The Dallas Cowboys found another way to break their fans' hearts on Sunday, and former quarterback Ben DiNucci wasn't about to sugarcoat it.
After watching his old team surrender a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and fall 33-30 in overtime to the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium, DiNucci let loose on CBS Sports. "This was absolutely embarrassing today," he said. "They stink. I'm lost for words, honestly. They have so much talent on both sides of the ball, and year after year, week after week, all we see is just letdowns from them."
The loss drops Dallas to 3-5 and extends a frustrating pattern: every win has been followed by a loss. The Cowboys have scored 109 points in their three victories but have been unable to string together any consistency. They rank 25th in rushing offense and 27th in points allowed per game.
Sunday's collapse was particularly brutal. Leading 24-10 in the fourth quarter, Dallas watched Gardner Minshew, who replaced Jacoby Brissett at halftime, lead Arizona on four straight touchdown drives. The Cardinals tied the game late, and after kicker Chad Ryland missed what would have been the game-winning extra point with six seconds left, Dallas had new life in overtime—but couldn't capitalize.
DiNucci, a 2020 seventh-round pick who played three games for the Cowboys, didn't stop there. "At some point the same old, same old in Dallas for the Cowboys, it's not cutting it. Something needs to change," he said. "Somebody needs to look in the mirror. I don't know who it is. But that was an embarrassing loss. They had a 10-point lead with a couple minutes left. They let Arizona drive the length of the field a couple times. Tied that thing up. Should have lost in regulation, ended up losing in overtime, but this is embarrassing for the Cowboys. Embarrassing."
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has come under fire, and while owner Jerry Jones has said he won't make a midseason change, the pressure is mounting. Jones publicly backed Schottenheimer after the loss, but DiNucci's words echo what many fans are feeling. The growing fan frustration has even sparked talk of a boycott movement against Jones himself.
The Cowboys entered 2026 with playoff hopes, especially with a weak NFC East offering a golden opportunity. But this loss—and the pattern of inconsistency—has many wondering if the team's biggest flaw is systemic. DiNucci's blunt assessment might be the wake-up call Dallas needs, or just another chapter in a season spiraling out of control.
