Dallas Cowboys Rivalry
One of the greatest rivalries in sports, featuring two of the NFL's wealthiest franchises.
The Commanders–Cowboys rivalry, formerly known as the Cowboys–Redskins rivalry, is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys. In 2005, Sports Illustrated called it the top NFL rivalry of all time and 'one of the greatest in sports.' ESPN ranked it the best rivalry in the NFL. The Sportster has ranked it the 17th biggest rivalry in the world. During the tenure of this rivalry, the two franchises have won 32 combined division titles and eight combined Super Bowls. They are two of the wealthiest franchises in the NFL.
- division
- NFC East
- first_meeting
- 1960 (Dallas as expansion franchise)
- notable_era
- 1970s-1980s Rivalry Peak
- playoff_implications
- Frequent division title deciders
- cultural_thematic
- Tradition vs. Showmanship
Lore & Background
The rivalry started in 1960 when the Cowboys joined the league as an expansion team. During that year they were in separate conferences, but played once during the season. In 1961, Dallas was placed in the same division as Washington, and from that point on, they have played each other twice in every regular season. The Cowboys lead the overall series, 78–47–2. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Redskins winning both games. The rivalry's beginning involved Texas oil tycoon Clint Murchison, Jr., who had a falling out with Redskins owner George Preston Marshall over a failed sale. Murchison later acquired the rights to the Redskins' fight song 'Hail to the Redskins' from the team's former band director, Barnee Breeskin, for $2,500. Murchison then used the song rights to secure Marshall's approval for a Dallas franchise, leading to the Cowboys' founding in 1960. The Cowboys built their roster partly by trading for Pro Bowl quarterback Eddie LeBaron from the Redskins. The first game took place on October 9, 1960, won by the Cowboys 35–28. The first four meetings resulted in one win for each team and two ties. Notable pranks by Cowboys fans included the 'Cowboy Chicken Club' incidents in 1961 and 1962, involving chickens and a turkey at Washington's stadium.
In Their Own Story
The air inside RFK Stadium was thick with humidity and anticipation, a palpable tension that had nothing to do with the weather. It was Thanksgiving night, or perhaps a Sunday in late December, but the stakes were always the same: survival against the silver star. As the teams lined up for the kickoff, the roar of the crowd drowned out the marching band, a sea of burgundy and gold shaking the concrete stands. The quarterback took the snap, eyes scanning a defense that looked like an impenetrable wall of white jerseys. In this moment, history wasn't written in books; it was forged in the collision of pads, the squeal of cleats on turf, and the desperate hope that Washington could once again deny America's Team.
Reader's Guide
The Cowboys lead the overall series, 81–49–2. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Redskins winning both games. Key early games include the Redskins' 34–31 victory on November 28, 1965, and the Cowboys' 31–30 win on November 13, 1966. The rivalry is known for its intensity and has been ranked among the top in sports.
Did You Know?
- The Cowboys lead the overall series 78–47–2.
- The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Redskins winning both games.
- The rivalry began in 1960 when the Cowboys joined the NFL as an expansion team.
- The fight song 'Hail to the Redskins' was used as leverage to secure the Cowboys' franchise approval.
- In 1961, Cowboys fans smuggled chickens into D.C. Stadium as a prank during a game.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys first meet in an NFL game?
The two franchises first faced each other in 1960, the same season Dallas joined the league as an expansion team. That early encounter planted the seed for a rivalry that has run continuously ever since.
Why is the Commanders-Cowboys rivalry considered the biggest in the NFC East?
The geographic closeness of the two cities, the sharp contrast between Washington's traditional identity and Dallas's flashy, media-driven brand, and the fact that the head-to-head result often swings the division title all combine to make this matchup feel larger than a regular-season game. Fans and analysts routinely treat it as the league's marquee NFC East contest.
Which era is considered the golden age of the Washington-Dallas rivalry?
The 1970s and 1980s, often called the Dynasty Years, are widely viewed as the rivalry's peak, with both rosters fielding star-studded lineups and the NFC East crown hanging in the balance week after week. Those two decades produced some of the most iconic head-to-head moments in NFL history.
How often do Commanders-Cowboys games decide the NFC East title?
Because both teams share the same division, their regular-season meeting frequently acts as a direct tiebreaker or outright division decider. That recurring playoff-stakes pressure is a major reason fans treat every annual matchup as a must-win.
What cultural clash sits at the heart of the Commanders-Cowboys rivalry?
The rivalry is framed as a collision between Washington's long-standing, tradition-rooted football culture and Dallas's showmanship-heavy, media-savvy brand. Supporters on each side see the annual meeting as a test of which philosophy of franchise identity ultimately prevails.
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