In the late 80s, the waters were undeniably murky for the Dallas Cowboys. They closed the decade by dropping 28 of their final 32 regular-season games, a brutal stretch punctuated by a Thanksgiving Day drubbing in 1989 at the hands of Buddy Ryan’s Eagles. Philadelphia racked up eight sacks that afternoon and blanked Dallas 27–0. Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh combined for just nine completions and 76 passing yards.
In a way, the agony of that day made what happened one year later feel even sweeter.
On November 22, 1990, America’s Team was reborn. What played out that afternoon offered a sneak preview of everything that was coming for Jimmy Johnson’s ascending roster. Michael Irvin found the end zone, and Emmitt Smith stole the show — breaking the game open with a 48-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal a win over Washington. The performance and the moment generated so much acclaim that Johnson would ultimately earn NFL Coach of the Year honors.
Former Cowboys DB James Washington, who cracked the starting lineup that day, told AllSportsPeople:
“1990 was the first time I ever faced Washington. We made plays everywhere that day, all three phases. Once upon a time, playing on Thanksgiving Day truly meant all eyes were on you. It honestly was the next best game to play in other than the Super Bowl.”
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Amen to that.
Back when the schedule was announced, my younger brother and I would glance at the opener and then immediately scroll down to find the fourth Thursday in November, just to see who Dallas would be hosting on Thanksgiving Day. That particular win was the unofficial start to a decade the Cowboys would go on to own. After 1990, Dallas made the playoffs the next six seasons, winning 12 of 15 postseason games and capturing three Super Bowls.
It all began, in earnest, 35 years ago on Thanksgiving Day.
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