With the departure of both Troy Aikman (retirement) and Randall Cunningham (free agency), the Cowboys needed a quarterback.
But Jerry Jones had traded the team's first round pick of the 2001 Draft to land Joey Galloway in 2000.
Among the players the Cowboys missed out on drafting with that pick was quarterback from Purdue named Drew Brees. You might have heard of him.
So when Dallas finally made their first pick in the second round in 2001 Jones personally chose Georgia quarterback Quincy Carter.
It was considered a reach even then. The rest of the Cowboys' draft fared little better. Of the nine players drafted none of them were on the roster after the 2004 season.
As for the quarterback position, four different players would start at least two games at quarterback in the season. Carter would start in eight of them.
Making matters worse, the Cowboys had signed Ravens' quarterback Tony Banks in the offseason and he had looked good in preseason.
However, Banks was released halfway through training camp and Carter was named the starter.
0-4 Start Dooms Season
The Cowboys generated 127 total yards in a 10-6 loss to Tampa Bay to open the season at home. Carter was 9-of-19 for 34 yards and two interceptions.
Anthony Wright started the next game at quarterback for Dallas and threw three touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and the Chargers rolled to a 32-21 victory.
Wright struggled on the road, throwing for just 33 yards before being relieved by Clint Stoerner. The Eagles easily dispatched the Cowboys 40-18.
Carter started at Oakland but was relieved by Wright after going 1-for-5 for four yards. Wright connected with Galloway for a 40-yard touchdown over Charles Woodson.
But it was too little, too late as the Raiders sent Dallas to 0-4 with a 28-21 victory.
The Losing Streak Is Snapped
The Cowboys got three field goals and held on for a 9-7 win at home over the Redskins. Banks, playing for Washington, threw a touchdown pass but could not get revenge.
After a bye week, Stoerner started and Dallas got a 17-3 win over the Cardinals. At 2-4, Dallas still had time to turn the season around. They imploded instead.
Playing without Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys fell in overtime 27-24 to the Giants after leading 17-0. Stoerner's fourth interception of the game landed him on the bench.
He was replaced by Ryan Leaf, who did not throw any interceptions, but also could not generate any points.
Leaf would start against the Falcons, with Troy Hambrick and Michael Wiley splitting the running back duties. Dallas led 13-7 at halftime but fell 20-13.
Leaf would start the next two games – and Smith would return to the lineup – but the Cowboys would fall to the Eagles (36-3) and Broncos (26-24).
Carter's Second Chance
Carter returned as the starter and led Dallas to back-to-back wins over the Redskins (20-14) and Giants (20-13). But Carter was ineffective in losses to Seattle (29-3) and Arizona (17-10).
Carter's best game of the year came in the home finale against San Francisco. Carter was 15-for-25 for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
He also added 30 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Galloway had 146 yards and a touchdown and Smith had 126 rushing yards in a 27-21 victory.
But Carter struggled in a season-ending 15-10 loss to the Lions at Detroit.
Dismal Numbers
For the second straight year Dallas finished at 5-11 under Dave Campo. The lone bright spot was they'd swept the Redskins for the fourth straight year.
Carter played in eight games, starting all eight. He threw for 1,072 yards and five touchdowns while going 3-5. Stoerner would go 1-1, Wright 1-2, and Leaf finished 0-3 as a starting quarterback.
Despite missing two games, Smith managed to break 1,000 yards again with 1,021. Galloway, after missing all but one game in 2000, had 52 catches for 699 yards and three touchdowns.
But after back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1989-90, Campo was clearly on the hot seat.
The 2002 season would be make or break for the Cowboys' fifth head coach.
