The Dallas Cowboys has been around for over 60 years. A lot has changed since then, and that includes their uniforms! The Cowboys have gone from a team with simple white jerseys and matching pants to a team with some of the most complex and colorful uniforms in all of sports. From the iconic blue star on the helmet to the number of stars on the jersey, we’ve seen it all. Here is the history of how the Dallas Cowboys have evolved.
The Dallas Cowboys In the Early Years
The Dallas Cowboys were first founded in 1960 by Bob Carpenter. The team played in the now-defunct American Football League from 1960-1969. Throughout their early years, the team usually wore white jerseys with blue helmets. For a brief period, the team also wore jerseys with a white star on the helmet, a blue star on the side of the pants and blue socks. For the 1969-1970 season, the team replaced their white jersey with a navy blue jersey with white pinstripes and blue and white helmets.
The most famous jersey of all time, however, was the “Doak Walker” jersey. The jersey was made famous by the Cowboys in the 1970s. The jersey was famous for featuring Doak Walker’s face, holding a football, on the front of the jersey. He was a running back for the Cowboys from 1966-1971.
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The Dallas Cowboys In the 1950s
In 1950, the Cowboys first appeared in the NFL and wore a powder blue jersey with a thin white stripe and a white star on the helmet. The navy blue pants were also white with blue stripes on the side.
The same basic uniform existed for the next two seasons with only a few changes. In 1951, the stripes were removed on the pants and the white star became a vertical one. In 1952, the stars on the uniform were removed. For some reason, the team had difficulty with the white star and the stripes on the pants were left in 1952 and 1953. In 1954, the white stripes were removed from the pants. The jersey remained the same.
The Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s
The Dallas Cowboys debuted in 1960 and had one of the most iconic uniforms in the league.
The Dallas Cowboys In the 1960s
In the 1960s, the Dallas Cowboys played in a blue jersey with a blue star on the helmet. They also played in white pants and blue socks with the red star. This uniform was to recognize Texas’ participation in the Vietnam War, and was reportedly to be worn for a single game that season. The uniform was designed by Cowboys’ equipment manager Sid Waggoner, who had been working with the Cowboys for 25 years.
The blue star on the helmet is similar to the one the Cowboys wore in 1934, but different than the one in 1936. Both star designs are meant to stand for the stars and stripes, but the star on the helmet is more stylized and glows a little brighter than the one on the 1934 helmet.
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The Dallas Cowboys In the 1970s
Before the turn of the 21st Century, the Cowboys had the most simple uniforms in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys have been around since 1920, and up until the 1970s, their uniforms have been pretty plain white jerseys and navy blue pants. The uniforms consisted of the same basic design, with the only variation being the players’ names and numbers.
1974 was the only season they wore the old school uniforms. While they had a great season, they did lose to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round. The Cowboys retired the uniform that same year, along with the iconic star on the helmet.
All of the uniforms and gear were given an update in 1973, when the NFL updated its jersey numbering system.
The Dallas Cowboys In the 1980s
The team came into the NFL as the Dallas Texans in 1960 and then changed their name to the Dallas Cowboys in 1966. Since then, they’ve won seven Super Bowls, including a victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII. The 1990s saw the Cowboys move from Texas Stadium to now-known AT&T Stadium and bring in some of the most creative uniforms in the league.
Players like Randy White and Rayfield Wright led the team to victory in their early years and the Cowboys had won the NFC East division ten times in twelve years. Some great players like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin helped the Cowboys become one of the most dominant teams in the NFL.
The Cowboys had a couple bad seasons in the 90s and then continued to dominate after that. The team finished 15-1 in 1992.
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The Dallas Cowboys In the 1990s
While we will focus on the blue star jerseys, the Cowboys’ uniform was a mess in the late 80s and early 90s. The team made only one appearance in the Super Bowl, which ended in a huge loss to the Buffalo Bills in 1991. They also had only one 10-win season and couldn’t even make the playoffs. What was going on? Well, the Cowboys at the time were one of the worst franchises in all of sports. From the mid-80s to the early 90s, they were only able to win 3-consecutive games 4 times.
In 1995, the team hired Jimmy Johnson as head coach. Johnson brought some much-needed change to the team. Johnson was a genius when it came to the offensive side of the ball, and he knew the offense would be able to take the Cowboys to the next level. His hiring came at a perfect time.
What Has Changed in 2017?
The Dallas Cowboys are a great example of how a team evolves over time. In 1960, they changed their name to the Dallas Cowboys. Their uniforms stayed pretty much the same. As the years went by, the Cowboys began adding more and more flashy elements to their uniforms. The white uniforms would later be modified to match their silver pants. Then, the famous “Los Cowboys” appeared in 1965.
The iconic uniforms are an all-time favorite for many fans. Yet, it’s not the first time the Cowboys have worn the star-emblazoned jersey. The team sported a completely different look in 1946. They had a uniform that was brown with blue and white stripes. In 1995, they went back to the blue and white look before going back to the blue and silver in 2009.
What has changed from a visual standpoint?
The Cowboys have a long history of looking different from season to season, often in an effort to stay ahead of the trends. One of the most unique uniforms was the 1960s, with several iterations including pinstriped jerseys, unis with red numbers, and a strip of orange and blue at the bottom. The first full helmet with a star was worn in the 1977-1978 seasons as the primary logo was introduced on a uniform patch. The 1967 uniforms featured pinstriped pants and helmets, and a diamond design on the jersey. The uniforms from the 70s had the striping all around the jersey.
The 80s featured the more familiar blue on red. The blue jersey with white numbers and blue striping on the pants featured a white star at the center of the jersey, and had white numbers over a blue striping.
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How have players evolved as well as their uniforms?
Simple yet vibrant colors
In 1961, they used what appeared to be plain white pants and red jerseys. The simple white background on the jersey was the primary focus, and the color combination featured red on the arms and shoulders.
First color rush
In 1964, the Cowboys used red jerseys with black stripes. They had a unique design on their helmet, and their helmets were white instead of blue. This was the first Cowboys team to wear their white jerseys with navy blue pants. It was also the first team to go to a special color rush uniform.
Matching colors
In 1968, the Cowboys had a solid blue jersey, with navy blue pants. The navy blue featured diagonal stripes that complemented the white of the jersey and blue on the arm and shoulder.
