Dallas Cowboys: 50 Greatest Players

The National Football League has been around in one form or another since 1920.  When the league started, most of the teams were concentrated in the Eastern part of the country. Dallas, at the time, was not considered and probably did not care to have a professional football team.

As teams gradually started moving West, Dallas became a contender for a franchise.

When the American Football League opened shop in 1960, the NFL expanded by two teams, adding the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys were just awful when they started out, going 0-11-1 in their first season, and did not enjoy a winning season until 1966, going 10-3-1, starting 20 consecutive above .500 seasons. 

This was followed in 1986 by three losing seasons, resulting in the dismissal of the Cowboys only coach ever, Tom Landry.  His place was taken by Jimmy Johnson.

After two more bad seasons, including an embarrassing 1-15 campaign in 1989, the Cowboys returned to glory.  They have been .500 or better in 14 of the last 20 seasons.

What follows is a list comprised of the 50 Dallas Cowboys who have made the most of their time in Dallas.  The list was based on the approximate value statistic, provided by www.pro-football-reference.com. 

50. John Fitzgerald

Years: 1971-1980

Games: 137

Position: Center

John was drafted as a tackle, but was switched to center in 1972 to replace retiring Cowboys player, Dave Manders.

He started 42 games at center while with the Cowboys.  He took great pride in his ability to hike the football in the shotgun formation, which Tom Landry had brought back to the league.

49. Mark Hegman

Years: 1976-1987

Games: 170

Position: Linebacker

Hegman started 119 games for the Cowboys, mostly at the left linebacker position.  Hegman intercepted seven passes, recovered nine fumbles (two returned for touchdowns), and recorded 15.5 sacks.

48. Herbert Scott

Years: 1975-1984

Games: 140

Position: Left Guard

Scott, along with the other 11 players drafted in 1975, all made the final cut for the Cowboys, earning the nickname, "The Dirty Dozen." The draft class helped the Cowboys reach Super Bowl X. 

Herbert was solid, seldom penalized, and emerged as one of the NFL's best left guards, starting 82 games for Dallas.

He made the Pro Bowl in 1979, 1980, and 1981.

47. Deion Sanders

Years: 1995-1999

Games: 63

Position: Right Cornerback/Kick Returner

Sanders returned 89 punts for the Cowboys for 1,184 yards and four touchdowns.  He intercepted 14 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns.  He also forced tow fumbles and recovered four, scoring another touchdown.  He had 148 tackles and 11 assists.  On offense, he caught 49 balls for 624 yards, and a touchdown.

He was so good, he had three nicknames: "Neon Deion", "Prime Time", and "Sanders Claus".

He was a mouth with feet for most of his career, but knew how to put up.  Never considered a viable run stopper, Sanders buttered his bread with speed, blanket coverage, and touchdowns on defense and special teams.

Sanders also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Washington Redskins, the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants.

Sanders made the Pro Bowl for the Cowboys in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

46. Billy Joe DuPree

Years: 1973-1983

Games: 159

Position: Tight End

DuPree started 105 games for the Cowboys at tight end, catching 267 balls for 3565 yards and 41 touchdowns. He never missed a game in 11 years, and caught at least one touchdown in every season.  He is to this day the Cowboys tight end career touchdown leader.

DuPree made the Pro Bowl in 1976, 1977, and 1978.

45. Tony Tolbert

Years: 1989-1997

Games: 144

Position: Left Defensive End

Tolbert played his entire career with the Cowboys, starting 120 games at defensive end. 

Tolbert was considered a tweener coming out of college, too small to play lineman, too slow to play linebacker.  This resulted in his low round draft selection.

Tolbert went on to excel for the Cowboys, collecting 531 tackles, 49 assists, 59 sacks, seven fumbles forced, four fumbles recovered, one interception, and returned 54 yards for a touchdown.

He made one Pro Bowl appearance, in 1996.

44. DeMarcus Ware

Years: 2005-2010

Games: 96

Position: Right Outside Linebacker

Ware was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft, and has not disappointed, starting 95 games.

He boasts career totals of 336 tackles, 87 assists, 80 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries (two for touchdowns) and one career interception (returned 41 yards for a touchdown). He will only add to these totals in the coming years.

Ware has led the league in sacks twice already.

He made the Pro Bowl in every season from 2006-2010.

43. Don Meredith

Years: 1960-1968

Games: 104

Position: Quarterback

"Dandy" Don Meredith was an extremely popular player while with Dallas.  Don played high school, college, and professional football all very close to the Dallas area.

Don started 85 games at quarterback for the Cowboys, completing 1170 of 2308 passes for 17,199 yards and 135 touchdowns.  He also rushed for 1,216 yards on 242 carries, scoring 15 touchdowns.

He was the Bert Bell Player of the Year in 1966 and made the Pro Bowl after 1966, 1967, and 1968.

After retiring, Meredith joined the Monday Night Football broadcast team.

42. Jim Jeffcoat

Years: 1983-1994

Games: 188

Position: Right Defensive End

Jeffcoat started 127 games during his Cowboy career.  He registered 690 tackles, 94.5 sacks, forced 16 fumbles, recovered 11 fumbles (scoring twice), and two interceptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

Jeffcoat played for the Buffalo Bills for three years after leaving Dallas.

He currently coaches the defensive line for the San Jose State Spartans college football team.

41. Pat Donovan

Years: 1975-1983

Games: 129

Position: Left Tackle

Donovan, another of the "Dirty Dozen", started 57 games for the Cowboys, never missing a game through his nine year career. 

He played in the Pro Bowl in the 1979, 1980, 1981, and 1982 seasons.

He is considered to be one of the greatest offensive tackles in Cowboys franchise history.

40. Dexter Coakley

Years: 1997-2004

Games: 127

Position: Right Linebacker

Dexter started in all 127 games that he played with Dallas.  He collected 1,046 tackles, 152 assists, 7 and a half sacks, 10 interceptions for 258 yards and four touchdowns, five forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown).

He was released in 2004 due to salary cap considerations. 

Coakley made the Pro Bowl in 1999, 2001, and 2003.

After leaving Dallas, he played with the St. Louis Rams for two more seasons.

39. Everson Walls

Years: 1981-1989

Games: 133

Position:Left Cornerback

Walls intercepted 11 passes during his rookie season and led the National Football League in interceptions three times. No other player has ever led the league more than twice.

In his nine seasons with the Cowboys, Walls collected 44 interceptions and 391 yards.  He made the Pro Bowl four times, 1981-1983 and 1985.  He went on to play for the New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals.

On December 12, 2006, it was announced that Walls would donate a kidney to fellow former Cowboy Ron Springs, who had diabetes.  The surgery was successfully completed in March 2007.

38. Mark Tuinei

Years: 1983-1997

Games: 195

Position: Left Tackle

Tuinei started 147 games for the Cowboys at left tackle.  He made the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995.

Tuinei originally made the team as a free agent defensive tackle, but due to injuries he was switched to the offensive line.

He met an untimely demise at the age of 39 after a lethal combination of heroin and ecstasy.  His death was ruled an accident.

37. Jason Witten

Years: 2003-2010

Games: 127

Position: Tight End

So far in his career, Witten has gained 6,967 yards on 617 receptions, scoring 36 touchdowns.

Mark has made the Pro Bowl every season after his rookie campaign. 

He recently launched the Jason Witten SCORE Foundation, established in part to provide support and assistance for families and individuals affected by domestic violence.

36. Tony Hill

Years: 1977-1986

Games: 141

Position: Wide Receiver

Hill Scored 51 touchdowns on 479 catches for 7,988 yards during his time with the Cowboys.  He spent his entire career in Dallas, and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 1978, 1979, and 1985 seasons.

35. Danny White

Years: 1976-1988

Games: 166

Position: QB

White started 92 games at quarterback for Dallas, spending his whole career with the Cowboys.

He completed 1,761 passes in 2,950 attempts for 21,959 yards and 155 touchdowns and a career rating of 81.7.  White rushed 159 times for 482 yards and eight touchdowns and caught three passes for 18 yards and two touchdowns. 

White also punted for the Cowboys 610 times for 24,509 yards, an average of 40.2 yards per punt.

White was often vilified by the Dallas media, due in part to him leading the Cowboys to three consecutive NFC Championship games in 1980-1982, but not winning any of them, in spite of having been the favorite.  Danny also sided with the owners during the player's strike in 1982, further alienating him against his teammates, the media, and the fans.

After leaving the NFL, White went on to coach in the Arena Football League.

34. Don Perkins

Years: 1961-1968

Games: 107

Position: Fullback

Perkins started only 24 games for the Cowboys, but got the majority of the carries while with the team.  He rushed 1,500 times for 6,217 yards and 42 touchdowns.  He also caught 146 passes for 1,310 yards and three touchdowns.

Perkins was a six time Pro Bowler for the Cowboys, from 1961-1963 and from 1966-1968.

He is currently a member of the Northwest Mesa Branch of the NAACP.

33. Bob Breunig

Years: 1975-1984

Games: 135

Position: Middle Linebacker

In 1977, Breunig became only the third player in team history to man the middle linebacker position, starting 117 games straight (and 125 total).  During his career, Breunig logged 466 tackles.

Breunig became a defensive captain and a perfect fit for Landry's complicated "flex" defense.  Breunig made the Pro Bowl 3 times, after 1979, 1980, and 1982.

32. Erik Williams

Years: 1991-2000

Games: 141

Position: Right Tackle

Williams started 133 games from the right tackle position, opening holes for Emmitt Smith and protecting Troy Aikman.

He made the Pro Bowl after the 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1999 seasons.

Williams is the Founder and current CEO of World Champion Sports Group.

31. D.D. Lewis

Years: 1968-1981

Games: 186

Position: Right Linebacker

Lewis was the youngest of 14 children, and was named after two World War II Generals, Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur.

He holds the Cowboys record for appearing in most playoff games, 27.

Lewis was voted the "Most Popular Player" by the Cowboys fans and given the Bart Starr meritorious award in 1982.

30. Greg Ellis

Years: 1998-2008

Games: 162

Position: Linebacker, Defensive End

Ellis exhibited talent at many positions in the front seven, and used his versatility to start 155 games for the Cowboys.

He left the Cowboys after the 2008 seasons with 377 tackles, 128 assists, 77 sacks, 20 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries for 137 yards and a touchdown, and 4 interceptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.

In 2007, Greg was named the NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year and made his only Pro Bowl appearance. 

29. Charlie Waters

Years: 1970-1981

Games: 160

Position: Defensive Secondary

Waters was a versatile player who excelled at most positions in the secondary.  He retired with a total of 41 interceptions for 584 yards and two touchdowns. 

He played in the Pro Bowl three times, 1976-1978.

28. Tom Rafferty

Years: 1976-1989

Games: 203

Position: Offensive Lineman

Rafferty started 182 games for the Cowboys, first at right guard, then later at center.

He is one of only two players to play with both Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, the other being Ed "Too Tall" Jones.

He was diagnosed with a neurological disorder, transverse myelitis, in 2008. The disorder has confined him to a wheelchair while he undergoes therapy to re-learn how to walk.

27. John Niland

Years: 1966-1974

Games: 203

Position: Left Guard

Niland was known as an excellent pulling run blocker.  He made the Pro Bowl for the Cowboys every season from 1968-1973. 

After leaving Dallas, he played for the Philadelphia Eagles one season before retiring.

26. Larry Cole

Years: 1968-1980

Games: 176

Position: Defensive Line

Cole was drafted as an offensive tackle, but was switched to defensive tackle during camp.

Cole played alongside many legendary Dallas Cowboys, including Randy White, "Too Tall" Jones, Ted Lilly, and Jethro Pugh.  He was often overlooked due to the talent surrounding him.

During his career, he recorded 60 sacks, intercepted four passes, three for touchdowns, and recovered 14 fumbles, one for a touchdown.

He is currently a real estate developer.

25. Nate Newton

Years: 1986-1998

Games: 198

Position: Left Guard, Right Tackle

Newton started his pro career with the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits.  After it disbanded, he joined the Cowboys. 

He was part of the team that won three Super Bowls in the 90's.  He went to six Pro Bowls during his Dallas career, 1992-1996, 1998.

In 2001, Newton got into some trouble with marijuana possession.  Twice during a five week period he was caught with roughly 200 pounds of it.  He spent 30 months in federal prison and has since gone straight.

24. Flozell Adams

Years: 1998-2009

Games: 182

Position: Left Tackle

Adams is probably best known for his repeated flagrant fouls on the football field. 

Aside from being penalized more than almost anyone else, Adams is also a pretty good run blocker and pass protector.

He made the Pro Bowl five times, in 2003-2004 and 2006-2008.

23. Darren Woodson

Years: 1992-2003

Games: 178

Position: Strong Safety

Woodson was one of the hardest hitters in the National Football League.  He played in the Pro Bowl each year from 1994-1998. He played his entire career in Dallas.

Woodson totalled 23 interceptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns, 11 sacks, 803 tackles, 138 assists, 12 forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries.

22. Harvey Martin

Years: 1973-1983

Games: 158

Position: Right Defensive End

Harvey "Too Mean" Martin registered 23 sacks in 1977.  In Super Bowl XII, he was the co-MVP with Randy White.

For his career, Martin recorded 114 sacks.

Martin died of pancreatic cancer in 2001.

21. George Andrie

Years: 1962-1972

Games: 141

Position: Right Defensive End

Andrie played his whole career in Dallas, accruing 97 sacks during that time.  He made the Pro Bowl in five consecutive seasons, from 1965-1969.

He retired after the 1972 seasons due to back problems.

20. Bob Hayes

Years: 1965-1974

Games: 128

Position: Wide Receiver, Kick/Punt Returner

Hayes led the league in receiving touchdowns his first two years in the league, with 12 in 1965 and 13 in 1966, eclipsing 1000 yards receiving in both seasons.  He made the Pro Bowl every season from 1965-1968.

He played ten seasons for Dallas before playing a final season in San Fransisco.

Hayes left Dallas with career totals of 7,295 yards on 365 catches and 71 touchdowns.  He also returned kickoffs and punts with totals of 104 punt returns for 1158 yards and three touchdowns and 23 kickoff returns for 581 yards.

Bob is the only person to have both an Olympic Gold Medal, in the 100 meter race and the 4x100 meter relay,  and a Super Bowl ring. 

Hayes died in his hometown Jacksonville of kidney failure, after battling prostate cancer and liver ailments.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

19. Drew Pearson

Years: 1973-1983

Games: 156

Position: Wide Receiver

Pearson played his entire career in Dallas, catching 489 passes for 7822 yards and 48 touchdowns.  He also completed five of seven passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns (along with two interceptions).

Drew was an electrifying presence on the field, and he made the Pro Bowl three times, in 1974, 1976, and 1977.

18. Cliff Harris

Years: 1970-1979

Games: 141

Position: Free Safety, Return Specialist

Harris was nicknamed "Captain Crash", in respect to his dogged pursuit of ball carriers.  He played 10 seasons for the Cowboys, before retiring with 29 interceptions for 281 yards and one touchdown.  He also returned 66 punts for 418 yards and 63 kickoffs for 1,622 yards.

He made the Pro Bowl six times, every season from 1974-1979.

He was a Hall of Fame finalist in 2004, but has not been selected.

17. Larry Allen

Years: 1994-2005

Games: 176

Position: Offensive Lineman

Allen started at least one season at every offensive line position except for center.  He made the Pro Bowl every year from 1995-2000 and 2002-2005, more than any other offensive player in Cowboys history.

He once bench pressed 692 pounds, making him, if nothing else, a really strong dude.

He should be a first ballot hall of famer next year, but we shall see.

16. Rayfield Wright

Years: 1967-1979

Games: 166

Position: Right Tackle

At 6'6" and 255 pounds, Wright cut an imposing figure on the Cowboys offensive line.  He made the Pro Bowl every season from 1971-1976.

Wright was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

15. Dave Edwards

Years: 1963-1975

Games: 181

Position: Linebacker

Edwards played both right and left side linebacker for the Cowboys, only missing one game through his 13 year career.  He intercepted 13 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown and had 17 fumble recoveries.

He was particularly deadly against the run, neutralizing opposing tight ends so effectively that opposing coaches would construct a game plan accounting for him. 

14. Jethro Pugh

Years: 1965-1978

Games: 183

Position: Left Defensive Tackle

Although overshadowed by his teammates on the defensive line for so many years, Pugh was a force on defense, unofficially recording 95.5 sacks for the Cowboys. 

He retired in 1978, having played his whole career for the Cowboys.

Jethro hosts an annual golf tournament to raise money for the United Negro College Fund.

13. Troy Aikman

Years: 1989-2000

Games: 165

Position: Quarterback

Aikman made the Pro Bowl every season from 1991-1996. 

He completed 2,898 passes in 4715 attempts for 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns.

Troy led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Despite suffering from at least eight concussions, Troy always left his best on the field.

12. Ralph Neely

Years: 1965-1977

Games: 172

Position: Offensive Tackle

Neely was drafted by the AFL Oilers and the Colts in the 1965 draft, signing the Oilers contract.  Soon after, he found out that the Colts had traded his rights to the Cowboys, and returned his check from the Oilers.  One term of the AFL/NFL merger was that the Neely dispute be addressed.  The Cowboys ended up giving Houston draft choices.

Neely started at right tackle from the beginning of his career.  He made the Pro Bowl in 1967, 1968 and 1969 at the position.  Starting in 1970, he moved to the left tackle position, and remained a left tackle until his retirement in 1977.

Toward the end of his career, Neely achieved near mythical status in Dallas for his ability to draw holding penalties.

11. Roger Staubach

Years: 1969-1979

Games: 131

Position: Quarterback

Staubach was another Cowboys member who was so good he had three nicknames, "Captain America", "Captain Comeback", and "Roger the Dodger."

He completed 1,685 passes in 2,958 attempts for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns during his Cowboys career. His career passer rating was 83.4 and he never suffered a losing season.

He was named to the Pro Bowl six times, in 1971 and 1975-1979.  He was also a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1985.

In 2010, Staubach was named the number one Dallas Cowboy of all time, according to a poll conducted by the Dallas Morning News.

Tom Landry described Staubach as "possibly the best combination of a passer, an athlete, and a leader to ever play in the NFL."

10. Michael Irvin

Years: 1988-1999

Games: 159

Position: Wide Receiver

Irvin caught 750 passes for 11,904 yards and 65 touchdowns. His best season was in 1995, when he set Dallas records for receptions (111) and receiving yards (1,603), while also scoring 10 touchdowns. 

Michael made the Pro Bowl five years in a row from 1991-1995.  He was selected to the Hall of Fame in 2007. 

9. Cornell Green

Years: 1962-1974

Games: 182

Position: Defensive Secondary

Green took the most unexpected route to the National Football League, having never played a down in college.  The Cowboys selected him on his potential. 

Green excelled at both the left cornerback and strong safety positions. 

Green made the most of Dallas's faith, getting selected to the Pro Bowl in 1965-1967, and 1971-1972.  He intercepted 34 passes for 552 yards and two touchdowns, spending his entire career in Dallas.

He is currently a scout for the Denver Broncos.

8. Tony Dorsett

Years: 1977-1987

Games: 157

Position: Running Back

Dorsett was a constant threat with the football.  During eight different seasons, Dorsett had over 1,000 rushing yards.

During his career with the Cowboys, he rushed 2,755 times for 12,036 yards and 72 touchdowns.  He also caught 382 passes for 3,432 yards and 13 touchdowns. Dorsett broke the longest touchdown run in NFL history, 99 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in 1983.  Remarkably, the Cowboys only had 10 men on the field at the time.

Dorsett made the Pro Bowl in 1978, and 1981-1983.  He was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in  1994.

7. Ed

Years: 1974-1978, 1980-1989

Games: 224

Position: Left Defensive End

Jones was actually too tall.

At 6'9", Ed was the tallest guy in the NFL.  His wingspan helped him swim around offensive linemen and bat down passes from helpless quarterbacks.

He retired for a year in 1979 to be a pro boxer.  He went 6-0 with five knockouts before deciding to return to the Cowboys. 

At the end of his career, he was credited with 106 sacks.  He made the Pro Bowl after 1981-1983.

6. Lee Roy Jordan

Years: 1963-1976

Games: 186

Position: Middle Linebacker

Jordan was the Doomsday Defense's quarterback for 14 years.  During that time, he was responsible for 743 tackles and 493 assists.  He intercepted 32 passes for for 472 yards and three touchdowns.  He also recovered 18 fumbles.

His teammates nicknamed him "Killer."

In 1973, Jordan intercepted three passes in the first quarter from Ken Anderson, the Bengals quarterback within the span of five minutes, returning one 31 yards for a touchdown.

He made the Pro Bowl in 1967-1969 and 1973-1974.

5. Chuck Howley

Years: 1961-1973

Games: 165

Position: Right/Left Linebacker

Tom Landry once stated that Howley might have made it as a running back if he hadn't been too valuable to move from linebacker.

Howley played for the Bears for two seasons before retiring after an apparent career ending knee injury.  Landry convinced him to play for the expanding Cowboys.

Howley totalled 26.5 sacks, 24 interceptions for 395 yards and two touchdowns, and 17 fumble recoveries for 191 yards and a touchdown.

He made the Pro Bowl six times, 1965-1969 and 1971.

4. Mel Renfro

Years: 1964-1977

Games: 174

Position: Defensive Secondary, Return Specialist

As a return specialist, Renfro had 109 punts for 842 yards and a touchdown.  He also returned 85 kickoffs for 2246 yards and two touchdowns.

As a defensive back, he intercepted 52 passes for 626 yards and three touchdowns.  He also recovered 13 fumbles.  He was selected to the Pro Bowl for 10 straight years, from 1964-1973. 

Renfro was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

3. Randy White

Years: 1975-1988

Games: 209

Position: Right Defensive Tackle

White was fierce.  He accrued 111 sacks (52 official, 59 unofficial) in his career, spent entirely with the Cowboys.

He also collected 701 tackles and 403 assists. Paired up with "Too Tall" Jones, the two wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks for many years.

He made the Pro Bowl from 1977-1985, nine years in a row.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

2. Emmitt Smith

Years: 1990-2002

Games: 201

Position: Running Back

Nobody ran further than Smith.

For Dallas, he ran 4,052 times for 17,162 yards and 153 touchdowns.  He played with Arizona for two seasons after leaving the Cowboys, bringing his statistics to 4,409 carries for 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns, all NFL records.

For the Cowboys, Smith also caught 486 passes for 3,012 yards, scoring 11 more touchdowns.  He made the Pro Bowl from 1990-1995, and 1998-1999.

Along with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, the three were nicknamed, "The Triplets," and were all eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame. Smith was inducted in 2010, his first year of eligibility.

1. Bob Lilly

Years: 1961-1974

Games: 196

Position: Right Defensive Tackle

Lilly, or "Mr. Cowboy," NEVER missed a game in 14 years.  He was the first inductee into the Cowboys ring of honor, and hasn't missed a subsequent addition yet.

He earned 94 "unofficial" sacks, along with 18 fumble recoveries for three touchdowns. 

He made the Pro Bowl team 11 times,  1962 and 1964-1973. 

Bob was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, a first ballot selection.