super Bowl XXVIII January 30, 1994 Buffalo Bills (A1) W 30–13 3–0 Georgia Dome Recap

NFC Divisional Playoff

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Dallas Cowboys 27, Green Bay Packers 17
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Packers 3 0 7717
Cowboys 0 17 7327

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

NFC Championship Game

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Dallas Cowboys 38, San Francisco 49ers 21
Quarter 1 2 34Total
49ers 0 7 7721
Cowboys 7 21 7338

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Super Bowl XXVIII

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Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 6 0 141030
Bills 3 10 0013

at Georgia Dome, Atlanta

  • Scoring summary
  • DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 41 yards 3–0 DAL
  • BUF – FG: Steve Christie 54 yards 3–3 tie
  • DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 24 yards 6–3 DAL
  • BUF – TD: Thurman Thomas 4 yard run (Steve Christie kick) 10–6 BUF
  • BUF – FG: Steve Christie 28 yards 13–6 BUF
  • DAL – TD: James Washington 46 yard fumble return (Eddie Murray kick) 13–13 tie
  • DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 17 yard run (Eddie Murray kick) 20–13 DAL
  • DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 1 yard run (Eddie Murray kick) 27–13 DAL
  • DAL – FG: Eddie Murray 20 yards 30–13 DAL

Staff

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1993 Dallas Cowboys staff

Front office

  • Owner/president/general manager – Jerry Jones
  • Public relations director – Rich Dalrymple

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning


Roster

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Dallas Cowboys 1993 roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

Rookies in italics
53 active, 7 inactive, 2 practice squad

Awards and records

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Publications

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  • 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

References

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  1. ^ "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
  2. ^ "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
  3. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-May-18.
  4. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Apr-14.
  5. ^ "Maxwell Football Club - Bert Bell Award Past Recipients". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
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