The Dallas Cowboys owned the early 1990s. Built by the powerful duo of Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, they were a dynasty that seemed unstoppable, even after Jones controversially fired Johnson following two consecutive Super Bowl victories. In 1994, with Barry Switzer at the helm, the Cowboys were confidently marching toward what they believed would be their third straight title.
Jones was so sure of his team’s dominance that he famously declared anyone could coach them to a championship. But it turns out, under the right circumstances, one legendary player can derail even the most powerful dynasty.
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In the new Netflix series “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys”, Jones admits that the one obstacle that prevented a three-peat was cornerback Deion Sanders.
“Yeah. Yeah. You’re darn right, I’m the reason,” Sanders says in the series. “I’m the reason, the season, the treason. Whatever you want to rhyme it with, I’m it.”
Sanders signed a one-year free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers that year. At the time, he was the premier defensive back in the NFL, and the 49ers, alongside the Cowboys, were one of the highest-spending teams in the league. San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo, much like Jones, was known for going to great lengths to ensure his team came out on top.
During the 1994 season, Sanders delivered a revelatory performance for the 49ers. He started 12 of 14 regular-season games and recorded six interceptions, returning three of them for touchdowns. While he only had 34 tackles, that number doesn’t reflect an inability to tackle; instead, it shows that opposing quarterbacks simply avoided throwing in his direction.
As predicted, the Cowboys and Niners, the two best teams in the NFL that season, met in the NFC Championship Game. The clash started disastrously for Dallas, as San Francisco raced to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, aided by two early Cowboys turnovers.
However, Dallas fought back and was driving in the third quarter when quarterback Troy Aikman dropped back to pass. He targeted wide receiver Michael Irvin, who appeared to have beaten Sanders after the cornerback slipped at the start of the play. But in a flash, Sanders recovered, turned on his elite speed, caught up to Irvin, and broke up the pass.
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The Cowboys’ sideline erupted, pleading for a pass interference penalty, but no flag was thrown. Later in the contest, Sanders sealed the victory by intercepting a pass intended for Irvin, effectively ending the game and sending the Niners to their fifth Super Bowl, where they defeated the San Diego Chargers.
Jones witnessed Sanders’s impact firsthand. Jones signed him the following season, when Sanders became a free agent again. The result in 1995 was precisely what he had hoped for: a third Super Bowl trophy for the Cowboys.