Revealed: Cowboys legend says ‘No. 1 key’ to success is what team failed to do in 2024

Two-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Johnson said the Dallas Cowboys’ “No. 1 key” to success is something that the team struggled to do during the disappointing 2024 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys former head coach Jimmy Johnson laughs with former players Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith after being inducted into the Ring of Honor.
Dallas Cowboys former head coach Jimmy Johnson laughs with former players Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith after being inducted into the Ring of Honor. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jimmy Johnson knows what it takes to build a winning team. Johnson led the Miami Hurricanes to a national title before taking his talents to the NFL and leading the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships.

Johnson is enshrined in Cowboys history and a member of the team’s Ring of Honor, so when he shares his thoughts on the franchise it’s worth a listen.

Recently, Johnson discussed what the Cowboys need to be successful during the 2025-26 season and his “No. 1 key” is something the team struggled to do during their disappointing 2024 campaign.

Johnson acknowledges the team lacks the depth that other elite teams around the league have, so the most important thing for Dallas is to stay healthy, especially when you look at the historically difficult stretch the team faces in the second half of the season.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jimmy Johnson with the Lombardi trophy after defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

“They’re top-heavy salary wise. And so their 53-man roster may not be quite as talented at the bottom the as some of these other teams,” Johnson said, via DallasCowboys.com.

“The other thing is, they have a very difficult stretch there toward the end of the season. So if they’re not at full strength when they’re playing those top teams – the second half of at the end of the season, it’s going to be a problem. So staying healthy is the No. 1 key.”

Last season, the Cowboys were plagued by injuries. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, and several other All-Pro talents were forced to miss time due to injury.

No team can overcome those kinds of losses, so for Dallas, it’s important to make sure they are taking care of the players early on in the season so everyone can roll when crunch time finally comes. If they can do that, Dallas has a good shot at reaching the postseason.

Dallas Cowboys former head coach Jimmy Johnson hugs owner Jerry Jones after being inducted into the Ring of Honor. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Related Posts

Jauan Jennings Faces Brutal Free-Agent Silence: No Teams Biting on the 49ers’ Clutch WR—Humbling Reality Check or Undervalued Gem Waiting to Explode?

San Fancisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images Wide receiver Jauan Jennings seemed to be the kind of player who’d likely have a…

🚨 The Dallas Cowboys’ Latest 7-Round Mock Draft Just Got a Major Shake-Up. A few early free-agency decisions from Jerry Jones are already rewriting the team’s projected draft plan.

The Dallas Cowboys have been active but relatively quiet during the early stages of NFL free agency. While owner Jerry Jones hasn’t made a blockbuster move yet,…

Breaking: The New England Patriots Could Be Part of the NFL’s Comeback Story of the Decade. A five-time All-Pro with massive career numbers is now in the spotlight.

Patriots Linked to Tyreek Hill in Blockbuster Free-Agency Scenario In a development that could shake up the AFC East, the New England Patriots are reportedly exploring the…

🚨 BREAKING: A $70M Pro Bowler Is Emerging as the Perfect WR1 for the New England Patriots. The potential move is already creating buzz.

Patriots Named Best Landing Spot for David Njoku in Free Agency The New England Patriots have already been active this offseason, exploring ways to upgrade their receiving…

🚨BREAKING: LIONS SHOCK THE NFL AS A $180 MILLION DEFENSIVE SUPERSTAR REJECTS BIGGER OFFERS FROM DIVISION RIVALS TO STAY LOYAL TO DETROIT. In а leаgue drіven by money аnd movement, the ѕtаr defender choѕe unfіnіѕhed buѕіneѕѕ over а freѕh ѕtаrt, ѕendіng а рowerful meѕѕаge аbout belіef іn the frаnchіѕe. Acroѕѕ the NFL, fаnѕ аre cаllіng іt one of the moѕt emotіonаl аnd defіnіng decіѕіonѕ of the offѕeаѕon. 👀👇👇

NFL ѕTUNNeD аѕ DeTROіT LіONѕ’ $180 MіLLіON DeFeNѕіVe ѕTаR ReJeCTѕ BіGGeR OFFeRѕ FROM раCKeRѕ, BeаRѕ TO ѕTаY LOYаL аFTeR рLаYOFF HeаRTBReаK іп а move thаt hаѕ ѕeпt…

🚨Trade Rumor: A $180M Four-Time Pro Bowler Released by the Atlanta Falcons Might Already Have a New Destination. Many believe the Green Bay Packers make the most sense.

Packers Linked to Veteran QB Kirk Cousins After Malik Willis Departure The Green Bay Packers may soon explore the veteran quarterback market after losing backup Malik Willis…