History of Commanders–Cowboys rivalry in Timeline

The Commanders–Cowboys rivalry, previously known as the Cowboys–Redskins rivalry, is a prominent NFL rivalry characterized by intense competition and historical significance. It features two teams with large fanbases and numerous high-stakes matchups, contributing significantly to the NFL's rich history of divisional rivalries. Key moments and memorable games have defined the rivalry, adding fuel to the passionate clashes between these two NFC East franchises.

1958: Murchison's failed negotiation to buy Redskins

In 1958, Clint Murchison's attempt to buy the Washington Redskins fell through after George Preston Marshall changed the terms of the deal at the last minute.

October 9, 1960: Redskins win first game against Cowboys

On October 9, 1960, the Redskins won the first game against the Cowboys 26–14 in Griffith Stadium, though they would not win any of their last ten games that year. The Cowboys finished winless.

1960: Cowboys founded

In 1960, after a deal involving the rights to "Hail to the Redskins", the Cowboys were founded with support from NFL expansion committee chairman, George Halas, and began playing.

1960: Cowboys joined the league

In 1960, the Cowboys joined the NFL as an expansion team and played Washington once during the season while in separate conferences.

December 1961: Chicken prank at halftime show

In December 1961, Cowboys fans snuck into D. C. Stadium and released dozens of chickens during the halftime show, including one black chicken to symbolize Marshall's refusal to recruit African-American players.

1961: Cowboys and Washington in same division

In 1961, Dallas was placed in the same division as Washington, leading to them playing each other twice in every regular season since.

1961: Redskins winless streak ends

In 1961, the Redskins ended a 23-game winless streak in the last week of the season.

1961: Cowboys acquire Eddie LeBaron

In 1961, to build the roster, the Cowboys traded their first and sixth round draft choices to the Redskins in exchange for Pro Bowl quarterback Eddie LeBaron, convincing him to come out of retirement.

November 28, 1965: Redskins defeat Cowboys 34-31

On November 28, 1965, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 34-31 at DC Stadium after a series of lead changes and a blocked field goal attempt.

November 13, 1966: Cowboys defeat Redskins 31-30

On November 13, 1966, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 31-30 at DC Stadium, after a late penalty put the Cowboys in field goal range.

December 11, 1966: Redskins defeat Cowboys 34-31

On December 11, 1966, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 34-31 at the Cotton Bowl after a late field goal by Charlie Gogolak.

October 8, 1967: Cowboys defeat Redskins 17-14

On October 8, 1967, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 17-14 at DC Stadium after a late touchdown pass to Dan Reeves.

1970: Redskins hire George Allen

After a losing season in 1970, the Redskins hired George Allen as head coach from the Los Angeles Rams.

1970: Lombardi's death freezes Redskins development

In 1970, Vince Lombardi's untimely death froze the Redskins' development for two seasons.

1971: Redskins win against the Cowboys

In 1971, under George Allen, the Redskins went 9–4–1, including a 20–16 victory at the Cowboys.

October 22, 1972: Redskins defeat Cowboys 24-20

On October 22, 1972, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 24-20 at RFK Stadium, moving into first place in the NFC East.

1972: Cowboys touted to win NFC East

As the 1972 football season approached, preseason predictors were touting the Cowboys to again win the NFC East.

1972: Staubach misses most of 1972 season

Roger Staubach missed most of the 1972 season with a shoulder injury.

December 31, 1972: Redskins defeat Cowboys in NFC Championship

On December 31, 1972, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 26-3 in the NFC Championship game at RFK Stadium.

October 8, 1973: Redskins defeat Cowboys 14-7

On October 8, 1973, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 14-7 at RFK Stadium after a late interception returned for a touchdown.

November 28, 1974: Cowboys defeat Redskins 24-23

On November 28, 1974, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 24-23 in a Thanksgiving Day game at Texas Stadium after a last-minute touchdown pass from rookie Clint Longley to Drew Pearson.

December 16, 1979: Cowboys defeat Redskins 35-34

On December 16, 1979, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 35-34 at Texas Stadium in a game that determined the NFC East Division Championship, after a late touchdown pass from Staubach to Tony Hill and a week of controversy involving a funeral wreath sent to Harvey Martin.

January 22, 1983: Redskins defeat Cowboys in NFC Championship

On January 22, 1983, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game at RFK Stadium to advance to Super Bowl XVII. The game is remembered for Dexter Manley's hit on Danny White and Darryl Grant's interception. John Riggins rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-17 victory.

September 5, 1983: Cowboys comeback victory over Redskins on Monday Night Football

On September 5, 1983, the Cowboys completed a comeback victory over the Redskins on Monday Night Football at RFK Stadium. The Redskins led 23-3 at halftime, but Danny White led a second-half comeback to win the game 31-30. The game is also remembered for Redskins rookie Darrell Green chasing down Tony Dorsett.

December 11, 1983: Infamous play in Redskins-Cowboys game

On December 11, 1983, during a game between the Redskins and Cowboys at Texas Stadium, Danny White attempted to draw the Redskins offside on a 4th down play, but the Redskins defense held their ground. The play resulted in a loss of yards and turnover on downs. Coach Tom Landry was shown yelling, "No, Danny, no!" The Redskins won the game 31-10.

December 9, 1984: Redskins Comeback Victory over Cowboys

On December 9, 1984, the Redskins, down 21-6 at halftime, scored 17 unanswered points to defeat the Cowboys 30-28 at Texas Stadium. This win, coupled with an earlier win, marked the Redskins' first season sweep of the Cowboys.

September 9, 1985: Cowboys dominate Redskins on Monday Night Football

On September 9, 1985, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 44-14 on Monday Night Football at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys' secondary intercepted Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann five times. Fans sang "Happy Birthday" to Theismann as he was benched.

October 19, 1987: "Scab Game" Victory for Redskins

On October 19, 1987, during the NFL strike, the replacement Redskins players upset the Cowboys, who had veteran players, 13-7 on Monday Night Football at Texas Stadium. The Redskins finished 3-0 with replacement players during the strike.

December 11, 1988: Cowboys upset Redskins, Tom Landry's Final Victory

On December 11, 1988, the Cowboys upset the reigning Super Bowl champion Redskins 24-17 at RFK Stadium. Rookie Michael Irvin had three touchdown catches. This was Tom Landry's final victory as the Cowboys head coach.

November 24, 1991: Cowboys Hand Redskins First Loss

On November 24, 1991, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 24-21 at RFK Stadium. The loss was the Redskins' first defeat of the season and their only home loss. Jerry Jones believed the victory was a turning point for the Cowboys.

September 7, 1992: Cowboys defeat Redskins on Monday Night Football

On September 7, 1992, the Cowboys defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Redskins 23-10 on Monday Night Football at Texas Stadium. Emmitt Smith rushed for 140 yards in the game.

December 13, 1992: Redskins Stun Cowboys, Joe Gibbs' Final Victory at RFK

On December 13, 1992, the Redskins defeated the eventual Super Bowl champion Cowboys 20-17 in Washington thanks to Danny Copeland's fourth-quarter recovery of a Troy Aikman/Emmitt Smith fumble in the end zone. This game was Joe Gibbs' final victory at RFK Stadium.

September 6, 1993: Redskins defeat Cowboys on Monday Night Football

On September 6, 1993, the Redskins defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys 35-16 on Monday Night Football at RFK Stadium. This was Richie Petitbon's first victory as a head coach.

December 26, 1993: Cowboys Avenge Loss, Defeat Redskins by Largest Margin

On December 26, 1993, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 38-3 at Texas Stadium. The 35-point margin of victory was the largest margin of victory by either team at the time. The Cowboys went on to win their second straight Super Bowl.

December 22, 1996: Redskins Defeat Cowboys in Final Game at RFK Stadium

On December 22, 1996, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 37-10 in the final game played at RFK Stadium.

September 12, 1999: Cowboys defeat Redskins in Overtime

On September 12, 1999, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins in overtime at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. The Redskins had a 35-14 lead but the Cowboys scored three touchdowns to tie the game. A play-action pass to Raghib Ismail won the game for the Cowboys.

2000: Release of 'The Replacements' movie

In 2000, Warner Bros. released the movie "The Replacements," loosely based on the 1987 Redskins team during the NFL strike.

Loading Video...

December 22, 2002: Redskins End Losing Streak Against Cowboys

On December 22, 2002, the Redskins ended an 11-game losing streak to the Cowboys, defeating them 20-14 at FedExField in the regular-season finale. The win allowed Washington to finish 7-9.

September 19, 2005: Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin inducted into Cowboys Ring of Honor

On September 19, 2005, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin were inducted into the Cowboys' "Ring of Honor" with a ceremony at Texas Stadium. The Redskins, led by Mark Brunell, came back to win the game with two long touchdown passes to Santana Moss.

December 18, 2005: Redskins Defeat Cowboys by Largest Margin

On December 18, 2005, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 35-7 at FedExField. This was the Redskins' largest margin of victory against the Cowboys. The victory gave Washington its first sweep against Dallas since 1995.

2005: Rivalry ranked top NFL rivalry

In 2005, Sports Illustrated called the Commanders-Cowboys rivalry the top NFL rivalry of all time, while ESPN ranked it the best rivalry in the NFL.

November 5, 2006: Redskins defeat Cowboys on last-second field goal

On November 5, 2006, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys after a missed field goal by Nick Novak, a blocked field goal by Troy Vincent, and a defensive penalty on Kyle Kosier. Novak then made a 47-yard field goal as time expired to win the game for the Redskins.

September 8, 2008: Redskins Beat Cowboys in Final Meeting at Texas Stadium

On September 8, 2008, the Redskins beat the Cowboys 26-24 in their final meeting at Texas Stadium.

November 16, 2008: Cowboys defeat Redskins

On November 16, 2008, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins at FedExField. Darrell Green and Art Monk were honored before the game for their recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Cowboys' defense held the Redskins to ten points.

December 27, 2009: Cowboys Shutout Redskins

On December 27, 2009, the Cowboys shut out the Redskins 17-0 at FedExField. This marked the third time the Cowboys have blanked the Redskins. This was also the 15th time the Cowboys have swept the two-game regular season series.

September 12, 2010: Redskins Victory after Penalty

On September 12, 2010, late in the fourth quarter, Tony Romo threw a touchdown pass to Roy Williams that would have tied the game, but the touchdown was called back due to a holding penalty against Alex Barron as time expired, and Washington won the game.

December 19, 2010: Cowboys Defeat Redskins

On December 19, 2010, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys built a 20-7 lead by halftime. Rex Grossman led the Redskins back to tie the game, but David Buehler kicked a field goal to put Dallas up 33-30. Terrence Newman then intercepted Grossman to end the game.

November 22, 2012: Redskins Defeat Cowboys on Thanksgiving

On November 22, 2012, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 38-31 at Cowboys Stadium. This was the first time the Redskins defeated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Robert Griffin III won the Galloping Gobbler Award.

December 30, 2012: Redskins defeat Cowboys to win NFC East

On December 30, 2012, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 28-18 in the final game of the season to win their first NFC East title since 1999. Alfred Morris ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns, while the Redskins defense intercepted Tony Romo three times.

December 22, 2013: Cowboys spoil Redskins' upset attempt

On December 22, 2013, the Cowboys defeated the Redskins 24-23 at FedExField. The Redskins led late in the game, but the Cowboys scored with under a minute left to win.

September 18, 2016: Cowboys beat Redskins in Week 2 matchup

On September 18, 2016, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins at FedExField. Ezekiel Elliott scored a touchdown, and Dak Prescott threw a touchdown to help the Cowboys win 27-23 after the Redskins failed to score on their final two possessions.

November 24, 2016: Cowboys defeat Redskins on Thanksgiving

On November 24, 2016, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins 31-26 on Thanksgiving Day at AT&T Stadium. Kirk Cousins had 449 passing yards, but the Redskins failed to convert key drives. The Cowboys extended their winning streak to 10 games. Josh Norman and Dez Bryant clashed during the game.

October 29, 2017: Cowboys defeat Redskins in rainy game

On October 29, 2017, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins 33-19 in a rainy game at FedExField. Ezekiel Elliott scored two touchdowns. Kirk Cousins threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

November 30, 2017: Morris shines as Cowboys defeat Redskins

On November 30, 2017, former Redskins running back Alfred Morris ran for 127 yards as the Cowboys defeated the Redskins. Kirk Cousins had two interceptions and a lost fumble.

October 21, 2018: Redskins defeat Cowboys after missed field goal

On October 21, 2018, the Redskins defeated the Cowboys 20-17 in Washington. Preston Smith scored a touchdown after a Dak Prescott fumble. Brett Maher missed a game-tying field goal for the Cowboys after a penalty.

November 22, 2018: Cowboys defeat Redskins on Thanksgiving

On November 22, 2018, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins 31-23 on Thanksgiving. Amari Cooper had eight receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Colt McCoy threw three interceptions for Washington.

December 29, 2019: Cowboys beat Redskins to sweep season series

On December 29, 2019, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Washington Redskins in the last game of the season. Dak Prescott threw 4 touchdowns. This was the final game under Washington's use of the "Redskins" name.

October 25, 2020: Washington wins against Dallas since October 2018

On October 25, 2020, Washington secured its first win against Dallas since October 2018. During the game, Washington linebacker Jon Bostic was ejected after a hit on Andy Dalton, resulting in a head injury that sidelined Dalton for three weeks.

November 26, 2020: Washington defeats Cowboys on Thanksgiving

On November 26, 2020, Washington defeated the Dallas Cowboys 41-16 on Thanksgiving. Antonio Gibson rushed for 115 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Montez Sweat had a pick 6. This marked Washington's first season sweep of Dallas since 2012.

December 12, 2021: Cowboys defeat Washington amidst sideline bench controversy

On December 12, 2021, the Cowboys defeated Washington 27-20 at FedExField. The Cowboys brought their own sideline hot seat benches, leading to comments about "gamesmanship" from Washington's coach Ron Rivera.

December 26, 2021: Cowboys' dominant win over Washington

On December 26, 2021, the Cowboys achieved their largest margin of victory in the rivalry, defeating Washington 56-14 at AT&T Stadium. Washington shipped in their own hot seat benches in response to the previous game.

November 24, 2024: Cowboys defeat Commanders in high-scoring game

On November 24, 2024, The Cowboys defeated the Commanders 34-26 in a high scoring game that saw both teams combine for 38 points in the last 5:16. Despite Jayden Daniels's late touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, a missed extra point and subsequent touchdown sealed the Cowboys victory.