The Dallas Cowboys‘ last NFL season under head coach Tom Landry, president-slash-general manager Tex Schramm, and owner H.R. “Bum” Bright was a disaster, as the team finished 3-13 in the 1988 campaign. Despite featuring superstar running back Herschel Walker and promising rookie wide receiver Michael Irvin, the offense was held back by journeyman-caliber quarterback Steve Pelluer, while the largely undistinguished defense featured past-their-prime veterans such as linemen Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Randy White.
With new owner-slash-GM Jerry Jones taking over for the 1989 season, the Cowboys hired a new head coach, University of Miami legend Jimmy Johnson, to replace Landry. Likewise, they addressed their quarterback issues in that year’s draft, selecting UCLA’s Troy Aikman with the No. 1 overall pick. Midway through the season, Dallas swung a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Vikings, sending Walker up north in exchange for five veterans, as well as six future draft picks (via Bleacher Report). By the looks of things, the Cowboys had nowhere to go but up, but their 3-13 season in 1988 was a prelude to an even worse campaign.
When the dust settled on the 1989 season, Dallas finished with a shameful 1-15 record. How did “America’s Team,” the same organization that had such great success under Landry, sink to such depths? What were the reasons why the 1989 Cowboys, before they became really good once again, became even worse than they were the year before?
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