Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Cowboys NFC Championship Game Drought: Commanders Win Means Dallas Owns Unfortunate Streak
The Dallas Cowboys, one of the most iconic teams in the history of the NFL, have long been a franchise synonymous with success and grandeur. With five Super Bowl championships, a rich history, and a loyal fan base, the Cowboys’ legacy is built on more than just wins—they are a symbol of greatness. However, despite this storied past, the Cowboys have found themselves in a perplexing and frustrating situation in recent years, particularly in the NFC Championship Game.
Since their last NFC Championship appearance in the 1995 season, the Cowboys have failed to break through the divisional round of the playoffs. The Washington Commanders’ victory over Dallas in a late-season showdown underscores the franchise’s continued struggles to make a deep playoff run, and more specifically, their prolonged absence from the NFC Championship Game.
The Commanders‘ win over the Cowboys means that Dallas has now gone over 25 years without reaching the NFC Championship Game. For a team with the talent, resources, and fan expectations that the Cowboys possess, this drought has become one of the most significant storylines in the NFL. This piece will take a closer look at how this unfortunate streak has developed, its impact on the franchise, and whether or not the Cowboys can break the cycle in the near future.
The History of the Cowboys’ Dominance
The Dallas Cowboys were once considered the gold standard of the NFL. Under head coaches like Tom Landry and later Jimmy Johnson, the team enjoyed a dynasty that included three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s (1992, 1993, and 1995). The Cowboys boasted a combination of incredible talent, great leadership, and smart organizational decisions, all of which positioned them as perennial Super Bowl contenders.
Players like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Charles Haley, and Deion Sanders are just some of the household names that helped the Cowboys maintain a place in the NFL’s upper echelon during their dominance in the ’90s. Their three championships in the 1990s cemented their place in history, and expectations were set for continued success in the years that followed.
However, after their Super Bowl XXX win in 1995, the Cowboys began to experience a slow but steady decline. The team went through multiple coaching changes and struggled to find the right mix of talent and leadership to return to the NFC Championship Game. Their failure to advance beyond the divisional round year after year set the stage for what would become a long and frustrating drought.
The NFC Championship Drought Begins
After the Cowboys’ NFC Championship Game appearance in 1995, the team failed to return to that stage in the following decades. Though they fielded talented teams throughout the years, they often fell short in key playoff games. Despite making the playoffs in multiple seasons, they consistently struggled to get past the divisional round.
The years following the 1995 NFC Championship Game saw the Cowboys go through numerous coaching changes. Barry Switzer took over the team after Johnson’s departure, but his tenure was short-lived. Chan Gailey and Dave Campo also served as head coaches during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but they could not recreate the same success that had characterized the Cowboys’ earlier years.
The arrival of Bill Parcells in 2003 brought renewed hope, as the Cowboys returned to the playoffs in 2003 and 2004 under his leadership. However, despite some positive momentum, Parcells was unable to lead the Cowboys back to the NFC Championship Game. After Parcells, the Cowboys had several seasons with solid regular-season performances but fell short in the postseason.
From the mid-2000s to the 2010s, the Cowboys experienced a series of playoff exits that kept them from breaking their championship game drought. Despite the presence of stars like Tony Romo, Jason Witten, and DeMarcus Ware, the team was never able to get past the divisional round. This consistent underachievement led to a growing sense of frustration among fans and analysts alike. The NFC Championship Game became a distant memory, and the Cowboys began to acquire a reputation for being a talented team that couldn’t get over the hump.
The 2010s: A New Hope With Jason Garrett
In 2010, Jason Garrett took over as the Cowboys’ head coach after the firing of Wade Phillips. Garrett was seen as a potential long-term solution to the Cowboys’ issues. His time as the team’s offensive coordinator had shown promise, and many believed that he could help bring the team back to its championship-contending ways.
Garrett’s teams showed flashes of brilliance. Players like Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith, Zeke Elliott, and Dak Prescott brought new energy to the team, and the Cowboys appeared poised for success. In 2014, the Cowboys finished with a 12-4 record, and the team seemed to have all the pieces in place for a deep playoff run. However, the Cowboys were eliminated in the divisional round of the playoffs by the Green Bay Packers in a heartbreaking loss that featured the infamous “Des Bryant catch” no-call, a moment that remains one of the most controversial in NFL playoff history.
The Cowboys’ failure to reach the NFC Championship Game continued, and despite multiple successful seasons, Garrett’s inability to take the team further in the postseason ultimately led to his departure after the 2019 season. While Garrett was credited for stabilizing the franchise after some tumultuous years, he was unable to deliver the success that Cowboys fans expected. This made the NFC Championship Game and a potential Super Bowl appearance an ever-elusive goal.
Mike McCarthy’s Arrival: A Fresh Start?
In 2020, the Cowboys hired Mike McCarthy as their new head coach, hoping that his Super Bowl pedigree with the Green Bay Packers would be the catalyst for breaking the NFC Championship drought. McCarthy brought a wealth of experience, having led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory in 2010. The team also had a solid roster that included Prescott, Elliott, and Amari Cooper on offense, along with an improving defense led by stars like Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence.
However, McCarthy’s tenure has been a microcosm of the Cowboys’ continued struggles. Despite strong regular-season performances, the team has yet to get past the divisional round under McCarthy. In 2020, the Cowboys missed the playoffs entirely, finishing with a disappointing 6-10 record. In 2021, they made the playoffs but were eliminated by the San Francisco 49ers in a gut-wrenching wild card loss. Despite a strong regular season in 2022, the Cowboys were once again eliminated early, this time by the Los Angeles Rams.
The 2023 season appeared promising with the Cowboys winning their division and making the playoffs. However, a crucial loss to the Washington Commanders sealed the team’s fate, once again denying them a chance to reach the NFC Championship Game. This defeat to Washington was emblematic of the larger issue that has plagued the Cowboys for decades: the inability to perform when it matters most.
Impact of the NFC Championship Drought
The impact of this NFC Championship Game drought on the Cowboys franchise cannot be overstated. As one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, the Cowboys are expected to compete for championships every year. Their failure to reach the NFC Championship Game, especially in the era of star players like Prescott, Parsons, and Elliott, has led to growing frustration among fans and pundits.
The drought has not only affected the fan base but also the team’s legacy. The Cowboys have been unable to recapture the glory of the 1990s, and the team’s recent failures have overshadowed its historic achievements. The longer this drought continues, the harder it becomes to avoid the narrative that the Cowboys are simply an underachieving franchise in the modern era.
Moreover, the NFC Championship Game is often seen as the true measuring stick for a team’s success. Reaching the NFC Championship means you are one game away from the Super Bowl and the ultimate prize. For the Cowboys, missing out on this opportunity year after year has only added to the frustration, as it feels like the team is perpetually stuck on the cusp of greatness but unable to take that final step.
Can the Cowboys Break the Drought?
Despite the long-standing NFC Championship Game drought, there is hope for the Cowboys. The team has one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, and they have shown in recent seasons that they are capable of competing at a high level. Dak Prescott remains a top-tier quarterback, Micah Parsons is one of the most disruptive defenders in the league, and the offense has multiple weapons that can score points with the best of them.
However, as history has shown, talent alone is not enough. The Cowboys need to improve in key areas such as game management, playoff experience, and execution under pressure. McCarthy, if given the chance to remain as head coach, must find a way to motivate his team and ensure they are mentally and physically prepared for the postseason.
The Cowboys’ ultimate goal should not just be to make the playoffs, but to finally break their NFC Championship Game drought and compete for another Super Bowl. Whether it’s McCarthy or another coach leading the charge, the time is now for the Cowboys to step up and prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.
Conclusion
The Dallas Cowboys’ NFC Championship Game drought has become one of the most defining and frustrating aspects of the team’s modern history. Despite boasting a roster full of talent and consistently competing in the regular season, the Cowboys have been unable to get past the divisional round of the playoffs, with the most recent loss to the Washington Commanders highlighting the team’s inability to break through when it matters most.
As the Cowboys continue to search for answers, the question remains: will they ever return to the NFC Championship Game, and can they once again compete for a Super Bowl? The pressure is on, and the franchise’s future is at a crossroads. The hope is that, sooner rather than later, the Cowboys will break the streak and reclaim their place among the NFL’s elite. But for now, the drought continues, and with it, the long-held frustrations of a fanbase desperate for a return to glory.
