The 2009 Dallas Cowboys season was the 50th anniversary for the team in the National Football League (NFL). It was the team's first season playing at Cowboys Stadium. Their victory over the Oakland Raiders on November 26 extended their Thanksgiving winning streak to four in a row and also ended a three-game losing streak to the Raiders. They also ended the New Orleans Saints' bid for a perfect season after a 13–0 start with a 24–17 victory on December 19, 2009. The Cowboys earned a playoff spot on December 27 after beating the Washington Redskins 17–0. On January 3, 2010, the Cowboys clinched their division with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles, 24–0.
In the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Cowboys once again defeated the Eagles, 34–14, to score their first playoff win since December 28, 1996 and finish the season sweep of all three games played against Philadelphia. They lost 34–3 to the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round of the playoffs, ending their season.
Offseason
Movement After news reports about a 2007 shooting allegation surfaced, the Cowboys released talented but controversial cornerback Adam Jones on February 9, 2009. Their next move was to release backup quarterback Brad Johnson on February 26, 2009 and not to re-sign QB Brooks Bollinger. The Cowboys had been 1–3 when Johnson started in 2008. Two days later, the Cowboys traded starting cornerback Anthony Henry, age 32, to the Detroit Lions in exchange for quarterback Jon Kitna to back up starting quarterback Tony Romo. The same day the team signed five-time Pro Bowl, two-time second-team All-Pro linebacker Keith Brooking away from the Atlanta Falcons. The 33-year-old Brooking had led the Falcons in tackles the previous eight seasons, and he signed a three-year deal worth $7.8 million and includes $2.5 million guaranteed.
The team lost starting defensive end Chris Canty to the New York Giants on March 1, 2009. To fill the need left by Canty's departure, the team signed former Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky to a four-year, $18 million contract, with $8 million guaranteed on March 6, 2009. Linebacker Matt Stewart, who played for Wade Phillips in Atlanta, and had 108 tackles in 2003, signed a one-year contract on March 3, 2009. Stewart helped replace free-agent linebacker Kevin Burnett, who signed a two-year contract worth $5.5 million with a $2 million signing bonus to play for the San Diego Chargers.
On March 4, 2009, the Cowboys cut Terrell Owens, a five-time All-Pro wide receiver who ranks second in NFL history in career touchdowns. Owens subsequently signed with the Buffalo Bills. The next morning, the team also released five-time Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams. Williams had struggled to excel in the 3–4 defense Phillips installed when he became head coach. The Cowboys bolstered its secondary in the wake of Williams' departure by signing strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who started 13 games in 2008 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, to a one-year, $1.75 million deal.
In April, the Cowboys addressed their restricted free agents, whose signing period ran through April 17, 2009.After this date, those players have only the option to return to the Cowboys, and the Cowboys could reduce the offers made to starting June 15. Offensive lineman Cory Procter signed a one-year tender offer on April 4, 2009. Defensive end Stephen Bowen also signed a tender offer two days later. Wide receiver Sam Hurd signed a one-year offer worth $1.545 million on April 20, 2009. The team signed their final restricted free agent, wide receiver Miles Austin, and both exclusive-rights free agents, running back Alonzo Coleman and tight end Rodney Hannah, to one-year contracts worth $1.54 million, $385,000, and $310,000 respectively on April 23, 2009.
The team released thirty-four-year-old, Pro-Bowl defensive end Greg Ellis on June 2, 2009. The move saved the Cowboys $4.15 million.
Free agents in 2009 RFA: Restricted free-agent, UFA: Unrestricted free-agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent Position Player Free agencytag Date signed 2009 team OG/OL Joe Berger UFA February 27, 2009 Miami Dolphins WR Miles Austin RFA April 23, 2009 Dallas Cowboys QB Brooks Bollinger UFA Florida Tuskers DE Stephen Bowen RFA April 6, 2009 Dallas Cowboys LB Kevin Burnett UFA March 10, 2009 San Diego Chargers DE Chris Canty UFA March 1, 2009 New York Giants RB Alonzo Coleman ERFA April 23, 2009 Dallas Cowboys OT Marc Colombo UFA December 25, 2008 Dallas Cowboys TE Tony Curtis UFA April 24, 2009 Kansas City Chiefs SS Keith Davis UFA May 21, 2009 Oakland Raiders TE Rodney Hannah ERFA April 23, 2009 Dallas Cowboys WR Sam Hurd RFA April 20, 2009 Dallas Cowboys QB Brad Johnson Released February 26, 2009 Retired DL Tank Johnson UFA April 7, 2009 Cincinnati Bengals CB Adam Jones Released February 9, 2009 N/A (Suspended for 2009) P Sam Paulescu UFA Washington Redskins/Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Carlos Polk UFA Retired OG Cory Procter RFA April 4, 2009 Dallas Cowboys LB Zach Thomas UFA April 13, 2009 Kansas City Chiefs
2009 NFL Draft selections
The 2009 NFL draft was one of the worst in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, with many experts comparing it unfavorably to the 1995 "backup draft", by calling it the "special teams draft". Entering the season, the team considered their special teams a glaring weakness, so they hired a new coach (Joe DeCamillis) and focused on drafting players who could contribute immediately on this unit. The Cowboys started the day without a first-round draft choice (part of the price to acquire Roy Williams) and then traded out of the second round after they couldn't draft center Max Unger, reaching a total of 12 picks, which was their most selections since the 1992 NFL draft. The eventual result was that the team couldn't find a starter in the group and most of the players drafted were waived by the 2010 season.
On May 2, 2009 during the rookie mini-camp, the Cowboys air-supported roof practice field (a tent-like structure) collapsed during a storm that turned into a microburst. At the time of the incident, there were around 70 people inside (team personnel, coaches, rookie players and media), leaving 12 people injured. The most serious injuries were suffered by scouting assistant Rich Behm, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after his spine was severed, DeCamillis, the special teams coach, fractured one of his cervical vertebrae and Greg Gaither, the assistant athletic trainer, sustained a fracture to the tibia and fibula in his right leg. The facility was completely destroyed and was never rebuilt. After the incident fallout, Summit Structures, its parent company Cover-All Building Systems and the consulting firm JCI (helped design reinforcements) all filed for bankruptcy after serious structural flaws were found with the construction and manufacturing of the facility.
Notes The Cowboys traded their original first, third and sixth-round selections to the Detroit Lions for wide receiver Roy Williams and a seventh-round selection. The Cowboys traded their original second-round selection to the Buffalo Bills for third and fourth-round selections. The Cowboys traded their 2008 fourth-round selection to the Cleveland Browns for a 2009 third-round selection. The Cowboys traded their 2008 third-round selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for 2008 and 2009 fourth-round selections. The Cowboys traded their original fourth-round selection to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for fourth and seventh-round selections. The Cowboys traded their original fifth-round selection and seventh-round (acquired from Detroit) selection to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a fifth-round selection. The Cowboys traded their 2008 fourth-round selection to the Tennessee Titans for cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones. The Cowboys were to receive a conditional 2009 fourth-round selection (if Jones is not reinstated) or a conditional 2009 fifth-round selection (if Jones is reinstated but gets suspended again). The Cowboys traded their 2008 sixth-round selection and defensive tackle Jason Ferguson to the Miami Dolphins for 2008 and 2009 sixth-round selections. The suspension of cornerback Pacman Jones on October 15, 2008 triggered a clause in his trade agreement that required Tennessee to give Dallas its fifth-round selection. Had Jones not been suspended, Dallas would have owed Tennessee a sixth-round selection.
Undrafted free agents Name Position College Travis Bright Guard BYU Rudy Carpenter Quarterback Arizona State Julian Hawkins Wide receiver Boise State Greg Isdaner Guard West Virginia Kevin Ogletree Wide receiver Virginia Asaph Schwapp Fullback Notre Dame Michael Turkovlch Tackle Notre Dame
Personnel Staff / Coaches
Rosters
Opening training camp roster
2009 Dallas Cowboys opening training camp roster Quarterbacks Rudy Carpenter Jon Kitna Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs Deon Anderson FB Marion Barber Tashard Choice Alonzo Coleman Julius Crosslin FB Felix Jones Keon Lattimore Asaph Schwapp FB
Wide receivers Miles Austin Patrick Crayton Julian Hawkins Jesse Holley Sam Hurd Mike Jefferson Manuel Johnson Kevin Ogletree Willie Reid Isaiah Stanback Roy Williams
Tight ends Martellus Bennett Scott Chandler Rodney Hannah John Phillips Jason WittenOffensive linemen Flozell Adams T Travis Bright G Marc Colombo T Leonard Davis G Doug Free T Ryan Gibbons G/T Andre Gurode C Montrae Holland G Greg Isdaner G Kyle Kosier G Pat McQuistan T Cory Procter G/C Mike Turkovich T
Defensive linemen Stephen Bowen DE Marcus Dixon DE Jason Hatcher DE Igor Olshansky DE Jay Ratliff NT Derreck Robinson DE Jonas Seawright NT Junior Siavii NT Marcus Spears DELinebackers Keith Brooking ILB Victor Butler OLB Bobby Carpenter ILB Bradie James ILB Steve Octavien ILB Justin Rogers OLB Anthony Spencer OLB Matt Stewart ILB DeMarcus Ware OLB Brandon Williams OLB Jason Williams ILB
Defensive backs Alan Ball CB Courtney Brown FS Jerome Carter SS Ken Hamlin FS Michael Hamlin SS Mike Hawkins CB Mike Jenkins CB Mike Mickens CB Terence Newman CB Orlando Scandrick CB Gerald Sensabaugh SS DeAngelo Smith FS Pat Watkins SS
Special teams David Buehler K Nick Folk K L. P. Ladouceur LS Mat McBriar P Reserve lists Tim Anderson NT (Active/PUP) Stephen Hodge ILB (Active/PUP)
Unsigned Draft Picks Robert Brewster OT
Rookies in italics 80 active, 0 inactive, 1 Unsigned
Week one roster
2009 Dallas Cowboys week one roster Quarterbacks Jon Kitna Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs Deon Anderson FB Marion Barber III Tashard Choice Felix Jones KR
Wide receivers Miles Austin Patrick Crayton PR Sam Hurd Kevin Ogletree Roy Williams
Tight ends Martellus Bennett John Phillips Jason WittenOffensive linemen Flozell Adams T Marc Colombo T Leonard Davis G Doug Free T Andre Gurode C Montrae Holland G Kyle Kosier G Pat McQuistan T Duke Preston C Cory Procter G/C
Defensive linemen Stephen Bowen DE Jason Hatcher DE Igor Olshansky DE Jay Ratliff NT Junior Siavii NT Marcus Spears DELinebackers Keith Brooking ILB Victor Butler OLB Bobby Carpenter ILB Bradie James ILB Curtis Johnson OLB Steve Octavien OLB Anthony Spencer OLB DeMarcus Ware OLB Jason Williams ILB
Defensive backs Alan Ball CB/FS Ken Hamlin FS Michael Hamlin FS Mike Jenkins CB Terence Newman CB Orlando Scandrick CB Gerald Sensabaugh SS Pat Watkins SS Marvin White SS
Special teams David Buehler K Nick Folk K L. P. Ladouceur LS Mat McBriar P Reserve lists Robert Brewster T (PUP) Stephen Hodge ILB (IR) Keon Lattimore RB (IR) Brandon Williams OLB (IR)
Practice Squad Travis Bright G Rudy Carpenter QB Scott Chandler TE Julius Crosslin FB Marcus Dixon DE Jesse Holley WR Manuel Johnson WR Mike Mickens CB
Rookies in italics 53 active, 4 inactive, 8 PS
Final roster
2009 Dallas Cowboys final roster Quarterbacks Jon Kitna Stephen McGee Tony Romo
Running backs