1979 Dallas Cowboys season
Encyclopedia
The 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...

 Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

 season
was their 20th in the league
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. The team was unable to improve on their previous output
1978 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the NFL. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the NFC, while the defense only gave up 208 points. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night...

 of 12–4, winning only eleven games. They qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the Divisional round.

The Cowboys still possessed a great offense, but suffered defensive losses as safety Charlie Waters
Charlie Waters
Charlie Tutan Waters is a former American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys from 1970-1981 in the National Football League...

 missed the season with injury, Ed "Too Tall" Jones left the team while he embarked on a professional boxing career (Jones would return in 1980), and Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson was cut in November for erratic play and behavior. The season began 8–2 before a three game losing streak placed the season in jeopardy (one of the three being a 30–24 loss to Houston in which Oilers coach Bum Phillips
Bum Phillips
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...

 declared the Oilers as "Texas's Team"). The team rallied to win their final three to finish at 11–5 and gain the number one seed in the NFC.

In the season's final regular season game against the Redskins, with the NFC East Title at issue, Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...

 rallied the Cowboys from a 34–20 deficit in the last four minutes to win, 35–34. It turned out to be Staubach's last win. The Cowboys were upset at home in the divisional playoff by the Rams and Staubach retired after the season.

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 2, 1979 at St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 22–21
50,855
2 September 9, 1979 at San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...

W 21–13
56,728
3 September 16, 1979 Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 24–20
64,056
4 September 24, 1979 at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

L 26–7
80,123
5 September 30, 1979 Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

W 38–13
63,179
6 October 7, 1979 at Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...

W 36–20
47,572
7 October 14, 1979 Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

W 30–6
64,462
8 October 21, 1979 St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 22–13
64,300
9 October 28, 1979 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

L 14–3
50,199
10 November 4, 1979 at New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 16–14
76,490
11 November 12, 1979 Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

L 31–21
62,417
12 November 18, 1979 at Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

L 34–20
55,031
13 November 22, 1979 Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...

L 30–24
63,897
14 December 2, 1979 New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 28–7
63,787
15 December 8, 1979 at Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 24–17
71,434
16 December 16, 1979 Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

W 35–34
62,867

Playoffs

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
Divisional December 30, 1979 Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

L 21–19
64,792

Standings

NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....

W L T PCT PF PA STK
Dallas Cowboys 11 5 0 .688 371 313 W-3
Philadelphia Eagles
1979 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1979 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason for the second consecutive year, a feat the team had not achieved for three decades...

11 5 0 .688 339 282 W-1
Washington Redskins
1979 Washington Redskins season
The 1979 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 8-8 record from 1978. While the Redskins were able to improve their record; finishing 10-6, the Redskins were eliminated from playoff contention on the final week of the season when, facing the Dallas Cowboys with the NFC...

10 6 0 .625 348 295 L-1
New York Giants
1979 New York Giants season
The 1979 New York Giants season was the 55th season for the club in the National Football League. The Giants had a 6–10 record in 1979 and finished in fourth place in the National Football Conference East Division.-Offseason:...

6 10 0 .375 237 323 L-3
St. Louis Cardinals
1979 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season
-Schedule:-Standings:-References:**...

5 11 0 .313 307 358 L-1

Roster

Dallas Cowboys 1979 roster
Quarterbacks
  • 18 Glenn Carano
    Glenn Carano
    Glenn Thomas Carano is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys for seven seasons...

  • 12 Roger Staubach
    Roger Staubach
    Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...

  • 11 Danny White
    Danny White
    Wilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...

     P


Running Backs
  • 36 Larry Brinson
    Larry Brinson
    Larry Sylvesta Brinson is an American college football coach and former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for four seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Brinson played college football for the University of Florida, and...

  • 33 Tony Dorsett
    Tony Dorsett
    Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...

  • 35 Scott Laidlaw
    Scott Laidlaw
    Robert Scott Laidlaw is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. He played college football for Stanford University....

     FB
  • 44 Robert Newhouse
    Robert Newhouse
    Robert Fulton Newhouse is a former professional American football player in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys .-College career:...

     FB
  • 26 Preston Pearson
    Preston Pearson
    Preston James Pearson is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Baltimore Colts , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Dallas Cowboys . Before his NFL career, he played for the University of Illinois, where he excelled at basketball...

  • 20 Ron Springs
    Ron Springs
    Ronald Edward "Ron" Springs was a professional American football running back, who played eight seasons in the NFL, for the Dallas Cowboys from 1979–1984, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985-1986. He is the father of NFL cornerback Shawn Springs...

    RB/FB/KR


Wide Receivers
  • 80 Tony Hill
    Tony Hill (American football)
    Leroy Anthony Hill, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1977 to 1986...

  • 86 Butch Johnson
    Butch Johnson (American football)
    Michael "Butch" McColly Johnson is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos...

  • 88 Drew Pearson
    Drew Pearson (American football)
    Drew Pearson is a sportscaster and former American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-Early years:...

  • 81 Steve Wilson
    Steve Wilson (defensive back)
    Steven Anthony Wilson is a former American football defensive back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos from 1979 to 1988. Wilson started for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. He played college football at Howard University in Washington, DC...

    CB/PR


Tight Ends
  • 84 Doug Cosbie
    Doug Cosbie
    Douglas Durant Cosbie is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft. A 6'6", 236-lb. tight end from Santa Clara University, Cosbie played his entire NFL career for the Cowboys from...

  • 89 Billy Joe DuPree
    Billy Joe Dupree
    Billy Joe DuPree is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League who played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys.-Early years:DuPree was born and reared in Monroe, Louisiana...

  • 87 Jay Saldi
    Jay Saldi
    John Jay Saldi, IV is a former professional American football tight end in the National Football League. Saldi played for nine seasons from 1976-1984 for the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears...

Offensive Linemen
  • 61 Jim Cooper
    Jim Cooper
    James Hayes Shofner "Jim" Cooper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Blue Dog Coalition. He previously represented from 1983 to 1995....

     T/C
  • 67 Pat Donovan T
  • 62 John Fitzgerald C
  • 71 Andy Frederick
    Andy Frederick
    Andrew Brian Frederick is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and the Chicago Bears. He played college football at the University of New Mexico and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1977 NFL Draft....

     T
  • 66 Burton Lawless
    Burton Lawless
    Richard Burton Lawless is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1970s and 1980s...

     G
  • 64 Tom Rafferty
    Tom Rafferty
    Thomas Michael Rafferty is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York, and went on to start four years for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University earning All-American honors in 1975.-Early years:Rafferty attended...

     G
  • 68 Herbert Scott
    Herbert Scott
    Herbert Carnell Scott is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League...

     G
  • 52 Robert Shaw
    Robert Shaw (American football)
    Robert Leslie Shaw is a retired American football center in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1979 to 1981. He played college football at the University of Tennessee. Mr. Shaw suffered a knee injury and had to stop playing football...

    C
  • 70 Rayfield Wright
    Rayfield Wright
    Larry Rayfield Wright is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-High school and college years:...

     T


  • Defensive Linemen
    • 76 Larry Bethea
      Larry Bethea
      Larry Bethea was an American football defensive lineman who played six years in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He later played for the Michigan Panthers, Oakland Invaders and Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League...

       DT
    • 63 Larry Cole
      Larry Cole
      Larry Rudolph Cole is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who played his entire professional career with the Dallas Cowboys. He played in five Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl VI and XII...

       DE/DT
    • 78 John Dutton
      John Dutton (defensive lineman)
      John Owen Dutton is a former professional football player, a defensive lineman in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys...

       DE
    • 79 Harvey Martin
      Harvey Martin
      Harvey Banks Martin was an American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973 until 1983. He started playing football in high school, only because he overheard his father tell his mother that he was ashamed that his son did not play like his friends'...

       DE
    • 65 Dave Stalls
      Dave Stalls
      David Milton Stalls is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Los Angeles Raiders. He played college football for the University of Northern Colorado and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1977 NFL...

       DT/DE
    • 77 Bruce Thornton
      Bruce Thornton (defensive lineman)
      Bruce Edward Thornton is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Cardinals. He played college football for the University of Illinois and was drafted in the eighth round of the 1979 NFL Draft...

      DE
    • 54 Randy White
      Randy White (American football)
      Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...

       DT
    Linebackers
  • 53 Bob Breunig
    Bob Breunig
    Robert Paul Breunig is a former American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League from 1975 to 1984...

     MLB
  • 59 Guy Brown OLB
  • 58 Mike Hegman
    Mike Hegman
    Michael William Hegman is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Tennessee State University....

     OLB
  • 57 Bruce Huther
    Bruce Huther
    Bruce Albert Huther is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Cleveland Browns, and the Chicago Bears. He played college football at the University of New Hampshire.Huther played high school football at Manchester Regional High School in...

     MLB
  • 50 D. D. Lewis OLB


  • Defensive Backs
    • 31 Benny Barnes
      Benny Barnes
      Benny Jewell Barnes is a former American Football cornerback who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys...

       CB
    • 43 Cliff Harris
      Cliff Harris
      Clifford Allen Harris is a former professional American football safety who played for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League for ten seasons.-Professional career:...

       FS
    • 42 Randy Hughes
      Randy Hughes
      James Randell Hughes is a former American football safety who played six seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys...

       SS
    • 25 Aaron Kyle
      Aaron Kyle
      Aaron Douglas Kyle is a former American Football cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos. He played at the prestigious Cass Technical High School graduating in 1974. He played college football at the University of Wyoming and was drafted in the...

       CB
    • 22 Wade Manning CB/WR
    • 34 Aaron Mitchell
      Aaron Mitchell (American football)
      Aaron Templeton Mitchell, Jr. is a former professional American football player who played cornerback for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....

      CB
    • 32 Dennis Thurman
      Dennis Thurman
      Dennis Lee Thurman is a retired American football cornerback in the National Football League.- Early life :...

       FS/CB


    Special Teams
    •  1 Rafael Septien
      Rafael Septien
      Jose Rafael Septien was a Mexican placekicker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1978 through 1986. He was the leading scorer for the Cowboys those nine years...

      K
    Reserve Lists
    Currently vacant

    Rookies in italics

    45 Active, 0 Inactive

    Passing

    Player Comp Att Yards TD INT
    Roger Staubach 267 461 3,586 27 11

    Rushing

    Player Att Yards TD
    Tony Dorsett 250 1,107 6
    Drew Pearson 3 27
    Tony Hill 2 18

    Receiving

    Player Rec Yards TD
    Tony Hill 60 1,062 10
    Drew Pearson 55 1,026 8
    Tony Dorsett 45 375 1
    Billy Joe Dupree 29 324 5
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