Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers players: who played for both

Who played for both the Cowboys and 49ers?

83 players were on both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers rosters between 1960 and 2026, including Terrell Owens, Deion Sanders, Kevin Gogan and Larry Allen. 42 of them were with the Cowboys first and 34 with the 49ers first; 7 joined both in the same season.

Did you know?

  • Don McIlhenny is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Cowboys first, then the 49ers from 1961.
  • Viliami Fehoko Jr. is the most recent: Cowboys first, then the 49ers from 2026.
  • Larry Allen spent the most seasons across the two: 12 with the Cowboys and 2 with the 49ers.
  • 7 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Charles Haley.
  • Most common positions on this list: LB (14), OL (11), DL (10), WR (9).

How many can you name?

Name players who were on both the Cowboys and the 49ers. The surname is enough. 0 / 83

All 83 players, most seasons first

Seasons on each roster (1960–2026). A gap of a season or more starts a new spell.
PlayerPosCowboys49ers
Terrell OwensWR2006–20081996–2003
Deion SandersCB1995–19991994
Kevin GoganOL1987–19931997–1998
Larry AllenG1994–20052006–2007
Brandin CooksWR2023–20242026
Charles HaleyDL1992–19961986–1991, 1998–1999
Ken NortonLB1988–19931994–2000
Ron StoneG1993–19952002–2003
Leonard DavisG2007–20102012
Bob HayesWR1965–19741975
Eric KendricksLB20242025
Malcolm SmithOLB20192017–2018
Maliek CollinsDL2016–20192024
Michael WalterLB19831984–1993
Sam YoungT20102019
Danny StubbsDL1990–19911988–1989
Dekoda WatsonOLB20142017–2018
Eric SaubertTE20232024
Jake BrendelOL20162020–2026
Kyle KosierG2006–20112002–2004
Monte ClarkOL19621960–1961
Solomon ThomasDL20252017–2020
Alfred MorrisRB2016–2017, 20192018
Anthony BrownDB2016–20222023
Blake BellTE20202015–2016
Demetric EvansDE2001–20022009–2010
Joe LooneyOL2016–20202012–2014
Kerry HyderDL20192020, 2022–2023
Mike SherrardWR19861989–1992
Sonny RandleWR19681967–1968
Tavon AustinWR2018–20192020
Tony ParrishSS20062002–2006
Damontre MooreDE20172019
Kevin R. WilliamsWR1993–19962000
Luke GiffordLB2019–20222025–2026
Ray-Ray ArmstrongLB20192015–2017
Datone JonesDE2017–20182017
Harold HaysLB1963–19671968–1969
J.D. SmithRB1965–19661960–1964
Malik TurnerWR2020–20212022, 2025–2026
Mark NzeochaLB2015–20162017–2021
Matt HennessyOL20262024–2025
Micheal SpurlockWR20132009
Mike DowdleLB1960–19621963–1966
Randy GregoryDL2015–2016, 2018, 2020–20212023
Steve HendricksonLB19891989
C.J. SpillmanSS20142010–2013
Chris CooperDT20042004
Curtis RobinsonLB20262021–2025
Jim MillerSPEC1983–19841980–1982
Jim SchwantzLB1994–19961997
Justin MarchLB2017–20202021
Leon DonohueOL1965–19671962–1964
Marcus MartinOL20182014–2016
Osa OdighizuwaDL2021–20252026
Rashard RobinsonDB20202016–2017
Sean RyanTE2004–20052008
Tom HendersonLB1975–19791980
Trey LanceQB2023–20242021–2022
Aldon SmithOLB20202011–2014
Artie SmithDL19981993–1994
James ParrishOL1993–19941993
Jimmy RidlonDB1963–19641960–1962
Jose CortezK20052001–2002, 2005
Zach MooreDE20162016
Dakoda ShepleyOL2022, 20242020
Daleroy StewartDT2001–20042004
Dee WintersLB20262023–2025
Duane HawthorneCB1999–20022002
J.W. LockettRB1961–19621961
Leon McFaddenCB20162014
Phillip TannerRB2011–20132014
Ryan SeymourT20162013
Tyvis PowellDB20192017–2018
Israel AbanikandaRB20262024
Saivion SmithDB20202021
Bruce ThorntonCB20042005
Clyde BrockOL1962–19631963
Don McIlhennyRB1960–19611961
Kevin LillyDL19891988–1989
Kyle DavisOL19751978
Viliami Fehoko Jr.DL20232026
Tyree RobinsonDB20182018

From the nflverse roster files (CC BY 4.0), refreshed 2026-10-06. A season counts when the player was on the roster: from 2002 on, at least one regular-season or playoff week as active, injured reserve or inactive (practice squad alone does not count); 1960–2001 use the season rosters.

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More “played for both” lists

Dallas Cowboys and…

Browns 107Dolphins 93Saints 93Bears 89Cardinals 86Commanders 81Raiders 79Titans 78Colts 77Rams 76

San Francisco 49ers and…

Commanders 126Saints 111Raiders 110Eagles 109Lions 105Falcons 102Browns 101Cardinals 99Dolphins 98Giants 95

All team pairs

Questions

How many players have played for both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers?

83 in the nflverse roster files from 1960 to 2026, including Terrell Owens, Deion Sanders, Kevin Gogan and Larry Allen. Players whose time with one of the teams was practice squad only, or before 1960, are not counted.

Who was the first player on this list to play for both?

Don McIlhenny: Dallas Cowboys first, then the San Francisco 49ers from 1961.

Who has played for both recently?

Brandin Cooks, Eric Kendricks, Jake Brendel, Solomon Thomas, Luke Gifford and Malik Turner and 6 more, with a season on one of the two rosters in 2025 or 2026.

Does a player count if the team has moved or changed its name?

Yes. Seasons count for today's franchise, the way the league keeps team history. Neither of these teams has moved since 1960.

Rosters from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Independent and not affiliated with the NFL or any team. Credits