"THROUGH THE EYES OF A FAN"
THE LONG ROAD BACK TO THE TOP
FOR THE DALLAS
Even with winning Super Bowls teams go through changes. It was no different when it came to the Cowboys in 1993. The first change was losing defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt, who left the Cowboys to become the new head coach of the Chicago Bears. Wannstedt had built the Cowboys defense into the number one unit in the NFL in 1992. Now the defense was handed over to Butch Davis, who was promoted from defensive line coach by Jimmy Johnson.
Jimmy Johnson also hired two new coaches to help Butch Davis run the defense. Former Houston Oilers defensive coordinator Jim Eddy was hired as a defensive assistant and John Blake took Davis' old job with the defensive line. Dave Wannstedt took Cowboys offensive line coach Tony Wise with him to the Bears, so Johnson went out and hired Hudson Houck from the Seahawks to coach the offensive line.
Then there was the matter of free agency. It was the way of the NFL now. Players' moving from team to team was not how I grew up watching football. I was use to players staying with the same team for their whole careers. Now it seemed like if a team flashes a little more money in front of a player, he'll leave without a care about his own teammates.
The first player the Cowboys lost in free agency was wide receiver Kelvin Martin, who signed with the Seahawks. Martin was a quality third receiver for the Cowboys as well as great punt returner. Then backup quarterback Steve Beuerlein left to play for the Cardinals. In 1991 Beuerlein led the Cowboys to the playoffs when Aikman was injured. He won the last five games of the season for the Cowboys and then beat the Bears in the Wildcard game before losing to the Lions in the second round.
The Cowboys did manage to keep a very important part of their defense when Charles Haley decided to stay with the team and signed a three year contract extension. Haley really was the missing part of the Cowboys defense in 1992.
Jimmy Johnson went to work during the NFL Draft trying to replace Kelvin Martin. With their first pick the Cowboys selected wide receiver/kick returner Kevin Williams from Miami. With their second pick the Cowboys selected linebacker Darrin Smith, also from Miami. Both Williams and Smith would become important parts of the Cowboys in 1993.
Another player selected in the draft who would become a big part of the Cowboys early in the season was running back Derrick Lassic from Alabama. Lassic was big news where I lived because he was from my town and graduated high school there as well, so people all around knew him or knew of him.
During the 1992 season the Cowboys went through the entire season without any major injuries. They wouldn't be as lucky in 1993 as the injuries started early in training camp and went on throughout the season. First there was Troy Aikman who had surgery for a herniated disc in his back during the off season. Doctors said Aikman would be out of action for at least 12 weeks. Backup tight end Alfredo Roberts broke his foot and was lost for the season. Kenneth Gant who became a big part of the Cowboys special teams separated his shoulder. Darren Woodson who was on his way to becoming a starter at safety, broke his arm and would be lost for two months. It got to the point that every day it seemed like someone got injured.
The other huge story in the off season was that Emmitt Smith wanted a new contract and said he would hold out until he got one. But what Smith was asking for and what Jerry Jones was offering was far apart. So it started to become a concern that the Cowboys would start 1993 without both Aikman and Smith.
At the start of training camp Jerry Jones presented the Cowboys with their Super Bowl XXVII rings. The Championship rings were filled with diamonds and the team was showing them off to everyone. Jimmy Johnson wanted to keep the team grounded and focused and spoke up saying to cherish the rings always, but to keep in mind that they wouldn't help them in their drive for a second straight World Championship.
Before the season started Jimmy Johnson traded starting linebacker Vinson Smith to the Bears for three players. I'll tell you now that those three players never made an impact with the Cowboys and were released shortly after they arrived.
The Cowboys received some good news when Troy Aikman, who had been recovering from back surgery, was able to play a little in the preseason. He would be ready for the season opener, but the same could not be said for Emmitt Smith.
The 1993 season opener was only a few days away and Emmitt Smith wasn't any closer to signing a new contract. He wanted to be the highest paid running back in the NFL after winning the NFL rushing titles in 1991 and 1992 to go along with a Super Bowl Championship. Jimmy Johnson had no choice but to prepare the Cowboys to start the season without Emmitt Smith.
To be continued...
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