The 2020 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 61st in the National Football League (NFL), their 12th playing home games at AT&T Stadium, and their first under head coach Mike McCarthy. This was the first season since 2006 that Jason Garrett was not part of the coaching staff, as his contract expired on January 14, 2020. For the second time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, as he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17, 2020. For the first time since 2012, center Travis Frederick was not on the opening day roster, as he announced his retirement on March 23, 2020.
The Cowboys failed to improve upon their 8–8 season from the previous year after their Thanksgiving loss to the Washington Football Team. The next week, they were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens to suffer their first losing season since 2015. Factors in their struggles during the season included multiple key injuries, most notably starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffering a compound fracture and dislocation to his ankle during their Week 5 win against the New York Giants.
The team's defense surrendered a per-game average of 29.6 points over a total of 6,183 yards gained, a mark that would not be surpassed until 2025, when the team's defense allowed a per-game average of 30.1 points per game off a total of 6,409 yards gained, by which time the NFL had expanded the schedule to 17 games. The Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year in Week 17 via their loss to the New York Giants.
Offseason
Signings Position Player Age 2019 team Contract QB Andy Dalton 33 Cincinnati Bengals 1 year, $7 million TE Blake Bell 29 Kansas City Chiefs 1 year, $1.7 million OT Cameron Erving 28 Kansas City Chiefs 1 year, $2.5 million DE Everson Griffen (††) 33 Minnesota Vikings 1 year, $6 million DE Aldon Smith 31 Did not play 1 year, $4 million DT Dontari Poe (†) 30 Carolina Panthers 2 years, $10.5 million DT Gerald McCoy (*) 32 Carolina Panthers 3 years, $18.3 million CB Maurice Canady (**) 26 New York Jets 1 year, $1.25 million CB Brandon Carr (†) 34 Baltimore Ravens 1 year, $1.05 million CB Daryl Worley (†) 25 Oakland Raiders 1 year, $3 million SS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (*) 27 Chicago Bears 1 year, $3.75 million K Greg Zuerlein 33 Los Angeles Rams 3 years, $7.5 million
(*) - Released before start of season
(**) - Opted out of season due to COVID
(†) - Later released
(††) - Later traded
Re-signings Position Player Age Contract QB Cooper Rush 27 1 year, $1.25 million WR Amari Cooper 26 5 years, $100 million TE Blake Jarwin 26 3 years, $24.25 million C Joe Looney 30 1 year, $2.4 million C Adam Redmond 27 1 year, $143,000 DT Antwaun Woods 27 1 year, $750,000 LB Sean Lee 34 1 year, $4.5 million LB Justin March 27 1 year, $1.04 million LB Joe Thomas 29 1 year, $1.25 million CB Anthony Brown 27 3 years, $15.5 million CB C. J. Goodwin 30 1 year, $1 million FS Darian Thompson 27 2 years, $2.8 million LS L. P. Ladouceur 39 1 year, $1.05 million
Departures Position Player Age 2020 team WR Tavon Austin 30 Green Bay Packers WR Randall Cobb 30 Houston Texans WR Devin Smith 28 New England Patriots TE Jason Witten 38 Las Vegas Raiders OT Cameron Fleming 28 New York Giants G Xavier Su'a-Filo 29 Cincinnati Bengals C Travis Frederick 29 Retired DE Michael Bennett 35 Retired DE Kerry Hyder 29 San Francisco 49ers DE Jalen Jelks 24 Washington Football Team DE Robert Quinn 30 Chicago Bears DT Maliek Collins 25 Las Vegas Raiders DT Christian Covington 27 Cincinnati Bengals DT Daniel Ross 27 Jacksonville Jaguars LB Ray-Ray Armstrong 29 Seattle Seahawks LB Chris Covington 24 Indianapolis Colts LB Malcolm Smith 31 Cleveland Browns CB Byron Jones 28 Miami Dolphins CB Donovan Olumba 24 Unsigned SS Kavon Frazier 26 Miami Dolphins SS Jeff Heath 29 Las Vegas Raiders K Kai Forbath 33 Los Angeles Rams (via Chicago Bears)
Draft
Notes The Cowboys traded their sixth-round selection to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for defensive end Robert Quinn. The Cowboys were awarded a fifth-round compensatory draft pick for the loss of Cole Beasley during the 2019 free agency period.
Staff
Rosters
Opening preseason roster Dallas Cowboys 2020 opening preseason roster Quarterbacks Andy Dalton Ben DiNucci Dak Prescott Clayton Thorson
Running backs Darius Anderson Rico Dowdle Ezekiel Elliott Sewo Olonilua FB Tony Pollard
Wide receivers Noah Brown Ventell Bryant Amari Cooper Michael Gallup Tevin Jones CeeDee Lamb Aaron Parker Kendrick Rogers Devin Smith Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Tight ends Blake Bell Cole Hikutini Blake Jarwin Sean McKeon Dalton Schultz Charlie Taumoepeau Offensive linemen Isaac Alarcón T Tyler Biadasz C La'el Collins T Cameron Erving G Marcus Henry C Mitch Hyatt T Brandon Knight T Joe Looney C Zack Martin G Connor McGovern G Wyatt Miller T Adam Redmond C Tyron Smith T Terence Steele T Cody Wichmann G Connor Williams G
Defensive linemen Bradlee Anae DE Dorance Armstrong DE Ron'Dell Carter DE Neville Gallimore DT Justin Hamilton DT LaDarius Hamilton DE Trysten Hill DT Joe Jackson DE Jalen Jelks DE DeMarcus Lawrence DE Gerald McCoy DT Aldon Smith DE Antwaun Woods DTLinebackers Francis Bernard MLB Luke Gifford MLB Sean Lee OLB Justin March OLB Jaylon Smith OLB Joe Thomas OLB Leighton Vander Esch MLB
Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie CB Anthony Brown CB Deante Burton CB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix SS Trevon Diggs CB C. J. Goodwin CB Luther Kirk SS Jourdan Lewis CB Reggie Robinson FS Darian Thompson S Chris Westry CB Donovan Wilson S Xavier Woods FS Daryl Worley CB/FS
Special teams Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Greg Zuerlein K Reserve lists Maurice Canady CB Tyrone Crawford DT Randy Gregory DE Stephen Guidry WR Jon'Vea Johnson WR Azur Kamara DE Jamize Olawale FB Dontari Poe DT Saivion Smith FS
Week one roster Dallas Cowboys 2020 week one roster Quarterbacks Andy Dalton Ben DiNucci Dak Prescott
Running backs Rico Dowdle Ezekiel Elliott Tony Pollard
Wide receivers Noah Brown Amari Cooper Michael Gallup CeeDee Lamb Malik Turner Cedrick Wilson Jr.
Tight ends Blake Bell Blake Jarwin Sean McKeon Dalton Schultz Offensive linemen Tyler Biadasz C Cameron Erving T Brandon Knight T Joe Looney C Zack Martin G Connor McGovern G Tyron Smith T Terence Steele T Connor Williams G
Defensive linemen Bradlee Anae DE Dorance Armstrong DE Tyrone Crawford DT Neville Gallimore DT Everson Griffen DT Trysten Hill DT DeMarcus Lawrence DE Dontari Poe DT Aldon Smith DE Antwaun Woods DTLinebackers Luke Gifford MLB Justin March OLB Jaylon Smith OLB Joe Thomas OLB Leighton Vander Esch MLB
Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie CB Anthony Brown CB Brandon Carr CB Trevon Diggs CB C. J. Goodwin CB Jourdan Lewis CB Reggie Robinson FS Darian Thompson SS Donovan Wilson SS/FS Xavier Woods FS Daryl Worley CB
Special teams Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Greg Zuerlein K Reserve lists Ventell Bryant WR Maurice Canady CB La'el Collins T Randy Gregory DE Stephen Guidry WR Mitch Hyatt T Azur Kamara ODE Sean Lee OLB Jamize Olawale FB
Practice Squad Isaac Alarcón OT Francis Bernard MLB Deante Burton CB Ron'Dell Carter DE Justin Hamilton DT LaDarius Hamilton DE Marcus Henry C Cole Hikutini TE Jon'Vea Johnson WR Luther Kirk SS Elijah McGuire RB Sewo Olonilua FB Aaron Parker WR Eric Smith OT Saivion Smith FS Chris Westry CB/FS
Final roster
Preseason The Cowboys would have played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 6, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, and the Cowboys were to be represented by head coach Jimmy Johnson and safety Cliff Harris. However, the game, the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement and the remainder of the preseason were later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Steelers was rescheduled for 2021. Week Date Opponent Venue Result HOF vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 1 at Los Angeles Chargers SoFi Stadium 2 Baltimore Ravens AT&T Stadium 3 Kansas City Chiefs AT&T Stadium 4 at Houston Texans NRG Stadium
Regular season
Schedule The Cowboys' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 at Los Angeles Rams L 17–20 0–1 SoFi Stadium Recap 2 September 20 Atlanta Falcons W 40–39 1–1 AT&T Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at Seattle Seahawks L 31–38 1–2 CenturyLink Field Recap 4 October 4 Cleveland Browns L 38–49 1–3 AT&T Stadium Recap 5 October 11 New York Giants W 37–34 2–3 AT&T Stadium Recap 6 Arizona Cardinals L 10–38 2–4 AT&T Stadium Recap 7 October 25 at Washington Football Team L 3–25 2–5 FedExField Recap 8 November 1 at Philadelphia Eagles L 9–23 2–6 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 9 November 8 Pittsburgh Steelers L 19–24 2–7 AT&T Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 22 at Minnesota Vikings W 31–28 3–7 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 12 November 26 Washington Football Team L 16–41 3–8 AT&T Stadium Recap 13 at Baltimore Ravens L 17–34 3–9 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 14 December 13 at Cincinnati Bengals W 30–7 4–9 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 15 December 20 San Francisco 49ers W 41–33 5–9 AT&T Stadium Recap 16 December 27 Philadelphia Eagles W 37–17 6–9 AT&T Stadium Recap 17 January 3 at New York Giants L 19–23 6–10 MetLife Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Los Angeles Rams
Despite a fourth quarter comeback attempt, the Cowboys were unable to tie the game or take the lead after wide receiver Michael Gallup was controversially called for offensive pass interference, negating a 47-yard pass from quarterback Dak Prescott and leading to the Cowboys' final drive stalling. With the loss, Dallas started the season at 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons
The game began with the Cowboys falling behind 20–0 at the heaviest deficit. The Cowboys would start fighting back with Ezekiel Elliott's touchdown in the second quarter. The Falcons would re-boost their lead but failed the two-point conversion attempt. At halftime, the Cowboys would trail 29–10. Dak Prescott ran for two more touchdowns to cut the Falcons lead to 29–24. The Falcons added another ten points as the Cowboys trailed 39–24. Late in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys scored 16 unanswered points to prevent the Cowboys from starting 0–2, as well as sending the Falcons to their first 0–2 start since 2007. They finished the comeback after they successfully recovered a Greg Zuerlein onside kick with 1:49 left in the game and drove down to the 30 yard-line, where Zuerlein kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired. This was the first time Dallas successfully kicked an onside kick since Week 17 of the 2014 season. With their first win, the Cowboys improved to 1–1 on the season. This win also makes the Cowboys the first team in NFL history to allow at least 39 points and win without defensive takeaways.
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks
Despite initially battling back to take a 31–30 lead late in the 4th quarter, the defense allowed the Seattle offense to score a go-ahead touchdown with 1:47 left to play. The Cowboys would drive into Seattle territory, but the Seahawks would intercept Prescott in the end zone with just six seconds left. With this loss, the Cowboys dropped to 1–2 on the season.
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
The Cowboys defense had no answers for the Browns' rushing attack. Despite initially leading 14–7, the Cowboys allowed 34 unanswered points by the end of the 3rd quarter. The Cowboys would cut the lead to 41-38 late in the 4th quarter, but the Browns proved they were too strong for the Cowboys as they ran away with the 49–38 win.
With this loss, the Cowboys dropped to 1–3 on the season. This was also the first time since 1994 that the Cowboys lost to the Browns.
Week 5: vs. New York Giants