Gil Brandt Dies at 91; Former Cowboys Exec Helped Create NFL Combine, Remake Draft

Former Dallas Cowboys executive and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt died Thursday at the age of 91, the organization announced.

Brandt was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the NFL Scouting Combine, and he changed the way teams evaluated potential draft picks by utilizing computers, psychology tests and other important tools.

After brief stints with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, Brandt was the Cowboys' vice president of player personnel from 1960 to 1988, winning a pair of Super Bowls during his tenure.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who purchased the team in 1989 as Brandt's tenure was coming to a close, released a statement regarding Brandt's impact on him, the Cowboys franchise and the NFL as a whole:

"We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt–a true icon and pioneer of our sport. Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that. His contributions cemented his spot in the Ring of Honor. He was my friend and a mentor not only to me, but to countless executives, coaches, players and broadcasters across the National Football League, which rightfully earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame where his legacy will be celebrated forever.

"He was an innovator and set the standard for excellence in player acquisition. From the creation of the NFL Combine to revolutionizing the NFL Draft, Gil finished his over six-decade NFL career with an eye towards the future of the league and teaching fans about the sport he loved as a radio broadcaster. Gil was as good a storyteller as it gets, with a memory as sharp as a tack. His dedication to, and passion for, this game left a lasting impact on generations of Hall of Fame players and coaches. There are very few people that have been able to have the kind of generational impact that he did. Gil was as dedicated to growing this league and sport as anyone ever was, and we are all grateful and better for it.

"Our hearts go out to Gil's wife, Sara, his son Hunter and all of Gil's family and friends."

Born in Milwaukee, Brandt attended the University of Wisconsin before becoming a scout for the Rams and 49ers. When Tex Schramm left the Rams to become the Cowboys' general manager in 1960, he made Brandt among his first and most substantial hires in the front office.

Brandt played a role in the drafting or acquisition of many of the greatest players in Cowboys history, including Hall of Famers such as Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Mel Renfro, Rayfield Wright, Michael Irvin, Bob Hayes, Drew Pearson, Everson Walls and Cliff Harris.

He also smartly selected running back Herschel Walker in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft despite the fact that he was playing for the USFL's New Jersey Generals at the time. Walker joined the Cowboys when the USFL dissolved, which set the stage for a spectacular run of success in the 1990s.

After Brandt departed, the Cowboys dealt Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in one of the most famous trades in sports history, acquiring draft picks that would result in the selection of Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith and perennial Pro Bowl safety Darren Woodson.

Dallas would win three Super Bowls in the 1990s, adding to the two Super Bowls it won during Brandt's time with the team.

After leaving the Cowboys, Brandt spent years as an NFL analyst for NFL.com and SiriusXM Radio.

He was recognized as one of the architects of the Cowboys' success in the 1970s with an induction into the franchise's Ring of Honor in 2018 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.