The 2006 Dallas Cowboys season was the 47th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). The season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. The base offense was changed to a 2-tight end formation. Several high-profile free agents were signed including controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens and kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Veteran defensive end Greg Ellis was also converted into a linebacker.
Although veteran Drew Bledsoe was the initial starter at quarterback, fourth-year backup Tony Romo replaced Bledsoe at halftime of their Week 7 matchup with the New York Giants. Romo became the starter in Week 8 due to Bledsoe's rough starts with frequent sacks and interceptions. Romo initially played very well, going 5–1 in his first six NFL starts, including a win over the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, but finished the season 1–3 with six touchdowns, six interceptions and two fumbles lost. The Cowboys secured a playoff berth for the first time since 2003, but did not win the division when in the final week they were defeated by the then 2–13 Detroit Lions. They lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks, a game in which Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field goal inside the final two minutes.
When Romo started the Thanksgiving Day game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it marked the 7th different Cowboys starting quarterback in seven consecutive Thanksgiving Day games (Troy Aikman, Ryan Leaf, Chad Hutchinson, Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, Drew Bledsoe and Romo).
This was Bill Parcells' final season as head coach, as he retired after the season ended.
Offseason
During the 2006 offseason, the team signed several high-profile players, including kicker Mike Vanderjagt, linebacker Akin Ayodele, offensive linemen Jason Fabini and Kyle Kosier, safety Marcus Coleman, and highly controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, who has developed a reputation for causing conflicts with teammates, coaches, opposing players, and fans. The signing of Terrell Owens received a lot of media attention, and was arguably the biggest news story during the NFL offseason. Vanderjagt had the highest field goal percentage in NFL history coming into the season and his signing was expected to solve the inconsistency problems in the Cowboys kicking game. However, Vanderjagt missed most of the pre-season with an injury and missed three very short kicks (including an extra point) in the final pre-season game (which ended in a tie).
The Cowboys also lost veteran leadership in the locker room after losing tight end Dan Campbell to the Detroit Lions, wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, left guard Larry Allen to the San Francisco 49ers, defensive tackle La'Roi Glover to the St. Louis Rams, and linebacker Dat Nguyen to a career-ending injury.
The team didn't receive much help from the 2006 NFL draft, but experienced much more success with that year's rookie undrafted free agents: Miles Austin, Stephen Bowen, Sam Hurd and Oliver Hoyte. Abram Elam, who was an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and was out of football after being released in training camp that year, also contributed in special teams and in some defensive packages.
Before the season, there were high expectations for the Dallas Cowboys. Sports Illustrated writer Peter King predicted the Cowboys would win Super Bowl XLI.
2006 draft class
Notes
The Cowboys traded their second-round (No. 49 overall) selection to the New York Jets in exchange for second (No. 53 overall), sixth (No. 189 overall) and seventh-round (No. 211 overall) selections. The Cowboys traded their third-round (No. 80 overall) selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars for third (No. 92 overall) and fourth-round (No. 125 overall) selections. The Cowboys traded their 2005 fifth-round (No. 148 overall) and 2006 fourth-round (No. 116 overall) selections to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2005 fourth-round (No. 132 overall) and 2006 sixth-round (No. 182 overall) selections. The Cowboys traded their fifth (No. 150 overall) and sixth-round (No. 189 overall, from New York Jets) selections to the Jets in exchange for a fifth-round (No. 138 overall) selection. The Cowboys traded their sixth-round (No. 186 overall) and 2007 conditional (not exercised) selections to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for linebacker Scott Fujita.