text: 1996 Injuries and off-field incidents deviled the 1996 Cowboys. Novacek, possibly Aikman's most trusted target, suffered an off-season back injury that ended his career. Irvin was convicted of narcotics possession and suspended for the first five games of the season. In December defensive tackle Leon Lett was given a one-year suspension for failing a narcotics test. Late in the season Irvin and Williams drew national attention when they were accused of assaulting a Dallas woman, although the allegations were later recanted. Haley and Emmitt Smith were also plagued by injuries during the season. Yet Dallas still managed to earn its fifth consecutive NFC East title with a 10–6 record. The Cowboys thumped the Vikings 40–15 in the first round of the playoffs, then traveled to Carolina, where they lost to the upstart Panthers 26–17 after Irvin and Sanders left the game with injuries.
  1997
  Preseason pundits again put the Cowboys at the top of the NFC in 1997. However, Dallas finished the season with a disappointing 6–10 record as continued discipline and off-field problems became major distractions. Switzer was arrested during the preseason after a handgun was found in his luggage at an airport metal detector. The team collapsed down the stretch, losing its final five games. Switzer resigned as head coach in January 1998 and was replaced by former Steelers offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.
  Gailey era
  1998
  After missing the playoffs in 1997, Gailey led the team to a 10–6 record in 1998 as Dallas became the first NFC East team to sweep the division. The Cowboys left the playoffs in the first round, however, when the Arizona Cardinals defeated them at Texas Stadium 20–7 for their first postseason victory in half a century. Jones raised hopes in the off-season, signing fleet-footed wide receiver Raghib "Rocket" Ismail.