America’s Team: Netflix Doc Revisits the Cowboys’ Tumultuous 90s Dynasty
Netflix’s “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” pulls back the curtain on the Dallas Cowboys’ meteoric rise and implosion in the 1990s, revealing the glory, scandals, and egos that defined an era.
Netflix will premiere America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys on August 19, 2025, diving deep into one of the most captivating chapters in NFL history. Directed by Emmy winners Chapman and Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country), the series spotlights owner Jerry Jones’ gamble to rebuild the Dallas Cowboys, a move that created a dynasty and fueled a spectacular implosion.
The documentary opens in 1989, when Jones purchased the team for $140 million, firing legendary coach Tom Landry and hiring his former college teammate, Jimmy Johnson. That first season’s 1-15 record set the stage for a remarkable turnaround, starting with the drafting of Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman.
By the early 90s, the Cowboys had transformed into a powerhouse. With “The Triplets”, Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and wide receiver Michael Irvin, the team dominated, winning Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX. The documentary revisits these triumphs in vivid detail, highlighting how the Cowboys became as much a cultural brand as a football team.
But success came at a cost. The feud between Jones and Johnson, marked by clashing egos and public barbs, ultimately tore the partnership apart after the 1993 season. Johnson’s exit, despite back-to-back championships, remains one of the NFL’s most infamous breakups.
Barry Switzer stepped in as head coach, leading the Cowboys to another Super Bowl win in 1996. Yet the off-field controversies, from locker room disputes to high-profile player incidents, began to overshadow their on-field dominance, lending weight to the documentary’s promise to explore “the glory and the madness.”
The film also examines how Jones’ aggressive business approach transformed the NFL’s commercial model, helping the Cowboys become the world’s most valuable sports franchise, now worth an estimated $10 billion. Whether seen as a visionary or a disruptor, Jones’ impact is undeniable.
America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys aims to be more than a sports chronicle, it’s a portrait of ambition, control, and the fragile bonds that hold dynasties together. Fans of The Last Dance will find familiar beats here, though with the focus shifted from a superstar player to a larger-than-life owner.
