Editing Dallas Cowboys (section)

==== Super Bowl XII champions (1977) ====
{{See also|Super Bowl XII}}
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 02 - Butch Johnson.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The Cowboys playing against the [[Denver Broncos]] in [[Super Bowl XII]] in [[1977-78 NFL playoffs|1977]]]]
Dallas began the [[1977 NFL season|1977 season]] 8–0, finishing 12–2. In the [[1977–78 NFL playoffs|postseason]], the Cowboys routed the [[1977 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] 37–7 and [[1977 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] 23–6 before defeating the [[1977 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] 27–10 in [[Super Bowl XII]] in New Orleans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washingtonpost.com: Super Bowl XII: Cowboys Rip Erring Broncos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/longterm/superbowl/stories/sb12.htm |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref> As a testament to [[Doomsday Defense|Doomsday's]] dominance in the hard-hitting game, defensive linemen Randy White and [[Harvey Martin]] were named co-Super Bowl MVPs, the first and only time multiple players have received the award. Dallas returned to the [[Super Bowl XIII|Super Bowl]], following the [[1978 NFL season|1978 season]], losing to Pittsburgh 35–31. Bob Ryan, an NFL Films editor, dubbed the Cowboys "[[America's Team]]" following the Super Bowl loss, a nickname that has earned derision from non-Cowboys fans but has stuck through both good times and bad.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2015 |title=How the Cowboys Got the Nickname "America's Team" - 5 Points Blue5 Points Blue |url=http://www.5pointsblue.com/cowboys-got-nickname-americas-team/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124084626/http://www.5pointsblue.com/cowboys-got-nickname-americas-team/ |archive-date=November 24, 2015 }}</ref> [[Danny White]] became the Cowboys' starting quarterback in 1980 after quarterback [[Roger Staubach]] retired. Despite going 12–4 in [[1980 Dallas Cowboys season|1980]], the Cowboys came into the playoffs as a Wild Card team. In the opening round of the [[1980–81 NFL playoffs]] they avenged their elimination from the prior year's playoffs by defeating the Rams. In the Divisional Round they squeaked by the [[Atlanta Falcons]] 30–27. For the NFC Championship they were pitted against division rival [[Philadelphia Eagles]], the team that won the division during the regular season. The Eagles captured their first conference championship and Super Bowl berth by winning 20–7.

[[1981 Dallas Cowboys season|1981]] brought another division championship for the Cowboys. They entered the [[1981–82 NFL playoffs]] as the number 2 seed. Their first postseason saw them blow out Tampa Bay in a 38–0 shutout. The Cowboys then advanced to the [[NFC Championship Game]] against the [[1981 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], the number 1 seed. Despite having a late 4th quarter 27–21 lead, they would lose to the 49ers 28–27. 49ers quarterback [[Joe Montana]] led his team on an 89-yard game-winning touchdown drive, connecting with [[Dwight Clark]] in a play known as [[The Catch (American football)|The Catch]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Branch |first=Eric |date=October 21, 2018 |title=Joe Montana on 'The Catch' statues: 'An honor to be remembered forever' |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Joe-Montana-on-The-Catch-statues-An-13324767.php |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[1982 Dallas Cowboys season|1982 season]] was shortened after a player strike. With a 6–3 record Dallas made it to the playoffs for the 8th consecutive season. As the number 2 seed for the [[1982–83 NFL playoffs]] they eliminated the Buccaneers 30–17 in the Wild Card round and dispatched the Packers 37–26 in the Divisional round to advance to their 3rd consecutive Conference championship game. However, the third time was not the charm for the Cowboys as they fell 31–17 to their division rival and eventual [[Super Bowl XVII]] champions, the [[1982 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]].

Although it was not apparent at the time, the loss in the 1982 NFC title game marked the end of an era. For the [[1983 Dallas Cowboys season|1983 season]] the Cowboys went 12–4 and made it once again to the playoffs but were upset at home in the Wild Card by the Rams 24–17. However, 1983 was a missed opportunity as prior to their playoff defeat, the Cowboys had a chance to clinch the NFC East and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs against Washington in the penultimate week of the regular season, but were defeated soundly 31–10 at home, and conceded control of the division to the Redskins in which they would not relinquish a week later. Prior to the [[1984 Dallas Cowboys season|1984 season]], Murchison sold the Cowboys to another Texas oil magnate, [[Bum Bright|H.R. "Bum" Bright]] and his ten partners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patoski |first=Joe Nick |date=October 1, 2012 |title=Turnover! |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/turnover/ |access-date=November 15, 2023 |website=Texas Monthly |language=en}}</ref> Dallas posted a 9–7 record that season but missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons and only the second time in 18 years. After going 10–6 in [[1985 Dallas Cowboys season|1985]] and winning a division title, the Cowboys were shut out 20–0 by the Rams in the Divisional round in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1985.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams - January 4th, 1986 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198601040ram.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

Hard times came for the organization as they went 7–9 in [[1986 Dallas Cowboys season|1986]], 7–8 in [[1987 Dallas Cowboys season|1987]], and 3–13 in [[1988 Dallas Cowboys season|1988]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1986 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1986.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1987 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1987.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1988 Dallas Cowboys Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/1988.htm |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> During this time period, Bright became disenchanted with the team. During an embarrassing home loss to Atlanta in 1987, Bright told the media that he was "horrified" at Landry's play calling. During the [[Savings and Loan crisis|savings and loan crisis]], Bright's savings and loan was taken over by the [[Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation|FSLIC]]. With most of the rest of his money tied up in the Cowboys, Bright was forced to sell the team to [[Jerry Jones]] on February 25, 1989, for $150 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Birnbaum |first=Justin |date=November 24, 2022 |title=Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Has 5.7 Billion More Reasons To Be Thankful This Year |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/justinbirnbaum/2022/11/24/dallas-cowboys-owner-jerry-jones-has-57-billion-more-reasons-to-be-thankful-this-year/ |access-date=May 31, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>