Some decisions stay with a coach long after the final whistle. For former Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer, one of them came in the first half of the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers. He believes the choice to keep passing instead of running out the clock gave San Francisco an opportunity to score a pivotal touchdown.
“I cussed myself all the way to the locker room,” Switzer recalled. “I knew what to do. I should have played conservatively there.”
## A chance to close the half safely
Dallas had started the game in a difficult position, falling behind 21-0 in the opening minutes. The Cowboys fought back, however, and narrowed the gap to 24-14 before halftime. With about 90 seconds remaining in the half, they had a chance to keep the 49ers from adding to their lead before the break.
Switzer’s initial plan was to take a cautious approach. He wanted offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese to have running back Emmitt Smith carry the ball three times. If the Cowboys could not earn a first down, they would punt and try to end the half without giving San Francisco much time to respond.
Zampese saw an opportunity to do more. Dallas had already put together two long touchdown drives, and he believed the offense might be able to score again. Switzer agreed to take the chance.
The Cowboys’ next three passes fell incomplete, leaving them to punt the ball away. San Francisco took possession with less than a minute left. With only eight seconds remaining in the half, quarterback Steve Young connected with Jerry Rice on a 23-yard touchdown pass. The score pushed the 49ers’ lead to 31-14.
Switzer later described Rice’s catch as a fingertip touchdown on a play that unfolded behind the Cowboys’ cornerback. The 49ers had turned a potentially scoreless final possession of the half into another touchdown, making Dallas’ comeback task significantly more difficult.
## Turnovers added to Dallas’ challenge
The late touchdown was not the only setback for the Cowboys. Dallas turned the ball over five times during the game, and three of those turnovers helped San Francisco build its early advantage. The Cowboys had worked their way back into contention after trailing by 21 points, but the combination of mistakes and the 49ers’ final scoring drive before halftime left them with a substantial deficit.
San Francisco went on to defeat Dallas in the NFC Championship Game. The victory was especially meaningful for the 49ers, who had lost to the Cowboys in their previous two meetings in the postseason.
Switzer’s regret centers on what might have happened had Dallas followed his original plan. He has acknowledged that the safer option—running the ball and punting if necessary—could have limited San Francisco’s opportunity to score before halftime. Instead, the Cowboys’ unsuccessful passing sequence gave the 49ers the ball back with enough time to produce the play that became one of the game’s defining moments.
## A Super Bowl win followed, but Dallas has not returned
The Cowboys recovered from the disappointment in the following seasons and won Super Bowl XXX with Switzer as head coach. The championship came during the 1995 season, Switzer’s second with Dallas, and remains a major part of his legacy with the team.
His tenure ended after the Cowboys struggled in 1997. Dallas finished 6-10, its first season missing the playoffs since 1990. Switzer stepped down after that disappointing year. He left with a 45-26 record, including postseason games.
Despite the circumstances of his departure, Switzer has said that his relationship with team owner Jerry Jones remained positive. He recalled enjoying his four years with the Cowboys and spoke warmly of his time with Jones, Jones’ son Stephen, and team executive Larry Lacewell. Switzer also pointed to the championship as a highlight of his time in Dallas.
## Switzer hopes to join the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor
Switzer has also made clear that he would like to be inducted into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. He has joked publicly about hoping to receive that recognition while he is still alive and has said he would like former Cowboys linebacker Charles Haley to introduce him.
For now, Switzer’s recollection of the NFC Championship loss remains tied to a brief decision late in the first half: whether to protect the ball and the clock or give the offense another chance to score. The Cowboys chose the more aggressive approach, and Young’s touchdown pass to Rice ensured that the decision would remain one Switzer remembered for years.
