Editing Dallas Cowboys (section)

==== Gailey and Campo years (1998–2002) ====
{{See also|Chan Gailey|Dave Campo}}
Gailey led the team to two playoff appearances with a 10–6 record in [[1998 Dallas Cowboys season|1998]] and an [[NFC East]] championship, the Cowboys' sixth in seven years, but the Cowboys were upset at home in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs by the [[1998 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]] 20–7.

In [[1999 Dallas Cowboys season|1999]] Dallas went 8–8 in a season that featured Irvin suffering a career-ending [[Cervical vertebrae|cervical spine]] injury in a loss to the [[1999 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] at [[Veterans Stadium]]. The season ended in a 27-10 Wild Card playoff loss to the [[1999 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]]. Gailey was fired and became the first Cowboys coach who did not take the team to a [[Super Bowl]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2000 |title=Cowboys Fire Coach Gailey - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cowboys-fire-coach-gailey/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Defensive coordinator [[Dave Campo]] was promoted to head coach for the [[2000 Dallas Cowboys season|2000 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aron |first=Jaime |date=January 26, 2000 |title=COWBOYS PROMOTE AIDE AS HEAD COACH\ FORMER DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CAMPO IS ONE OF TWO HOLDOVERS FROM JIMMY JOHNSON'S STAFF IN DALLAS. |url=https://greensboro.com/cowboys-promote-aide-as-head-coach-former-defensive-coordinator-dave-campo-is-one-of-two/article_8b48d3bf-ab15-59d5-b143-91b44374a5fc.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Greensboro News and Record |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Prior to the season starting cornerback [[Deion Sanders]] was released after 5 seasons with the team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com - NFL - Dallas move saves millions against cap |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2000/0602/562965.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> He later signed with the division rival [[2000 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]]. In Week 1, they were blown out 41–14 by the [[2000 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]. That game was very costly when veteran quarterback Troy Aikman suffered a serious concussion which ultimately ended his career. Longtime NFL quarterback [[Randall Cunningham]] filled in for Aikman for the rest of the season at quarterback. The Cowboys finished the season in 4th place with a 5–11 record. The only highlights of 2000 were [[Emmitt Smith]] having his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and a season sweep over the Redskins.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1000 x 10 {{!}} Pro Football Hall of Fame |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2005/01/news-1000-x-10 |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=pfhof |language=en}}</ref>

[[2001 Dallas Cowboys season|2001]] was another hard year in Dallas. Prior to the season starting Aikman was released from the team and he retired due to the concussions he had received.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2001 |title=Aikman: 'I'd like to play somewhere' |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2001/0307/1136301.html#:~:text=IRVING,%20Texas%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Dallas%20Cowboys,convinced%20he%20can%20still%20play. |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ESPN.com - NFL - Aikman walks away, says broadcast work on horizon |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2001/0403/1166889.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> Jerry Jones signed [[Tony Banks (American football)|Tony Banks]] as a quarterback. Banks had been a starter for half of the season the previous year for the [[Super Bowl XXXV]] champion [[2000 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]] before being benched. Jones also drafted quarterback [[Quincy Carter]] in the second round of that year's draft, and Banks was released during the preseason. [[Ryan Leaf]], [[Anthony Wright (American football)|Anthony Wright]], and [[Clint Stoerner]] all competed for the quarterback position that season. Dallas again finished at 5–11, last place in the NFC East, but they swept the [[2001 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] for the 4th consecutive season.

Prior to the [[2002 Dallas Cowboys season|2002 season]] Dallas drafted safety [[Roy Williams (safety)|Roy Williams]] with the 8th overall pick. The season started out low as the Cowboys lost to the [[expansion team|expansion]] [[2002 Houston Texans season|Houston Texans]] 19–10 in Week 1. By far the highlight of 2002 was on October 28, when during a home game against the [[2002 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]], Emmitt Smith broke the all-time NFL rushing record previously held by [[Walter Payton]]. Their [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day]] win over the [[2002 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] was their 10th consecutive win against the Redskins. However, that was their final 2002 win as the team lost their next four games to finish with another last-place 5–11 record. The losing streak was punctuated with a Week 17 20–14 loss against the Redskins. That game was Smith's last game as a Cowboys player; he was released during the offseason.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2003 |title=Cowboys Release A Football Legend - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cowboys-release-a-football-legend/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Campo was immediately fired as head coach at the conclusion of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Campo fired after three consecutive 5-11 records |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2002/1230/1484412.html |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>