The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant’s controversial playoff catch still stands as one of the biggest ‘what if’ moments for the franchise. 

The overturned reception against the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 divisional playoffs remains one of the most debated moments in NFL postseason history.

“On fourth-and-2 with 4:42 left and the Cowboys trailing 26-21, Tony Romo threw it deep to Bryant,” Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports noted. “Bryant seemed to make an amazing catch for a 32-yard gain down to Green Bay’s 1-yard line. But the Packers challenged, and even though it looked like a catch, officials ruled Bryant didn’t complete the catch. The play was ruled an incompletion, and the Cowboys never got the ball back.”

The Cowboys have not won a divisional round playoff game since January 7, 1996, when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 30-11. If Bryant’s catch had stood, the Cowboys would have had a strong chance to reach the NFC Championship Game.

Referee Gene Steratore announced the catch as an incomplete pass after reviewing the tape, while Bryant and others on the field thought that it was a successful pass.

According to the rules at that time, the pass wasn't considered a valid catch, as he did not secure the ball before falling to the ground and regained control only after the ball hit the ground, according to Fox Sports

Former NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira shared his take immediately after the commercial break during the broadcast. 

“I don’t think he made a football move with it, so when he hit the ground, the ball touched the ground and then came loose,” Pereira said. “If it’s me, I reverse it to an incomplete pass.” 

According to Frank Schwab, the Cowboys could have had a chance to win against the Seahawks, as they won 30-23 against the Seahawks earlier that regular season. 

The overturned call remains a defining Cowboys playoff moment, even after 12 years. But as the franchise moves into OTAs, the focus is shifting towards the next camps and preseason games in the near future.

Cowboys 2026 Preseason Schedule as OTAs Near 

As the Cowboys are set to begin their Organised Team Activities (OTAs) from June 1, and offseason changes are taking shape, the team is moving closer to their 2026 preseason schedule.

The Cowboys will kick off their first preseason game on Saturday, August 15, at 8 pm ET against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. 

“The Cowboys are expected to wrap up training camp on Friday, August 22, and travel to Arizona the following day to face the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium,” Josh Sanchez of Si.com noted. “Dallas then continues its trek home to Dallas, to host the New Orleans Saints in the preseason finale on Friday, August 28.”

Week 2 of the preseason game is against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, August 22, at around 10 pm ET at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona

The Cowboys will play against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in Week 3 on Friday, August 28, at 7 pm ET.

The mandatory OTAs are expected to be done by June 11, while the mandatory minicamp is held through June 16-18.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote