The 1963 Dallas Cowboys season was their fourth in the league, and also the first where the Cowboys were the only professional football team in Dallas, as the AFL's Texans relocated to Kansas City (and were rebranded as the Chiefs) during the offseason.
The team failed to improve on their previous output of 5–8–1, winning only four games.[1] The Cowboys also missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
| Week
|
Date
|
Opponent
|
Result
|
Record
|
Venue
|
Attendance
|
Recap
|
| 1
|
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
L 7–34
|
0–1
|
Cotton Bowl
|
36,432
|
Recap
|
| 2
|
September 22
|
Cleveland Browns
|
L 24–41
|
0–2
|
Cotton Bowl
|
28,710
|
Recap
|
| 3
|
September 29
|
at Washington Redskins
|
L 17–21
|
0–3
|
D.C. Stadium
|
40,101
|
Recap
|
| 4
|
October 6
|
at Philadelphia Eagles
|
L 21–24
|
0–4
|
Franklin Field
|
60,671
|
Recap
|
| 5
|
October 13
|
Detroit Lions
|
W 17–14
|
1–4
|
Cotton Bowl
|
27,264
|
Recap
|
| 6
|
October 20
|
at New York Giants
|
L 21–37
|
1–5
|
Yankee Stadium
|
62,889
|
Recap
|
| 7
|
October 27
|
at Pittsburgh Steelers
|
L 21–27
|
1–6
|
Forbes Field
|
19,047
|
Recap
|
| 8
|
November 3
|
Washington Redskins
|
W 35–20
|
2–6
|
Cotton Bowl
|
18,838
|
Recap
|
| 9
|
November 10
|
at San Francisco 49ers
|
L 24–31
|
2–7
|
Kezar Stadium
|
29,563
|
Recap
|
| 10
|
November 17
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
W 27–20
|
3–7
|
Cotton Bowl
|
23,694
|
Recap
|
| 11
|
November 24
|
at Cleveland Browns
|
L 17–27
|
3–8
|
Cleveland Stadium
|
55,096
|
Recap
|
| 12
|
December 1
|
New York Giants
|
L 27–34
|
3–9
|
Cotton Bowl
|
29,653
|
Recap
|
| 13
|
December 8
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
L 19–34
|
3–10
|
Cotton Bowl
|
24,136
|
Recap
|
| 14
|
December 15
|
at St. Louis Cardinals
|
W 28–24
|
4–10
|
Busch Stadium
|
12,695
|
Recap
|
Conference opponents are in bold text
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions |
0 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
14 |
| • Cowboys |
0 |
7 | 0 | 10 |
17 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | Q2 | | DAL | Clarke 11 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 7–0 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Baker 13 yard field goal | DAL 10–0 |
| | Q4 | | DET | Cogdill 30 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) | DAL 10–7 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Marsh 41 yard run (Baker kick) | DAL 17–7 |
| | Q4 | | DET | Cogdill 70 yard pass from Morrall (Walker kick) | DAL 17–14 |
|
[2]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins |
0 |
10 | 3 | 7 |
20 |
| • Cowboys |
7 |
7 | 7 | 14 |
35 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | Q1 | | DAL | Folkins 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 7–0 |
| | Q2 | | WSH | Dugan 41 yard pass from Snead (Khayat kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| | Q2 | | WSH | Khayat 12 yard field goal | WSH 10–7 |
| | Q2 | | DAL | Clarke 13 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 14–10 |
| | Q3 | | WSH | Khayat 49 yard field goal | DAL 14–13 |
| | Q3 | | DAL | Folkins 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 21–13 |
| | Q4 | | WSH | Dugan 19 yard pass from Snead (Khayat kick) | DAL 21–20 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Stiger 7 yard run (Baker kick) | DAL 28–20 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Clarke 12 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 35–20 |
|
[3]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles |
6 |
0 | 7 | 7 |
20 |
| • Cowboys |
7 |
10 | 7 | 3 |
27 |
- Date: November 17
- Location: Cotton Bowl
- Game attendance: 23,694
- Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C); wind 18 mph
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | Q1 | | DAL | Norman 1 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 7–0 |
| | Q1 | | PHI | McDonald 26 yard pass from Hill (kick failed) | DAL 7–6 |
| | Q2 | | DAL | Perkins 2 yard run (Baker kick) | DAL 14–6 |
| | Q2 | | DAL | Baker 33 yard field goal | DAL 17–6 |
| | Q3 | | DAL | Clarke 14 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 24–6 |
| | Q3 | | PHI | Brown 24 yard pass from Hill (Clark kick) | DAL 24–13 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Baker 27 yard field goal | DAL 27–13 |
| | Q4 | | PHI | Retzlaff 16 yard pass from Hill (Clark kick) | DAL 27–20 |
|
[4]
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cowboys |
0 |
14 | 0 | 14 |
28 |
| Cardinals |
0 |
14 | 10 | 0 |
24 |
- Date: December 15
- Location: Busch Stadium
- Game weather: 6 °F (−14 °C); wind 11 mph
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
| | Q2 | | DAL | Meredith 1 yard run (Baker kick) | DAL 7–0 |
| | Q2 | | STL | Randle 62 yard pass from Johnson (Bakken kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| | Q2 | | STL | Triplett 16 yard pass from Johnson (Bakken kick) | STL 14–7 |
| | Q2 | | DAL | Lilly 42 yard fumble return (Baker kick) | Tie 14–14 |
| | Q3 | | STL | Wilson 35 yard run (Bakken kick) | STL 21–14 |
| | Q3 | | STL | Bakken 11 yard field goal | STL 24–14 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Norman 12 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | STL 24–21 |
| | Q4 | | DAL | Clarke 25 yard pass from Meredith (Baker kick) | DAL 28–24 |
|
[5]
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
The Cowboys were expecting to turn their fortunes around and have a good year, but won only three of their first ten games.
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, stands out as an infamous moment in the season: not only was the nation's psyche impacted by this event, but the image of the city of Dallas was seriously tarnished. On November 24 - just two days after this historic event - the NFL decided to play its normal schedule of games, with the Cowboys traveling to face the Cleveland Browns.
On game day, when the team was introduced, the public address announcer referred to the team as simply the Cowboys, while the crowd also vented their frustration and pain at Cowboys players and officials during the game. The Cowboys lost 17–27, and would go on to have only one more win in the remaining three games.
On September 29, 1963, Billy Howton became the NFL's all-time receiving leader, breaking Don Hutson's record for career receptions and receiving yards. He retired at the end of the year, after playing in 12 seasons with 503 catches, 8,459 yards and 61 touchdowns.
| Dallas Cowboys 1963 roster
|
| Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
|
Reserve lists
Rookies in italics
40 active, 1 inactive
|
