2000 Dallas Cowboys season

The 2000 Dallas Cowboys season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would promote the team's long-time defensive coordinator, Dave Campo, to be the fifth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. This was also Troy Aikman's last season with the team.

2000 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerJerry Jones
Head coachDave Campo
General managerJerry Jones
Home fieldTexas Stadium
Results
Record5–11
Division place4th NFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersLarry Allen G
AP All-ProsLarry Allen (1st team)

Offseason

The loss of star wide receiver Michael Irvin to retirement led Jerry Jones to trade the team's first round pick in the 2000 draft and the 2001 draft to the Seattle Seahawks for wide receiver Joey Galloway. Pro Bowl cornerback Deion Sanders would also be released after five seasons with the team. He would later sign with NFC East division rival, the Washington Redskins. Fullback Daryl Johnston also retired after the 1999 season.

AdditionsSubtractions
LB Joe Bowden (Titans)WR Michael Irvin (retirement)
QB Randall Cunningham (Vikings)CB Deion Sanders (Redskins)
WR Joey Galloway (Seahawks)LB Randall Godfrey (Titans)
TE Jackie Harris (Titans)LB Lemanski Hall (Vikings)
CB Ryan McNeil (Browns)CB Kevin Mathis (Saints)
LB Barron Wortham (Titans)FB Daryl Johnston (retirement)
CB Phillippi Sparks (Giants)

2000 draft class
Main article: 2000 NFL draft
2000 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
2 49 Dwayne Goodrich  CB Tennessee
4 109 Kareem Larrimore  CB West Texas A&M
5 144 Michael Wiley  RB Ohio State
6 180 Mario Edwards  CB Florida State
7 219 Orantes Grant  LB Georgia
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

Undrafted free agents
2000 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Troy Hambrick Fullback Savannah State
Alcender Jackson Guard LSU
Micah Knorr Punter Utah State
Rian Lindell Kicker Washington State
Tim Seder Kicker Ashland
Clint Stoerner Quarterback Arkansas

Regular season

After a lackluster draft which saw the team draft three cornerbacks to replace the departure of star cornerback Deion Sanders, the Dave Campo head coaching era would have an inauspicious start with an embarrassing blow-out defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles at home (in which the Eagles recovered an onsides kick on the opening kickoff). The loss would prove to be even more costly as quarterback Troy Aikman would suffer a serious concussion early in the game and newly acquired wide receiver Joey Galloway would suffer a season-ending injury in the fourth quarter.

New faces like veteran quarterback Randall Cunningham and wide receiver James McKnight would fill in on offense under new offensive coordinator Jack Reilly. On defense, the loss of both starting cornerbacks in the off-season required the addition of veterans Phillipi Sparks and Ryan McNeil. Combined with perennial Pro Bowl safety Darren Woodson, the Cowboys fielded one of the NFL's best secondaries. Unfortunately, a leaky run defense and an inconsistent, aging offense would lead to a 5–11 record.

In a blow-out loss to the San Francisco 49ers, then controversial 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens would cause an uproar by celebrating a touchdown on the large Cowboys star at midfield in Texas Stadium, prompting anger and resentment off the field. This prompted a retaliation by running back Emmitt Smith with a famous "Defend the Star" kneel down celebration of his own on the star. When Owens scored his second touchdown and promptly celebrated in midfield once more, then-safety George Teague knocked Owens off and a short brawl ensued on the field. Owens immediately returned to the star to celebrate while the brawl ensued. Teague was ejected from the game, and Terrell Owens was suspended for the next game. Ironically, Owens would become a Cowboy later in his career.

Emmitt Smith's tenth consecutive 1,000 yard season (an NFL record), along with a season sweep of the rival Washington Redskins would prove to be the only highlights in an otherwise disappointing season.

The Cowboys finished 31st in the league in run defense that season, allowing 164.8 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.

Notable additions to the team include future starting cornerback Mario Edwards, as well as Dwayne Goodrich. Goodrich would gain notoriety after being involved in a hit and run accident which resulted in the deaths of two people. He was subsequently convicted of criminally negligent homicide.[2]

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Attendance Record
1 September 3, 2000 Philadelphia Eagles L 41–14
62,872
 0–1
2 September 10, 2000 at Arizona Cardinals L 32–31
66,008
 0–2
3 September 18, 2000 at Washington Redskins W 27–21
84,431
 1–2
4 September 24, 2000 San Francisco 49ers L 41–24
64,127
 1–3
5 October 1, 2000 at Carolina Panthers W 16–13
68,909
 2–3
6 Bye Week
7 October 15, 2000 at New York Giants L 19–14
78,189
 2–4
8 October 22, 2000 Arizona Cardinals W 48–7
62,981
 3–4
9 October 29, 2000 Jacksonville Jaguars L 23–17
63,554
 3–5
10 November 5, 2000 at Philadelphia Eagles L 16–13
65,636
 3–6
11 November 12, 2000 Cincinnati Bengals W 23–6
62,170
 4–6
12 November 19, 2000 at Baltimore Ravens L 27–0
69,416
 4–7
13 November 23, 2000 Minnesota Vikings L 27–15
63,878
 4–8
14 December 3, 2000 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 27–7
65,621
 4–9
15 December 10, 2000 Washington Redskins W 32–13
63,467
 5–9
16 December 17, 2000 New York Giants L 17–13
61,311
 5–10
17 December 25, 2000 at Tennessee Titans L 31–0
68,498
 5–11

Standings
NFC East
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(1) New York Giants 12 4 0 .750 328 246 W5
(4) Philadelphia Eagles 11 5 0 .688 351 245 W2
Washington Redskins 8 8 0 .500 281 269 W1
Dallas Cowboys 5 11 0 .313 294 361 L2
Arizona Cardinals 3 13 0 .188 210 443 L7

Roster
Dallas Cowboys 2000 roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

 Reserve Lists

Practice squad

  • –– Damonte McKenzie DE

Rookies in italics
50 Active, 10 Inactive

Publications

The Football Encyclopedia ISBN 0-312-11435-4
Total Football ISBN 0-06-270170-3
Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes ISBN 0-446-51950-2

References
  1. "2000 NFL Draft Pick Transactions". ProSportsTransactions.com.
  2. http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/83019/goodrich-goes-from-prison-to-graduate
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