What does it mean to be a Cowboys fan? That question is hard to explain, but many fans live the dream or nightmare year round.

The Dallas Cowboys have been coined the America’s Team, but what does that mean to the fans? That question means so much to fans and is challenging to put into words.

The Dallas Cowboys of old, the legendary teams that many of us grew up admiring, are not the same as the team we see today. Yet, our support remains unwavering.

As fans, we now get so close to greatness watching this team use the amazing talent they draft waste away with mediocre teams, but what does it mean to be a Cowboys fan?

The Early Days of the Cowboys Fans

Cowboys fans 30 years old and older may slightly remember the last Super Bowl win in 1996. It was the last time this team was excellent on both sides of the ball at the same time.

These teams featured Hall of Fame players; players’ kids grew up pretending to be in their backyards as they played football with family at Thanksgiving and Christmas in the backyard.

Players like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, and Darren Woodson were many fans’ idols and showed kids the true meaning of being a fan of America’s Team.

These are just the players many fans these days can remember, but it goes back so much further.

The old Super Bowls are a fleeting memory for fans.

True Fans Have Stuck with the Team

The fans of this team had terrible years between Troy Aikman’s last year and the discovery of Tony Romo.

Troy Aikman’s last game was in 2000. His final game was against the Washington Redskins, and the player who practically ended his career was Linebacker LaVar Arrington, who hit Aikman, giving him his tenth concussion.

Aikman was waived the day before a seven-year, $70 million contract extension was to take effect.

After Aikman, there was a revolving door of quarterbacks and terrible teams. Guess who stuck with the team? The true fans, while many fans jumped ship to bigger, better teams.

The true fans stuck with the team through Randall Cunningham, Anthony Wright, Quincy Carter, Ryan Leaf, and Clint Stoerner.

Those teams were terrible, except for one decent season with Quincy Carter. The stadium seats were still full of Cowboys fans cheering the team on.

The winning did not start again until an unknown, undrafted player got a shot. The player was Tony Romo, and if you love him or hate him, he was one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to wear the star.

He brought the team back from mediocrity, and fans got to see winning football. Fans witnessed his talent wasted with great offenses but defenses that folded and let the team down.

Guess who stuck it out through all of this? It was the fans. We made the Dallas Cowboys the most valuable franchise in any sport.

What Does it Mean to be a Fan

A Dallas Cowboys fan doesn’t just decide one day to be a fan; they are raised to be one. Their parents or a family member was a fan, maybe a friend, but fans of this team are made young.

Fans do not get to see consistent winning, but they still cheer for the team and rarely start a season with anything less than Super Bowl aspirations.

The Cowboys have a loyal and bloodthirsty fanbase that will not back down from other teams. Many times, they will call out the team and their players before other fans get a chance.

Starting fans from a young age has ingrained the tradition of the Dallas Cowboys into the hearts of fans.

Fans feel the losses and the wins like they are a part of the team.

A true Dallas Cowboys fan sticks with the team even though they are the loudest critics in the room.

It is hard to convert someone to the Cowboys because they do not know the pain and glory this team has brought to fans.

To be a Cowboys fan, you need to start in childhood. You need to be able to suffer through the downtimes and criticize the best player when times get tough, but you should not let other teams do the same to your team.

Being a Dallas Cowboys fan is not for the faint of heart. To be a Cowboys fan, you have to know it’s not about the wins or losses, but instead the heartache with the glory.