Dallas is one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, having appeared in eight Super Bowls more than any other team. The
Cowboys won five of these games, a record matched only by the
San Francisco 49ers. Tom Landry, one of the most successful coaches in
professional football history, led the club to two Super Bowl victories during the 1970s, with teams starring safety Mel Renfro and quarterback Roger Staubach. Under head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, the team won three Super Bowls during the 1990s, with lineups featuring quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith.
The Cowboys joined the
NFL as an expansion team in 1960. During its first season, the team failed to win a single game. In 1965, under Landry, the Cowboys earned their first of nine consecutive trips to the playoffs. Quarterback Don Meredith, receiver Bob Hayes, and running back Dan Reeves propelled Dallas to consecutive
NFL Championship Games in 1966 and 1967. Both years, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Cowboys and went on to win the Super Bowl. Before 1971, the
NFL and American Football League champions met in the Super Bowl after their respective league championships.
Eric Clapton
