Mike McCarthy uses hilarious but ingenious technique to motivate Cowboys players ahead of playoff game vs. Buccaneers
The Dallas Cowboys haven't been to or won a Super Bowl in decades. In fact, the franchise hasn't won a playoff game on the road in decades, either. Head coach Mike McCarthy wanted to make sure his team understood that.
In a team meeting this week, McCarthy presented baby photos of ten players who were still alive the last time Dallas won a playoff game on the road.
That last win was on January 17, 1993, when the Cowboys defeated the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. McCarthy told his team that they weren't responsible for what had, or in this case, hadn't happened in the past but that the opportunities that lay ahead of them were more important.
“We have zero responsibility to what’s happened in the past. …This is about our opportunity.”
In a team meeting, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy showed baby photos of team’s 10 players who were alive when the franchise last won a road playoff game (Jan. 17, 1993). His message: “We have zero responsibility to what’s happened in the past. …This is about our opportunity.”
"It's about what we've accomplished on our journey through the regular season, the things that we've learned from the things that didn't go the way we wanted them to go and how we apply that to this one game. And how it's going to help us win the game. That's really the message of it."
Mike McCarthy said what mattered was what the team had done throughout the regular season this year and what they learned from their losses. He added that they could use everything they had learned and apply it to the Wild Card game on Monday night.
Their next opportunity to end that drought will be on Monday night, just one day shy of the 30th anniversary of their last road win. Dallas will travel to Raymond James Stadium to face Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady has a 7-0 record against Dallas, but he and the Bucs have an 8-9 record this season, which was enough to claim the NFC South title.
When was the last time the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl?
The Dallas Cowboys have won five Lombardi Trophies in their franchise history. The first came in 1971, and the second in 1977. But it wasn't until the 1990s dynasty, when the Cowboys were led by head coach Jimmy Johnson and the rosters were filled with future Hall of Famers, that they dominated the National Football League.
Longest Super Bowl Championship Drought for NFL Playoff Teams
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1966-Bills
1966-Chargers
1966-Vikings
1968-Bengals
1973-Dolphins
1994-49ers
1995-Cowboys
1995-Jaguars
2011-Giants
2012-Ravens
2013-Seahawks
2017-Eagles
2019-Chiefs
2020-Buccaneers https://t.co/SQkFnBJKIb
The Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1992, 1993, and 1995, leading to their dynasty status. The drought after that has left their fanbase wanting another, as they have waited nearly 30 years to watch their team hoist the Lombardi Trophy again.