The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys are arguably the two most followed organizations in the NFL. Their fan bases stretch all across the world and consistently outnumber home teams when playing on the road. The rivalry between the two franchises began in the 1970s; a decade when both franchises won at least two Super Bowls. Pittsburgh was able to defeat Dallas twice, which helped lead to their dynasty during that time period. The Cowboys were able to get their revenge at the end of the 1995 season, beating up the Steelers 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX.
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Pittsburgh Steelers legendary coach, Bill Cowher gets in the face of two officials on the sideline after not being happy about a call on the field.
The Steelers' successes continued on into the 21st century. A combination of Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin have led a charge resulting in two more Super Bowl victories and as well as a third appearance that ended up in a loss. Combined, the two organizations have 11 Super Bowls and are widely-recognized as the most prominent franchises in league history.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk made an interesting point in a recently published article when discussing the Cowboys' falloff since that Super Bowl victory in January of 1996. He used present-day examples to note how poorly Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones has approached his most important players. Procrastination is going to come back to bite him.
"They have contractual messes with three of their key players: quarterback Dak Prescott, receiver CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. And they’ve shown no inclination to do anything other than delay, delay, and delay," Florio wrote.
The future of guys like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are somewhat in question as Jones continues to penny-pinch. Florio is confident that as free agency in the NFL has continued to progress, the Cowboys have failed to properly structure a championship-caliber roster, specifically from within the organization.
"It’s a strange situation, all things considered. And it raises questions about whether the Cowboys truly know how to manage, and mollify star players in the salary cap/free agency era."
Florio also pointed out that Dallas' last true run at championships came when the free agency era began. The franchise has gone 29 years in between NFC Championship game appearances.
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Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones stares off into the distance on a field prior to a professional football game.
While Florio doesn't specifically mention the Steelers and Rooney family, it's quite easy to compare the two when it comes to this. While Pittsburgh's signing of Patrick Queen was the largest free agent deal in franchise history, the Steelers have never been afraid to act quickly when it comes to taking care of their own. When the organization drafts a player and he proves his worth, he gets paid.
The recent examples of this include Alex Highsmith, TJ Watt, Chris Boswell and even Minkah Fitzpatrick, who didn't begin his career with the Steelers, but quickly showed how valuable he is. Important free agent signings such as James Farrior back in the early 2000s proved to be pivotal when it came to playoff success. Pittsburgh made sure Ben Roethlisberger was always locked into a contract, despite trade rumors early on his his career.
The emphasis that the Rooneys have always put on keeping their own, while also making small, but critical signings in free agency are one of the main reasons for stability and consistency over the years. It doesn't hurt to only have three head coaches since the 1969 season. Simply put, the Steelers have been out-maneuvering the Cowboys for the better part of two decades and Florio calling out Jones and Dallas helps bring that reality to the surface.
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Steelers President Art Rooney II roams the sidelines prior to a 2022 preseason matchup at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers Are Beginning To Open Up The Checkbook
The notion that the Rooney family has always been cheap holds some weight, but the franchise has never been afraid to reward players that deserve a big pay day. Current General Manager Omar Khan is showing aggressiveness that fans have never seen before and it's a welcomed sight. Overall, the commitment to keeping their own and bringing in the proper external options in free agency have proven to be a recipe for success. The Cowboys have yet to figure that out.
Do you think the Steelers' approach to contract extensions and free agency trump the Cowboys'? Let us know in the comments below!
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