The Dallas Cowboys are notoriously known as “America’s Team.” The earliest reference of Dallas earning this label was in 1978 by NFL Films producer Bob Ryan. At the time, the nickname made sense, as the Cowboys were coming off a season that ended with the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy, eventually going on to lose that season’s Super Bowl.
In the following 21 years, Dallas would make the playoffs 14 times, winning three Super Bowls in a four-year span in the 90s.
However, since that run of excellent football in Dallas, the Cowboys have lost the winning ways they once had, making the playoffs in just 10 of the last 24 seasons, with the 2024 season on trend to see Dallas miss again.
Even within the playoff runs for Dallas, nothing ever came from them, having just four wins in those 10 berths, never advancing past the NFC Divisional round.
Dallas has had some ultra talented teams in the 2000s and early 2010, with the likes of Terrell Owens, Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis and Terry Glenn.
In more recent years, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Tony Pollard, DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs have been the faces of the franchise, not to mention the stellar offensive line the Cowboys boasted for years.
However, the downfall of Dallas has to be studied. Even with all of the stars they’ve had, the regular season success is limited, ignoring the lack of postseason glory.
The coaches have been subpar at best, with Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett never sparking the Cowboys, while Bill Parcells and current head coach Mike McCarthy based on previous success with other franchises, with neither catapulting the team to replicate the triumph.
Ownership has decayed, as Jerry Jones has left Cowboys fans begging for his departure, though there seems to be no successor outside the Jones family anytime soon.
This season specifically has been a trainwreck, currently sitting with a 3-7 record and no true chance of making a playoff run. With McCarthy seemingly on his way out the door, Prescott shelved for the remainder of the year and limited cap space for the future, Dallas’ outlook for the next few seasons looks bleak, begging the question: Are they still America’s Team?
The answer is no. Though they will forever hold onto to the title given to them all those years ago, the dysfunction and lack of success from the franchise proves that they are no longer the great dynasty that they once were.
A more accurate team for the label is the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City has been the best franchise for the last decade, have the league’s best player, Patrick Mahomes, three Super Bowls to show for and potentially more coming in the near future. That’s without mentioning the rapid growth in fandom over recent years, most specifically since star tight end Travis Kelce began dating music megastar Taylor Swift.
Dallas fans wish they could return to an era of dominance and pride that earned them the title of “America’s Team.” Until they reach the mountain top once again, the Cowboys nickname will be nothing more than a couple meaningless words.
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