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"Mr.
Cowboy" Bob Lilly - 74
"A player like Bob Lilly comes along just about once in a lifetime," said Coach Tom Landry said of Lilly at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. "Mr. Cowboy" was the Cowboy's first draft choice ever. A unanimous choice All-American from TCU, where he earned the nickname "The Purple Cloud" and gained notoreity by lifting Volkswagen Beetles, one end at a time, onto campus sidewalks. He was selected to the NFL all-rookie team in 1961 as a defensive end. Midway into his third year as a pro he switched to defensive tackle. He was selected NFL All-Pro 7 times during his career and played in 11 Pro Bowls. He played in 196 consecutive games from 1961 to 1974. He was the first player inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1975. He was the first Cowboy to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1980. Lilly published a book of his Cowboy photographs in 1983 entitled Bob Lilly: Reflections. |
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"Dandy
Don" Meredith - 17
Known to millions of Monday
Night Football fans for his famous line, "Turn out the lights, the party's
over", Dandy Don led the team in passing from 1963-1968. Meredith
led the Cowboys to the long defunct Playoff Bowl in 1965 against the Baltimore
Colts, after finishing second in the NFL Eastern Division behind the Cleveland
Browns. The game was not a pretty sight, losing 35-3, yet it was the beginning
of what would turn out to be a common occurence -- the Cowboys in the NFL
playoffs.
 The following year Dallas began the season thoroughly whipping their first four opponents, averaging 45 points a game, and the league knew they were to be reckoned with. By the end of the year Dallas had upended Cleveland as Eastern Division Champions, and won the right to face the Green Bay Packers in the Cotton Bowl. The Dallas-Green Bay winner would earn the right to play the AFL representative in the first Super Bowl. Dallas put up a tough fight, getting back into the game after falling behind 14-0. There was no intimidating the Cowboys this day. Vince Lombardi's Packers were in for the fight of their lives. The Cowboys were driving for the tying score when Dallas called the play that would haunt them for years. Dallas had the ball deep in Green Bay territory, down 34-27. Landry called a short out pass to tight end Pettis Norman, used primarily as a blocker and not receiver. Norman was wide open on the play, but because Meredith did not expect Norman in that position, Meredith threw the ball short. Norman, instead of catching the ball and jogging into the end zone, ran back for the ball and Green Bay tackled him at the two yard line. On the subsequent play, a pass into the end zone, rookie linebacker Dave Robinson hit Meredith, and the pass flew out of control from Dandy Don and into the arms of Packer safety Tom Brown. Meredith played three more
years, taking the Cowboys to their second NFL Championship game, also against
the Packers, and two Divisional Championship games against the Browns before
retiring
Meredith provided the leadership Dallas needed to begin their winning tradition. Meredith played with a broken nose, when he could barely breathe. He was sacked and pounded often, yet rarely missed a game, except when they would not let him play. In an era where cornerbacks were allowed to bump and run with receivers throughout the field, Meredith was as effective as anyone, especially in 1966 when he won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. "Dandy" Don Meredith remains an all time favorite quarterback, despite never winning an NFL Championship. Cowboy fans still love remembering Don Meredith leading the Cowboys. Time has illuminated the achievements his career, and "Dandy" Don is most often remembered as the courageous leader Dallas had when the tradition of Cowboys victory started. He was enshrined in the Ring of Honor in 1976 |
 Chuck
Howley - 54
Howley came to the Cowboys in 1962 after 2-year stint with the Bears where he had been their #1 draft choice in 1957. While in college at West Virginia he lettered in 5 sports (football, diving, track as a sprinter, gymnastics and wrestling) He soon established himself as one of the best outside linebackers in the league. He was named to the Pro Bowl Team 6 times. In 1966 he picked up a loose football and ran it back 97 yards for a touchdown against the Bears. He was selected as the MVP of Super Bowl V when he intercepted 2 passes and recovered a fumble in the Cowboy's 16-13 loss to the Colts. He remains the only player selected as the MVP of a SuperBowl who played for the losing team. Enshrined into the Ring of Honor in 1977. He went on to have a successful career in the uniform rental and dry cleaning business. |
Don
Perkins - 43
An All-American halfback at New Mexico, Perkins rushed for over 6000 yard during his career, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. In the 1966 NFL Championship game he gained 108 yards on 17 carries against the Packers. He was selected All-Pro once during his career and played in 5 Pro Bowls. He retired at the age of 30 after the 1968 season to spend more time with his family. He became the second enshrinee in the Ring of Honor in 1976. |
 Mel
Renfro - 20
Some say Renfro could actually give "Bullet" Bob Hayes a run for his money. Renfro was the Pokes kickoff and punt returner "par excellence". He played running back as well as being a sprinter, long jumper and hurdler at the University of Oregon. The Cowboys picked him in the 2nd round of the 1964 draft, but with a logjam at receiver and running back he was moved to the defense. He led the league in kickoff and punt returns and picked off 7 passes during his first year. In the late 60s he made the switch from safety to cornerback. He played in the Pro Bowl his first 10 years in the league and was a 5 time All-Pro with the Cowboys in the defensive backfield. He led the NFL in interceptions in 1969. The Dallas Cowboys Encyclopedia called him "Deion Sanders before Deion" because he forced quarterbacks no to challenge his side of the field. He played many games without ever defending a pass. He is the Cowboys all-time interception leader with 52 and has a 26.4 yard agverage on kickoff returns. He was added to the Ring in 1981 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. |
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Lee
Roy Jordan - 55
Lee Roy
was All-Pro at middle linebacker for the Cowboys. Cowboy Defensive
Coordinator Ernie Stautner said, "If Jordan weighed as much as Dick Butkus,
they'd have to outlaw him from football." Jordan was enshrined in
the Ring of Honor soon after Jerry Jones became owner of the Cowboys.  |
 "Captain
Comeback" - Roger Staubach - 12
Roger the Dodger won the Heisman Trophy while at the Naval Academy. He led the NFL in passing 4 times during his career. He was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame. He is considered one of the top quarterbacks to ever play the game. Ironically he was never selected as an All-Pro by either the AP, UPI, Sporting News or Pro Football Writers. |
Randy
"Manster" White - 54
Randy, winner of both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Trophy while at the University of Maryland, was a first round draft pick in the 1975 NFL draft. Selected second overall by the Cowboys, Randy was one of the most durable players in NFL history, missing only one game in fourteen seasons. Excelling at defensive tackle, Randy possessed strength, quickness, balance, agility, desire, and intelligence. Randy played in nine Pro Bowls and was Co-Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl XII. Randy was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Known as the "Manster" (half man, half monster), Randy was recently named one of the top 100 pro football players of all time. |
 Tony
Dorsett - 33
Tony Dorsett came to the Cowboys after winning the Heisman Trophy at Pittsburgh in 1976. He holds the NFL record for the longest run from scrimmage with a 99 yard scamper against the Vikings in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football. Tony finished his career as the 2nd leading rusher in the NFL behind only Walter Payton. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. |
Coach
Tom Landry
 Landry
was the Cowboys first head coach. He led the team to 5 Superbowls
and 2 World Championships. He is a member of the Pro
Football Hall of Fame. One of the most successful coaches in
NFL history, Landry began his head coaching career with the expansion Cowboys
in 1960 and coached the Dallas team through the 1988 season, compiling
a 250-126-6 record and winning 20 of 36 in playoff competition. Former
players speak highly of him. "Tom was a big influence on me" –LeRoy
Jordan (1963-77); "He taught me to live by my convictions" – Tony
Hill (1977-86 ); "He’s a phenomenal man" – Tony
Dorsett (1977-87). Landry’s legacy lives on through his players who
have become successful beyond the game of football. "To me, he was
invincible, a rock in your life. He always represented so many good things.
You don't ever expect it to end. You thought of him as a person who would
always
be there." - Roger Staubach. "People
ask why the Cowboys got the name America's Team. People have that feeling
about the Cowboys, for one thing, because they could see Tom Landry standing
there with his hat and everything he stood for." - Tex
Schramm.
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 "Bullet"
Bob Hayes - 22
An Olympic Gold Medalist sprinter who as known as "The Fastest Man on Earth" mainly due to his 9.1 second 100 yard dash. Drafted out of Florida A&M in 1964, his first year as a Cowboy caught 46 passes for 1003 yards and 12 touchdowns. He redefined the term "deep threat" by spreading out the defense in a way no-one had ever done before. He was impossible to play man-to-man so coaches developed the zone defense to try to contain him. He holds the Cowboy record with 246 yards in receptions in a single game. Hayes was an exciting punt returner who led the league in 1968 with a 20.8 yard average, still a Cowboy record. He retired in 1974 after losing his starting job to Golden Richards and being traded to the 49ers. Hayes joined the Ring of Honor in 2001. He passed away in 2002. |