# Cowboys–Vikings rivalry

The Cowboys–Vikings rivalry is a rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. The overall series is led by Dallas 19–15. The Cowboys and Vikings have played seven times in the playoffs, making this one of the most played playoff series in league history (the Vikings' most common playoff opponent and the fourth-most for the Cowboys after the 49ers, Rams, and Packers). The Cowboys lead the playoff series 4–3. CBS Sports named the rivalry among the best in the 1970s.

## Meetings

* In 1975, the Dallas Cowboys traveled to the Twin Cities for a Divisional playoff game. The Vikings looked to have the game wrapped-up with a late lead 14–10. However, Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson in what became known as the Hail Mary game.
* In January 1983, future Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett rushed for an NFL-record 99-yard touchdown in a Monday Night Football game in Minnesota. This occurred despite the Cowboys have only 10 players in the game, as fullback Ron Springs was on the sidelines. The Vikings won the game.
* In 1989, the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys were part of the Herschel Walker trade, the largest player trade in NFL history. In this trade, the Vikings received Herschel Walker and three picks from the Cowboys in exchange for eight picks given to the Cowboys. The Vikings felt it was the last piece needed to make a Super Bowl run. Instead, the trade catapulted the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s; the Vikings won none with Walker. It is thus considered one of the worst trades in NFL history.
* The 1996 NFC Wild Card Round saw the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys defeat the Vikings 40–15.
* In 1998, the Minnesota Vikings played the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Randy Moss, a rookie wide receiver who the Cowboys had passed over due to legal issues in college, famously had three touchdowns in a 46–36 thriller.
* In the 1999 playoffs, the Cowboys traveled to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a key wild-card playoff game. The Vikings won 27–10.
* In the 2009 playoffs, Dallas traveled to the Metrodome for the NFC Divisional playoff game with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings defeated the Cowboys 34–3. Late in the game, Cowboys player Keith Brooking was seen arguing with Vikings coaches because he believed the Vikings were running up the score. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips also believed Minnesota's late-game aggression was uncalled for.
* In 2022, the Cowboys travelled to U.S. Bank Stadium and blew out the Vikings 40–3. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked a career-high seven times, and this was the largest road win in Dallas Cowboys' history. The game was so lopsided that CBS Sports switched to a "more competitive" game, this being the Bengals-Steelers, for their national broadcast with five minutes left in the third quarter.

## Season-by-season results

Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings season-by-season results :
1960s (Cowboys, 4–0)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1961
Cowboys 21–7
Cotton Bowl
Cowboys 1–0
Vikings' inaugural season.
Cowboys 28–0
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 2–0
1966
Cowboys 28–17
Cotton Bowl
Cowboys 3–0
1968
Cowboys 20–7
Cotton Bowl
Cowboys 4–0
Final meeting at Cotton Bowl. :
1970s (Cowboys, 5–4)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1970
Vikings 54–13
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 4–1
First start in the series for Roger Staubach.
1971 playoffs
Cowboys 20–12
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 5–1
NFC Divisional Round. Cowboys win Super Bowl VI. Game played on Christmas Day.
1973 playoffs
Vikings 27–10
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 5–2
NFC Championship Game. First meeting at Texas Stadium. Vikings lose Super Bowl VIII.
1974
Vikings 23–21
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 5–3
Vikings lose Super Bowl IX.
1975 playoffs
Cowboys 17–14
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 6–3
NFC Divisional Round (Hail Mary Game). Cowboys lose Super Bowl X.
1977
Cowboys 16–10(OT)
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 7–3
1977 playoffs
Cowboys 23–6
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 8–3
NFC Championship Game. Cowboys win Super Bowl XII.
1978
Vikings 21–10
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 8–4
Cowboys lose Super Bowl XIII.
1979
Cowboys 36–20
Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 9–4
Final meeting at Metropolitan Stadium. Final start in the series for Roger Staubach. :
1980s (Vikings, 3–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1982
Vikings 31–27
Metrodome
Cowboys 9–5
First meeting at Metrodome.
1983
Cowboys 37–24
Metrodome
Cowboys 10–5
1987
Vikings 44–38(OT)
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 10–6
1988
Vikings 43–3
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 10–7 :
1990s (Tied, 3–3)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
1993
Cowboys 37–20
Metrodome
Cowboys 11–7
First start in series for Troy Aikman. Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVIII.
1995
Cowboys 23–17(OT)
Metrodome
Cowboys 12–7
Cowboys win Super Bowl XXX.
1996 playoffs
Cowboys 40–15
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 13–7
NFC Wild Card Round.
1998
Vikings 46–36
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 13–8
Thanksgiving game
1999
Vikings 27–17
Metrodome
Cowboys 13–9
1999 playoffs
Vikings 27–10
Metrodome
Cowboys 13–10
NFC Wild Card Round. :
2000s (Vikings, 3–1)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2000
Vikings 27–15
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 13–11
Last start in the series for Troy Aikman. Thanksgiving game.
2004
Vikings 35–17
Metrodome
Cowboys 13–12
2007
Cowboys 24–14
Texas Stadium
Cowboys 14–12
Final meeting at Texas Stadium.
2009 playoffs
Vikings 34–3
Metrodome
Cowboys 14–13
NFC Divisional Round. Last postseason meeting to date. Final playoff win in Brett Favre's career, as well as his only win against the Cowboys in the playoffs. :
2010s (Tied, 2–2)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2010
Vikings 24–21
Metrodome
Tie 14–14
Final meeting at Metrodome.
2013
Cowboys 27–23
AT&T Stadium
Cowboys 15–14
First meeting at AT&T Stadium.
2016
Cowboys 17–15
U.S. Bank Stadium
Cowboys 16–14
First meeting at U.S. Bank Stadium.
2019
Vikings 28–24
AT&T Stadium
Cowboys 16–15 :
2020s (Cowboys, 3–0)
SeasonResultsLocationOverall seriesNotes
2020
Cowboys 31–28
U.S. Bank Stadium
Cowboys 17–15
2021
Cowboys 20–16
U.S. Bank Stadium
Cowboys 18–15
2022
Cowboys 40–3
U.S. Bank Stadium
Cowboys 19–15 :
Summary of results
SeasonSeason seriesat Dallas Cowboysat Minnesota VikingsNotes
Regular season
Cowboys 15–12
Vikings 7–5
Cowboys 10–5
Postseason
Cowboys 4–3
Cowboys 2–1
Tie 2–2
NFC Wild Card: 1996, 1999 NFC Divisional: 1971, 1975, 2009 NFC Championship: 1973, 1977
Regular and postseason
Cowboys 19–15
Vikings 8–7
Cowboys 12–7 :