Editing Dallas Cowboys (section)

==== Super Bowl XXX champions (1995) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XXX}}
Prior to the start of [[1995 Dallas Cowboys season|1995 season]] Jerry Jones lured All-Pro cornerback [[Deion Sanders]] away from San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shapiro|first=Leonard|title=Cowboys sign Sanders for Five Years, $30 Million|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl6.htm|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=September 10, 1995|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-date=May 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518143556/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1995/95nfl6.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Dallas started the season 4–0 including shutting out their division rival New York Giants 35–0 at [[Giants Stadium]] to open their season. Emmitt Smith set an NFL record with 25 rushing touchdowns that season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Rushing Touchdowns Single-Season Leaders |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_td_single_season.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They ended the season 12–4 and went into the playoffs as the number 1 seed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1995/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the Divisional round, they dispatched their division rival Eagles 30–11 to advance to their fourth consecutive NFC Conference Championship Game, in which they defeated Green Bay, 38–27.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - January 7th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199601070dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys - January 14th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199601140dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In [[Super Bowl XXX]] the Cowboys defeated the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] 27–17 at [[Sun Devil Stadium]] for their fifth Super Bowl championship, tied with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] for the most by any NFC team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Mike |date=1996-01-29 |title=SUPER BOWL XXX;Cowboys Overcome Offensive Crisis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/29/sports/super-bowl-xxx-cowboys-overcome-offensive-crisis.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Switzer joined Johnson as the only coaches to win a college football national championship and a Super Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1995.htm|title=Dallas Cowboys 1995 summary|publisher=Pro-Football Reference.Com|access-date=December 17, 2008|archive-date=December 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219093919/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1995.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:The Triplets (cropped).jpg|thumb|The trio of [[Troy Aikman]], [[Emmitt Smith]], and [[Michael Irvin]] (known as "The Triplets") led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins]]
The glory days of the Cowboys were again beginning to dim as free agency, age, and injuries began taking their toll. Star receiver Michael Irvin was suspended by the league for the first five games of [[1996 Dallas Cowboys season|1996]] following a drug-related arrest; he came back after the Cowboys started the season 2–3.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Timothy W. |date=1996-07-25 |title=PRO FOOTBALL;N.F.L. Makes the Call on Irvin: Receiver Suspended for 5 Games |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/25/sports/pro-football-nfl-makes-the-call-on-irvin-receiver-suspended-for-5-games.html |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}}</ref> They finished the regular season with a 10–6 record, won the [[NFC East]] title, and entered the playoffs as the number 3 seed in the NFC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They defeated Minnesota 40–15 in the Wild Card round but were eliminated in the Divisional Round of the playoffs 26–17 by the [[1996 Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys - December 28th, 1996 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612280dal.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers - January 5th, 1997 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701050car.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Cowboys went 6–10 in [[1997 Dallas Cowboys season|1997]], losing the last six consecutive games of the season, with discipline and off-field problems becoming major distractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1997.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/01/american-football-dallas-cowboys|title=Jeff Pearlman on the unbelievable story of the implosion of the Dallas Cowboys|work=the Guardian|date=March 2009|access-date=December 20, 2015|archive-date=December 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220000818/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/01/american-football-dallas-cowboys|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, Switzer resigned as head coach in January 1998 and former Steelers offensive coordinator [[Chan Gailey]] was hired to take his place.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Justice |first=Richard |date=February 13, 1998 |title=FORMER STEELERS ASSISTANT GAILEY HIRED TO COACH COWBOYS |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1998/02/13/former-steelers-assistant-gailey-hired-to-coach-cowboys/44b5baea-d460-4524-a7c7-0f47aadb79c6/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>