Ranking the Greatest Dallas Cowboys of All Time
One of the most recognizable franchises in sports history, the Dallas Cowboys boast the second-most Super Bowl victories of all time and an extensive list of Hall of Fame talent.
Dozens of legends have passed through the Cotton Bowl, Texas Stadium and AT&T Stadium, helping the organization earn the popular nickname of "America's Team."
Given all that national recognition, selecting the 10 best players in Cowboys history is no easy task.
Individual production, awards and longevity factored into the rankings, which placed a small emphasis on impact to team success. That, while subjective, is the most memorable part of any player's career.
Honorable Mentions
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Dez Bryant, WR
Despite the unsavory end to his Cowboys tenure, Bryant locked up a place in franchise history. During his eighth season in Dallas, he broke the mark for career touchdowns and ended with 73. Bryant also holds top-five marks in receptions (531) and yards (7,459).
Bob Hayes, WR
Hayes was the first great receiver for the organization. At the end of his playing days, he held Cowboys records with 365 catches, 7,295 yards and 71 touchdowns—the last of which stood until Bryant grabbed his 72nd career score in 2017. (Hayes also won two gold medals as a sprinter at the 1964 Olympics.)
Chuck Howley, LB
A five-time All-Pro linebacker, Howley is the only player in NFL history to win Super Bowl MVP even though his team lost. Howley appeared in 165 games for the Cowboys.
Tony Romo, QB
It's a shame a bobbled snap on special teams and a controversial non-catch overshadowed Romo's brilliant career. Romo set franchise records in passing yards, touchdowns, quarterback rating, game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks.
Deion Sanders, CB/PR
On talent alone, Sanders is a top-10 player in team history. However, he only spent five seasons with the Cowboys. "Prime Time" notched 148 tackles and 14 interceptions on defense, adding four punt-return touchdowns.
DeMarcus Ware, DE
The No. 11 overall pick of the 2005 NFL draft played nine successful years in Dallas. Ware set a franchise record with 117 sacks and forced 32 fumbles.
Darren Woodson, S
No defender in team history has recorded more tackles than Woodson, who amassed 813 total stops in 12 years. The five-time Pro Bowler intercepted 23 passes too.
10. Jason Witten
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The final season of Jason Witten's career included a record-breaking accomplishment. Already the franchise's leader in receptions, he passed Michael Irvin for the all-time yardage mark.
Witten, a third-round selection in 2003, suited up for the Cowboys through 2017. He caught 1,152 passes—the fourth-most in league history—for 12,448 yards and 68 touchdowns.
In addition to earning a pair of first-team All-Pro honors, Witten made 11 Pro Bowls and was a member of the 2003 All-Rookie Team.
9. Mel Renfro
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Following a standout career on the Oregon track team, Mel Renfro entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 1964. He shifted from running back to defense and became a Cowboys legend.
Over his 14 years, Renfro snatched 52 interceptions—a franchise record that still stands—and recovered 13 fumbles. He set a then-Dallas record with 2,246 kick-return yards. He now ranks fourth in that category, as well as eighth in punt-return yards.
Renfro retired after the 1977 season and eventually arrived in the Hall of Fame as a member of the 1996 class.
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8. Tony Dorsett
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Tony Dorsett wasted no time making an impact for Dallas.
As a rookie in 1977, the Pitt product scampered for 1,007 yards and what would be a career-high 12 touchdowns. Dorsett garnered Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, also rushing for 66 yards and a score in the team's Super Bowl XII victory.
Dorsett recorded eight 1,000-yard seasons, and his 3,432 receiving yards are the most by a Cowboys running back. The 1994 Hall of Fame inductee made four Pro Bowls.
7. Michael Irvin
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A first-round pick in 1988, Michael Irvin shattered team records during his 12-year career with the Cowboys.
"The Playmaker" caught 750 passes for 11,904 yards, cruising past the previous marks of 489 and 7,988. Irvin also scored 65 touchdowns, garnered All-Pro honors in 1991 and made five Pro Bowls.
In 2007, Irvin received his anticipated call from Canton and entered the Hall of Fame. He won three championships with Dallas, catching two scores in Super Bowl XXVII.
6. Troy Aikman
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During a terrific 12-year career, Troy Aikman made six Pro Bowls, won three Super Bowls and absorbed a whole bunch of massive hits.
"It's a brutal game," Aikman said in a 2017 interview with Clay Skipper of GQ. "I consider myself to be one of the really, really fortunate ones, to have gotten out of the game as healthy as I did."
The No. 1 overall pick of the 1989 draft, Aikman still holds franchise records with 2,898 completions and 94 career wins. He also ranks second in yards (32,942) and touchdowns (165). Aikman was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the 2006 class.
5. Larry Allen
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Considered by many the greatest—or at least most feared—guard in NFL history, Larry Allen was a dominant force up front.
So much so that he didn't care if a defender knew what was coming.
"Young Larry Allen would go up to the line of scrimmage and go 'whoo-whoo,'" said former New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck while mimicking a train whistle. "And he would literally let the D-tackle know that Emmitt Smith and Moose Johnston were gonna be running through this hole right here and there's nothing you can do about it."
The 2013 Hall of Fame inductee landed on the All-Rookie Team in 1994 and made six All-Pro teams and 11 Pro Bowls with Dallas.
4. Randy White
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"The Manster" assembled a terrific college career at Maryland, and Dallas used the No. 2 overall pick of the 1975 draft on Randy White.
Decision rewarded.
A seven-time first-team All-Pro on the defensive line, White earned co-MVP honors with teammate Harvey Martin in Super Bowl XII. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, White racked up 1,104 tackles and 111 sacks during his 14 years in Dallas.
White, who is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, received his bust in Canton with the 1994 class.
3. Bob Lilly
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Not only is Bob Lilly a legendary player, he was also the first draft pick in the organization's existence. Pretty good choice, Dallas.
He tallied 11 Pro Bowl nods while appearing in 196 games and collecting seven first-team All-Pro honors. Lilly recovered 18 fumbles and accounted for four touchdowns on defense.
In 1980, the Hall of Fame came calling for Lilly, who celebrated a Super Bowl victory with Dallas in Super Bowl VI.
2. Emmitt Smith
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Of the 16 highest single-season rushing totals in team history, Emmitt Smith holds nine of those places. His 1995 mark of 1,773 yards stood until 2014, yet no Dallas runner has been remotely close to breaking his record of 25 touchdowns scored that season.
Smith's NFL-best total of 18,355 rushing yards is safe too.
He officially surpassed Walter Payton's record as a member of the 2002 Cowboys before wrapping up a brilliant career with the Arizona Cardinals. Smith totaled more than 20,000 yards from scrimmage in Dallas, rushing for 75 touchdowns and catching 11.
Alongside Aikman and Irvin, Smith won three Super Bowls. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2010.
1. Roger Staubach
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After serving in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969, Roger Staubach joined the Cowboys and worked into a starting role two years later. The decision paid off, considering Dallas went 10-0 in his starts and won a Super Bowl in 1971.
That would be the first of two NFL championships for "Captain Comeback," whose 22,700 career yards and 153 touchdowns through the air were franchise records at the time. Plus, his 2,264 rushing yards and 20 scores remain the most by a Cowboys quarterback.
"You knew someone special was on the field" when watching Staubach, Chicago Bears great Sid Luckman said, per Mark Kreidler of ESPN.com.
Staubach, the Super Bowl VI MVP, achieved six Pro Bowl nods and received a Hall of Fame spot in 1985.
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