Mar 15, 2020

    Todd ArcherESPN Staff Writer

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    • Covered NFL since 1997, Cowboys since 2003
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    • Previously covered Bengals and Dolphins
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    • Lives in Dallas area with his wife and two children

The Dallas Cowboys' 60-year history splits into two chapters: Tom Landry and Jerry Jones.

It's much more than that, of course, but the eras are marked by the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach with his fedora and the Hall of Fame owner and general manager with a never-ending twinkle in his eye.

From 1960 through 1988, Landry was the Cowboys, the only coach the organization knew. Along with president and general manager Tex Schramm and vice president of personnel Gil Brandt, America's Team was born. They were Next Year's Champs before winning two Super Bowls in the 1970s. The roster had some all-time greats from their first draft pick, Bob Lilly, in 1961 to arguably the Cowboys' best draft pick, Roger Staubach, a 10th-round selection in 1964.

Sixty years ago, America's Team became the NFL's 13th team. For more on the franchise's storied history:

" Photos: 60 years of Cowboys moments
"All-time teams: Tom Landry vs. Jerry Jones
"More: Cowboys coverage on ESPN

In addition to Lilly and Staubach, the Landry era had five more Hall of Fame players in Tony Dorsett, Bob Hayes, Mel Renfro, Randy White and Rayfield Wright. Schramm and Brandt also have busts at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

In 1989, Jones purchased the Cowboys, paying $140 million for the team and Texas Stadium. Today, the Cowboys are the richest franchise in the world, valued by Forbes at more than $5 billion. The Cowboys won Super Bowls in three of Jones' first seven years as owner.

The Jones era has six Hall of Fame players: Troy Aikman, Larry Allen, Charles Haley, Michael Irvin (who was Landry's final first-round draft pick in 1988), Deion Sanders and Emmitt Smith. And the franchise's other Super Bowl-winning coach, Jimmy Johnson, will join them in the Hall this summer.

In 2020, the Cowboys celebrate their 60th birthday.

"Obviously this franchise has come a long way in those 60 years," Dorsett said. "That Cowboys name, it means a lot in the National Football League. To have been a player on a team that's quote-unquote America's Team is a good feeling."

There was once a divide between eras, real or perceived, because Jones fired Landry almost immediately after buying the team.

Guard Nate Newton played three seasons for Landry and 10 more after the arrival of Jones and Johnson, making the Pro Bowl six times.

"Jerry had to go to Coach Landry's house and say, 'Hey, man, this is it. Sorry, we're going in a different direction,'" Newton said. "When he did that, 80% of [Landry's] players had to go that direction, too. Within two years, all those guys were basically gone, so our paths didn't cross. Mr. Jones, he was cordial and nice. He knew you, but it was all about what Jimmy wanted and Jimmy thought. There really wasn't a connection because Jimmy wouldn't let there be none. It was how Jimmy wanted to run things."

"Obviously this franchise has come a long way in those 60 years. That Cowboys' name, it means a lot in the National Football League. To have been a player on a team that's quote-unquote America's Team is a good feeling." Former Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett

Newton said he might feel that way because he was a former Landry player. He remembers summer parties at defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones' house and playing basketball with linebacker Eugene Lockhart.

Cornerback Larry Brown was drafted by the Cowboys in 1991, when Newton, Mark Tuinei, Bill Bates and Jim Jeffcoat were the lone key holdovers from the Landry teams. He did not feel the awkwardness. He remembers playing poker with Tony Hill and Drew Pearson and basketball games at Staubach's house.

"They were like big brothers to us," Brown, the Super Bowl XXX Most Valuable Player, said. "It was a brotherhood, a fraternity. That's why a lot of guys stay here. You look at the guys who come through the Cowboys, a lot remain here for that reason. We bleed blue."

As Jerry Jones combs through the memories made since he became what he calls the steward of the Cowboys, he said he wishes he had included the Landry era more than he has over the years.

Photos: Moments that shaped 60 years of Dallas Cowboys football

"Off the field, I have often said to a lot of people, that's an area that is very substantive to what the franchise is about," Jones said. "Tradition, it's one of the four cornerstones of running a franchise. You can enhance tradition by incorporating them in the promotion of the franchise today.

"These guys have really distinguished themselves. I look at the top 100 players, some of the mentions they've got. The running backs, Herschel Walker, Tony Dorsett mentioned prominently up there. Roger Staubach up there. Obviously [Bob] Lilly. Of course, I'm so into Troy Aikman, and Emmitt and Michael Irvin, some of those guys like that ... but I have to give Michael Irvin some of Landry. It wasn't but a year or two, but I've got to give him some Landry. It has been very good, but I haven't been as good as I could've been to help it. I want to do that more as we go forward."

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Jerry Jones team | Tom Landry team

Jerry Jones-Era Team

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LB: Sean Lee (2010-present)
Accolades: He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2015 and '16.
Why him? Injuries robbed him of 53 games during his time with the Cowboys, but he was as productive as any linebacker Dallas has had when he was on the field. He is one of the few players to intercept both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady among his 14 career picks. He holds the team record for tackles in a game (22) and had four other games with at least 20. He was also an incomparable leader.

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Tom Landry-Era Team

RB: Tony Dorsett (1977-87)
Accolades: He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and was an All-Pro once. He had eight 1,000-yard seasons. He is a member of the Cowboys' Ring of Honor and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Why him? At the time of his retirement he was the NFL's second-leading rusher behind Walter Payton. He went from winning the Heisman Trophy at Pittsburgh to winning a Super Bowl as a rookie for the Cowboys. He shares an NFL record that cannot be broken with a 99-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 2, 1983.

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