As every Dallas Cowboys fan well knows, it's been nearly three decades since America's Team last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, with January 28 representing the 30th anniversary of their Super Bowl 30 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Exactly two weeks earlier, on January 14, 1996, the Cowboys took down Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, with that contest representing the last time the Cowboys played for a conference title. And that's obviously not a good thing either, as Dallas is the only NFC franchise not to have made the conference championship since.
This year, of course, after missing the playoffs for the second straight season, the Cowboys will sit home and watch an all-NFC West conference title game, as the Los Angeles Rams will visit the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks. And on the AFC side of the bracket, the New England Patriots will take on the Denver Broncos.
Unlike a year ago, Dallas doesn't have many former players suiting up for the NFL's version of the Final Four. That said, however, each of the four franchises vying for a spot in Super Bowl 60 does have at least one connection to the Cowboys.
Every former Cowboys player set to suit up in the NFC and AFC title games
Seattle Seahawks
The most high-profile former Cowboys player suiting up this weekend, of course, is none other than edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, who spent 11 seasons in Dallas before signing a three-year, $32.5 million deal with the Seahawks last March.
And Seattle certainly got its money's worth, as the 33-year-old earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection after racking up 53 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 20 QB hits, 6.0 sacks, and three fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
The only other Seahawks with a connection to Dallas are backup tight end Eric Saubert, who appeared in one game for the Cowboys in 2023, making zero catches, and defensive coordinator Aden Durde, who was Dallas' defensive line coach from 2021 to 2023.
Los Angeles Rams
The lone Los Angeles Rams player connected to the Cowboys is veteran long snapper Jake McQuaide, who played 18 games for Dallas (17 regular season, one postseason) during the 2021 campaign and four in 2022 before suffering a torn left triceps injury that ended his season.
New England Patriots
There will be no former Cowboys playing for the Patriots on Sunday, as the only one even with the franchise right now is linebacker Darius Harris, who's been sitting on the practice squad injured reserve list since mid-November.
Harris, who appeared in three games for the Pats this season, playing mostly on special teams, appeared in four regular-season contests for Dallas in 2024. The Middle Tennessee alum signed a reserve/future contract with the Cowboys last January and made it through most of training camp before being released as part of final roster cuts, ultimately signing with New England a week later.
Denver Broncos
As it stands now, there will also be no former Cowboys suiting up for the Broncos.
That said, however, with Bo Nix going down in the Divisional Round with a season-ending ankle injury, Denver signed former Dallas backup quarterback Ben DiNucci to its practice squad. Jarrett Stidham is locked in as the starter, and Sam Ehlinger is seemingly slated to serve as his backup.
But DiNucci, who was a seventh-round pick of the Cowboys in 2020 and made three appearances as a rookie, including one start, could end up being elevated to the main roster.
Also on the Broncos' practice squad is running back Deuce Vaughn, a sixth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2023 who spent two seasons with the franchise before joining Harris as part of Brian Schottenheimer's final roster cuts last August.