"Dallas Cowboys' Netflix doc surpasses The Last Dance in quality"

Among the many striking moments in the new Netflix film *America’s Team: the Gambler and his Cowboys*, one stands out. It happens when former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin is asked about the White House, a private residence where players relaxed during their 1990s run of three Super Bowl wins. “I was the president of the White House,” Irvin says with a laugh, his expression brightening. “It was a place for bonding.”

But this was unlike typical team gatherings.

“We had five rooms, each with different interests,” Irvin continues. “In one, people might smoke weed, in another, they might do ecstasy or cocaine. There were also women in every room, and you moved around freely.”

Another player recalls, “We played hard, then we played harder.” A third admits to being arrested “two or three times” and let go by police “maybe 100 times.” Soon after, the team’s troubleshooter describes how he smoothed things over.

Two things become clear. First, this documentary is rawer—and arguably better—than *The Last Dance*, the Michael Jordan-focused series that captivated audiences during lockdown. It may be the most unflinching account of a sports dynasty’s rise and fall, embracing both triumph and missteps. Second, the film leaves you wanting more.

Imagine a Netflix series on Manchester United featuring Sir Alex Ferguson speaking candidly, Rio Ferdinand discussing his missed drug test, and the Glazers detailing their takeover. That’s essentially what this film provides for the NFL.

Early footage shows former coach Jimmy Johnson yelling at a player who collapsed during a fitness drill. “You’re on the wrong field if you have asthma,” Johnson says before cutting him. After a loss to Washington, he wouldn’t let players eat on the flight home. “Jimmy was ruthless,” one player admits. Yet his tough approach, combined with assembling a roster of future stars, won the Cowboys two straight Super Bowls. Johnson later left amid clashes with owner Jerry Jones over who deserved credit for their success—a tension that lingers.

This dispute drives *The Gambler and his Cowboys*, which revisits old conflicts in new ways. Jones, for the first time, reveals he battled stage-four melanoma, undergoing multiple surgeries. Instead of dwelling on his health, he shares his doctor’s advice: list 10 people who angered him, then wish them success during meditation.

“First, I wrote Jimmy Johnson,” Jones says. “But then I told my doctor, ‘I can’t get past that.’”