Ranking the 44 starting quarterbacks in Cowboys’ history

Dak Prescott enters the 2023 season looking to move up the rankings of Dallas Cowboys’ all-time greats at quarterback. At this moment, only six men stand between him and the top.

Since the Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960, 44 players have started for the team at quarterback. While regular season numbers are great, the playoff records separate the elite cream from the rest.

Five of the 44 have led the team to an NFC/NFL Championship game. Only three have led the team to the Super Bowl. Just two have won the big game.

Here is how the 44 starters stack up:

The Elite Two

Name/Years Played GP/Starts Reg Sea. / Playoffs

Troy Aikman (1989-2000) 165/165 94-71 / 11-4

Roger Staubach (1969-79) 131/114 85-29 / 11-6

At one point, Aikman was 11-1 in postseason play. He lost his last three playoff games when both he, and the Cowboys, were on the decline.

Troy Aikman warms up prior to the Dallas Cowboys playing the Phoenix Cardinals on Nov. 22, 1992 in Tempe. Arizona. Photo by Richard Paolinelli.

But he’s 3-0 in the Super Bowl and 3-1 in the NFC Conference championship game. He started all 165 games he played in, leading the team all-time in both categories.

He went 94-71 in the regular season and 11-4 in the playoffs. That’s enough to rank him just ahead of Roger.

Staubach was no slouch. He started 114 games in his 131-game career. Staubach finished an incredible 85-29 in the regular season and 11-6 in the playoffs.

He won two of the four Super Bowls he led the team to. His storied history of comebacks is unmatched.

The Four Star Generals

Craig Morton (1965-72) 101/47 32-14-1 / 3-2

Danny White (1976-87) 166/92 62-30 / 5-5

Don Meredith (1960-68) 104/83 47-32-4 / 1-3

Morton gets a slight edge only because he actually got the team to the Super Bowl, albeit with a little help from Staubach.

His regular season mark of 32-14-1 is solid and he did finish with a winning record in the playoffs.

White’s 62-30 record is actually ahead of Prescott’s pace. While he managed to lead Dallas to three straight NFC title games, he lost all three.

Meredith survived the rocky early years of the franchise. Unfortunately he had to contend with the Browns and the Packers. But at least he played for an NFL championship.

Franchise Quarterbacks

Tony Romo (2006-2015) 156/127 78-49 / 2-4

Dak Prescott (2016-22) 97/97 61-36 / 2-4

Both Romo and Prescott share one quality. They are both unarguably franchise quarterbacks.

But elite? No, at least not yet in Prescott’s case.

Both have put up impressive numbers in the regular season. But both have 2-4 records in the playoffs and neither has advanced beyond the divisional rounds.

Stepped Up When Needed

Steve Beuerlein (1991-92) 24/4 4-0 / 1-1

Cooper Rush (2021-22) 19/6 5-1 / 0-0

Jason Garrett (1993-99) 23/9 6-3 / 0-0

Having a backup who can step in and win games when your starter goes down is a rare find. The Cowboys have had three such players.

Beuerlein made the most of his four starts for Aikman and even won a playoff game. Aside from the debacle in Philadelphia last year, Rush certainly got the job done.

Cooper Rush (10) looks downfield as Dak Prescott looks on.

Garrett’s 6-3 record as a starter is certainly solid. He even got some action in the playoffs, going 2-for-2 passing in 1996.

The One-Hit Wonders

Clint Longley (1974-75) 6/1 1-0 / 0-0

Rodney Peete (1994) 7/1 1-0 / 0-0

Glenn Carano (1978-83) 36/1 1-0 / 0-0

Drew Henson (2004) 7/1 1-0 / 0-0

Stephen McGee (2010-11) 3/1 1-0 / 0-0

These five players had one shot to start a game and made the most of it. Longley certainly being the most notable.

A year after the Mad Bombers’ incredible Thanksgiving Day comeback win over the Redskins in relief of Staubach he got his lone start.

Clint Longley rallied Dallas to an unlikely 24-23 victory over the Redskins (Nate Fine/Chicago Tribune)

In the 1975 season finale at the Jets, Longley earned a 31-21 victory. A few weeks later, mopping up an NFC Championship win over the Rams, he completed both of his passes for 26 yards.

Oh You Poor Sweet Child

Quincy Carter (2001-03) 31/31 16-15 / 0-1

Drew Bledsoe (2005-06) 22/22 12-10 / 0-0

Gary Hogeboom (1984-85) 45/12 6-6 / 0-0

Kevin Sweeney (1987-88) 6/4 2-2 / 0-0

Clint Stoerner (2000-01) 5/2 1-1 / 0-0

Andy Dalton (2020) 11/9 4-5 / 0-0

Jon Kitna (2010) 13/9 4-5 / 0-0

Vinny Testaverde (2004) 16/15 5-10 / 0-0

Randall Cunningham (2000) 6/3 1-2 / 0-0

Brad Johnson (2008) 32/3 1-2 / 0-0

Jerry Rhome (1965-66) 33/3 1-2 / 0-0

Chad Hutchinson (2002) 10/9 2-7 / 0-0

Eddie LeBaron (1960-63) 52/28 5-22-1 / 0-0

Steve Pelluer (1986-88) 47/27 8-19 / 0-0

Steve Walsh (1989) 9/5 1-4 / 0-0

Anthony Wright (2000-01) 8/5 1-4 / 0-0

Matt Cassel (2015) 8/7 1-6 / 0-0

Its notable that seven of these 17 players all started in the post Troy Aikman era prior to Romo’s arrival. Four of them played during a similar drought between the White and Aikman eras.

It was definitely not the best of times at Texas Stadium. But at least Quincy Carter managed to start a playoff game. There’s that for him over the others.

The Winless Brigade

Bernie Kosar (1993) 4/1 0-1 / 0-0

Ben DiNucci (2020) 3/1 0-1 / 0-0

Garrett Gilbert (2020) 1/1 0-1 / 0-0

Don Heinrich (1960) 12/1 0-1 / 0-0

Kyle Orton (2012-13) 4/1 0-1 / 0-0

Reggie Collier (1986) 4/1 0-1 / 0-0

Babe Laufenberg (1989-90) 7/1 0-1 / 0-0

Wade Wilson (1995-97) 17/1 0-1 / 0-0

Kellen Moore (2015) 3/2 0-2 / 0-0

Ryan Leaf (2001) 4/3 0-3 / 0-0

John Roach (1964) 9/4 0-4 / 0-0

Brandon Weeden (2014-15) 9/4 0-4 / 0-0

Oof. Sorry boys. Although Kosar lost his only start in November 1993, he made up for it in January in the NFC Championship game.

With Aikman out with a concussion and the 49ers getting back to with two touchdowns in the 3rd quarter it was looking grim in Irving.

But Kosar got the save in relief, throwing a huge touchdown pass, and kept Dallas on track for back-to-back Super Bowl wins.