Matchup History
Minnesota Vikings
Dallas Cowboys
Vikings vs Cowboys
A rivalry with a long postseason history, headlined by Roger Staubach's 1975 "Hail Mary" touchdown to Drew Pearson. Dallas holds a narrow edge in the all-time series, but Minnesota won the two teams' most recent meeting. Here is the complete head-to-head record, the last game's statistics, and every meeting that shaped the series.
All-time series
Cowboys lead 19-16
Total meetings
35 (28 regular season, 7 playoff)
Last meeting
Dec 14, 2025, Vikings 34-26
2026 schedule
No Vikings-Cowboys game
Most recent game
The Latest Vikings vs Cowboys Meeting
Minnesota's most recent trip to face Dallas, a Week 15 "Sunday Night Football" game that eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention.
Vikings
34
Final
26
Cowboys
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy accounted for three touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground, and fullback C.J. Ham scored the go-ahead touchdown on his first carry of the season. Dallas outgained Minnesota in total yardage but could not overcome the turnover and struggled in the red zone, falling to the Vikings for the first time since 1998.
Game statistics
Vikings vs Cowboys Passing, Rushing and Receiving Leaders
Individual statistics from the December 14, 2025 meeting at AT&T Stadium, the two teams' last completed game.
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy (MIN) | 15/24 | 250 | 2 | 1 |
| Dak Prescott (DAL) | 23/38 | 285 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Att | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones Sr. (MIN) | 12 | 34 | 1 |
| Jordan Mason (MIN) | 10 | 29 | 0 |
| J.J. McCarthy (MIN) | 4 | 15 | 1 |
| Javonte Williams (DAL) | 15 | 91 | 1 |
| Malik Davis (DAL) | 8 | 21 | 1 |
| Hunter Luepke (DAL) | 3 | 16 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. Hockenson (MIN) | 4 | 66 | 0 |
| Jalen Nailor (MIN) | 3 | 47 | 2 |
| Jordan Addison (MIN) | 2 | 66 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr. (MIN) | 3 | 31 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb (DAL) | 6 | 111 | 0 |
| Ryan Flournoy (DAL) | 4 | 40 | 0 |
| George Pickens (DAL) | 3 | 33 | 0 |
Selected statistical leaders only, not full box scores. See sources below for complete play-by-play and box score data.
Team comparison
Vikings vs Cowboys: Team Comparison
Dallas is not on Minnesota's 2026 schedule, and one week into the season (Minnesota opened with a 39-22 home win over Green Bay on September 13; see the Week 1 recap and box score and the current standings) a current-season comparison would not be meaningful. Instead, this compares team-level production from the two teams' last completed meeting.
Vikings| Metric | Vikings | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 34 | 26 |
| Total yards | 327 | 423 |
| Passing yards | 250 | 285 |
| Rushing yards | 77 | 138 |
| Interceptions thrown | 1 | 0 |
Dallas out-gained Minnesota on both the ground and through the air, but the Vikings won on the scoreboard behind three J.J. McCarthy touchdowns and a takeaway. Turnovers here reflect interceptions only; full turnover margin (including fumbles) is not independently confirmed for this game.
All-time record
Vikings vs Cowboys Head-to-Head Record
Regular season and postseason combined, through the December 14, 2025 meeting, the most recent game between the two teams.
35 meetings, Cowboys lead 19-16
Dallas leads both splits of the series: the regular season 15-13 across 28 games, and the playoffs 4-3 across seven meetings, including two NFC Championship Games in the 1970s.
| Total meetings | 35 |
|---|---|
| Cowboys wins (all-time) | 19 |
| Vikings wins (all-time) | 16 |
| Ties | 0 |
| Regular-season meetings | 28 (Cowboys lead 15-13) |
| Playoff meetings | 7 (Cowboys lead 4-3) |
| NFC Championship Games | 2 (1-1) |
| Largest Vikings win | 46-36 (1998 regular season, Thanksgiving) |
Seven Playoff Meetings
Minnesota and Dallas have met in the postseason seven times, more than either team has met most other NFC opponents, with the series tilted 4-3 in the Cowboys' favor.
Dec 25, 1971NFC Divisional · Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 20, Vikings 12
Dallas advanced on a fourth-quarter comeback, holding off Minnesota's Fran Tarkenton-led offense to reach the NFC Championship Game, which the Cowboys went on to lose.
Dec 30, 1973NFC Championship · Texas Stadium
Vikings 27, Cowboys 10
Minnesota dominated on the road to reach its third Super Bowl in four seasons, a rare lopsided road playoff win for the Vikings over Dallas.
Dec 28, 1975NFC Divisional · Metropolitan Stadium
Cowboys 17, Vikings 14
The most famous game in the rivalry. Trailing in the final seconds, Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson to steal the win, a play Staubach afterward described as a "Hail Mary" — coining the term for a last-play desperation pass. Officials ruled the catch legal despite Vikings protests that Pearson had pushed off defender Nate Wright, and fans littered the field with debris, striking an official with a whiskey bottle.
Jan 1, 1978NFC Championship · Texas Stadium
Cowboys 23, Vikings 6
Dallas controlled this rematch of the 1973 title game and advanced to, and won, Super Bowl XII.
Dec 28, 1996NFC Wild Card · Texas Stadium
Cowboys 40, Vikings 15
The Cowboys' most lopsided playoff win in the series, a blowout that ended Minnesota's season in the Wild Card round.
Jan 9, 2000NFC Wild Card · Metrodome
Vikings 27, Cowboys 10
Minnesota avenged the 1996 blowout with a comfortable home win to advance in the playoffs.
Jan 17, 2010NFC Divisional · Metrodome
Vikings 34, Cowboys 3
Minnesota's largest playoff win in the series, powered by Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, sending the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game against New Orleans.
Match history
Notable Regular-Season Meetings
Selected regular-season games between the two teams. The seven playoff meetings above are not repeated here.
| Date | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| December 14, 2025 | Vikings 34, Cowboys 26 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX |
| November 20, 2022 | Cowboys 40, Vikings 3 | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN |
| November 26, 1998 | Vikings 46, Cowboys 36 | Texas Stadium, Irving, TX |
In the 2025 meeting, J.J. McCarthy accounted for three touchdowns as Minnesota eliminated Dallas from playoff contention. In the 2022 meeting, Tony Pollard had two touchdown catches and a career-high 189 yards from scrimmage as Dallas recorded the largest road win in franchise history, ending Minnesota's seven-game winning streak. In the 1998 Thanksgiving meeting, Randy Moss caught just three passes but turned them into 163 yards and three touchdowns.
Not an exhaustive list of all 28 regular-season meetings. See the sources below for the complete game log.
The 2026 Schedule
Dallas is not on Minnesota's confirmed 2026 regular-season schedule. This page will be updated if a future meeting is officially announced.
Watch and attend
Viewing Guide
No Vikings-Cowboys game is currently on the schedule, so there is no kickoff time or broadcast information to report for this specific matchup. Use these resources for the confirmed 2026 schedule and viewing options.
Where to Watch the Vikings
Broadcast, streaming and radio information for every confirmed Minnesota Vikings game in 2026.
ScheduleFull 2026 Schedule
See every confirmed opponent, date and kickoff time for Minnesota's 2026 regular season.
TicketsVikings Tickets
Ticket information for Minnesota's home games at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Related coverage
More Matchup History on This Site
Sources used on this page:
- ESPN box score, December 14, 2025
- ESPN full box score, December 14, 2025
- Dallas Cowboys official game recap, December 14, 2025
- ESPN box score, November 20, 2022
- 1998 Minnesota Vikings season, Wikipedia
- Cowboys-Vikings rivalry, Wikipedia
- All-time head-to-head record, Champs or Chumps
- 2026 Minnesota Vikings schedule, NFL.com