After enduring consecutive losing seasons the Cowboys were looking to turn things around in 1988. Tony Dorsett was traded to Denver during the offseason.
Dallas even had a productive draft for a change. Michael Irvin was drafted in the first round and Ken Norton Jr. in the second.
The Cowboys selected defensive end Chad Hennings in the 11th round. Hennings would not play for Dallas until 1992 after fulfilling his Air Force commitments.
Steve Pelluer wrested the starting quarterback job away from Danny White for good in training camp. White would play in just three games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Split Decisions
Dallas started the season with two road games. Three turnovers doomed the Cowboys in a 24-21 loss to the Steelers.
Herschel Walker rushed for 149 yards Dallas edged the Cardinals 17-14 the following week. The Cowboys returned home but played a lackluster game in a 12-10 loss to the Giants.
After blowing a 14-0 lead, the Cowboys rallied for a 26-20 win over the Falcons to even their record at 2-2.
The date was September 25th. What no one knew that day was that it was the last time Tom Landry would win a game at Texas Stadium.
A Long Losing Streak
In their entire existence, the Cowboys had only suffered double-digit losses in a single season just twice. In 1960 and again in 1963.
They had lost their first 10 games in their first season with a ragtag team. After 29 seasons, no one expected Dallas to ever do that again.
But in 1988 that’s exactly what they did. Starting in New Orleans with a 20-17 loss, Dallas would drop 10 in a row. A 35-17 loss to Washington followed the next week.
Pelluer got hurt early and White came in off the bench against the Bears in a 17-7 loss. White would go 24-for-35 with a touchdown and two interceptions.
He would also get sacked five times and suffer a season-ending injury. It would be the last game White would play in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the losses would continue to pile up both at home and on the road.
The Streak Mercifully Ends
In the next-to-last game of the season at Washington, Pelluer and Irvin put on a show. Pelluer threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns.
All three went to Irvin who finished with 149 yards on six catches. The 24-17 win eliminated the Redskins from the playoffs.
It would prove to be Landry’s final victory as the Cowboys’ Head Coach. The Cowboys would fall 23-7 to the Eagles at home in Landry’s final game.
Changes To Come
In the weeks to follow, Bum Bright would end his five-year-run as owner of the team. Jerry Jones purchased the Cowboys for $65 million and Texas Stadium for $75 million.
Jones immediately installed Jimmy Johnson as the new head coach. Even Jones admits he botched the way Landry’s firing was handled.
Jones became Public Enemy No. 1 in Dallas because of it. Reportedly, while out to dinner, an old woman kicked him in the shin and said it was for Landry.
Dallas, TX 2/25/1989
CREDIT: Shelly Katz (Photo by Shelly Katz /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X37916 TK1 )
Four Cowboys Ride Off Into The Sunset
Landry would depart the NFL with 250 wins against 162 losses and six ties for a .607 winning percentage. He also walked away with three Super Bowls.
To this day he remains the most beloved coach in team history with Jimmy Johnson a very close second.
Tex Schramm’s days with Dallas were also over once Jones purchased the team. The Cowboys first – and still only true – General Manager no longer had a place with Dallas.
At age 36 Danny White would also call it a career. The Cowboys were going to draft UCLA’s Troy Aikman and hand the franchise over to him.
White would go 62-30 as a starter and played in 166 games. But he would forever be remembered for never being able to get past the NFC Championship game those three years in the early 1980s.
Another Cowboys’ legend had played his last NFL game as well. Randy White would make a go of it in training camp in 1989.
But after a single day of Jimmy Johnson’s camp, the Manster had seen enough and retired.
An era had ended in Dallas. A new one was dawning.
Over 30 years of twists and turns never before seen in Dallas was about to get underway.