2002 Dallas Cowboys season The 2002 Dallas Cowboys season was the 43rd for the team in the NFL . Offseason . Despite an off - season filled with promise , the season would again prove to be a disaster . Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator and head coach Bruce Coslet was brought in to run the offense for Dallas . Even though he was dismissed by Cincinnati , his history of high - powered offenses while running the Bill Walsh style West Coast offense provided hope for the Cowboys . A promising draft which included former Oklahoma Sooners All - American selection safety Roy Williams in the first round and the free agent addition of Pro Bowl defensive tackle La ' Roi Glover provided even more hope for weary Cowboy fans . The team was also covered throughout training camp and featured on the HBO series " Hard Knocks " with a strong emphasis on the anticipation of running back Emmitt Smith ' s road to the NFL ' s All - Time rushing record . Regular season . The air would immediately be let out of the Cowboys ' balloon in the opening regular season contest which saw the team suffer a humiliating defeat to first year expansion team and new cross state rival , the Houston Texans . Though quarterback Quincy Carter again opened the season as the starter , he would eventually be benched in favor of newly signed Chad Hutchinson who , until that year , had been a pitcher for the St . Louis Cardinals after leaving Stanford as a two sport star . Many believed that owner Jerry Jones pressured head coach Dave Campo in to starting Hutchinson much too early , due in part to the large signing bonus Jones paid to acquire the quarterback . Regardless , neither quarterback proved effective and the team once again spiraled towards a losing season . The Cowboys would later make NFL history while playing on October 27 at home against the Seattle Seahawks . Despite a close loss , Emmitt Smith would break the all - time career yardage rushing record previously held by Walter Payton . The game was stopped momentarily in recognition of the moment , allowing an emotional Smith to briefly celebrate with teammates both current and past who attended the game , as well as members of Payton ' s family . Smith would also later score his 125th rushing touchdown of his career on the same drive . The milestone moment would provide the lone bright spot of the year for the team and Smith , who would fail to reach the 1 , 000 yard rushing mark for the season for the first time in his career since his rookie season of 1990 . Overshadowed by the NFL rushing landmark , safety Darren Woodson quietly also became the Dallas Cowboys all - time leading tackler . During a late season loss to the Philadelphia Eagles , reports began to surface that owner Jerry Jones had secretly met with former New York Giants , New England Patriots and New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells in relation to the head coaching position with the Dallas Cowboys on board Jones ' private jet . Though this would prove to be an critical move to the Cowboys future success , it was nonetheless embarrassing for current head coach Dave Campo who had received no word that any potential moves were pending , and Jerry Jones was roundly criticized for the incident . On field ineptitude and off field controversy would once again lead to a 5 – 11 season , the team ' s third consecutive such finish . Dave Campo would be predictably dismissed after the season . Notable additions to the team include wide receiver Antonio Bryant , and center Andre Gurode .