History of the Cowboys vs. 49ers rivalry
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History of the Cowboys vs. 49ers rivalry

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This Sunday, Cowboys and 49ers will meet in the divisional round of the 2022 season playoffs. This marks a new chapter in the great rivalry between these National Conference teams. Rivalry that, worth mentioning, is being renewed as this is the second year in a row that both meet in the postseason.

Next, we will review the historic rivalry between the teams from Dallas and San Francisco.

cowboys vs. 49ers: General data and beginnings of the rivalry

In all, the Cowboys and 49ers have met 38 times, including in the postseason. The lifetime series is led by Dallas with 19 victories to San Francisco’s 18, plus a tie between the two. Meanwhile, when it comes to playoff matchups, the Cowboys also lead the series 5-3.

The first ever game between these teams dates back to 1960, the Cowboys’ debut season in the NFL. That game ended in a 26-14 cowboy loss, in a season in which Dallas would not know victory.

Over the decades, lifetime series dominance has alternated between the two teams. However, the rivalry as such has been marked by the playoff duels between both teams. And it is not for less, since six of the eight duels in the postseason were in the finals of the National Conference.

Most outstanding duels between Cowboys and 49ers in history

Playoffs 1970 – Conference Final: Cowboys 17, 49ers 10

The first playoff matchup between the two franchises took place in the 1970 season, in the NFC championship game. The match, played at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, ended with a 17-10 victory for Dallas. There, the so-called “Doomsday Defense” was key to the cowboy victory.

This victory meant the Cowboys’ qualification for Super Bowl V, the first they would play in their history. There they would lose to the Baltimore Colts, but the first Lombardi trophy for the cowboys would not be long in coming. In fact, the 49ers would be on their way to the trophy again.

Playoffs 1971 – Conference Final: Cowboys 14, 49ers 3

In the following campaign, Dallas and San Francisco would meet for the second consecutive year in the final of the National Conference. This duel ended with a 14-3 victory for the Cowboys, taking them back to the Super Bowl. There, they would lift the Lombardi trophy for the first time in their history.

Returning to the NFC finals, the cowboy defense was key again, this after intercepting quarterback John Brodie three times. Meanwhile, quarterback Roger Staubach led the offense, throwing for 103 yards and adding 55 more on the ground.

Playoffs 1972 – Ronda divisional: Cowboys 30, 49ers 28

In the 1972 campaign, Dallas and San Francisco would meet again in the playoffs, this time in the divisional round. Despite trailing 28-13 after the first three quarters, the Cowboys clinched the victory thanks to a 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter. Who commanded her? Nothing more and nothing less than Roger Staubach.

It is worth mentioning that Staubach did not start in that game. In fact, “Captain Comeback” he came in for Craig Morton, who didn’t have his best performance. Without a doubt, Staubach’s tackle was key, as he led two touchdown drives in the final two minutes of the game. Final score: Dallas win 30-28.

With this result, the Cowboys advanced for the third consecutive year to the NFC finals. However, the Washington Redskins prevented the cowboy team from reaching its third straight Super Bowl.

Playoffs 1981 – Conference Final: 49ers 28, Cowboys 27

The next postseason duel between Dallas and San Francisco would take place almost a decade later, in the 1981 season. In this meeting, it is worth mentioning, one of the most iconic plays in NFL history took place: “The Catch”.

With less than a minute left, the 49ers tied the game at 27 after wide receiver Dwight Clark made a spectacular catch off a pass from Joe Montana. After the extra point conversion, San Francisco went on to lead 28-27. And although the Cowboys managed to advance into rival territory with 33 seconds to play, miracles were not on their side.

This game marked the end of the Cowboys’ dominance and the start of a 49ers dynasty. The Californian team won four of the next nine Super Bowls, including the 1981 season. They even dominated the rivalry against Dallas throughout the 1980s.

Playoffs 1992 – Conference Final: Cowboys 30, 49ers 20

Little more than a decade later, the rivalry between Cowboys and 49ers would live a new high point. Both teams would face each other in three consecutive National Conference finals, thus surpassing what happened two decades ago.

The first of those finals took place in the 1992 season, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Despite leading by four with four minutes to go, the Cowboys opted to play through the air rather than use up the clock playing on the ground. This offensive series ended in a touchdown for Dallas, extending the lead to 30-20. Then an interception by safety James Washington with 1:58 remaining sealed the cowboy victory.

After this meeting, the Cowboys won their third Super Bowl, destroying the Buffalo Bills 52-17. This would start the Cowboys’ second dynasty, winning three Lombardi trophies in four years. Returning to the game against the 49ers, it was after that game that then-head coach Jimmy Johnson yelled his famous “How ’bout them, Cowboys” in the locker room.

Playoffs 1993 – Conference Final: Cowboys 38, 49ers 21

A year later, Dallas and San Francisco would compete again for the NFC championship, this time at Texas Stadium. On this occasion, the Cowboys would defeat the 49ers 38-21, later winning the Super Bowl against the Bills.

The game was marked by the dominance of the Cowboys, on both sides of the ball. The offense managed to score touchdowns on four of its first five attacking opportunities. Meanwhile, the defense sacked opposing quarterback Steve Young four times.

Thanks to this, Dallas entered the fourth quarter with a 24-point lead. This, it’s worth noting, despite quarterback Troy Aikman missing most of the second half with a concussion.

Playoffs 1994 – Conference Final: 49ers 38, Cowboys 28

In the 1994 campaign, Dallas sought to emulate what the team had achieved in the 1970s, beating San Francisco for the third straight postseason. However, the team from the bay would have their revenge after losing the previous two NFC finals. The result: a 38-28 victory for the 49ers, followed by their Super Bowl victory that season.

Returning to the NFC Finals, San Francisco’s defense did its thing with Troy Aikman. The cowboy quarterback was sacked four times and had three interceptions. One of them was at the hands of safety Deion Sanders, who would go on to play for the Cowboys the following season.

Playoffs 2021 – Wild Card Round: 49ers 23, Cowboys 17

After the 1994 NFC Finals, it took 17 seasons for the Cowboys-49ers playoff rivalry to renew itself. This time, both teams met for the first time in the wild card round. Dallas came as a favorite against the 49ers who qualified on the last day. However, things did not go well for the cowboy team.

Cowboys were between a rock and a hard place for a good part of the match. Dak Prescott’s lack of connection to his receivers, added to 14 total penalties, made things difficult for Dallas. Despite this, the cowboys reacted in the fourth quarter to put the score at 23-17 and get closer to the 49ers.

However, the most unusual thing would happen at the end. With 14 seconds to play and no timeouts, Prescott had a 17-yard run that brought Dallas close to the end zone. However, a mix-up on the field left the Cowboys with no time to dribble the ball and stop the clock. Thus, playing time came to an end and the Cowboys were left without their last chance to win the game.

This loss dealt a very heavy blow to the Cowboys on several levels. Dak Prescott was singled out after his erratic performance, apart from his statements supporting fans throwing bottles at referees after the match. Meanwhile, Jerry Jones left Mike McCarthy’s continuity as head coach up in the air, only to ratify it days later. This, it is worth noting, but not before accusing the press of misinterpreting his silence on the matter.

Precisely, that loss against the 49ers last year has motivated the performance of the Cowboys this season. The cowboy team wants revenge after that bitter elimination, and now they will have a new opportunity for it. This time as a visitor, and against a more powerful San Francisco team than the one in 2021. Without a doubt, this promises to be a new classic within the renewed rivalry between the two franchises.

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