The Signal Callers

Don Heinrich Don Heinrich was the first quarterback on the Cowboys roster and the first Cowboy quarterback to have his own football card. He had served as backup QB with the New York Giants during the 50s and was taken by Dallas in the 1960 expansion draft. Although the starting job would fall to Eddie LeBaron he was instrumental in working with rookie QB Don Meredith. Tom Landry felt he had an excellent offensive mind.  After a year with the Raiders, he went on to be an assistant coach with the Giants and published a predraft scouting report. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
1960
12
61
23
37.7
371
6.08
3
3
54.7
Eddie LeBaronwas known as the "Little General" because of he was only 5'7, LeBaron had been the quarterback of the Washington Redskins for most of the 50s and was planning on retiring after the 1959 season. He was coaxed out of retirement by the Cowboys and an opportunity to work for a top Dallas lawfirm. He went on to lead the team in passing from 1960-63 while grooming Dandy Don to take over the helm. He later continued his career as a lawyer and eventually came back to the NFL as General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons. 
Year
Games
Att.
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
1960
11
225
111
49.3
1736
7.72
12
25
53.5
1961
14
236
120
50.8
1741
7.38
14
16
66.7
1962
14
166
95
57.2
1436
8.65
16
9
95.4
1963
13
65
33
50.8
418
6.43
3
3
67.3
 		 Eddie Le Baron #14
Don Meredith #17

ABC's Monday Night Football Crew
 Don Meredith
Before "Dandy Don" joined Howard and Frank in the Monday Night Football booth he was the first player selected out of college by the Cowboys. Midway through the 1963 season Landry announced that Meredith would be the starting quarterback. In a loss against the 49ers that year he was 30-48 for 460 yards (still a Cowboy record). He led the team in passing from 64-68. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1966. His best statistical season came in 1968 with the Cowboys finishing 12-2 and Don had a 55.3% completion percentage, with the second-best quaterback rating behind Johnny Unitas. He went on to act in Hollywood productions, manage a brokerage house in Dallas and of course, Monday Night Football. He left MNF in 1984 and now lives in Santa Fe. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
 Yds. Rush
1960
6
68
29
42.6
281
4.13
2
5
34.0
 4
1961 8 182 94 51.6 1161 6.38 9 11 63.0 176
1962 13 212 105 49.5 1679 7.92 15 8 84.2 74
1963 14 310 167 53.9 2381 7.68 17 18 73.1 185
1964 12 323 158 48.9 2143 6.63 9 16 59.1 81
1965 14 305 141 46.2 2415 7.92 22 13 79.9 247
1966 13 344 177 51.5 2805 8.15 24 12 87.7 242
1967 11 255 128 50.2 1834 7.19 16 16 68.7 84
1968 13 309 171 55.3 2500 8.09 21 12 88.4 123
TOTAL 104 2308 1170 50.7 17199 7.45 135 111 74.8 1216
 
Craig Mortonwas the Cowboys #1 draft choice out of California in 1965. He backed up Meredith and got an occasional start his first 3 years and led the Cowboys in passing from 1969-70. He quarterbacked the team most of the season in 1970 and in the Superbowl V loss to the Colts. Staubach had pressed Morton for the starting job and 7 games into the 1971 season Staubach took over for good. Morton directed the offense again in 1972 as a fill-in for the injured Staubach. Roger was back in 1973 and Morton signed with the Houston Texans of the WFL, his rights were traded to the Giants, and he never played a down in the WFL. He went on to be named NFL Comeback Player of the Year with the Denver Broncos and started against his old team in Superbowl 12. He retired after the 1982 season. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
1965
4
34
17
50.0
173
5.09
2
4
45.0
1966 6 27 13 48.1 225 8.33 3 1 98.5
1967 9 137 69 50.4 978 7.14 10 10 67.7
1968 13 85 44 51.8 752 8.85 4 6 68.4
1969 13 302 162 53.6 2619 8.67 21 15 85.4
1970 12 207 102 49.3 1819 8.79 15 7 89.8
1971 10 143 78 54.5 1131 7.91 7 8 73.5
1972 14 339 185 54.6 2396 7.07 15 21 65.9
1973 14 32 13 40.6 174 5.44 3 1 76.8
1974 2 2 2 100.0 12 6.00 0 0 91.7
Split 1974 season with Cowboys and Giants		 Craig Morton #14
 
Drafted:  1965 First Round
College:  California
 
Roger Staubach
Hall of Fame quarterback is considered by most to be one of the best ever at his position. Staubach led the team in passing in 1971, and 1973-1979. He also led the NFL in passing 4 times and the NFC 5 times. He was MVP of Superbowl VI against the Dolphins. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1964 at the Naval Academy. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
Rush
 1969
6 
47 
23 
48.9 
421 
8.96 
1 
2 
69.5 
60
1970
8
82
44
53.7
542
6.61
2
8
42.9
221
1971
13
211
126
59.7
1882
8.92
15
4
104.8
343
1972
4
20
9
45.0
98
4.90
0
2
20.4
45
1973
14
286
179
62.6
2428
8.49
23
15
94.6
250
1974
14
360
190
52.8
2552
7.09
11
15
68.4
320
1975
13
348
198
56.9
2666
7.66
17
16
78.5
316
1976
14
369
208
56.4
2715
7.36
14
11
79.9
184
1977
14
361
210
58.2
2620
7.26
18
9
87.0
171
1978
15
413
231
55.9
3190
7.72
25
16
84.9
182
1979
16
461
267
57.9
3586
7.78
27
11
92.3
172
TOTAL
131
2958
1685
57.0
22700
7.67
153
109
83.4
2264
Colored Lines Indicate Superbowl Seasons.  Bold figures indicate league leader
Clint Longley "The Mad Bomber" Clint Longley
Staubach's backup in 74-75, he didn't take an NFL snap until Thanksgiving day when Staubach suffered a concussion against the Redskins.  On national TV he completed 11 of 20 passes including a last-minute 50 yard winning TD strike to Drew Pearson.  He earned his nickname with his wildly erratic tosses during training camp.  During the 76 training camp he and Staubach exchanged blows on two occasions, the last time with a "sucker punch" thrown by Longley ended with him being traded to San Diego.

 
Danny Whitetook over as the Pokes starting QB in 1980 after the retirement of Roger Staubach. Danny was the Cowboys punter in addition to serving as a very capable backup to Staubach. He finished his Cowboy career with over 21,000 yards passing and 155 touchdown passes. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
 1976
14 
20 
13 
65.0 
213 
10.65 
2 
2 
94.4 
1977
10
4
40.0
35
3.50
3.50
0
1
10.4
1978
16
34
20
58.8
215
6.32
0
1
65.2
1979
16
39
19
48.7
267
6.85
1
2
58.4
1980
16
436
260
59.6
3287
7.54
28
25
80.7
1981
16
391
223
57.0
3098
7.92
22
13
87.5
1982
9
247
156
63.2
2079
8.42
16
12
91.1
1983
16
533
334
62.7
3980
7.47
29
23
85.6
1984
14
233
126
54.1
1580
6.78
11
11
71.5
1985
14
450
267
59.3
3157
7.02
21
17
80.6
1986
7
153
95
62.1
1157
7.56
12
5
97.9
1987
11
362
215
59.4
2617
7.23
12
17
73.2
1988
3
42
29
69.0
274
6.52
1
3
65.0
TOTAL
166
2950
1761
59.7
21959
7.44
155
132
81.7
 
White was the Cowboys first player to 
appear on a national cereal box!
Gary Hogeboom #14
 
Drafted: 5th round 1980 
College: Central Michigan
 		 Gary Hogeboom
Coach Landry gave the nod at quarterback to former third stringer Gary Hogeboom in 1984 over fan favorite White. It was a very contriversial decision that polarized much of the team. Hogeboom was injured during the season and eventually White took the job back. He was traded to Indianapolis following the 1985 season. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
 1980
2 
0 
0 
- 
0 
- 
0 
0 
- 
1981
1
0
0
-
0
-
0
0
-
1982
4
8
3
37.5
45
5.63
0
1
17.2
1983
6
17
11
64.7
161
9.47
1
1
90.6
1984
16
367
195
53.1
2366
6.45
7
14
63.7
1985
16
126
70
55.6
978
7.76
5
7
70.8
 
Steve Pelluer
In 1986 White again found himself replaced, this time by third year pro Steve Pelluer. Pelluer led the Cowboys in passing in 1986, he was out most of the next season but came back to lead the team in passing again in 1988. Once Aikman and Walsh were drafted, he was traded to the Chiefs for draft choices. 
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
 1984
1 
0 
0 
- 
0 
- 
0 
0 
- 
1985
2
8
5
62.5
47
5.88
0
0
78.6
1986
16
378
215
56.9
2727
7.21
8
17
67.9
1987
12
101
55
54.5
642
6.36
3
2
75.6
1988
16
435
245
56.3
3139
7.22
17
19
73.9
 		 #16 Stevel Pelluer
Steve Walsh was taken in the 1989 supplimental draft and was reunited with college coach Jimmy Johnson. Started 5 games as a rookie while subbing for the injured Troy Aikman. One of his starts was a victory over Washington for the only Cowboy win of the season.  With Aikman's return in 1990 Walsh was dealt to the Saints
Year
Games
Att
Comp
%
Yds
YPA
TD
Int
Rating
1989 
8 
219 
110 
50.2 
1371 
6.26 
5 
9 
60.5 
1990
1
9
4
44.4
40
4.44
0
0
57.6
Drafted: 1st Round Supplemental Draft 1989 
College:  Univ. of Miami (Fla)
 
Troy Aikman
One of the game’s top quarterbacks, as one of only three players in NFL history to lead a team to three Super Bowl victories, Aikman has rewritten virtually every passing record in Cowboys’ history. Aikman holds or is tied for 43 Dallas passing records, including the club’s career records for attempts, completions, passing yards and completion percentage (61.8 third best in NFL history). He is also one of the most accurate QBs NFL history with a quarterback rating of 82.8. Along the way to these marks, Aikman has guided Dallas from the National Football League cellar of 1-15 in 1989 to six NFC East titles (1992-96 and 1998), four NFC Championship Games (1992-95) and three Super Bowl titles (XXVII, XXVIII and XXX). 
He completed 70 percent or more of his passes 38 times in his career, with Dallas posting a 35-3 record in those games, and he produced the top six single-season completion percentages in club history. Despite beginning his career 1-14, Aikman has started a club-record 179 games at quarterback, posting a 98-67 (.684) record, which includes an impeccable 11-3 mark in the postseason – 3-0 in the Super Bowl. For his career, Aikman led the Cowboys from behind 14 times in the fourth quarter, including six times in the final two minutes. Another five times, he led the team to wins after the score was tied in the fourth quarter. In those 19 wins, Aikman is 123-of-181 (68.0×for 1,570 yards (8.67 per attempt), eight touchdowns, two interceptions and a 105.0 quarterback rating in the fourth quarter and overtime.  He closed out the 1990s as the winningest starting quarterback of any decade in NFL history, with 90 wins, topping Joe Montana's previous best of 86.
Aikman considered signing with another team but instead retired after the 2000 season and signed a broadcasting contract with FOX where he will be teamed with former teammate Daryl Johnston.  He should enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame somewhere around after the 2005 season.
 
AIKMAN'S CAREER STATS
Season G GS Comp. Att. Yards Comp. % Long  TD Int. Sacked QB Rating
2000 11 11 156 262 1632 59.5 48 7 14 13 64.3
1999 14 14 263  442  2964  59.5  90  17  12  19  81.1
1998  11  11  187  315  2330  59.4  67  12  5  9  88.5 
1997  16  16  292  518  3283  56.4  64  19  12  33  78.0
1996 15  15  296  465  3126  63.7  61  12  13  18  80.1
1995 16  16  280  432  3304  64.8  50  16  7  14  93.6
1994 14 14 233 361 2676 64.5 90 13 12 14 84.9
1993 14 14 271 392 3100 69.1 80 15 6 26 99.0
1992 16 16 302 473 3445 63.8 87 23 14 23 89.5
1991 12 12 237 363 2754 65.3 61 11 10 32 86.7
1990 15 15 226 399 2579 56.6 61 11 18 39 66.6
1989 11 11 155 293 1749 52.9 75 9 18 19 55.7
Totals 179 179 3161 5157 35906 61.3 90t 182 153 278 82.8
Playoffs 18 17 364 589 4326 61.8 94t 24 21 39 82.9


Quincy Carter When the Dallas Cowboys selected Quincy Carter with their top pick (53rd overall) in the NFL Draft, it marked the first time in 10 years the Cowboys had drafted a quarterback. In Carter, who started every game in which he played (29) at the University of Georgia, the Cowboys felt they were getting a young quarterback that had proven he could successfully lead a storied program week in and week out against top competition. Carter, who lead the Bulldogs to a 20-9 record, left Georgia as one of the top quarterbacks in school history, finishing his three-year career second in school annals in completions (483), pass attempts (853) and passing yards (6,447) and third in career touchdown passes (35). He is a versatile quarterback that can make his reads in the pocket or while on the move and has a strong arm that allows him to get the ball down field. He also has a keen field awareness that al