The Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 23rd season in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished with a record of 6–3, placing them second in the NFC. It was the Cowboys 17th consecutive winning season, breaking the mark of 16 set by the Raiders. Dallas would eventually extend the record to 20 consecutive winning seasons. Only one team, the New England Patriots from 2001–2019 with 19 consecutive winning seasons has come the closest to matching it. After losing the season opener to the Pittsburgh Steelers (the first time the Cowboys lost a season opener in 17 years), the Cowboys won the next six, including five after the strike had ended. However, two losses at the end of the regular season cost them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. After beginning their playoff run with victories over the Buccaneers 30–17 and the Packers 37–26, the Cowboys traveled to Washington, where they met defeat at the hands of their arch-rival, the Redskins 31–17. It was the third straight season that the Cowboys lost in the NFC championship game. The Redskins would advance and won Super Bowl XVII.The Football Encyclopedia
The Cowboys featured big-play capability on both sides of the ball in 1982. The offense relied on running back Tony Dorsett, who led the NFC in rushing (and during the season set an NFL record with a 99-yard run from scrimmage against Minnesota), and quarterback Danny White, who finished second in the NFL in passer rating. Despite the retirement of longtime starters Charlie Waters and D.D. Lewis before the season, the Cowboys still tied for the NFC lead in sacks, and cornerback Everson Walls led the league with seven interceptions.Total Football
The Cowboys were the only team to defeat the Redskins in the 1982 season, winning a regular season matchup in Game 5 at RFK Stadium (the scheduled meeting at Texas Stadium was cancelled by the strike). The Cowboys were also the only team in the NFL who never trailed at halftime in '82.
For the only time in franchise history, Dallas did not play the New York Giants, as both meetings fell victim to the strike.
Offseason Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt, proposed to the NFL competition committee a centralization of the evaluation process for the NFL draft prospects. Before this, teams had to schedule individual visits with players to run them through drills and tests. This proposition created the NFL Scouting Combine, which was first held in Tampa, Florida, in 1982.
Coincidentally, the 1982 NFL draft was one of the worst in Dallas Cowboys history. It is mostly remembered because it was the year the Cowboys drafted cornerback Rod Hill in the first round. Hill would go on to become the symbol of the team's failed draft strategy of the eighties, when the Cowboys took too many gambles. From that draft only Jeff Rohrer and Phil Pozderac made contributions.
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1982 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeAl StrandbergLinebackerMinnesota State-Moorhead
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap 1 Pittsburgh Steelers L 28–36 0–1 Texas Stadium 63,431 Recap 2 September 19 at St. Louis Cardinals W 24–7 1–1 Busch Stadium 50,705 Recap 3 at Minnesota Vikings Rescheduled to January 3 4 New York GiantsCancelled due to the 1982 NFL strike 5 Washington Redskins 6 at Philadelphia Eagles 7 at Cincinnati Bengals 8 at New York Giants 9 St. Louis Cardinals 10 at San Francisco 49ers 11 November 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 14–9 2–1 Texas Stadium 49,578 Recap 12 November 25 Cleveland Browns W 31–14 3–1 Texas Stadium 46,267 Recap 13 December 5 at Washington Redskins W 24–10 4–1 RFK Stadium 54,633 Recap 14 at Houston Oilers W 37–7 5–1 Houston Astrodome 51,808 Recap 15 December 19 New Orleans Saints W 21–7 6–1 Texas Stadium 64,506 Recap 16 December 26 Philadelphia Eagles L 20–24 6–2 Texas Stadium 46,199 Recap 17 at Minnesota Vikings L 27–31 6–3 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 60,007 RecapNote: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Season summary Week 1: vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 13: at Washington Redskins
Standings
Roster
Dallas Cowboys 1982 roster Quarterbacks Glenn Carano Gary Hogeboom Danny White P Brad Wright
Running backs Tony Dorsett James Jones Robert Newhouse Timmy Newsome George Peoples Ron Springs
Wide receivers Doug Donley Tony Hill Butch Johnson Drew Pearson
Tight ends Doug Cosbie Billy Joe DuPree Jay Saldi Offensive linemen Brian Baldinger C/G Jim Cooper T Pat Donovan T Kurt Petersen G Phil Pozderac T Tom Rafferty C Howard Richards G Herbert Scott G Glen Titensor G/C Steve Wright G
Defensive linemen Larry Bethea DE John Dutton DT Ed Jones DE Harvey Martin DE Don Smerek DT Randy White DTLinebackers Bob Breunig MLB Guy Brown OLB Anthony Dickerson OLB Mike Hegman OLB Angelo King OLB Jeff Rohrer OLB Danny Spradlin MLB
Defensive backs Benny Barnes SS Michael Downs FS Dextor Clinkscale SS Ron Fellows CB Rod Hill CB Monty Hunter FS Dennis Thurman CB Everson Walls CB
Special teams Rafael Septién KReserve lists Jim Eliopulos LB (IR) Scott McLean LB (IR) Robert Shaw C (IR) Norm Wells G (IR)
Rookies in italics 49 active, 4 inactive
Postseason
Playoff schedule Week Date Opponent Result Game Site Attendance Recap First Round January 9, 1983 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7) W 30–17 Texas Stadium 65,042 Recap Second Round January 16, 1983 Green Bay Packers (3) W 37–26 Texas Stadium 63,972 Recap NFC Championship at Washington Redskins (1) L 17–31 RFK Stadium 55,045 Recap
First round
Second round
Pro-Football-Reference.com
This would be the Cowboys last playoff win until they defeated the Chicago Bears in the 1991 NFC Wildcard round.
Awards The Cowboys sent eight players to the Pro Bowl following the 1982 season: Bob Breunig, Pat Donovan, Tony Dorsett, Ed Jones, Harvey Martin, Herbert Scott, Everson Walls, and Randy White. Danny White and Tony Dorsett were named to the All-NFL second team by the Associated Press at quarterback and running back, respectively. On the defensive side of the ball, end Ed Jones and tackle Randy White were named to the first team, while end Harvey Martin and cornerback Everson Walls were named to the second team. Everson Walls, NFL Leader, Interceptions, (7)
Publications The Football Encyclopedia Total Football Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes
References
External links Pro Football Hall of Fame Cowboys' 1982 season at NFL.com 1982 Dallas Cowboys season at Pro Football Reference 1982 season at Dallas Cowboys official site