The 1989 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 30th in the National Football League (NFL), their first under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 19th playing their home games at Texas Stadium and their first season under head coach Jimmy Johnson. It was the team's first time in franchise history that Tom Landry was not the head coach, as he was fired by Arkansas oil executive and new team owner Jerry Jones on February 25, 1989. Landry served as Cowboys' head coach since the team's inaugural 1960 season and led the team to 5 Super Bowl appearances, winning 2 of them in his 29 year tenure. This was the first season since 1974 and 1975 season when Randy and Danny White were not on the team's opening day roster.

They failed to improve on their 3–13 record from 1988, finishing at 1–15 and missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. At the time, the 1989 Cowboys were the second team to finish 1–15 since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978; the other was the New Orleans Saints in 1980. That list doubled in the next two seasons, thanks to the New England Patriots in 1990 and Indianapolis Colts in 1991.

Jimmy Johnson had compiled a 44–4 record in his last 4 years as coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes.

After the season, Garry Cobb retired.

Offseason NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

+ 1989 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeScott AdamsTackleGeorgiaEric BrownDefensive BackSavannah StateShawn DanielsFullbackBowling GreenJohn DuffTight endNew MexicoSean SchellerDefensive endStanford

Summary Besides the entry of Johnson and Jones, the Cowboys made pre-season headlines by drafting UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman with the first pick in the NFL Draft. Curiously, they also drafted quarterback Steve Walsh later in the NFL's supplemental draft (in doing so, they gave up a number one pick in the 1990 draft). Walsh had played quarterback for Jimmy Johnson at the University of Miami and led the ‘Canes to a 23–1 record as a starter and one national title.

Walsh and Aikman battled for the starting quarterback job in the pre-season, with Aikman winning the nod when the regular season began. Expectations were raised when the Cowboys finished with a strong 3–1 preseason record.

On opening day, the Cowboys were beaten by the New Orleans Saints, 28–0, and went on to finish 1–15 for the season. Aikman broke the index finger on his non-throwing hand in week four and Steve Walsh started the next five games, including the team’s only win, before Aikman returned to finish the season.

Two of the few bright spots of the season were linebacker Eugene Lockhart, who led the league in tackles, and James Dixon, who was one of the NFL’s leaders in kickoff return average.

1989 was the first season in the history of Monday Night Football that did not feature at least one Cowboys game. The Cowboys also played a fifth-place schedule for the first time. Both of these occurrences would happen in 1990 as well.

The only win by the Cowboys during the season was against the rival Redskins in Washington. Though the season seemed a complete failure, it would prove to be the prelude to many great years ahead. Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, future centerpieces of the Cowboys’ 1992 to 1995 dynasty, headlined this team. During the season, star running back Herschel Walker would be traded to the Minnesota Vikings for multiple players and draft picks. By finishing 1–15 they would have received the top spot in the 1990 NFL draft; however, the pick was forfeited because the Cowboys drafted Walsh in the Supplemental Draft. Later, they would trade and draft a running back out of Florida named Emmitt Smith, with one of the many draft choices obtained from the Vikings in the Herschel Walker trade. Other notable additions to the team that year include center Mark Stepnoski, fullback Daryl Johnston, and defensive end Tony Tolbert.

The two matchups between the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles (including one on Thanksgiving) were particularly hostile and became known as the Bounty Bowls.

The 1989 season was the final NFL season for the legendary Ed "Too Tall" Jones and longtime offensive lineman Tom Rafferty. It was also the last season in a Cowboys uniform for stalwart cornerback Everson Walls, who went to the division rival Giants and helped them win Super Bowl XXV.

The Cowboys’ futility matched that of the 1980 New Orleans Saints as they became the second NFL team to end a season at 1–15.

Roster

Dallas Cowboys 1989 roster Quarterbacks Troy Aikman Babe Laufenberg Steve Walsh

Running backs Daryl Johnston FB Paul Palmer Broderick Sargent FB Curtis Stewart Junior Tautalatasi

Wide receivers Scott Ankrom Cornell Burbage James Dixon KR Bernard Ford Derrick Shepard KR/PR

Tight ends Steve Folsom Keith Jennings Offensive linemen Kevin Gogan T Crawford Ker G Nate Newton G Tom Rafferty C Mark Stepnoski C Mark Tuinei T Bob White C Dave Widell T Jeff Zimmerman T

Defensive linemen Willie Broughton DT Jon Carter DT Dean Hamel DT Jim Jeffcoat DE Ed Jones DE Danny Noonan DT Tony Tolbert DELinebackers Jack Del Rio OLB David Howard OLB Eugene Lockhart MLB Ken Norton Jr. OLB Randy Shannon OLB Jesse Solomon MLB

Defensive backs Vince Albritton SS Bill Bates SS Ron Francis CB Manny Hendrix CB Issiac Holt CB Ray Horton FS Everson Walls CB Robert Williams CB

Special teams Mike Saxon P Luis Zendejas KReserve lists Willis Crockett LB (IR) Jeff Hurd LB (IR) Chad Hennings DT (Military Reserve) Michael Irvin WR (IR) Kelvin Martin WR/PR (IR) Kevin Scott RB (IR) Mark Walen DT (IR)

Practice squad J. J. Birden WR Corris Ervin CB Charles Henry TE

Rookies in italics 47 active, 7 inactive, 3 practice squad

Herschel Walker

In 1989, at the height of Herschel Walker's NFL career, the Cowboys traded him to the Minnesota Vikings for a total of five players (LB Jesse Solomon, CB Issiac Holt, RB Darrin Nelson, LB David Howard, DE Alex Stewart) and six draft picks (which led to Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, and Darren Woodson). This was judged to be one of the turning points in the return of the Cowboys to the top echelon of the NFL.

Walker's trade was widely perceived as an exceptionally poor move considering what the Vikings had to give up in order to get him, and remains one of the most frequently vilified roster moves of the team's history. The Vikings coaches reluctantly accepted Walker after the trade and never totally used the tool they had been given. Scout.com says "Walker was never used properly by the coaching brain trust (a total oxymoron in this case)".

Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1September 10at New Orleans Saints L 0–280–1Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 2September 17at Atlanta Falcons L 21–270–2Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumRecap 3September 24Washington RedskinsL 7–300–3Texas StadiumRecap 4October 1New York GiantsL 13–300–4Texas StadiumRecap 5October 8at Green Bay PackersL 13–310–5Lambeau FieldRecap 6October 15San Francisco 49ers L 14–310–6Texas StadiumRecap 7October 22at Kansas City Chiefs L 28–360–7Arrowhead StadiumRecap 8October 29Phoenix CardinalsL 10–190–8Texas StadiumRecap 9November 5at Washington RedskinsW 13–31–8Robert F. Kennedy Memorial StadiumRecap 10November 12at Phoenix CardinalsL 20–241–9Sun Devil StadiumRecap 11November 19Miami DolphinsL 14–171–10Texas StadiumRecap 12November 23Philadelphia EaglesL 0–271–11Texas StadiumRecap 13December 3Los Angeles Rams L 31–351–12Texas StadiumRecap 14December 10at Philadelphia EaglesL 10–201–13Veterans StadiumRecap 15December 16at New York GiantsL 0–151–14Giants StadiumRecap 16December 24Green Bay PackersL 10–201–15Texas StadiumRecap

Standings NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 292

Season summary

Week 5: at Green Bay Packers

Week 7: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 12 vs Eagles

"The Bounty Bowl"

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles

Publications The Football Encyclopedia Total Football Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes

References

External links 1989 Dallas Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys Official Site