The first two years of Jerry Jones' ownership of the Dallas Cowboys were turbulent, but overall, the team experienced tremendous success over his first eight years, winning 12 playoff games and a Super Bowl title from 1991-96. But in the 20 seasons since, they haven't even come close to matching that success they sustained from 1989 to 1996:
Cowboys Under Jerry Jones - First 8 Seasons vs. Last 20 Seasons
| 1989-1996 | 1997-2016 | |
|---|---|---|
| Playoff appearances | 6 | 8 |
| Playoff W-L | 12-3 | 2-8 |
| Wild Card W-L | 2-0 | 2-4 |
| Divisional Round W-L | 4-2 | 0-4 |
| Conference Championship W-L | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| Super Bowl W-L | 3-0 | 0-0 |
Postseason woes aplenty: Among the 22 NFL teams with at least 10 playoff games over that time, the Cowboys' 2-8 mark is the worst record.