American sportswriter and longtime columnist of the Dallas Morning News, Tim Cowlishaw, made his first trip to the Cowboys' training camp 40 years back.

Arriving in Oxnard for the Cowboys' 67th training camp, Cowlishaw noted that there is a “sameness” in writing about America's Team.

“So I had plenty of time to reflect on what I was thinking about the ‘86 Cowboys and what the expectations are for the ‘26 Cowboys and — beyond flipping offense for defense as the area of concern — how the similarities far outweigh the contrasts,” Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News wrote in his column.

Cowlishaw argued that the similarities between the two eras outweigh the differences, despite the franchise undergoing an ownership change, multiple coaching changes, roster overhauls, and significant organizational growth over the years.

The veteran Cowboys insider pointed to ownership as both a stark difference and a similarity between the two eras.

"The fact that Jones owns the team is the striking and obvious difference from Schramm, but, as club presidents go, Jerry and Tex just have different ways of expressing the same bluster," Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News wrote in his column.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones public frustration after a disappointing 2025 season (7-9-1) mirrored the “same bluster” expressed by former GM and president Tex Schramm (1960-1989) when the team missed the playoffs in 1986.

Cowlishaw also drew parallels to the Cowboys' head coach Brian Schottenheimer hiring former Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator.

While the then-HC Tom Landry hired former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver coach Paul Hackett to be the passing game coordinator in 1986.

While Schottenheimer led the Cowboys to just seven wins, Landry has led the Cowboys to 13 divisional titles, five NFC crowns, and two Super Bowls.

Cowlishaw believes that, much like the 1986 Cowboys, today's team enters the season with major offseason changes and optimism to land a Super Bowl title.

Dak Prescott's training camp arrival carries a clear Super Bowl message

The Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, arrived at training camp in Oxnard with a clear message about his Super Bowl goals in the 2026 season.

"The quarterback donned a vintage Cowboys shirt for the team's camp arrivals Monday in Oxnard, Calif," a SportsDay staff member wrote for the Dallas Morning News. "The shirt prominently displayed the phrase 'CHAMPIONS' above the team's logo. The shirt pays tribute to the team's Super Bowl XXX victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996."

As Prescott enters his 11th season after missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, he is focused on leading the Cowboys back into a Super Bowl run.

Prescott's message aligns with the Cowboys' "Super Bowl or bust" mentality as the franchise looks to end its 30-year championship drought with a long-awaited postseason run.

Are the Cowboys destined to repeat history, or will they write a new chapter in 2026? Let us know below.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore