1974 Dallas Cowboys season

The 1974 Dallas Cowboys season was their 15th in the league, all under head coach Tom Landry. The Cowboys failed to improve on their previous output of 10–4, winning only eight games. They missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years, the only time in 18 seasons (1966–1983) that the Cowboys did not advance to the postseason.

The Cowboys opened the season 1–4. Although they finished 7–2, it was not enough to overcome the slow start.

The 1974 season featured one of the most memorable Thanksgiving games in Cowboys history. Trailing 16–3 in the second half (and having already lost quarterback Roger Staubach to injury), little used backup Clint Longley threw two touchdown passes to lead the team to a 24–23 victory over the Redskins at Texas Stadium.

This was also a season of transition. It was the final season of Hall of Famedefensive tackleBob Lilly. Also finishing their careers were fullbackWalt Garrison and centerDave Manders. Also, it was the final season in Dallas for wide receiverBob Hayes (who finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers the following year), running backCalvin Hill (who departed for the Hawaiians of the World Football League), defensive endPat Toomay (who left for the Buffalo Bills), guardJohn Niland (who left the following year for the Philadelphia Eagles), and quarterbackCraig Morton (traded early in the season to the New York Giants) who would later play against the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII as a member of the Denver Broncos.