1961 Dallas Cowboys season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Dallas Cowboys 1961 4–9–1 6th NFL Eastern Tom Landry Clint Murchison, Jr. Tex Schramm Cotton Bowl Did not qualify Cowboys seasons The 1961 Dallas Cowboys season was their second in the National Football League. The team finished with 4 wins, 9 losses, and 1 tie, placing them 6th in the Eastern Conference. After going 0–11–1 the previous season, the Cowboys got their first win in franchise history with a 27–24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 1. Offseason The Cowboys participated in their first NFL college draft following the 1960 season. Despite owning the league's worst record, the team picked second overall because the expansion Minnesota Vikings received the first overall selection. However, the team previously traded away their first round pick in the 1961 draft to the Washington Redskins for quarterback Eddie LeBaron. The Cowboys had another selection in the first round (13th overall) that they acquired from the Cleveland Browns, and with that selection they chose defensive lineman Bob Lilly from Texas Christian University. Other notable selections in the draft included offensive linemen E.J. Holub, Billy Shaw, and Stew Barber. However, all three chose to sign with teams in the rival American Football League. Other notable acquisitions by the Cowboys during the offseason included trading for linebacker Chuck Howley from the Chicago Bears, and signing rookie free agents Amos Marsh and Warren Livingston. The Cowboys played in the NFL's Western Division for the 1960 season, but were a "swing team" and played each of the other 12 teams in the league that year. When the Minnesota Vikings joined the league for the 1961 season, the owners of the Eastern Division teams were allowed to vote on which expansion franchise they wanted to be permanently assigned to their division. In April 1961, the Eastern Division owners voted for Dallas, largely as a safeguard against early winters in Minnesota.NFL Shift Puts Dallas With Eastern Division https://www.newspapers.com/article/pampa-daily-news-nfl-shift-puts-dallas-w/141697006/ Pampa Daily News 20 February 2024 9 12 April 1961 This also pleased Western Division owners, who preferred the Vikings because of lower travel expenses and natural geographic rivalries with teams like the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. This resulted in both Eastern and Western Divisions having seven teams.Vikings Will Play in Western Division https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/138588211/ The Republic April 12, 1961 30 May 2019 NFL draft 1961 Dallas Cowboys 1 13 Bob Lilly DT TCU yes yes 2 16 Chuck Howley C West Virginia yes yes 3 30 Stew Barber OT Penn State Signed with the AFL no yes 4 44 Arnold Davis E Baylor Played linebacker yes 7 86 Art Gilmore RB Oregon State no 8 100 Don Talbert OT Texas yes 9 114 Glynn Gregory E SMU Played also defensive back yes 11 142 Norris Stevenson RB Missouri no 12 156 Lowndes Shingler QB Clemson no 13 170 Don Goodman RB Florida no 14 184 Billy Shaw OG Georgia Tech Signed with the AFL no yes 15 198 Julius Varnado OT San Francisco State no 16 212 Jerry Steffen RB Colorado no 17 226 Everett Cloud RB Maryland no 18 240 Randy Williams RB Indiana no 19 254 Lynn Hoyem OG Long Beach State yes 20 268 Jerry Morgan RB Iowa State no Undrafted free agents + 1961 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeKen FrostDefensive tackleTennesseeWarren LivingstonCornerbackArizona Roster Dallas Cowboys 1961 roster Quarterbacks 11 Buddy Humphrey 14 Eddie LeBaron Running backs 34 Merrill Douglas 45 L. G. Dupre 35 J. W. Lockett 31 Amos Marsh 43 Don Perkins Wide receivers 82 Frank Clarke 81 Billy Howton 80 Lee Murchison Tight ends 36 Dick Bielski K 83 Jim Doran Offensive linemen 77 Byron Bradfute T 53 Mike Connelly C 62 Andy Cvercko G 63 Mike Falls G 75 Bob Fry T 67 John Houser C 64 Bob Grottkau G 70 Bob McCreary T Defensive linemen 87 Nate Borden DE 79 Ken Frost DT 78 Don Healy DT 72 Bill Herchman DT 74 Bob Lilly DELinebackers 33 Gene Babb OLB 30 Mike Dowdle OLB 54 Chuck Howley OLB 56 Jack Patera MLB 50 Jerry Tubbs MLB Defensive backs 44 Don Bishop CB 32 Tom Franckhauser SS/CB 21 Glynn Gregory SS/WR 40 Jimmy Harris CB/FS 47 Dicky Moegle FS Special teams 61 Allen Green K/PReserve lists 20 Bob Bercich SS (IR) 10px 51 Tom Braatz OLB (IR) 10px 88 Sonny Davis OLB (IR) 10px -- Don Heinrich QB (Retired) 41 Warren Livingston CB/FS (IR) 10px 17 Don Meredith QB (IR) 10px Rookies in italics 36 active, 6 inactive Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 5, 1961 vs. Minnesota Vikings W 38–13 1–0 Howard Wood Field 4,954 2 August 11, 1961 Green Bay Packers L 7–30 1–1 Cotton Bowl 30,000 3 August 26, 1961 vs. New York Giants L 10–28 1–2 University Stadium 21,520 4 September 1, 1961 vs. Baltimore Colts W 35–24 2–2 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium 19,000 5 September 9, 1961 vs. San Francisco 49ers L 7–24 2–3 Hughes Stadium 22,130 Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 17 Pittsburgh Steelers W 27–24 1–0 Cotton Bowl 23,500 Recap 2 September 24 Minnesota Vikings W 21–7 2–0 Cotton Bowl 20,500 Recap 3 October 1 at Cleveland Browns L 7–25 2–1 Cleveland Stadium 43,638 Recap 4 October 8 at Minnesota Vikings W 28–0 3–1 Metropolitan Stadium 33,070 Recap 5 October 15 New York Giants L 10–31 3–2 Cotton Bowl 41,500 Recap 6 October 22 Philadelphia Eagles L 7–43 3–3 Cotton Bowl 25,000 Recap 7 October 29 at New York Giants W 17–16 4–3 Yankee Stadium 60,254 Recap 8 November 5 St. Louis Cardinals L 17–31 4–4 Cotton Bowl 20,500 Recap 9 November 12 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 7–37 4–5 Forbes Field 17,519 Recap 10 November 19 Washington Redskins T 28–28 4–5–1 Cotton Bowl 17,500 Recap 11 November 26 at Philadelphia Eagles L 13–35 4–6–1 Franklin Field 60,127 Recap 12 December 3 Cleveland Browns L 17–38 4–7–1 Cotton Bowl 23,500 Recap 13 December 10 at St. Louis Cardinals L 13–31 4–8–1 Busch Stadium 15,384 Recap 14 December 17 at Washington Redskins L 24–34 4–9–1 D.C. Stadium 21,451 Recap Conference opponents are in bold text Game summaries Week 1: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Dallas Cowboys 1960 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary September 17 Steelers 0 14 0 10 Cowboys 7 3 7 10 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas 23,500 66 F C Box score First quarter DAL – Frank Clarke 44-yard pass from Don Meredith (Allen Green kick). Cowboys 7–0. Second quarter PIT – John Henry Johnson 1-yard run (Bobby Layne kick). Tied 7–7. PIT – Buddy Dial 44-yard pass from Bobby Layne (Bobby Layne kick). Steelers 14–7. DAL – Allen Green 15-yard field goal. Steelers 14–10. Third quarter DAL – Billy Howton 45-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron (Allen Green kick). Cowboys 17–14. Fourth quarter PIT – Lou Michaels 12-yard field goal. Tied 17–17. PIT – Johnny Sample 39-yard interception return (Bobby Layne kick). Steelers 24–17. DAL – Dick Bielski 17-yard pass from Eddie LeBaron (Allen Green kick). Tied 24–24. DAL – Allen Green 27-yard field goal. Cowboys 27–24. Top passers PIT – Bobby Layne – 16/25, 252 yards, TD, 3 INT DAL – Eddie LeBaron – 9/13, 166 yards, 2 TD Top rushers PIT – Charley Scales – 17 rushes, 70 yards DAL – L. G. Dupre – 8 rushes, 25 yards Top receivers PIT – Buddy Dial – 5 receptions, 137 yards, TD DAL – Billy Howton – 6 receptions, 138 yards, TD Standings See also 1961 NFL season 1961 NFL draft Publications The Football Encyclopedia 0-312-11435-4 Total Football 0-06-270170-3 Cowboys Have Always Been My Heroes 0-446-51950-2 References External links 1961 Dallas Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys Official Site Category:Dallas Cowboys seasons Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys