Don Meredith: Where Does "Dandy" Don Rank Among All Time Dallas Cowboy Greats?

The Dallas Cowboys fan base received some sad news this morning with the announcement that former quarterback Don Meredith had passed away at the age of 72 due to a brain hemorrhage.

Meredith was the starting quarterback for the first win in the history of the Cowboys' franchise back in 1961, a 27-24 thriller over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Meredith wasn't actually the one who led the Cowboys to the victory, as he was replaced by Eddie LeBaron late in the game and LeBaron got the Cowboys in position for the game winning field goal.

But, he deserves praise for leading the Cowboys into a position for a win after an inaugural season that ended with a record of 0-11-1.

So, where does the beloved Dandy rank amongst the 10 greatest Cowboys of all time?

10. Ed "Too Tall" Jones

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ANAHEIM, CA - 1985: Defensive lineman Ed 'Too Tall' Jones #72 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a play during a 1985 NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The 6'9" Ed "Too Tall" Jones wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks from 1974-89, with a one-year break to pursue a boxing career in 1979.

Jones led the Cowboys defense to a Super Bowl XII victory and made three Pro Bowls in the span of his career.

He finished his career with 57.5 sacks.

9. Bob Hayes

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Bob Hayes Jr. poses with the bust of his late father Bob Sr. at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the 2009 enshrinement ceremony at Fawcett Stadium on August 8, 2009 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty

Bob Hayes received a long overdue induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, seven years after his death.

Pictured above is his son, Bob Hayes, Jr., receiving the honor in place of his dad.

It's only fitting that the player whom the zone defense was supposedly created to stop would get a bust in Canton.

Hayes finished his career with 71 touchdown catches as a speedy wide receiver.

8. Deion Sanders

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25 Nov 1999: Deion Sanders #21 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates on the field during the game against the Miami Dolphins at the Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Ronald Martinez /Allsport

"Prime Time" loved the spotlight he was under in Dallas.

He was also a big reason they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, even contributing a 47-yard catch on the offensive side of the ball.

Sanders was one of the best shutdown corners in the history of the NFL and also one of the most exciting players ever to step onto a football field.

7. Randy White

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Randy White #54 of the Dallas Cowboys waits for action during a 1985 game against the San Francisco 49ers.

White was a beast on the defensive line along with No. 10 on this list, Ed "Too Tall" Jones. That unit was a big reason the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII.

White made nine Pro Bowls in his career that spanned from 1975-88 and was honored as the co-Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XII as well.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994 in his first year of eligibility.

6. Don Meredith

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Don Meredith will always have a place in the hearts of Dallas Cowboys fans, even though he never led the team to a Super Bowl.

He was the first face of the franchise and really brought the Cowboys into the national spotlight.

He made three Pro Bowls in his nine year career and finished with 17,199 passing yards and 135 touchdown passes.

5. Tony Dorsett

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ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 4: Running back Tony Dorsett #33 of the Dallas Cowboys rushes for yards during a 1985 NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium on January 4, 1996 in Anaheim, California. The Rams won 20-0. (Photo

Dorsett ran for 12,033 yards in his 11 years as a Dallas Cowboy, leading the Dallas offense to a victory in Super Bowl XII over the Denver Broncos.

Dorsett also had a 99-yard touchdown run in 1983 against the Minnesota Vikings, the longest run from scrimmage in NFL history. Interestingly, the Cowboys only had 10 men on the field for that run.

Dorsett made four Pro Bowls in his notable career and finished with 92 touchdowns.

4. Michael Irvin

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28 Dec 1996: Wide receiver Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys moves down the field during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The Cowboys won the game, 40-15. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport

Irvin burst onto the scene in 1991 after three years of battling injuries. In that season, he had 93 catches for 1,523 yards and eight touchdowns. The rest would be history.

Irvin played a key part in the Cowboys' run of three Super Bowls in four years from 1992-95.

He finished his career with 750 catches for 11,904 yards and 65 touchdowns, all in a Cowboy uniform.

3. Roger Staubach

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1979: Quarterback Roger Staubach #12 of the Dallas Cowboys rolls out of the pocket during a Cowboys game in the 1979 season. Mandatory Credit: Allsport/ALLSPORT

Staubach led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl VI victory in his first year as a full-time starter. He was everything the Cowboys could ask for from the quarterback position with his leadership, hard work both on and off the field and his knack for making the Cowboys win no matter what.

Staubach finished his 10 year career with two Super Bowl rings (VI and XII). He threw for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

2. Troy Aikman

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15 Oct 2000: Quarterback Troy Aikman #8 of the Dallas Cowboys passes the ball during a game against the New York Giants at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Cowboys 19-14.Mandatory Credit: Harry How /Allsport

The Cowboys drafted Aikman out of UCLA with the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. It was a pick well spent.

After it was all said and done in Aikman's 12 year professional career, he had racked up 32,942 passing yards and 165 touchdown passes.

He also led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories, one more than Roger Staubach, making him the Cowboys' quarterback with the most Super Bowl wins.

His performance on the biggest of stages, including a Super Bowl XXVII MVP award, warrant his ranking as the No. 2 player in the history of the Dallas Cowboys.

1. Emmitt Smith

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INDIANAPOLIS-NOVEMBER 17: Emmitt Smith #22 of the Dallas Cowboys runs with the ball during their game against the Indianapolis Colts on November 17, 2002 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Cowboys 20-3. (Photo by Jonathan Da

Emmitt Smith was not only the best running back in Dallas Cowboy history, he was the best running back in the history of the NFL.

The numbers speak for themselves: 18,355 yards, 4.2 yards per carry, 164 touchdowns.

Smith was Mr. Consistency in the Cowboys' backfield from 1990-2002.

He also led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories, earning the Super Bowl MVP honor in Super Bowl XXVIII, a game in which he ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns.