How many times have the Dallas Cowboys played the Super Bowl?
Detractors of the Dallas Cowboys ponder why the team has been unable to reach the Super Bowl in nearly three decades. Those who support "American's Team" could, in turn, wonder what's taking so long for their haters' squads to catch up.
Though the Cowboys won't be back in the Super Bowl...courtesy of a highly publicized 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card round on Sunday...the team has appeared in eight such games, tied with Denver and Pittsburgh for the second-best invitation rate in NFL history (behind New England's 11). Dallas has emerged victorious in five of them, tied with their Sunday adversaries from the Bay Area for, again, the runner-up tally.
In what will surely warm fans of the starred helmets' hearts, SK looks back on Dallas' prior Super Bowl appearances as the next edition approaches...
The Cowboys' prior eight appearances
The dramatic ending of Super Bowl V, 51 years ago today
#Baltimore #Colts linebacker Mike Curtis's last-minute tip-drill interception followed by Jim O'Brien's game-winning 32-yard field goal.
Curt Gowdy on the call for NBC https://t.co/L5VfOrUwVg
Super Bowl V: Baltimore 16, Dallas 13
The Cowboys were once known as a team that couldn't win big games to go to the Super Bowl...sound familiar? But they finally broke through after the 1970 season, topping Detroit and San Francisco for the opportunity to partake in the first Super Bowl since the AFL-NFL merger was made official. What ensued was a game now referred to as the "Blunder Bowl," one that featured 11 turnovers. The last was deadly for Dallas, as Craig Morton's interception to Mike Curtis set up the first game-winning field in Super Bowl history, one booted by Jim O'Brien from 32 yards out to give the Colts their first Super Bowl triumph. Despite the loss, linebacker Chuck Howley earned MVP honors, and became, to date, the only representative from the losing team to earn the award.
#Cowboys icon Bob Lilly sacks the #Dolphins' Bob Griese for a 29-yard loss on the final play of the first quarter of Super Bowl VI — the largest tackle-for-loss in Super Bowl history.
The legendary Ray Scott and Pat Summerall on the call for CBS, 50 years ago today. https://t.co/f0mtE5dypx
Super Bowl VI: Dallas 24, Miami 3
Dallas finally broke through in 1972, dominating a Dolphins team later destined for perfection. In the midst of a dominant defensive effort (only the 2018-19 Patriots have likewise matched the Cowboys' feat of not allowing their Super Bowl opponent to visit the end zone), they set records for most first downs (23) and rushing yards (252), the latter mark headlined by 95 yards and a score from Duane Thomas. Roger Staubach took home MVP honors after watching Morton from the bench in the year prior, firmly establishing his hold on the team's franchise quarterback role.
WHAT. A. CATCH.
@Lynn88Swann's diving catch in Super Bowl X takes #12 on the #NFL100 Greatest Plays list! https://t.co/Ow88aHc6W9
Super Bowl X: Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17
It was only appropriate that America's Team would partake in a celebration of the country's Bicentennial. Though the defending champions from Pittsburgh were heavily favored, the Cowboys put up a strong fight and even led 10-7 at the halftime break. But two further Steeler touchdowns, including a 64-yard score for MVP Lynn Swann, doomed Dallas to defeat and allowed the Steel City dynasty to continue.
Of note, the Cowboys became the first wild-card team in NFC history to appear in the Super Bowl and nearly had a chance to win the game on one last possession, though Staubach's would-be winner to Percy Howard was intercepted by Glen Edwards. Howard nonetheless became a Cowboys legend in the sense that his 34-yard touchdown, one that allowed them to be so close in the first place, wound up becoming the only reception of his NFL career.
Super Bowl XII, 44 years ago today
"A demolition job from the Doomsday Defense". #Cowboys https://t.co/owjtI655ju
Super Bowl XII: Dallas 27, Denver 10
The Doomsday Defense lived up to its name and then some when they returned to the big game two years later. So dominant were the Cowboys' defensive efforts that the unit yielded not one, but two, MVPs. Harvey Martin and Randy White (who united for three of Dallas' nine sacks), in fact, only shared the award because the NFL barred voters from nominating the entire Dallas defense for the honor.
The Cowboys forced eight turnovers, limited Denver to 156 yards and allowed former comrade Morton, the Broncos starter, to only one completion that netted both positive yardage and a non-turnover. The turnovers led to the 17 Cowboy point that created the winning margin.
On offense, Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse united for 121 yards on the ground and sandwiched scoring through very different touchdowns: Dorsett scored the opener from three yards out while Newhouse found Golden Richards for a 29-yard six-point pass on a halfback option.