49ers–Cowboys rivalry

The 49ers–Cowboys rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers lead the series 20–19–1. It is one of the great inter-division rivalry games in the NFL.[1][2] The two teams do not play every year; instead, they play once every three years due to the NFL's rotating division schedules, or if the two teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions, they would play the ensuing season. Sports Illustrated ranked it as the eighth best rivalry[3] while the NFL Top 10 ranked this rivalry to be the tenth best in the NFL. In 2020, CBS ranked it as the No. 1 NFL rivalry of the 1990s.[4] The rivalry was also the subject of two 2015 episodes of NFL Network's The Timeline entitled "A Tale of Two Cities" with actors Sam Elliott (Cowboys) and Jeremy Renner (49ers) as narrators.

San Francisco 49ers–Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco 49ers
Dallas Cowboys
First meetingNovember 20, 1960
49ers 26, Cowboys 14
Latest meetingOctober 8, 2023
49ers 42, Cowboys 10
Next meetingTBD (no later than 2026 regular season)
Statistics
Meetings total40
All-time series49ers, 20–19–1
Postseason resultsCowboys, 5–4
Most recent
January 22, 2023
49ers 19, Cowboys 12
Largest victoryCowboys, 59–14 (1980)
49ers, 42–10 (2023)
Current win streak49ers, 3 (2022–present)
Championship success during tenure of rivalry
Super Bowl titles (10)

NFC Championships (15)

History

The Cowboys and 49ers have faced each other in the postseason nine times, the most between any two NFL teams. The rivalry between the Cowboys and 49ers started gaining traction in the 1970s. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Championship games, and again in the 1972 Divisional Playoff Game. The 1981 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, which saw the 49ers' Joe Montana complete a game-winning pass to Dwight Clark in the final minute (now known as The Catch) is one of the most famous games in NFL history.

The rivalry became even more intense from 1992 to 1994 when the two teams faced each other in the NFC Championship Game during all three seasons. Dallas won the first two match-ups while San Francisco won the third, and in each of these pivotal match-ups, the game's victor went on to win the Super Bowl. With the Cowboys winning the Super Bowl following the 1995 season, from 1992 to 1995, either the Cowboys or the 49ers were Super Bowl champions, giving both teams five each – which, at the time, was tied for the most by any NFL team (currently, both teams are tied for third behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots with six each).

The rivalry went cold for many years due to the two teams’ inability to make the postseason in the same year after 1998 and until 2021, when both teams made the playoffs and were matched against each other in the Wild Card Round in Dallas. The 49ers won that game 23–17. The two teams would meet each other in the 2022 playoff divisional round, which saw the 49ers take a 19–12 win.[5][6]

Players who have won championships with both teams include defensive end Charles Haley, linebacker Ken Norton Jr. and cornerback Deion Sanders.

As of the end of the 2022 season, the 49ers are one of two NFC teams that the Cowboys do not have a winning record against, along with the Green Bay Packers.

Game results
San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys Season-by-Season Results
1960s (49ers, 3–1–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1960 49ers
26–14		 Cotton Bowl 49ers
1–0		 Cowboys' inaugural season. This loss was the Cowboys' ninth of ten straight losses to start the season.
1963 49ers
31–24		 Kezar Stadium 49ers
2–0
1965 Cowboys
39–31		 Cotton Bowl 49ers
2–1
1967 49ers
24–16		 Kezar Stadium 49ers
3–1
1969 Tie
24–24		 Cotton Bowl 49ers
3–1–1		 Game played on Thanksgiving Day. Most recent tied game in Cowboys history as of 2023. First game in this series for former Cowboys defensive back and assistant coach Dick Nolan as 49ers head coach.
1970s (Cowboys, 6–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1970 playoffs Cowboys
17–10		 Kezar Stadium 49ers
3–2–1		 NFC Championship Game. First postseason meeting in the series. Last meeting in Kezar Stadium. Cowboys lose Super Bowl V.
1971 playoffs Cowboys
14–3		 Texas Stadium Tie
3–3–1		 Second straight NFC Championship Game meeting. First start in series for Roger Staubach. First meeting in Texas Stadium. Cowboys win Super Bowl VI.
1972 49ers
31–10		 Texas Stadium 49ers
4–3–1
1972 playoffs Cowboys
30–28		 Candlestick Park Tie
4–4–1		 NFC Divisional playoffs. First meeting at Candlestick Park. With Roger Staubach (who had been injured for much of the season) coming off the bench to replace an ineffective Craig Morton; Cowboys overcome 21–3 deficit and a 28–13 deficit in the fourth quarter to win. Last 49ers post-season game until 1981.
1974 Cowboys
20–14		 Texas Stadium Cowboys
5–4–1		 Cowboys take first lead in the series.
1977 Cowboys
42–35		 Candlestick Park Cowboys
6–4–1		 First ever Monday Night Football matchup between the two teams; Cowboys win Super Bowl XII.
1979 Cowboys
21–13		 Candlestick Park Cowboys
7–4–1		 Last start in the series for Roger Staubach.
1980s (49ers, 5–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1980 Cowboys
59–14		 Texas Stadium Cowboys
8–4–1		 Last Cowboys victory in this series until the 1992 NFC Championship Game.
1981 49ers
45–14		 Candlestick Park Cowboys
8–5–1		 First start in the series for Joe Montana. This game also marked the first game as a 49er for defensive end Fred Dean after Dean was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Chargers.
1981 playoffs 49ers
28–27		 Candlestick Park Cowboys
8–6–1		 NFC Championship Game. First postseason win for the 49ers over the Cowboys. Wide receiver Dwight Clark makes a leaping catch in the back of the end zone on a pass from Joe Montana with 51 seconds left, best referred to as "The Catch". 49ers win Super Bowl XVI.
1983 49ers
42–17		 Candlestick Park Cowboys
8–7–1
1985 49ers
31–16		 Candlestick Park Tie
8–8–1		 The 49er victory allowed them to clinch the final NFC wild-card spot that season.
1989 49ers
31–14		 Texas Stadium 49ers
9–8–1		 49ers win Super Bowl XXIV. 49ers take first series lead since 1972.
1990s (49ers, 5–4)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1990 49ers
24–6		 Texas Stadium 49ers
10–8–1		 First start in series for Troy Aikman. Last start in series for Joe Montana.
1992 playoffs Cowboys
30–20		 Candlestick Park 49ers
10–9–1		 NFC Championship Game. Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVII. After the game, Cowboys' head coach Jimmy Johnson was caught saying "How Bout Them Cowboys" in their postgame locker room.
1993 Cowboys
26–17		 Texas Stadium Tie
10–10–1
1993 playoffs Cowboys
38–21		 Texas Stadium Cowboys
11–10–1		 Second straight NFC Championship Game meeting. Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVIII. Troy Aikman was knocked out of the game with a concussion after the knee of rookie 49er defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield struck his head.
1994 49ers
21–14		 Candlestick Park Tie
11–11–1
1994 playoffs 49ers
38–28		 Candlestick Park 49ers
12–11–1		 Third straight NFC Championship Game meeting. 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX.
1995 49ers
38–20		 Texas Stadium 49ers
13–11–1		 Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX.
1996 Cowboys
20–17(OT)		 3Com Park 49ers
13–12–1		 First meeting between the two teams to go into overtime.
1997 49ers
17–10		 3Com Park 49ers
14–12–1		 Last start in the series for Steve Young.
2000s (Cowboys, 3–2)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2000 49ers
41–24		 Texas Stadium 49ers
15–12–1		 Last start in the series for Troy Aikman. This game was remembered for 49ers wide receiver (and future Cowboy) Terrell Owens spiking the ball on the Cowboys star at midfield following a touchdown and subsequently being hit by Cowboys safety George Teague.
2001 Cowboys
27–21		 Texas Stadium 49ers
15–13–1
2002 49ers
31–27		 Texas Stadium 49ers
16–13–1
2005 Cowboys
34–31		 Monster Park 49ers
16–14–1
2008 Cowboys
35–22		 Texas Stadium 49ers
16–15–1		 Last meeting in Texas Stadium.
2010s (Cowboys, 3–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2011 Cowboys
27–24 (OT)		 Candlestick Park Tie
16–16–1		 Last meeting in Candlestick Park.
2014 49ers
28–17		 AT&T Stadium 49ers
17–16–1		 First meeting at AT&T Stadium.
2016 Cowboys
24–17		 Levi's Stadium Tie
17–17–1		 First meeting at Levi's Stadium.
2017 Cowboys
40–10		 Levi's Stadium Cowboys
18–17–1		 Cowboys take first lead in the series since winning the 1993 NFC Championship Game.
2020s (49ers, 3–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2020 Cowboys
41–33		 AT&T Stadium Cowboys
19–17–1		 Limited fans in attendance due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 49ers were eliminated from postseason contention with this loss, coupled with a win by the Cardinals.
2021 playoffs 49ers
23–17		 AT&T Stadium Cowboys
19–18–1		 NFC Wild Card playoffs. First playoff meeting since 1994.
2022 playoffs 49ers
19–12		 Levi's Stadium Tie
19–19–1		 NFC Divisional playoffs. The ninth postseason meeting, ties NFL record.
2023 49ers
42–10		 Levi's Stadium 49ers
20–19–1
Summary of Results
SeasonSeason seriesat San Francisco 49ersat Dallas CowboysNotes
Regular season 49ers 16–14–1 49ers 8–7 49ers 8–7–1
Postseason Cowboys 5–4 Tie 3–3 Cowboys 2–1 NFC Wild Card Round: 2021
NFC Divisional Round: 1972, 2022
NFC Championship Game: 1970, 1971, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1994.
Regular and postseason 49ers 20–19–1 49ers 11–10 Tie 9–9–1

See also

References
  1. Munoz, Michelle. "Cowboys-49ers: A Rivalry for the Ages". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  2. "Dynasties, guarantees and 'The Catch': Cowboys and 49ers have a rich playoff history". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  3. "Seahawks-49ers - NFL's Best Rivalries - Photos - SI.com". Archived from the original on 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  4. DeArdo, Bryan (July 1, 2020). "NFL's top rivalries of the 1990s: Cowboys part of two legendary matchups". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  5. "49ers vs. Cowboys: A Historic Rivalry Renewed". www.49ers.com. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  6. "49ers-Cowboys rivalry roars back to life, 27 years after Eric Davis ignited last chapter". The Mercury News. 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
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