The Tale of the Rivalry: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers

An Unforgettable Feud in NFL History

The epic rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers stands out as one of the most intense and storied duels in NFL history, spanning over half a century.

Evolution of the Rivalry

Over the years, the competition between the NFC East’s Dallas Cowboys and the NFC West’s San Francisco 49ers has grown remarkably fierce. This rivalry became so significant that it was featured in two episodes of NFL Network’s “The Timeline” in 2015. Given that the teams are in different divisions, they don’t face off every year but do meet at least once every three years and at least once every six seasons. They also have the possibility of clashing in the postseason annually. If they finish in the same position in their respective divisions, they play each other the following season.

With both the 49ers and the Cowboys finishing first in their divisions last season, they are set to face off in the upcoming regular season at Levi’s Stadium on October 27.

A Historical Overview

Although these teams don’t meet annually during the regular season, they’ve battled in the postseason nine times, the second-most frequent playoff matchup in NFL history, trailing only the 49ers and Green Bay Packers, who have met ten times. The rivalry began in earnest in the 1970s when the Cowboys defeated the Niners in three consecutive postseason games.

The Dynamic 70s

In the 1970s, the Cowboys and 49ers clashed multiple times, with the Cowboys dominating. The rivalry ignited in 1970 when the Cowboys triumphed over the 49ers in three straight postseason encounters. In the first two years, the Cowboys claimed the conference title games, and in the third year, they eliminated the 49ers from the divisional round. Additionally, from 1974 to 1979, the Cowboys won all three regular-season games against the 49ers.

This period solidified the rivalry, establishing it as a thrilling and media-friendly tradition that persisted at a high level for the next two decades.

The Current High-Stakes Matchups

Today, both teams are enjoying successful periods, making their encounters even more significant and their rivalry more intense.

The rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys remains one of the fiercest in the NFL, with their matches always being highly competitive. This year marks their 32nd regular-season meeting, with the 49ers leading with 16 wins to the Cowboys’ 14, and one tie. In the playoffs, Dallas has a slight edge with five wins compared to San Francisco’s four.