1999 Dallas Cowboys season

The 1999 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 40th in the National Football League and second and final under head coach Chan Gailey. The Cowboys were looking to return to the playoffs, improve on their 10–6 record from the previous season and head to the Super Bowl for the final time in the 1990s.
While the Cowboys were unable to repeat as division champions or match their win total from 1998, their 8–8 record enabled them to qualify for the playoffs as a wild-card team. The Cowboys lost to the Minnesota Vikings 27–10, ending their season in the opening round of the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Gailey was fired at the end of the season. The Cowboys would not return to the playoffs until 2003.

Offseason

1999 expansion draft

Pick	Name	Position	Expansion team
2	Hurvin McCormack	Defensive end	[1999 1999 Cleveland Browns season\|Cleveland Browns season\|Cleveland Browns]
26	Antonio Anderson	Defensive tackle	Cleveland Browns

Undrafted free agents

Player	Position	College
Kevin Brooks	Cornerback	South Carolina
Duane Hawthorne	Cornerback	Northern Illinois
Brian Kuklick	Quarterback	Wake Forest
Gabe Lindstrom	Punter	Toledo
Denvis Manns	Running back	New Mexico State
LaDouphyous McCalla	Cornerback	Rice
Ryan Neufeld	Fullback	UCLA
Robert Newkirk	Defensive tackle	Michigan State
Grant Pearsall	Safety	USC
Joe Phipps	Linebacker	TCU
Billy Powell	Wide receiver	Rutgers

Hall of Fame game

Cleveland Browns 20, Dallas Cowboys 17

Regular season

The season began at Washington with a come-from-behind victory over the division-rival Washington Redskins. Trailing by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter, they rallied to tie the game. Then free agent acquisition Raghib Ismail hauled in the winning touchdown catch in overtime while Troy Aikman threw for a franchise-record five touchdowns in a single game.
The team started with a 3–0 record, but a week 5 injury to wide receiver Michael Irvin against the Philadelphia Eagles eventually forced him into retirement. Afterwards, Dallas struggled down the stretch as age and injury began to take their toll. The team again made the playoffs despite an 8–8 season, but lost once more in the first round to the Minnesota Vikings. Despite leading the team to consecutive playoff berths and seemingly re-igniting the Dallas offense, head coach Chan Gailey was fired by owner Jerry Jones after the season.
A notable addition to the team was fan favorite linebacker Dat Nguyen, the only Vietnamese-American to play in the NFL. Another notable addition was Tim Lester, reuniting him with Ernie Mills, whom he had played with from 1995 to 1996 while they were on the Pittsburgh Steelers, losing Super Bowl XXX to the Cowboys.
This marked the final season for future Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and longtime Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston. Irvin and Johnston both suffered season-ending injuries early in the season. Irvin was the last Cowboys player to have played for Tom Landry.
The annual Thanksgiving Day game featured the return of former Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson to Texas Stadium as Miami Dolphins head coach. It was the only game Johnson ever coached in Texas Stadium as a visiting coach. The Cowboys won 20–0.
The Cowboys lost four games in which their defense only yielded 13 points in each contest.

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue
Wild Card	January 9, 2000	at Minnesota Vikings	L 27–10	0–1	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Publications

The Football Encyclopedia

Total Football

''Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes''