How many Super Bowl rings would the Dallas Cowboys have if Jimmy Johnson remained head coach?
This is the story of two men: Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson. Jerry Jones is a famously temperamental owner who leaves even the fans of the Dallas Cowboys divided. Some say that he has been instrumental in making the franchise what it is. Others contend that even before he showed up, the Dallas Cowboys were already an established Super Bowl winning team.
Whatever the truth of the matter, no one can deny that some of his decisions have been notoriously poor. In fact, when the man himself says, "... I f***ed it up" regarding a decision, it is time to sit up and take notice. The moment Jones was referring to here is his infamous decision to get rid of back-to-back Super Bowl winning coach Jimmy Johnson.
The Dallas Cowboys did go on to win another Super Bowl in 1995, but have not won the Lombardi Trophy since. For an organization that calls itself "America's Team," that is an abysmal return. So, what would have happened if Jerry Jones had not fired Jimmy Johnson?
The Knock-On Effect of Jimmy Johnson Leaving
The year after Jimmy Johnson left, the Dallas Cowboys made it all the way to the NFC Championship game in 1994. While that could be considered a downgrade after two back-to-back titles, it was not too shabby a return.
However, what gets glazed over as a result is that the Dallas offense let them down in the conference championship game. One of the prime reasons for the misfiring offense was that Norv Turner, the offensive coordinator in the Super Bowl winning seasons, had left to become the head coach at Washington.
With Norv Turner as offensive coordinator, the Dallas Cowboys had rallied against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game in 1992. Without Norv Turner against the same opposition in 1994, they lost.
If Jimmy Johnson had not left, then there is a good chance that Norv Turner would still be there in tandem with him in 1994. Not only due to a sense of loyalty, but because Washington's original choice for the head coach role was Barry Switzer. If the vacancy had not arisen at the Dallas Cowboys due to Jimmy Johnson leaving, then Switzer most likely would have gone to Washington.
Hence, during the 1994 season, with Jimmy Johnson and Norv Turner in situ, they would have gone and added one more Super Bowl ring.
Jimmy Johnson - Trade and Draft Master
The 1995 season was successful for Dallas, in which they went on to win the Super Bowl again. However, what it did was mask many of the weaknesses that had begun to creep into the team.
Jimmy Johnson was a master at recognizing when to replenish a team. In his absence, the Dallas Cowboys wasted all their draft picks in creating a back-up for an established team. This decision robbed them of any continuity going forward and the team fell off a cliff after their win that season. They have never been back to those heights in a quarter of century since.
Contrast this with Jimmy Johnson's ability to go against popular opinion and trade Herschel Walker, their star running back, for a number of high draft picks, one of which went into getting Emitt Smith, who went on to become the greatest running back in the NFL of all time.
If Jimmy Johnson had stayed around, he would not have wasted the draft picks as the Dallas Cowboys did in 1995. Instead, he would have built a new roster that would have led to continued dominance in the years to come.
So based on Jimmy Johnson staying, the Dallas Cowboys could have won at least two more Super Bowls. First, by not losing their offensive coordinator and coach in the same season in 1994. And second, by not letting the team slide without replenishment.
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