ARLINGTON,TX – On September 27,2009,the Dallas Cowboys christened their new $1.3 billion AT&T Stadium with a decisive 24-17 victory over the Carolina panthers,โ marking the franchise’s first-ever โwin within the stadium’s walls. The game signified more than just a home-field advantage; it represented a new era for the cowboys and their fanbase.
The inaugural AT&T Stadium contest held meaningful weight for a Cowboys organization eager to establishโค dominance in their state-of-the-art facility. Facing a formidable Panthers team, Dallas relied on a balanced attack led by quarterback Tony Romo and running back Marion Barber, โwho was among a group of players-including Terry Glenn, Julius Jones, and Jason Witten-who defined that eraโค of cowboys football.
During that same 2009 game, defensive end Greg Ellis tied the Cowboys’ rookie record with three sacks against the Panthers on Christmas Eve, showcasingโค the team’s defensive prowess. The Cowboys’ postseason history with Carolina also includes a 1996 playoff game โstarted by โTroy Aikman, โฃand โa later โcontest featuring โคQuincy โฃCarter as theโ Dallas starter.
Interestingly, michael Bates, who ranks seventh all-time in NFL kickoff return yardsโฃ with 9,110, spent the bulk of his career with the โขPanthersโ but briefly played a regular-season game for the cowboys. Throughout the Cowboys-Panthers rivalry, Terence Newmanโ hasโ recorded the most career interceptions against Carolina.
Following a 2003 winโ over โขthe Panthers, then-first-year Dallas coach Bill Parcells delivered an emotional statement, declaring, “You can’t call them losers anymore,” a sentiment that resonated with a team striving to shed aโค history of underperformance. โคThe Cowboys’ victory over the Panthers in 2009 not only โฃinaugurated AT&T Stadium but alsoโข signaled a turning point for a franchise determined to reclaim its place among the NFL’s elite.