The Dallas Cowboys haven’t been to a Super Bowl in some time. It’s been so long, there’s been an entire generation of fans who have cheered for the squad without ever seeing them get past the divisional round.
As players come and go through the organization, sometimes they get opportunities never before afforded them. Such is the case for several former Cowboys players who have moved on to other franchises, some landing in San Francisco and Kansas City, earning their first trips to the Super Bowl in decades as well.
All in all, there are six former Cowboys players who will be participating in Super Bowl LIV in Miami in a few weeks; five players and one coach.
Miles Austin, 49ers offensive quality control
Austin was actually in the scouting pipeline in Dallas and looked to get into coaching, but the turmoil that surrounded the team and hiring and shuffling of the offensive staff last offseason ended up with Austin on the outside looking in, and sending him out to the west coast to latch on with Kyle Shanahan’s staff.
LB Anthony Hitchens, Chiefs
Hitchens left Dallas two seasons ago after the expiration of his rookie contract. He signed a huge deal with Kansas City, five years for $45 million, and has been part of their defensive revolution this season under DC Steve Spagnulo, logging 705 snaps, 62.9%. Hitchens, a former fourth-round pick, had 88 tackles a pass defense and a forced fumble in 2019.
CB Morris Claiborne, Chiefs
The Cowboys only had one player in recent memory who they drafted in the first round without spending time before the draft with. Claiborne, the former LSU standout is having himself a great week. First, his alma mater wins it all and now he’s earned a trip to the Super Bowl.
Dallas traded up for Claiborne, but injuries kept him from making an impact in Dallas and he eventually left for the AFC. A few years later he landed with the Chiefs where he’s played sparingly, logging 17.7% of their defensive snaps on the season.
LB Damien Wilson, Chiefs
One year after Hitchens defected, so did Wilson. While he didn’t receive as sizable a deal (two years, $5.75 million), he played a slightly bigger role on the defense with 714 snaps on the season. He had 81 tackles, a pass defense and a forced fumble this season. Wilson was also a fourth-round pick, a year after Hitchens.
LB Mark Nzeocha, 49ers
Nzeocha was a seventh-round pick for the Cowboys in the same draft they selected Wilson. He was with the Cowboys as a special teams ace and has served in a similar fashion with the 49ers through three seasons by the bay.
CB Charvarius Ward, Chiefs
This is the one that likely stings the most. Dallas thought they had a lot of riches at the position during training camp in 2018. So much so, they decided they could afford to trade Ward away, as a promising player at the back end of their roster.
The return? An interior offensive lineman named Parker Ehringer, who promptly blew out his knee and retired the next season without ever playing a down for Dallas. Meanwhile, Ward started all 16 games this year for Kansas City, bringing in two interceptions and having 74 tackles.
QB Matt Moore, Chiefs
Earlier in the season, MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes injured his knee and had to miss a couple of games. The Kansas City offense was in good hands, however, as Moore came to the backup rescue. Moore went 1-1 in relief, throwing four touchdown passes against no interceptions, and that victory helped the Chiefs get a bye week that turned into home-field in the AFC championship game.
He never actually played for Dallas, but was in camp with them back in 2007 and was seen as one the organization let get away trying to be cute with their final roster cutdowns. Instead of joining the Cowboys’ practice squad, he went to Carolina and has carved out a decade-plus career in the league.
DE Damontre Moore, 49ers
Moore spent one season in Dallas and is currently on IR with San Francisco.
RB Mike Weber, Chiefs
Weber is on the Kansas City practice squad currently.
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