The 1995 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL) and was the second year under head coach Barry Switzer and final of the three Super Bowl titles they would win during 1992 to 1995. Dallas would be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a span of four seasons (would be later matched by the New England Patriots from the 2001 to 2004 seasons). Switzer guided the Cowboys to a fifth Super Bowl win by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–17 in Super Bowl XXX.
As of 2025, this is the most recent time the Cowboys made or won a Super Bowl, and is also the most recent time the Cowboys appeared in the NFC Championship Game, the longest such drought in the NFC and making them the only team that still has yet to make it in the 21st century. The last remaining active member of the 1995 Dallas Cowboys was offensive lineman Larry Allen, who retired after the 2007 season.
Offseason The 1995 NFL draft was one of the worst in Dallas Cowboys history. It is infamously known as the "backup draft", because the team considered their roster so strong, they drafted players based on their contributions as backups, which limited the future potential of their selections. The team traded their first-round draft choice (28th overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (they selected Derrick Brooks), in exchange for two second-round picks. The best player drafted would end up being Eric Bjornson. Additions SubtractionsCB Deion Sanders (49ers) QB Rodney Peete (Eagles)FS Scott Case (Falcons) FB Lincoln Coleman (Falcons)C Ray Donaldson (Seahawks) C Mark Stepnoski (Oilers)QB Wade Wilson (Saints) LB Darrick Brownlow (Redskins) WR Alvin Harper (Buccaneers) DE Jim Jeffcoat (Bills) TE Scott Galbraith (Redskins) S James Washington (Redskins) S Kenneth Gant (Buccaneers) S Joe Fishback (Broncos)
1995 expansion draft
+ Dallas Cowboys selected during the expansion draft Round Overall Name Position Expansion team11 21 Willie Jackson WR Jacksonville Jaguars16 31 Dave ThomasCB Carolina Panthers
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1995 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeRod AlexanderWide receiverNorthern ArizonaJohn AndersonSafetyOklahomaJon BakerKickerArizona StateFreddie CogerLinebackerGeorgia TechBilly DavisWide ReceiverPittsburghDemetrius EdwardsDefensive tackleFresno StateJosh EvansDefensive TackleUABOronde GadsdenWide receiverWinston-Salem StateMichael GoosbyWide receiverNorth TexasRoger GrahamRunning backNew HavenMike GruttadauriaCenterUCFRodney HarrisWide receiverKansasJim HmielewskiTackleKansas StateArtis HoustonCornerbackCaliforniaCurtis JohnsonRunning backNorth CarolinaJohn JonesGuardKansasMichael McClentonFullbackNorth AlabamaPaul McCordPunterWestern MarylandRyan McGrathTight endSouthwestern LouisianaDominique RossRunning backValdosta StateScott SemptimphelterQuarterbackLehighMu TagoaiGuardArizonaJeff ThomasWide receiverGeorgiaDeMario VaughnTackleArizona State
Staff
Roster
Dallas Cowboys 1995 roster Quarterbacks Troy Aikman Jason Garrett Wade Wilson
Running backs Daryl Johnston FB David Lang Dominique Ross Emmitt Smith Sherman Williams
Wide receivers Billy Davis Cory Fleming Edward Hervey Michael Irvin Kevin Williams KR/PR
Tight ends Eric Bjornson Jay Novacek Kendell Watkins Offensive linemen Larry Allen G Michael Batiste G George Hegamin T Derek Kennard C Nate Newton G Ron Stone G/T Mark Tuinei T Erik Williams T
Defensive linemen Darren Benson DT Shante Carver DE Charles Haley DE Chad Hennings DT Leon Lett DT Russell Maryland DT Hurvin McCormack DE Oscar Sturgis DE Tony Tolbert DELinebackers Dixon Edwards OLB Darryl Hardy MLB/OLB Robert Jones MLB Godfrey Myles OLB Jim Schwantz OLB Darrin Smith OLB
Defensive backs Robert Bailey CB Bill Bates SS Alundis Brice CB Greg Briggs SS Larry Brown CB Scott Case FS Brock Marion FS Deion Sanders CB Charlie Williams CB Darren Woodson SS
Special teams Chris Boniol K Dale Hellestrae LS John Jett PReserve lists Ray Donaldson C (IR) Shane Hannah G (IR) Clayton Holmes CB (Susp.) Kevin Smith CB (IR)
Practice squad Oronde Gadsden WR John Jones G Greg Schorp TE
Rookies in italics 52 active, 4 inactive, 3 practice squad
Season summary The 1995 season once more saw a number of key veterans depart via free agency due to the NFL salary cap, including wide receiver Alvin Harper to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, safety James Washington to the Washington Redskins, center Mark Stepnoski to the Houston Oilers and longtime Cowboys veteran defensive end Jim Jeffcoat to the Buffalo Bills. Starting cornerback Kevin Smith was out the remainder of the season after an injury in week one. Perhaps the most prominent addition came on September 9, 1995, when Dallas signed All-Pro cornerback Deion Sanders away from the San Francisco 49ers. Running back Emmitt Smith earned his fourth NFL rushing title and set a then-record 25 rushing touchdowns in a season against the Arizona Cardinals to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The season began with victories against the Giants, Broncos, Vikings in overtime, and Cardinals. In week five at the Redskins, Troy Aikman was injured early and the Cowboys suffered their first loss of the season. There were unsubstantiated rumors that Aikman could have kept playing in the game but didn't want to because he didn't want to beat his old offensive coordinator Norv Turner who was Washington's head coach. Aikman returned the next week and led Dallas to wins over Green Bay, San Diego, the Falcons (marking Deion Sanders' debut game with the Cowboys), and the Eagles to move to 8–1.
In week ten, the struggling 49ers (only 5–4 and with Elvis Grbac substituting for injured Steve Young) came to Texas Stadium and shocked the Cowboys, 38–20; the game's signature play was San Francisco's second play from scrimmage, from the Niners' 19-yard line, as Grbac's pass split Dallas's safeties and Jerry Rice scored.
The win started a six-game win streak for San Francisco while Dallas rebounded, beating the Raiders and Chiefs to move to 10–2, but then was upset at home by the Washington Redskins (the Redskins, who finished only 6–10, swept the eventual world champions; it was the Skins' seventh win in fourteen meetings since the firing of Tom Landry). The Cowboys lost their second game in a row in a controversial loss at Philadelphia where, with the game tied at 17 late in the fourth quarter, Coach Barry Switzer elected to "go for it" on 4th down and a foot at the Cowboys' 29-yard line. The Eagles initially stopped Dallas for no gain but the play was ruled dead because the two-minute warning was reached before Dallas snapped the ball. Switzer then elected to try again instead of punting, and this time the play was stopped for a 1-yard loss; Philly took over and soon kicked a field goal to get the win. While the Cowboys in general and Switzer in particular were excoriated by fans and the media, the team became stronger and angrier after this game (Deion Sanders publicly supported Switzer and the decision to try the 4th-down conversion) and eventually used those emotions to end the losing streak.
The next week, Dallas appeared headed for a third straight defeat at home to the mediocre Giants (only 5–9 entering the game) but thanks to a clutch late reception by Kevin Williams and a last-second field goal by Chris Boniol, the Cowboys prevailed. Rejuvenated, the team defeated the Arizona Cardinals and (combined with a 49ers loss the day before) secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The movie Jerry Maguire used footage from the Arizona matchup.
The Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional playoff game followed by a memorable NFC championship game victory against the Green Bay Packers at Texas Stadium. The team went on to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona in an attempt to tie the record of a fifth Super Bowl title. Dallas dominated early, but as the Steelers gained momentum and threatened an upset over the heavily favored Cowboys, starting cornerback Larry Brown, after the tragic loss of his son Kristopher during the season, made his second interception of a pass from Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell to seal the Cowboys' victory. Brown was named Super Bowl MVP after the game.
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Buffalo Bills W 21–15 1–0 Texas Stadium Recap 2 Oakland Raiders L 14–27 1–1 Texas Stadium Recap 3 vs. Buffalo Bills L 7–9 1–2 SkyDome Recap 4 at Denver Broncos L 17–20 1–3 Mile High Stadium Recap 5 at Houston Oilers W 10–0 2–3 Houston Astrodome Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1September 4at New York GiantsW 35–01–0Giants StadiumRecap 2September 10Denver Broncos W 31–212–0Texas StadiumRecap 3September 17at Minnesota Vikings W 23–17 3–0Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeRecap 4September 24Arizona CardinalsW 34–204–0Texas StadiumRecap 5October 1at Washington RedskinsL 23–274–1Robert F. Kennedy Memorial StadiumRecap 6October 8Green Bay PackersW 34–245–1Texas StadiumRecap 7October 15at San Diego Chargers W 23–96–1Jack Murphy StadiumRecap 8 Bye 9October 29at Atlanta Falcons W 28–137–1Georgia DomeRecap 10November 6Philadelphia EaglesW 34–128–1Texas StadiumRecap 11November 12San Francisco 49ersL 20–388–2Texas StadiumRecap 12November 19at Oakland Raiders W 34–219–2Oakland–Alameda County ColiseumRecap 13November 23Kansas City Chiefs W 24–1210–2Texas StadiumRecap 14 December 3Washington RedskinsL 17–2410–3Texas StadiumRecap 15 December 10at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–2010–4Veterans StadiumRecap 16 December 17New York GiantsW 21–2011–4Texas StadiumRecap 17December 25at Arizona CardinalsW 37–13 12–4Sun Devil StadiumRecap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1:at New York Giants
Standings
Playoffs
Postseason schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Game Recap Wild Card First-round bye Divisional January 7, 1996 Philadelphia Eagles (4) W 30–11 1–0 Texas Stadium Recap NFC Championship January 14, 1996 Green Bay Packers (3) W 38–27 2–0 Texas Stadium Recap Super Bowl XXX January 28, 1996 Pittsburgh Steelers (A2) W 27–17 3–0 Sun Devil Stadium Recap
Divisional Playoffs vs Philadelphia Eagles
NFC Championship Game
Super Bowl XXX
Scoring summary DAL – FG: Chris Boniol 42 yards 3–0 DAL DAL – TD: Jay Novacek 3 yard pass from Troy Aikman (Chris Boniol kick) 10–0 DAL DAL – FG: Chris Boniol 35 yards 13–0 DAL PIT – TD: Yancey Thigpen 6 yard pass from Neil O'Donnell (Norm Johnson kick) 13–7 DAL DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 1 yard run (Chris Boniol kick) 20–7 DAL PIT – FG: Norm Johnson 46 yards 20–10 DAL PIT – TD: Byron "Bam" Morris 1 yard run (Norm Johnson kick) 20–17 DAL DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 4 yard run (Chris Boniol kick) 27–17 DAL
Awards and records Emmitt Smith, NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith, NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a season (25, since broken) Emmitt Smith, NFL record for total touchdowns in a season (25, since broken) Larry Brown, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
Milestones Michael Irvin, 100 Reception Season (Irvin finished the season with 111 receptions)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, , p. 440 In 1995, Emmitt Smith won his fourth rushing title. He rushed for a career-high 1,773 yards.
Publications The Football Encyclopedia Total Football Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes
References
External links
Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys Official Site