The final season at Texas Stadium brings as much excitement and anticipation as any of the previous 37 years of Dallas Cowboys football in this historic venue. That's a bold statement to make, but one that I think is absolutely true.

This will be a year for nostalgia and honoring the past as we celebrate the team's remarkable run in one of the most recognized and revered football stadium's in our country's history.

No other NFL stadium has played host to more Super Bowl champions (five) or conference champions (seven) than Texas Stadium. It is the site where the upstart expansion team of the 1960's grew into America's team. It is the home of the signature hole in the roof and the birthplace of the most recognized cheerleading group in American sports. Its Ring of Honor is the most exclusive and prestigious collection of NFL names this side of Canton, Ohio, and the star at midfield served as the finish line for the NFL's all-time leading rusher.

The revelry and reverence surrounding our farewell to the stadium is only equaled by the enthusiasm we share for the final Cowboys team that will call this stadium its home.

For just the second time in team history, a Cowboys team will enter a season after having won 13 games the previous year. Last year, the Cowboys had an NFL record 13 players selected to the Pro Bowl, and this year, they all return.

The expectations are high. But that is always the case with Dallas Cowboys football. Our fans wouldn't want it any other way and neither would our players and coaches.

Any discussion of the prospects for an NFL team's upcoming season always starts with the quarterback. And for just the first time since the 1996 season, the Cowboys will begin a year with the NFC's starting Pro Bowl quarterback under center.

In 2007, his first full year as a starter, Tony Romo nearly re-wrote the Cowboys record book for passing standards in a single season. He set single season club marks for touchdown passes (36), completions (335), yardage (4,211) and three hundred yard games (seven). He also set a new Dallas mark for consecutive games in which he has thrown a touchdown pass with 17 straight between 2006 and 2007.

The line in front of Romo-which featured a club record three Pro Bowl starters last year-also returns intact as the heart and soul of the offense. Led by Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis, this unit helped the offense finish the 2007 season ranked second in the NFL in scoring with an average of 28.4 points-per-game. The 455 points scored last year marked the second most in club history behind only the 1983 team (479 points).

The spark to the scoring firepower is found in the talented trio of wide receiver Terrell Owens, tight end Jason Witten and running back Marion Barber. These three men combined for 36 of the team's 50 offensive touchdowns last year, and each player distinguished himself as one of the NFL's top performers at their respective positions.

On the defensive side of the ball, we look for continued production and improvement from a unit that turned in some outstanding performances in 2007.

The 2007 group finished the season ranked No. 9 in the NFL in total defense after allowing an average of 307.6 yards-per-game. They were also sixth in the NFL in defense against the run (94.6 yards-per-game).

Seven-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Zach Thomas is the only newcomer to a group that features five first round draft picks as starters and returns five Pro Bowl players from a year ago.

DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis both established career-high sack totals last year with 14 and 12.5 respectively. As a unit, the defense had 46 sacks-the highest number by a Dallas team in 13 years.

In the secondary, Anthony Henry, Terence Newman and Ken Hamlin combined for 15 interceptions, while Newman and Hamlin joined Roy Williams at the Pro Bowl.

Team captain Bradie James heads a list of solid young performers who are approaching the prime of their careers as key contributors to the defensive unit. That group includes Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff, Marcus Spears, and Anthony Henry.

In the special teams department, we are better equipped than any Dallas team in the past 20 seasons. Nick Folk returns as the placekicker after enjoying a Pro Bowl season as a rookie in 2007. Punter Mat McBriar is coming off another solid season after earning his first Pro Bowl selection in 2006.

The pieces are in place for a season that is worthy of the great optimism that we all share. The defending NFC East Champions will look to exceed the success of the 2007 club.

And along the way we will have the opportunity to enjoy the rich history that Texas Stadium has provided. We will celebrate the quarterback heritage of Roger Staubach, Danny White, Troy Aikman and Tony Romo. We will watch Marion Barber in his quest to build upon the foundation that was established by Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith. The Cowboys excellence at wide receiver will be documented as Terrell Owens chases the records of Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin. And Jason Witten will continue to validate his more-than-worthy comparisons to Jay Novacek and Billy Joe DuPree.

On defense, DeMarcus Ware will resume his assault on the quarterback sacking standards that were created by Harvey Martin, Too Tall Jones and Charles Haley. Terence Newman will follow in the historic footsteps of Mel Renfro, Everson Walls and Deion Sanders.

In the leadership role, Wade Phillips will return as only the second coach in club history to lead a Dallas team to 13 regular season victories. He will do so as the head coach of the only NFL franchise that boasts three men who have lead teams to Super Bowl titles-Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.

When our family accepted the opportunity to become involved in the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, we also took on the responsibility of managing Texas Stadium as the team's home. At the time, I didn't know much about the NFL or the complexities involved in operating a major league venue. Throughout our 20 years in Dallas, I have grown to understand a special appreciation of our stewardship of Texas Stadium as an opportunity to hold on to one of the crown jewels of American sports.

But the true ownership of this great stadium is held by the millions of fans who have passed through its gates and lived every minute of its colorful history. Texas Stadium belongs to you. And its memories belong to the ages.

As we move forward to our new home in Arlington, I can assure you that we will do everything within our power to deliver the same type of excitement, success and state-of- the-art entertainment that our home in Irving has provided for generations.

Let's all make the most of this final season in this wonderful stadium.

Sincerely,
Jerry Jones