Herschel Walker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Four games into the 1989 season, with the Cowboys winless under Jimmy Johnson, the team sought a new direction. After considering trading Michael Irvin—a move Raiders owner Al Davis advised against—Johnson identified Walker as their only remaining bargaining chip. A bidding war ensued involving the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, but the Atlanta Falcons pulled out over contract fears. Johnson used the Browns' offer to pressure Vikings general manager Mike Lynn with a strict 6:30 p.m. deadline. Eager to make their first Super Bowl appearance since Super Bowl XI, the Vikings agreed. To secure Walker's consent for the move from Minnesota, Dallas paid him a $1.25 million "exit bonus." In the original proposal, Dallas sent Walker and three picks in exchange for five players and conditional draft picks.

In Their Own Story

The trade evolved when Darrin Nelson refused to report to Dallas, prompting a side deal with the San Diego Chargers that finalized an 18-player-and-pick exchange. While Vikings GM Mike Lynn expected Dallas to use these assets to rebuild their roster, Johnson had a different plan. He waived Stewart in November 1989 and instructed his coaches not to start Solomon, Howard, or Holt, signaling his intent to claim the conditional draft picks attached to those players if they were cut before February 1, 1990. Although Dallas fans and writers like Randy Galloway criticized the move, Johnson openly bragged about it as "The Great Train Robbery." Ultimately, Lynn made a deal allowing Dallas to keep three players and all conditional picks in exchange for two additional draft picks from the Cowboys.

Reader's Guide

The trade yielded eight draft picks for the Cowboys, including Minnesota's next three first-round selections. Johnson utilized these assets aggressively, claiming he made 51 trades the following year to acquire key personnel. These moves directly led to drafting Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson, and Russell Maryland, fueling Dallas's dynasty that won Super Bowl XXVII after the 1992 season and two more titles soon after. Conversely, the Vikings fell to a 6–10 record in 1990 and failed to win a playoff game with Walker on the roster before he departed following the 1991 season. By 2007, ESPN columnists noted that free agency had largely replaced such massive trades, removing the ability for teams to "fleece the Vikings." The event was later detailed in an ESPN 30 for 30 film titled "The Great Trade Robbery."

Did You Know?

• The deal was expanded to involve the San Diego Chargers, moving a total of 18 players and draft picks between three teams.
• Dallas paid Walker a $1.25 million "exit bonus" specifically to get him to agree to the trade.
• Coach Jimmy Johnson waived or cut all players acquired from the Vikings to secure conditional draft compensation attached to them.
• The Cowboys used Minnesota's picks to make 51 trades in the year following the deal, leading to three Super Bowl wins.