America's Team (Cowboys)

The Dallas Cowboys, often referred to as "America's Team," are a professional American football franchise competing in the National Football League (NFL). Established in 1960, the team has become deeply intertwined with the identity of Dallas, Texas, and represents a significant cultural and economic force within the city. Their presence extends beyond the field, influencing local businesses, tourism, and civic pride. As of recent Forbes valuations, the Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world, assessed at over $9 billion.

History

The Dallas Cowboys began as an expansion team, co-founded by Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne after the NFL granted Dallas a franchise in January 1960. Early seasons were difficult. The team lost its first eleven games in 1960 and struggled to attract a consistent fan base. But the arrival of head coach Tom Landry in 1960 proved to be the key turning point. Landry built a disciplined and analytically sophisticated system of play, introducing the flex defense and a complex motion offense that would define the franchise for two decades.

The 1960s saw a steady rise in Dallas's fortunes. Landry's system, combined with the emergence of players like quarterback Roger Staubach and defensive tackle Bob Lilly, brought the Cowboys into genuine championship contention. Dallas reached the NFL Championship game in 1966 and again in 1967, losing to the Green Bay Packers on the final play in what became known as the "Ice Bowl." Those near misses only deepened the team's national profile.

The 1970s are widely regarded as the Cowboys' first dynasty. Dallas won Super Bowl VI on January 16, 1972, defeating the Miami Dolphins 24-3, with Staubach earning MVP honors. The team returned to the Super Bowl and won again in Super Bowl XII on January 15, 1978, defeating the Denver Broncos 27-10. Dallas appeared in Super Bowl XIII the following year but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-31. It was during this era that the "America's Team" nickname was coined. NFL Films producer Bob Ryan used the phrase in narrating the 1978 season highlight reel, referring to the Cowboys' massive television following and the sea of Dallas fans visible in stadiums across the country. The label stuck, and it's been inseparable from the franchise ever since.

The Cowboys went through a rebuilding period in the 1980s before experiencing a second dynasty in the 1990s under owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson. Built around quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin, Dallas won three Super Bowls in four years: Super Bowl XXVII (January 31, 1993, defeating the Buffalo Bills 52-17), Super Bowl XXVIII (January 30, 1994, defeating the Buffalo Bills again 30-13), and Super Bowl XXX (January 28, 1996, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17). Smith retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and Irvin joined him there in 2007. That decade cemented the Cowboys' brand as one of the most recognized in professional sports.

The team continued to experience periods of success in the following decades, though not with the same sustained dominance as the 1970s or 1990s. The Cowboys have made multiple playoff appearances in the 21st century without advancing to a Super Bowl, a stretch that has generated significant discussion among fans and analysts alike.

Geography

The Dallas Cowboys' primary facilities are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, spread across two cities reflecting the region's sprawling character. Their headquarters and practice facility, The Star in Frisco, Texas, is a 91-acre campus that opened in 2016. The complex serves as the team's central hub for training, medical care, coaching operations, and administration. It's also open to the public, incorporating retail shops, restaurants, a hotel, and event space that draw visitors year-round.

AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys' home since 2009, sits in Arlington, Texas, roughly midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. The stadium seats approximately 80,000 fans for NFL games, with capacity expandable to over 100,000 for major events. Its retractable roof, a high-definition video board stretching 160 feet wide, and its curated public art collection make it one of the most technologically and architecturally distinctive venues in American sports. The stadium regularly hosts events beyond NFL football, including college football's Cotton Bowl Classic, NCAA Final Four basketball, international soccer matches, major concerts, and championship boxing. The accessibility of both The Star and AT&T Stadium is supported by the region's extensive highway network, though neither is directly served by light rail, a point of ongoing discussion among planners and transit advocates in the metroplex.

Culture

The Dallas Cowboys have become an integral part of the cultural fabric of Dallas and the broader metroplex. The team's colors, navy blue, silver, and white, appear throughout the region on merchandise, storefronts, and public spaces. "Cowboys Nation" extends well beyond North Texas, encompassing supporters across the United States and internationally, a fan base that grew directly from the national television exposure the team received throughout the 1970s and 1990s.

Game days are major cultural events in the region. The Cowboys Cheerleaders, formally established in their modern form in 1972, are a globally recognized symbol of the franchise and have their own television presence, having been featured in a long-running reality series on CMT and later Netflix. Their appearances go well beyond NFL games, including USO tours, charity events, and international engagements. The Cowboys organization also runs active community outreach programs across North Texas, supporting local charities, youth athletic programs, and educational initiatives.

The Cowboys brand carries weight far beyond football. It appears in advertising, film and television, and fashion in ways few other sports franchises can claim. That cultural saturation is partly the product of deliberate marketing under Jerry Jones's ownership and partly a function of history. Dallas was the right team at the right moment when national television began to transform professional football into America's dominant spectator sport.

Notable Residents

Several figures closely associated with the Dallas Cowboys have also become prominent residents and civic contributors in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Tom Landry, who coached the team from 1960 through 1988, lived in Dallas following his retirement and was widely respected as a community figure until his death in 2000. Roger Staubach, the Hall of Fame quarterback who led Dallas to two Super Bowl victories, went on to build one of the country's largest commercial real estate firms, The Staubach Company, headquartered in Dallas before its 2008 merger with Jones Lang LaSalle.

Jerry Jones, who purchased the Cowboys in 1989 for $140 million and has served as owner and general manager since, is among the most influential figures in Dallas business and civic life. Jones was instrumental in developing both AT&T Stadium in Arlington and The Star in Frisco, projects that reshaped real estate, infrastructure, and economic activity across the metroplex. His visibility in the city extends to philanthropy, political engagement, and media presence. Not without controversy, his tenure has nonetheless transformed the Cowboys from a well-regarded franchise into a global sports and entertainment brand.

Economy

The Dallas Cowboys generate substantial economic activity across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. AT&T Stadium functions as one of the region's top tourist destinations. The team has consistently ranked as the NFL's highest-earning franchise and, by Forbes' accounting, as the world's most valuable sports franchise, with a valuation exceeding $9 billion as of recent estimates. That valuation reflects not just ticket sales and television revenue but a broad portfolio of sponsorships, merchandise licensing, stadium events, and media partnerships.

The Cowboys' game days alone generate significant local spending on hotels, restaurants, and transportation across Arlington, Dallas, and Fort Worth. The Star in Frisco has also become an economic anchor for the northern suburbs, attracting corporate tenants, hotel development, and retail activity to what was previously less developed land. Studies commissioned by both the City of Frisco and Collin County have cited the campus as a driver of broader commercial growth in the area. The team's economic reach extends further still, shaping property values and business investment patterns across the region in ways that extend well beyond any single game or season.

Attractions

AT&T Stadium offers public tours on non-event days, allowing visitors to walk the field, view the art collection, explore locker rooms, and see the stadium's technical infrastructure up close. The venue's art program is notably ambitious, featuring commissioned works by artists including Annette Lawrence, Pavel Buchler, and Trenton Doyle Hancock, making it one of the few sports stadiums in the country with a serious fine arts presence. Beyond tours, the stadium hosts concerts, college football games, and other major events throughout the year, making it a year-round destination rather than a seasonal venue.

The Star in Frisco draws visitors through a mix of Cowboys-related experiences and general amenities. The complex includes the Ford Center, an indoor practice and event facility, as well as the Cowboys' official team store, Omni Hotel, and several dining options. Public plazas are regularly used for community events, youth sports programs, and seasonal activities. Both The Star and AT&T Stadium sit within reach of other major Dallas-Fort Worth attractions, and their combined draw contributes meaningfully to the region's broader tourism economy.

Notable Players and Coaches

The Cowboys' history includes a substantial number of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. On the coaching side, Tom Landry served for 29 seasons and compiled a 270-178 regular-season record, winning two Super Bowls and reaching five total. Jimmy Johnson won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1993 and 1994, building the roster that also carried Barry Switzer to a third championship in 1996.

Among players, Bob Lilly became the first Cowboys player inducted into the Hall of Fame, entering in 1980. Roger Staubach, inducted in 1985, won two Super Bowls and two NFL passing titles. The 1990s core of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, known collectively as "The Triplets," are all Hall of Famers. Smith's career rushing total of 18,355 yards remained the NFL record at his retirement. Other notable Hall of Famers with significant Cowboys careers include defensive end Harvey Martin, linebacker Chuck Howley, and safety Mel Renfro. The organization's depth of Hall of Fame talent across two distinct eras is a key part of what sustains the "America's Team" identity decades after the nickname was first applied.

See Also

Sports in Dallas AT&T Stadium The Star (Frisco)