Countdown to Kickoff

Days Hours Minutes Seconds
Cleveland Browns
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

September 8, 2024

4:25 PM ET

Cleveland, OH

Dallas Cowboys
VS
New Orleans Saints

Sunday

September 15, 2024

1:00 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Baltimore Ravens

Sunday

September 22, 2024

4:25 PM ET

Dallas, TX

New York Giants
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Thursday

September 26, 2024

8:15 PM ET

New York, NY

Pittsburgh Steelers
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

October 6, 2024

8:20 PM ET

Pittsburgh, PA

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Detroit Lions

Sunday

October 13, 2024

4:25 PM ET

Dallas, TX

San Francisco 49ers
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

October 27, 2024

8:20 PM ET

San Francisco, CA

Atlanta Falcons
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

November 3, 2024

1:00 PM ET

Atlanta, GA

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday

November 10, 2024

4:25 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Houston Texans

Monday

November 18, 2024

8:15 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Washington Commanders
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

November 24, 2024

1:00 PM ET

Washington, D.C.

Dallas Cowboys
VS
New York Giants

Thursday

November 28, 2024

4:30 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Cincinnati Bengals

Monday

December 9, 2024

8:15 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Carolina Panthers
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

December 15, 2024

1:00 PM ET

Carolina, NC

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday

December 22, 2024

8:20 PM ET

Dallas, TX

Philadelphia Eagles
VS
Dallas Cowboys

Sunday

December 29, 2024

4:25 PM ET

Philadelphia, PA

Dallas Cowboys
VS
Washington Commanders

Sunday

January 5, 2025

TBD

Dallas, TX

How close the Cowboys came to erasing the memory of the team’s four most iconic quarterbacks

How close the Cowboys came to erasing the memory of the team’s four most iconic quarterbacks
Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The Cowboys’ path to finding franchise quarterbacks throughout this century has been pretty unique.

When you look at the history of the Dallas Cowboys, there is a never-ending list of great stories. We could go on forever discussing how certain players ended up in Dallas and explore so many different hypotheticals that it could drive fans crazy.

Speaking of crazy, something that is crazy to think about is how close the Cowboys came to not having one of their four most talented quarterbacks over their 65-year existence. If you examined each situation, there were instances in each case that almost made it to where the legacy we have come to appreciate never happened. Let’s brush off some cobwebs and take a stroll down memory lane.


What if Landry didn’t have the patience to wait for Staubach?

Starting with Captain America himself, the Roger Staubach story has several what-ifs along the way. The team took a flyer on him, drafting him in the 10th round of the 1964 draft, however, Staubach wouldn’t step onto the field until five years later due to his commitment to the Navy. He even used his military leave to show up at Cowboys rookie camp. And when he finally did arrive in Dallas, he found himself in a quarterback battle with Craig Morton. In fact, it was a timeshare unlike any other, as head coach Tom Landry would alternate between the two QBs within the games. It wasn’t until Staubach’s third season in the league at the age of 29 that he finally took over as the team’s undisputed starting quarterback, where he led the Cowboys to four Super Bowls, winning two of them.

What if Jimmy sided with Walsh over Aikman?

From one Super Bowl-winning Hall of Fame quarterback to another, the team selected Troy Aikman number one overall in the 1989 NFL draft. Unlike Staubach, Aikman started right away, and it was rocky to say the least. Jimmy Johnson inherited a terrible team from the legendary Landry, and they finished 1-15 in their first season. Despite their draft investment in Aikman, Johnson loved his former Miami Hurricane quarterback Steve Walsh and selected him second overall in the supplemental draft that same year. Aikman missed five games in his rookie season, and Walsh stepped in and helped Dallas win their only game of the year. In the end, Walsh was traded to New Orleans a year later, but Jimmy’s love for his former college quarterback created some uncertainty as to what direction they might go.

What if Romo was traded to the Saints?

The Cowboys were in quarterback purgatory after Aikman retired, and it wasn’t until Tony Romo showed up that new life emerged. Actually, it was four years after he arrived before Romo-mania took off. That’s because he was an undrafted free agent who was buried on the depth chart for his first few years in the league. After some impressive pre-season outings, some took notice, including his former quarterback coach Sean Payton, who had just become the head coach in New Orleans. Payton offered a third-round pick for Romo, but Jerry Jones wouldn’t give him up for anything less than a second-round pick. A deal was never done, and by Week 6 of the 2006 season, a new era in Dallas had begun as Romo took over the starting job, replacing Drew Bledsoe.

What if the Cowboys never drafted Dak?

Fast forward ten years, and we find ourselves in another unexpected passing of the torch at quarterback. After the Cowboys missed out on two of their QB targets in the draft, Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook, they eventually “settled” on Dak Prescott at pick 135. Prescott entered his rookie season fourth on the depth chart behind Romo, Kellen Moore, and Jameill Showers. Injuries to Romo and Moore opened the door, and Prescott’s performance moved him to the top spot by the start of the regular season. And he never let go. Prescott had an impressive rookie season. It was so good that Jason Garrett made the tough decision to stay with Dak even after Romo was healthy again, leaving Cowboys fans with one of the biggest hypotheticals in franchise history…

What if Romo got one final shot?

What do you think happens? It’s tough to answer. Romo had a checkered past of up and down playoff moments, but his last two playoff games in 2014 were pretty solid. He had settled down and wasn’t making as many reckless decisions. Prescott was young, but he was pretty calm and collected. He played well against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round in 2016, leading a comeback charge despite falling into a hole. Obviously, the Cowboys came up short in that game, so it’s easy to just say they should’ve gone with Romo, but it would have been hard for him to have put together a better game to produce a more favorable outcome. The Cowboys lost that game, but it wasn’t because of Dak. There’s a slight chance it might’ve gone better, but there’s an even greater chance there was no change, or even worse.

The Cowboys’ quarterback situation has had so many crazy backstories that go back many decades. Even the Danny White/Gary Hogeboom QB controversy was something fans of the ‘80s had to endure. We can point to so many different instances where the franchise was super close to leaning the other way, and it could’ve meant the legacy of some of our all-time favorites never happened.

Hot Fan Gear

Men's New Era Navy Dallas Cowboys Main Trucker 9FIFTY Snapback Hat

Men's New Era Navy Dallas Cowboys Main Trucker 9FIFTY Snapback Hat

Description

$36.99

Buy Now
Men's New Era  Graphite Dallas Cowboys 2024 NFL Draft 9FIFTY Snapback Hat

Men's New Era Graphite Dallas Cowboys 2024 NFL Draft 9FIFTY Snapback Hat

Description

$38.99

Buy Now
Men's New Era Navy Dallas Cowboys 2024 Sideline 9SEVENTY Stretch-Snap Hat

Men's New Era Navy Dallas Cowboys 2024 Sideline 9SEVENTY Stretch-Snap Hat

Description

$39.99

Buy Now
Men's New Era White/Navy Dallas Cowboys 2024 NFL Training Camp Golfer Snapback Hat

Men's New Era White/Navy Dallas Cowboys 2024 NFL Training Camp Golfer Snapback Hat

Description

$38.99

Buy Now
Men's Pro Standard  Black Dallas Cowboys Triple Black Pro Shooting T-Shirt

Men's Pro Standard Black Dallas Cowboys Triple Black Pro Shooting T-Shirt

Description

$79.99

Buy Now
Women's Fanatics White/Navy Dallas Cowboys Foiled Primary Lace-Up T-Shirt

Women's Fanatics White/Navy Dallas Cowboys Foiled Primary Lace-Up T-Shirt

Description

$54.99

Buy Now
Men's Fanatics Dallas Cowboys Serve T-Shirt Combo Pack

Men's Fanatics Dallas Cowboys Serve T-Shirt Combo Pack

Description

$35.99

Buy Now
Women's Nike Heather Navy Dallas Cowboys Fashion Tri-Blend T-Shirt

Women's Nike Heather Navy Dallas Cowboys Fashion Tri-Blend T-Shirt

Description

$34.99

Buy Now

Latest Posts

  • Dallas Cowboys News
  • Dallas Cowboys Video
Load More

End of Content.

ADVERTISEMENT

Recent Posts

  • Dallas Cowboys News
  • Dallas Cowboys Video
Load More

End of Content.

Stay Informed with Our Latest Updates

You have been successfully Subscribed! Ops! Something went wrong, please try again.

How ‘Bout Dem Cowboys is your ultimate destination for the latest Dallas Cowboys news, fan gear, and community connection.

© 2024 How ‘Bout Dem Cowboys