August 23, 2026
August 23, 2026
1995 Dallas Cowboys: Completing the Dynasty
The 1995 Dallas Cowboys cemented their legacy as the team of the 1990s with a successful season, although Jimmy Johnson wasn’t part of their third Super Bowl run. Barry Switzer took over as head coach in 1994 and guided the Cowboys to a 12-4 record, but they fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game that year.
In 1995, the Cowboys again went 12-4 to win the NFC East by two games over the Philadelphia Eagles, and the reliable trio of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin came through once again.
Aikman completed 280 of 432 pass attempts for 3,302 yards and 16 touchdowns. Smith had 1,773 yards on 377 rushing attempts and scored 25 touchdowns, while also adding 62 receptions for 375 yards. Irvin caught 111 passes for 1,603 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Running back Sherman Williams had 205 yards on 48 rushing attempts and scored 1 touchdown. Fullback Daryl Johnston had 111 yards on 25 rushing attempts and scored 2 touchdowns, while also catching 30 passes for 248 yards and 1 touchdown. Tight end Jay Novacek had 62 receptions for 705 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Kevin Williams had 38 receptions for 613 yards and 2 touchdowns, and on special teams Williams had 49 kick returns for 1,108 yards and 18 punt returns for 166 yards.
Strong safety Darren Woodson led the defense with 84 tackles, to go along with 2 interceptions for 46 yards and 1 touchdown, and 1 forced fumble. Free safety Brock Marion had 64 tackles and 6 interceptions for 40 yards and 1 touchdown. Linebacker Godfrey Myles had 55 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries. Middle linebacker Robert Jones had 55 tackles. Defensive end Tony Tolbert had 52 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. Linebacker Dixon Edwards had 47 tackles. Cornerback Larry Brown had 43 tackles, 6 interceptions for 124 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Linebacker Darrin Smith had 40 tackles, 3 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery for 63 yards. Defensive tackle Chad Cummings had 5.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive end Charles Haley had 10.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Defensive tackle Leon Lett had 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries. Defensive end Shante Carver had 2.5 sacks. Defensive tackles Russell Maryland and Hurvin McCormack each had 2 sacks. Last but not least, cornerback Deion Sanders had 2 interceptions.
Both the biggest win and the closest win of the regular season for the Cowboys came at the expense of the New York Giants: Dallas shut out New York 35-0 in Week 1 on September 4 and then outlasted them 21-20 in Week 16 on December 17.
The 1995 Dallas Cowboys carried their regular-season momentum into a three-game march through the NFC playoffs and Super Bowl XXX.
The Cowboys played their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, in the Divisional Round on January 7, 1996, and Dallas won easily, 30-11. Troy Aikman completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 253 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Emmitt Smith had 99 yards on 21 rushing attempts and scored 2 touchdowns.
In the 1st quarter, Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol kicked a 24-yard field goal. In the 2nd quarter, Eagles kicker Gary Anderson kicked a 26-yard field goal. Deion Sanders then had a 21-yard touchdown run, and Smith followed with a 1-yard touchdown run. Boniol came back in the 3rd quarter to kick field goals from 18 yards out and 51 yards out. Michael Irvin then had a 9-yard touchdown reception in the 4th quarter. Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham had a 4-yard touchdown run and then completed a 2-yard pass to tight end Reggie Johnson for a 2-point conversion.
On January 14, the NFC Championship Game was played between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. The quarterback duel between Troy Aikman and Packers quarterback Brett Favre was a close one, as Aikman completed 21 of 33 pass attempts for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns. Favre completed 21 of 39 pass attempts for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he also threw 2 interceptions. Emmitt Smith ran the ball very well for Dallas, gaining 150 yards on 35 rushing attempts and scoring 3 touchdowns.
In the 1st quarter, Packers kicker Chris Jacke kicked a 46-yard field goal, but Dallas responded with a pair of touchdown receptions by Michael Irvin, one from 6 yards out and the other from 4 yards out. Green Bay wide receiver Robert Brooks then had a 73-yard touchdown reception. In the 2nd quarter, Packers tight end Keith Jackson had a 24-yard touchdown reception, and Chris Boniol responded with a 34-yard field goal. Smith then punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys a 24-17 halftime lead.
In the 3rd quarter, Jacke kicked a 37-yard field goal for Green Bay, and then Robert Brooks had a 1-yard touchdown reception to put the Packers on top, 27-24. However, the 4th quarter belonged to the Cowboys, as Emmitt Smith had two touchdown runs, from 5 yards out and 16 yards out, to give Dallas a 38-27 victory.
Super Bowl XXX was played in Tempe, Arizona, between the Dallas Cowboys and the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and Troy Aikman once again executed the offense very well, completing 15 of 23 pass attempts for 209 yards and 1 touchdown. Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell completed 28 of 49 pass attempts for 239 yards and 1 touchdown, but he also threw 3 interceptions.
Chris Boniol got the Cowboys on the board first with a 42-yard field goal in the 1st quarter, and Jay Novacek followed with a 3-yard touchdown reception. Boniol came back in the 2nd quarter with a 35-yard field goal, and then Pittsburgh got on the board with a 6-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Yancey Thigpen, making the halftime score 13-7.
In the 3rd quarter, Emmitt Smith punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, and then Pittsburgh tried to muster a comeback in the 4th quarter with a 46-yard field goal by kicker Norm Johnson and a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Bam Morris. Emmitt Smith’s 4-yard touchdown run after Pittsburgh’s comeback attempt sealed the deal for the Dallas Cowboys, as they won Super Bowl XXX by a score of 27-17.
Larry Brown was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXX, becoming the first cornerback to receive the award. Brown had 2 interceptions for 77 yards in the game. With the win, the 1995 Dallas Cowboys completed their Super Bowl dynasty of the 1990s, becoming the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span.
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