The 1999 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 40th in the National Football League (NFL) and second and final under head coach Chan Gailey. The Cowboys were looking to return to the playoffs, improve on their 10–6 record from the previous season and head to the Super Bowl for the final time in the 1990s.
While the Cowboys were unable to repeat as division champions or match their win total from 1998, their 8–8 record enabled them to qualify for the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Cowboys lost to the Minnesota Vikings 27–10, ending their season in the opening round of the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Gailey was fired at the end of the season. The Cowboys would not return to the playoffs until 2003.
Offseason
1999 expansion draft
+ Cowboys selected during the expansion draft Pick Name Position Expansion team2 Hurvin McCormack Defensive end Cleveland Browns26 Antonio Anderson Defensive tackle
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1999 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeKevin BrooksCornerbackSouth CarolinaDuane HawthorneCornerbackNorthern IllinoisBrian KuklickQuarterbackWake ForestGabe LindstromPunterToledoDenvis MannsRunning backNew Mexico StateLaDouphyous McCallaCornerbackRiceRyan NeufeldFullbackUCLARobert NewkirkDefensive tackleMichigan StateGrant PearsallSafetyUSCJoe PhippsLinebackerTCUBilly PowellWide receiverRutgers
Hall of Fame game Cleveland Browns 20, Dallas Cowboys 17 (overtime) NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, , p. 369.
Regular season The season began at Washington with a come-from-behind victory over the division-rival Washington Redskins. Trailing by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter, they rallied to tie the game. Then free agent acquisition Raghib Ismail hauled in the winning touchdown catch in overtime while Troy Aikman threw for a franchise-record five touchdowns in a single game (since matched by Tony Romo).
The team started with a 3–0 record, but a week 5 injury to wide receiver Michael Irvin against the Philadelphia Eagles eventually forced him into retirement. Afterwards, Dallas struggled down the stretch as age and injury began to take their toll. The team again made the playoffs despite an 8–8 season, but lost once more in the first round to the Minnesota Vikings. Despite leading the team to consecutive playoff berths and seemingly re-igniting the Dallas offense, head coach Chan Gailey was fired by owner Jerry Jones after the season.
A notable addition to the team was fan favorite linebacker Dat Nguyen, the only (to date) Vietnamese-American to play in the NFL. Another notable addition was Tim Lester, reuniting him with Ernie Mills, whom he had played with from 1995 to 1996 while they were on the Pittsburgh Steelers, losing Super Bowl XXX to the Cowboys.
This marked the final season for future Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and longtime Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston. Irvin and Johnston both suffered season-ending (and as it turned out career-ending) injuries early in the season. Irvin was the last Cowboys player to have played for Tom Landry.
The annual Thanksgiving Day game featured the return of former Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson to Texas Stadium as Miami Dolphins head coach. It was the only game Johnson ever coached in Texas Stadium as a visiting coach. The Cowboys won 20–0.
The Cowboys lost four games in which their defense only yielded 13 points in each contest.
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 12 at Washington Redskins W 41–35 1–0 Jack Kent Cooke Stadium 79,237 2 Atlanta Falcons W 24–7 2–0 Texas Stadium 63,663 3 Bye 4 October 3 Arizona Cardinals W 35–7 3–0 Texas Stadium 64,169 5 October 10 at Philadelphia Eagles L 10–13 3–1 Veterans Stadium 66,669 6 at New York Giants L 10–13 3–2 Giants Stadium 78,204 7 October 24 Washington Redskins W 38–20 4–2 Texas Stadium 64,377 8 October 31 at Indianapolis Colts L 24–34 4–3 RCA Dome 56,860 9 at Minnesota Vikings L 17–27 4–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,111 10 November 14 Green Bay Packers W 27–13 5–4 Texas Stadium 64,634 11 November 21 at Arizona Cardinals L 9–13 5–5 Sun Devil Stadium 72,015 12 November 25 Miami Dolphins W 20–0 6–5 Texas Stadium 64,328 13 December 5 at New England Patriots L 6–13 6–6 Foxboro Stadium 58,444 14 December 12 Philadelphia Eagles W 20–10 7–6 Texas Stadium 64,086 15 December 19 New York Jets L 21–22 7–7 Texas Stadium 64,271 16 at New Orleans Saints L 24–31 7–8 Louisiana Superdome 47,835 17 January 2, 2000 New York Giants W 26–18 8–8 Texas Stadium 63,767 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Playoffs
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Wild Card January 9, 2000 at Minnesota Vikings (4) L 27–10 0–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Roster
Publications The Football Encyclopedia Total Football Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes
References
External links
Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys Official Site