In the lead-up to the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium last week, legendary Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith made some comments about the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers that had to have made Niners fans smile.
In discussing the respective Super Bowl windows for each franchise on 95.7 The Game, Smith said the following of the Cowboys, "The Cowboys are 30 years late," referring to the last time Dallas appeared in a Super Bowl.
The radio host pushed back, saying that the Niners are 31 years late. But Smith corrected him and said the 49ers have been much closer to winning a Super Bowl than Dallas has the last three decades.
"They've lost the last couple of times, but they've been there," Smith said of the Niners.
It's a point that Cowboys fans probably don't want to hear, but when it comes from a franchise legend and former Super Bowl MVP, that sort of reality check hurts even more because they know that it's true.
Not only has Dallas not been to a Super Bowl in 30 years, it hasn't even been back to the NFC Championship game in 30 years, which is the longest drought of any team in the NFC.
Meanwhile, the Niners have been to eight NFC Championship games and three Super Bowls in that span. They have a 3-5 record in those championship games and an 0-3 record in the Super Bowl, but at least it's better than what the Cowboys have done.
It's not like Dallas has been completely atrocious in that time. The Cowboys have had solid playoff teams, but they have just repeatedly choked in the playoffs and suffered multiple losses to the Niners in the playoffs.
The Cowboys are coming off a tough 2025 as they had a 7-9-1 record and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It seems like they are going the wrong direction, while the Niners have a lot to feel good about after making a brief playoff run and winning 13 games on the season even though they dealt with an unthinkable number of injuries.
One can easily argue San Francisco's championship window is still open even though it is in such a tough division with both the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers need a big offseason, and if they make some additions, maybe they can make it back to the Super Bowl next year.
Here's to another 30-year drought for Dallas.