Day 67 in the Cowboys’ 100-day countdown to kickoff takes us back to a Thanksgiving game that only gets stronger with time. On Thursday, November 23, 1995, Dallas hosted Kansas City at Texas Stadium and walked away with a 24-12 win over a Chiefs team that arrived looking every bit like a contender.
This wasn’t just another holiday afternoon in Irving. It was a regular-season matchup between two heavyweights.
Kansas City came in under Marty Schottenheimer with Steve Bono, Marcus Allen, a defense that could make life miserable, and a record that would finish at 13-3. Dallas, meanwhile, was still chasing the final championship push of the 1990s dynasty, with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, and an offensive line that could still set the tone.
The Cowboys were second in the league in points per game, while the Chiefs ranked among the NFL’s best in sacks and turnover differential.
Dallas wasted little time making its point. Smith got the scoring started with a 15-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, then Aikman hit Irvin on a 33-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 14-0. Before Kansas City could really settle in, the Cowboys had already put the Chiefs in chase mode and given Texas Stadium the kind of Thanksgiving energy that made these games feel bigger than the calendar said they were.
The Chiefs answered, but only with field goals. Lin Elliott connected from 34 and 37 yards in the second quarter, trimming the margin to 14-6 at halftime. That kept Kansas City within reach, but it also told the story of the day: the Chiefs could move the ball, but Dallas was the team cashing in.
The turning point came in the third quarter when Aikman found Novacek for a 33-yard touchdown. That made it 21-6 and put the Cowboys back in firm control.
Kansas City did respond quickly, as Bono threw a 45-yard touchdown to Lake Dawson, but the two-point attempt failed, leaving Dallas ahead 21-12. From there, the Cowboys finished the job, adding a 20-yard Chris Boniol field goal in the fourth quarter and closing out the 12-point victory.
That’s why this one earns its place on the countdown. It wasn’t a blowout, and it didn’t need a dramatic finish to matter. Dallas simply beat a 10-1 opponent on a national holiday stage and did it with balance, control, and the kind of poise championship teams tend to show.
It was also the first Thanksgiving meeting between the Cowboys and Chiefs. They wouldn’t meet again on that stage until 2025, when Dallas beat Kansas City on Thanksgiving again, leaving the Cowboys 2-0 against the Chiefs on one of the biggest stages in football.
In Other News...
Former Cowboys Defender Linked To Disturbing New Allegations
Former Cowboys defensive end Marcellus Wiley is back in the news for the wrong reasons, with his name now attached to a Florida domestic violence arrest and a separate set of allegations from his wife, Annemarie, that have pushed the situation well beyond a routine legal dispute. For Dallas fans who remember Wiley from his time on the edge, the story has taken on a deeply personal and unsettling tone as it moves from an alleged hotel altercation into family court and public accusations.
Annemarie has filed for divorce and sought a restraining order, while Wiley has denied the allegations and said he is focused on protecting their children as the legal process plays out. The case has already become more complicated with the couples family at the center of it, and the next developments are likely to matter as much for the personal fallout as for whatever comes next in court. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Have One Clear Answer To Washingtons Rasul Douglas Move
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One name that keeps surfacing in that conversation is Kenny Moore, the veteran slot corner who was released by Indianapolis in May after the Colts were unable to find a trade partner. Moore has been one of the leagues more reliable nickel defenders for years, with a track record of handling a heavy workload inside and enough versatility to give a defense some flexibility. For Dallas, that kind of profile makes sense as the secondary continues to take shape around a division rivals latest move. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Pass Rush Just Sent A Message Fans Needed To See
A handful of Cowboys defenders are heading to Las Vegas next week for a pass-rush summit that says plenty about where this team wants its edge to come from. Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark are set to join coach Brandon Jordan at the 2026 Sack Summit, a three-day gathering built for NFL rushers to trade technique, ideas and the kind of details that can change a season.
The timing matters, too, with training camp opening July 28 and Dallas still trying to bounce back from a defense that never found enough answers last year. For a unit that needs more disruption up front and better resistance against the run, the trip is less about offseason networking than it is about showing up with a plan, a sharper toolbox and a clearer sense of what the Cowboys need from them once camp begins. [Read more 🡒]