1980 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerClint Murchison, Jr.
General managerTex Schramm
Head coachTom Landry
Home fieldTexas Stadium
Results
Record12–4
Division place2nd NFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Rams) 34–13
Won Divisional Playoffs
(at Falcons) 30–27
Lost NFC Championship
(at Eagles) 7–20
The Cowboys playing the Eagles in the 1980 NFC Championship Game

The 1980 Dallas Cowboys season was their 21st in the league. The team improved to 12-4 following Roger Staubach's retirement after the 1979 season.[1] They qualified for the 1980 NFL postseason as an NFC Wild Card, yet ultimately lost in the Conference Championship game.

Going into the final week of the season, Dallas (11–4) played Philadelphia (12–3) at Texas Stadium. Under that season's NFL tiebreakers, Dallas had to beat the Eagles by 25 points or greater to win the NFC East, entering the NFC postseason as the number two seed while Philadelphia would be a wildcard team. The Eagles win NFC East should the Cowboys lose, tie or win by 24 points or fewer.

Dallas was leading the final regular season game 35–10 in the fourth quarter; however, the Eagles scored 17 unanswered points to pull within 35–27. Dallas had to play an extra week in the Wild Card round and as visitors in the following week road game in Atlanta in the Divisional Round. Dallas lost at Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Games

Offseason

NFL Draft

1980 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
3 78 Bill Roe  LB Colorado
3 80 James Jones  RB Mississippi State
4 105 Kurt Petersen  OG Missouri
5 133 Gary Hogeboom  QB Central Michigan
6 162 Timmy Newsome  FB Winston-Salem State
7 189 Lester Brown  RB Clemson
8 216 Larry Savage  LB Michigan State
9 246 Jackie Flowers  WR Florida State
10 273 Matthew Teague  LB Prairie View A&M
11 300 Gary Padjen  LB Arizona State
12 330 Norm Wells  DE Northwestern
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1980 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Dextor Clinkscale Safety South Carolina State
Anthony Dickerson Linebacker SMU
Don Smerek Defensive end Nevada

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap
1 September 8 at Washington Redskins W 17–3 1–0 RFK Stadium 55,045 Recap
2 September 14 at Denver Broncos L 20–41 1–1 Mile High Stadium 74,919 Recap
3 September 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 28–17 2–1 Texas Stadium 62,750 Recap
4 September 28 at Green Bay Packers W 28–7 3–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,776 Recap
5 October 5 New York Giants W 24–3 4–1 Texas Stadium 59,126 Recap
6 October 12 San Francisco 49ers W 59–14 5–1 Texas Stadium 63,399 Recap
7 October 19 at Philadelphia Eagles L 10–17 5–2 Veterans Stadium 70,696 Recap
8 October 26 San Diego Chargers W 42–31 6–2 Texas Stadium 60,639 Recap
9 November 2 at St. Louis Cardinals W 27–24 7–2 Busch Memorial Stadium 50,701 Recap
10 November 9 at New York Giants L 35–38 7–3 Giants Stadium 68,343 Recap
11 November 16 St. Louis Cardinals W 31–21 8–3 Texas Stadium 52,567 Recap
12 November 23 Washington Redskins W 14–10 9–3 Texas Stadium 58,809 Recap
13 November 27 Seattle Seahawks W 51–7 10–3 Texas Stadium 57,540 Recap
14 December 7 at Oakland Raiders W 19–13 11–3 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,194 Recap
15 December 15 at Los Angeles Rams L 14–38 11–4 Anaheim Stadium 65,154 Recap
16 December 21 Philadelphia Eagles W 35–27 12–4 Texas Stadium 62,548 Recap

Division opponents are in bold text

Game summaries

Week 1 at Redskins

Week One: Dallas Cowboys (0–0) at Washington Redskins (0–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 3 0717
Redskins 0 0 033

at RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Game information

Week 2

1 234Total
Cowboys 0 1037 20
• Broncos 7 17143 41

Week 3

1 234Total
Bucs 7 1000 17
• Cowboys 7 777 28
  • Date: Sunday Sept 21, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny; 86 °F (30 °C)
  • Referee: Chuck Heberling
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier

Week 4

1 234Total
• Cowboys 7 777 28
Packers 0 700 7

Week 5

1 234Total
Giants 0 003 3
• Cowboys 3 1407 24
  • Date: Sunday Oct 5, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C)

Week 6

1 234Total
49ers 0 707 14
• Cowboys 14 24147 59
  • Date: Sunday Oct 12, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny; 86 °F (30 °C)
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • Television network: CBS

Week 7

1 234Total
Cowboys 7 300 10
• Eagles 0 1007 17
  • Date: October 19
  • Location: Veterans Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 70,696
  • Game weather: Sunny; 69 °F (21 °C)
  • Referee: Cal Lepore
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary
Q1DALHegman recovered fumble in end zone (Septién kick)DAL 7–0
Q2PHIFranklin 35 yard field goalDAL 7–3
Q2PHICarmichael 5 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)PHI 10–7
Q2DALSeptién 33 yard field goalTie 10–10
Q4PHISmith 15 yard pass from Jaworski (Franklin kick)PHI 17–10

Week 8

1 234Total
Chargers 3 2107 31
• Cowboys 7 7217 42
  • Date: Sunday Oct 26, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Clear; 55 °F (13 °C)
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen
  • Television network: ABC

Week 9

1 234Total
• Cowboys 0 10314 27
Cardinals 7 377 24

Week 10

1 234Total
Cowboys 7 14140 35
• Giants 7 21010 38
  • Date: Sunday Nov 9, 1980
  • Location: Giants Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Overcast; 44 °F (7 °C), wind 12 mph (19 km/h)
  • Referee: Ben Dreith
  • TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach

Week 11

1 234Total
Cardinals 14 700 21
• Cowboys 7 1077 31
  • Date: Sunday Nov 16, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C), wind 18 mph (29 km/h)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Roger Staubach

Week 12

1 234Total
Redskins 0 307 10
• Cowboys 7 007 14
  • Date: Sunday Nov 23, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier

Week 13

1 234Total
Seahawks 0 007 7
• Cowboys 9 21021 51
  • Date: Thursday Nov 27, 1980
  • Location: Texas Stadium
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C), wind 14 mph (23 km/h)
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

Week 14

1 234Total
• Cowboys 7 930 19
Raiders 7 330 13
Scoring summary
Q1OAKRaymond Chester 6 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick)OAK 7–0
Q1DALTony Dorsett 20 yard rush (Rafael Septién kick)TIE 7–7
Q2DALRafael Septién 52 yard field goalDAL 7–10
Q2DALRon Springs 2 yard rushDAL 7–16
Q2OAKChris Bahr 22 yard field goalDAL 10–16
Q3DALRafael Septién 34 yard field goalDAL 10–19
Q3OAKChris Bahr 38 yard field goalDAL 13–19

Week 15

1 234Total
Cowboys 0 0014 14
• Rams 7 21100 38

Week 16

1 234Total
Eagles 0 01017 27
• Cowboys 7 1477 35
Scoring summary
1DALDanny White 1 yard run (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 7–0
2DALTony Hill 36 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 14–0
2DALPreston Pearson 9 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 21–0
3PHILouie Giammona 1 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)Cowboys 21–7
3DALDrew Pearson 11 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 28–7
3PHITony Franklin 29 yard field goalCowboys 28–10
4DALBilly Joe DuPree 15 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Cowboys 35–10
4PHIRodney Parker 30 yard pass from Ron Jaworski (Tony Franklin kick)Cowboys 35–17
4PHITony Franklin 19 yard field goalCowboys 35–20
4PHIWilbert Montgomery 6 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)Cowboys 35–27

[2]

Playoffs

Round Date Opponent Result Game Site Attendance Recap
Wild Card December 28, 1980 Los Angeles Rams (5) W 34–13 Texas Stadium 64,533 Recap
Divisional January 4, 1981 at Atlanta Falcons (1) W 30–27 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 60,022 Recap
NFC Championship January 11, 1981 at Philadelphia Eagles (2) L 7–20 Veterans Stadium 70,696 Recap

Wildcard Round

1 234Total
Rams 6 700 13
• Cowboys 3 10147 34

Divisional Round

1 234Total
• Cowboys 3 7020 30
Falcons 10 773 27
Scoring summary
Q1ATLTim Mazzetti 38 yard field goalATL 7–0
Q1ATLAlfred Jenkins 60 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick)ATL 10-0
Q1DalRafael Septién 38 yard field goalATL 10-3
Q2DALBilly Joe DuPree 5 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)Tie 10-10
Q2ATLLynn Cain 1 yard rush (Tim Mazzetti kick)ATL 17-10
Q3ATLWilliam Andrews 12 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick)ATL 24-10
Q4DALRobert Newhouse 1 yard rush (Rafael Septién kick)ATL 24-17
Q4ATLTim Mazzetti 34 yard field goalATL 27-17
Q4DALDrew Pearson 14 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)ATL 27-24
Q4DALDrew Pearson 23 yard pass from Danny White (Rafael Septién kick)DAL 30-27

Conference Championship

1 234Total
Cowboys 0 700 7
• Eagles 7 0103 20
  • Date: January 11, 1981
  • Location: Veterans Stadium
  • Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST
  • Game attendance: 70,696
  • Game weather: Sunny; 17 °F (−8 °C)
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
  • TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier
Scoring summary
Q1PHIMontgomery 42 yard run (Franklin kick)PHI 7–0
Q2DALDorsett 3 yard run (Septién kick)Tie 7–7
Q3PHIFranklin 26 yard field goalPHI 10–7
Q3PHIHarris 9 yard run (Franklin kick)PHI 17–7
Q4PHIFranklin 20 yard field goalPHI 20–7
Veterans Stadium during the 1980 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, January 11, 1981.

Standings

NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Philadelphia Eagles(2) 12 4 0 .750 6–2 9–3 384 222 L1
Dallas Cowboys(4) 12 4 0 .750 6–2 9–3 454 311 W1
Washington Redskins 6 10 0 .375 4–4 5–7 261 293 W3
St. Louis Cardinals 5 11 0 .313 2–6 4–10 299 350 L2
New York Giants 4 12 0 .250 2–6 3–9 249 425 L2

Roster

Dallas Cowboys 1980 roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists

Rookies in italics
46 active, 3 inactive

References

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