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Best Quarterbacks in Dallas Cowboys History

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric W. Bolin | Last updated Apr 11, 2026 6:59 AM ET

Whether you adore the “America’s Team” moniker bestowed on the Dallas Cowboys or find it the most insufferable nickname in North American sports depends on your disposition.

Mainly, it depends on whether you’re a Texan or not. The rest of the country often finds the franchise obnoxious, a trait that has only made Cowboys supporters hold on to their team even tighter.

The franchise was one of the best in the NFL from 1966 to 1985 and then three Super Bowls in four years in the early 1990s. And while the team hasn’t made it back since the last of those wins, they remain the most consistently popular - and infamous - team in professional football.

Here’s a look at the top five quarterbacks who have helped the franchise build such a legacy. And don't forget to check out our list of the five best Cowboys running backs of all time afterward.

Honorable mention: Danny White (1976-88)

5. Don Meredith (1960-68)

Meredith played nine years with the Cowboys and didn’t take over as full-time starter until his fourth season. He didn’t make the Pro Bowl until his seventh, but then made it three straight seasons. His three final seasons. In those last two, Meredith led the Cowboys to back-to-back NFL Championship Games before retiring to join Howard Cosell as the first two faces of “Monday Night Football.”

4. Dak Prescott (2016-Present)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks to pass against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

From a raw talent perspective, Prescott would rank No. 1 on this list. He’s three touchdowns shy of the franchise record, sitting at 243 and has thrown just 91 interceptions. Prescott is also Dallas’ leader in passing yards. He’s also gotten a lot of blame - deserved or not - for the team’s continued playoff struggles, keeping him from ranking any higher here.

3. Troy Aikman (1989-2000)

Aikman may have been a product of the talent around him to a certain extent. He had the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, behind him and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin catching passes. Plus, the Cowboys boasted the best offensive lines in the sport in the 1990s. Still, it was up to Aikman make things coalesce and he did with aplomb, winning three Super Bowls and making the Hall of Fame, himself.

2. Roger Staubach (1969-79)

To a certain generation of fan, Staubach is the Dallas Cowboys. Well, he and coach Tom Landry. He led the franchise to its first two Super Bowl wins and remains the franchise’s leader in regular-season winning percentage. The Cowboys were nearly unstoppable (85-29 in Staubach’s era) in the 1970s. A Hall of Famer who made six Pro Bowls, we wouldn’t disagree with the folks who want to place him top in this list.

READ NEXT: 10 Best Draft Picks and 10 Worst Draft Picks in Cowboys History

1. Tony Romo (2004-16)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo signals at the line of scrimmage against the Houston Texans at Texas Stadium.Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images

If Romo being the best quarterback here surprises you, we get it. He’s not a Hall of Famer. He was dogged regularly by his own team’s fans. And his off-field adventures annoyed fans of others. Had the Cowboys had the team around him that Aikman or Staubach received (or maybe even Prescott’s), he’d have a Super Bowl or two, just like them.

He’s second in franchise history in passing yards, completion percentage, and touchdown-to-interception ratio. Romo went from an undrafted afterthought to a four-time Pro Bowler who played all 13 of his seasons in Dallas.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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