The Dallas Cowboys are the most lucrative sports franchise in the U.S. They’ve won five Super Bowls throughout their storied history and are one of the most popular teams in all of sports. But their last victory on the NFL’s grandest stage came in 1996. Over the past three decades, they’ve failed as contenders. It’s been so long that we’re going to look back at the things that were popular the last time the Cowboys won the Super Bowl.
We’ll look at all aspects of life from food and culture to the era’s technology. This is a nostalgia trip for anyone who grew up in the ’90s. Things have greatly changed since Jimmy Johnson, Emmitt Smith, and Troy Aikman carried the franchise to glory. After their embarrassing loss to Green Bay in the Wild Card Round, it looks like it’s going to be a long time before the Cowboys win again.
Tickle Me Elmo
Tyco Preschool released the original Tickle Me Elmo in 1996. The adorable Sesame Street character was the most in-demand toy of the year. Every child in the U.S. wanted one and they sold millions across the following years. Elmo fever was insatiable by Christmas time, with shoppers violently fighting over the toy in many stores’ aisles.
But the people who fought for the Tickle Me Elmo showed more fight than the Dallas Cowboys did in the Wild Card Round in 2023 against the Green Bay Packers. Elmo would probably have done a better job in defense than the Cowboy’ highly-ranked defense. As for Ticle Me Elmo, the adorable character remains a popular cultural figure now (via Teen Vogue).