At the time, the 1989 Cowboys were the second team to finish 1-15 since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978; the other was the New Orleans Saints in 1980.
In 1989, the Cowboys finished with a record of 1-15, which was not an isolated incident. The NFL's introduction of a 16-game schedule in 1978 had led to this outcome for another team, the New Orleans Saints, in 1980.