Michael Irvin reflects on Cowboys' controversial ‘White House' where stars could do absolutely anything they wanted
In the mid-1990s, the Dallas Cowboys weren't just dominating the gridiron — they were redefining what it meant to live as America's Team. Coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories, the franchise seemed unstoppable.
Yet beneath the glory, chaos brewed. The firing of coach Jimmy Johnson and the arrival of Barry Switzer brought a dramatic shift in discipline, culture, and, eventually, the creation of the now-infamous 'White House,' a place where players indulged in excess far removed from football.
Michael Irvin
reveals shocking details of the Dallas
Cowboys
' Infamous 1994 '
White House
'
At the center of this wild chapter was 'The White House,' a two-story home just steps away from Valley Ranch headquarters. Far from a training facility, it became a secret den of drugs, women, and endless parties.
The ringleader? None other than star wideout Michael Irvin. With a laugh, he explained how it all started: 'We was like, 'Man, we spend a lot of money for these hotels, all of these women. So then we said, 'Let's do a house.
''
America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys | Official Trailer | Netflix
Inside, the setup was straight out of a rock star's fantasy. 'We had five rooms, and it was like whatever you like, you commingle with your like,' Irvin recalled. Weed in one room, cocaine and ecstasy in another, and women everywhere.
Players bounced from room to room while fixer Dennis Pedini looked the other way.
Even coach Switzer downplayed the behavior years later, saying, 'Those guys live on the edge… really it was none of our business, they're adults.' And Jerry Jones delivered perhaps the most telling line of all: 'You can't play football with Sunday school teachers.'
Dallas Cowboys lost discipline and gained chaos under Barry Switzer
When Jerry Jones stunned the league by dismissing Johnson, he dismantled the strict regime that had fueled the Cowboys' rise.
Switzer's looser, player-friendly approach quickly shifted the culture — and not always for the better. Emmitt Smith admitted, 'Not knowing how Barry's going to handle the situation left everybody kinda in limbo… All he had to do was be the manager of the team, and not mess the team up.'
The Dirty Secret Behind The 90s Dallas Cowboys Team (White House)
For quarterback Troy Aikman, the change was crystal clear: 'I just remember thinking things are different, going forward.' James Washington went further, pointing out that accountability and work ethic had faded under Switzer's watch. The Cowboys still had the same roster of champions, but the atmosphere felt less like a team locked on another Super Bowl — and more like a fraternity house with a playbook.
The Dallas Cowboys' White House wasn't just a party pad — it was the symbol of an era where excess and dominance collided. For better or worse, it cemented the Cowboys' 1990s legacy as much off the field as on it.
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