SPORTS TEAM HISTORY
1960 - Dallas Cowboys 1960: Team Formation in NFL
Dallas Cowboys 1960: Team Formation and NFL Expansion
In the Dallas Cowboys 1960 timeline, the franchise officially came to life as the NFL’s first successful modern-era expansion team. The league had been slow to expand into Texas, but the threat from the new American Football League changed that. After Lamar Hunt failed to land an NFL team in Dallas and instead launched the AFL’s Dallas Texans (later the Kansas City Chiefs), the NFL moved quickly to protect its territory in the South. On January 28, 1960, the league awarded an expansion franchise to Dallas, allowing the team to begin play that same year.
Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne Secure the Franchise
Businessmen Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne led the effort to bring NFL football to Dallas. They faced strong opposition from Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who had long enjoyed a virtual monopoly on professional football in the South. To overcome Marshall’s resistance, Murchison and Wynne bought the rights to the Redskins’ popular fight song, “Hail to the Redskins.” They cleverly offered to return the song rights in exchange for Marshall’s vote approving the Dallas franchise. The tactic worked, and the NFL owners unanimously approved the team on January 28, 1960. This early clash helped spark what would become one of the NFL’s most intense and enduring rivalries between the Cowboys and the team now known as the Washington Commanders.
Unique Challenges in the Dallas Cowboys 1960 Team Formation
Because the franchise was awarded after the 1960 NFL Draft had already taken place, the Cowboys became the first expansion team in modern NFL history to play their inaugural season without the benefit of a college draft. They instead participated in a special expansion draft, selecting players from the existing 12 NFL teams. The new organization also went through several temporary names — first the Dallas Steers, then the Dallas Rangers — before settling on Dallas Cowboys in March 1960 to avoid confusion with the local minor-league baseball team.
Building the Foundation
Clint Murchison Jr. quickly assembled a strong leadership group. He hired Tex Schramm as president and general manager, Gil Brandt as director of player personnel, and Tom Landry as head coach. This trio would guide the Cowboys for nearly three decades and help transform the franchise into one of the most iconic in American sports. Although the 1960 season was tough on the field (the team finished 0-11-1), the Dallas Cowboys 1960 team formation laid the groundwork for future success and established a lasting presence in Dallas.
