It’s been three decades since the Dallas Cowboys last played in an NFC Championship Game - the same year they last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. And as that drought stretches into its 30th year, frustration is boiling over not just among fans, but even among the franchise’s former champions.
Tony Casillas, a key piece of those early-‘90s Super Bowl teams, voiced what many in Cowboys Nation have been thinking for years. Appearing on KDFW Fox 4 in Dallas, Casillas didn’t hold back when it came to his former boss, Jerry Jones.
“How close are you, Jerry?” Casillas asked pointedly.
“You're 7-9-1. We saw that Giants game.
They didn’t play to win.”
Casillas was referring to a late-season matchup where the Cowboys looked flat, uninspired, and, frankly, disinterested - not exactly the kind of effort that signals a team on the cusp of a championship run. For a franchise that’s long prided itself on being “America’s Team,” surrendering in a divisional game doesn’t sit well with the fan base - or with the players who once wore the star with pride.
And Casillas isn’t just venting. He’s tapping into a deeper truth about this organization: the disconnect between the front office’s optimism and the on-field reality.
Jerry Jones, ever the salesman, recently told The Dallas Morning News that he expects the Cowboys to be back in the NFC title mix “starting next year.” But to get there, a whole lot needs to change - starting with a defense that’s been wildly inconsistent and, at times, flat-out porous.
Let’s not forget what happened against the Panthers. Rico Dowdle ran wild for 239 scrimmage yards, exposing a Cowboys defense that seemed completely unprepared. And yet, even after that loss, Jones tried to spin things into a positive, leaning on the team’s storied history rather than addressing the glaring issues in the present.
That’s where the frustration lies. It’s not just about losing games - it’s about losing touch.
This team gave up 511 points this season. That’s not a typo.
That’s a defense that didn’t just bend - it broke, repeatedly. If the Cowboys want to be taken seriously as contenders, that number has to come down.
Way down.
A winning season would be a solid first step. But the bar has to be higher than just clearing .500. For a team with this much offensive firepower - and a quarterback playing the best football of his career - the goal should be nothing less than a deep playoff run.
Dak Prescott has been lights out. Efficient, poised, and in full command of the offense.
But windows in the NFL don’t stay open forever. Just ask Tony Romo.
He had the talent, but never the supporting cast to make a serious run. Cowboys fans haven’t forgotten that - and they won’t forgive a repeat with Prescott.
There’s also the matter of decision-making. If Jones truly wants to turn this thing around, it might be time to hand over more control to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Let the football minds handle football decisions. That’s how winning organizations operate.
And while no one’s expecting the return of the Doomsday Defense, Cowboys fans are simply asking for competence. A middle-of-the-pack unit would be enough to complement an offense that can score with anyone.
But asking this offense to win shootouts every week? That’s not sustainable.
The pieces are there. The quarterback.
The weapons. A passionate fan base that’s stuck with this team through decades of heartbreak.
What they want now is action - not more promises.
Because for all the talk about being “close,” the reality is clear: until the Cowboys fix their defense, commit to a clear vision, and stop waving the white flag in winnable games, they’re not knocking on the door of a Super Bowl. They’re still trying to find the neighborhood.