Love ’em or hate ’em, the Dallas Cowboys are one of the most influential and sought after NFL teams in history – probably ever. Whether they’re elite, mediocre, or bottom-feeders during the season, the football world will still pay huge attention to what they’re doing. They are not “America’s Team” for nothing.
One thing that’s not lost, regardless of their place in the standings, is being blessed with talented athletes. In every era of the franchise, there’s a handful of guys that are quite iconic, ones that helped preserve the aura of being a Dallas Cowboy.
Here now are their top 50 players in history. Read on!
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys:
– Four-time Pro Bowler
49. Dan Reeves, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1965-72
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys:
– 3,683 all-purpose yards
– 42 rushing and receiving touchdowns
– One-time Super Bowl champion
48. Walt Garrison, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1966-1974
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– One-time Pro Bowler
– 5,680 all-purpose yards
– 39 touchdowns
47. Flozell Adams, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1998-2009
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys:
– Five-time Pro Bowler
46. Jim Jeffcoat, DL
Years as a Cowboy: 1983-1994
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys:
– Two-time Super Bowl Champion
– 94.5 sacks
45. Terrell Owens, WR
Years as a Cowboy: 2005-2008
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – three straight seasons with 1,000-plus yards and 10-plus touchdowns
44. Dez Bryant, WR
Years as a Cowboy: 2010-present
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three straight seasons with 1,200-plus yards and 10-plus touchdowns
– Three-time Pro Bowler
– One-time All-Pro
43. Mark Stepnoski, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1989-1994, 1999-2001
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl champion
– Five-time Pro Bowler
42. Mark Tuinei, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1983-1997
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Super Bowl champion
– Two-time Pro Bowler
41. Bill Bates, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1983-1997
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Superbowl champion
– One-time Pro Bowler
40. Calvin Hill, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1969-1974
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – 1969 Rookie of the Year
– Two-time All-Pro
– Four-time Pro Bowler
39. Jethro Pugh, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1965-1978
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Pro Bowler
38. Ralph Neely, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1965-1977
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl champion
– Four-time All-Pro
– Two-time Pro Bowler
– NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
37. Pat Donovan, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1975-1983
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Four-time Pro Bowler
– One-time Super Bowl champion
36. Daryl Johnston, FB
Years as a Cowboy: 1989-1999
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: –Three-time Super Bowl champion
– Two-time Pro Bowler
35. Herschell Walker, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1986-1989, 1996-1997
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – 6,047 all-purpose yards
– 35 rushing and receiving yards
– Two-time Pro Bowler
34. John Niland, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1966-1974
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl champion
– Six-time Pro Bowler
33. Billy Joe Dupree, TE
Years as a Cowboy: 1973-1983
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– Three-time Pro Bowler
32. Nate Newton, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1986-1998
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Super Bowl Champion
– Two-time All Pro
– Six-time Pro Bowler
31. Erik Williams, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1991-2000
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Super Bowl Champion
– Two-time All Pro
– Four-time Pro Bowler
30. Charlie Waters, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1970-1981
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time Pro Bowler
– Playoff interceptions leader (9)
29. Ed “Too Tall” Jones
Years as a Cowboy: 1974-1978, 1980-1989
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– One-time All Pro
– Three-time Pro Bowler
28. Danny White, QB
Years as a Cowboy: 1976-1988
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– One-time Pro Bowler
– Retired as the franchise leader in passing yards, completions, and attempts.
27. Tony Hill, WR
Years as a Cowboy: 1976-1989
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time Pro Bowler
– 7,988 receiving yards, 51 touchdowns
26. George Andrie, DL
Years as a Cowboy: 1962-1971
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– One-time All Pro
– Five-time Pro Bowler
25. Jay Novacek, TE
Years as a Cowboy: 1990-1996
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Super Bowl Champion
– Five-time Pro Bowler
24. Everson Walls, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1981-1989
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Four-time Pro Bowler
– One-time All Pro
– Led the league in interceptions
23. Cornell Green, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1962-1974
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time All Pro
– Five-time Pro Bowler
22. Don Perkins, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1961-1968
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys:
– One-time All Pro
– Five-time Pro Bowler
– 7,527 all-purpose yards
– 45 rushing and receiving touchdowns
21. Darren Woodson
Years as a Cowboy: 1992-2004
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time All Pro
– Five-time Pro Bowler
20. Charles Haley, DE/LB
Years as a Cowboy: 1992-1996
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Three-time Super Bowl champion
– One-time All Pro
– Two-time Pro Bowler
19. Harvey Martin, DL
Years as a Cowboy: 1973-1983
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– One-time All Pro
– Four-time Pro Bowler
18. Don Meredith, QB
Years as a Cowboy: 1960-1968
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Pro Bowler
– 17,199 passing yards
– 135 passing touchdowns
17. Drew Pearson, WR
Years as a Cowboy: 1973-1983
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– Three-time All Pro
– Three-time Pro Bowler
16. Chuck Howley, LB
Years as a Cowboy: 1961-1973
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– Five-time All Pro
– Six-time Pro Bowler
15. Cliff Harris, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1970-1979
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl Champion – Three-time All Pro – Six-time Pro Bowler
14. DeMarcus Ware, DL
Years as a Cowboy: 2005-2013
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl Champion
– Four-time All Pro
– Nine-time Pro Bowler
– 117 sacks
13. Deion Sanders, DB
Years as a Cowboy: 1995-1999
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time All Pro
– Four-time Pro Bowler
12. Rayfield Wright, OT
Years as a Cowboy: 1967-1979
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – Two-time Super Bowl champion
– Three-time All Pro
– Six-time Pro Bowler
11. Lee Roy Jordan, LB
Years as a Cowboy: 1963-1976
Career highlights and awards with the Cowboys: – One-time Super Bowl champion
– One-time All Pro
– Five-time Pro Bowler
10. Jason Witten, TE
Years as a Cowboy: 2003-present
As a consistent and reliable pass-catcher for his QBs, particularly to Tony Romo, Witten quickly endeared himself to the coaching staff and the Big D fans. Now a respected veteran, it’s safe to say that he can be mentioned in the same breath with the other premier TEs of his time – Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.
Among active players, he’s second in receptions and fifth in receiving yards.
9. Tony Romo, QB
Years as a Cowboy: 2004-2016
Some of the criticism regarding his play in the clutch may be self-inflicted, but if you’re not blinded by your hater shades, you would know that prime Romo was an elite QB.
His underdog story is also interesting, as he rose from a practice player to a certified Cowboy legend. He may not have won titles, but he has more fourth-quarter comebacks, passing yards, and passing touchdowns than any other QB in Dallas Cowboys history – yes, that includes Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.
8. Larry Allen, OL
Years as a Cowboy: 1994-2005
Allen was known as the most efficient protector of the Cowboys. He’s arguably the greatest offensive lineman in the history of the team and a unquestionable all-timer in the O-Line position.
Through his consistent play, which includes helping the ‘Boys win Super Bowl XXX, he was inducted into the hall in 2013.
No one in the NFL has yet to rival Allen’s feat in weightlifting, as the 705 lbs bench press and 906 lbs squat he did years back still stands.
7. Tony Dorsett, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1994-2005
The offense of the early and mid 80s Cowboys centered a lot on Dorsett. The Hall-of-Famer had eight 1,000-plus yard games in his first nine seasons, and it’s pretty arguable that the lockout-shortened 1982 season was the only thing that prevented him from going 9-for-9 (he had 745 rushing yards in nine games that season).
He’s also the only player to have a 99-yard run from scrimmage.
6. Michael Irvin, WR
Years as a Cowboy: 1988-1999
The Cowboys’ passing attack in the 90s was all Irvin. He led the team in receiving for nine straight seasons and became one of the headliners in the decade’s great crop of wideouts. The “88 clubber” was Aikman’s ever reliable primary receiver, especially during their championship runs, as he powered through d-backs and outran LBs.
He was inducted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame in 2007.
5. Troy Aikman, QB
Years as a Cowboy: 1989-2000
Aikman was the main piece of Jerry Jones’s team re-build in the late 80s, and became the undisputed leader of the Cowboys’ dynasty in the early 90s. He didn’t have the flashy stats of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but he can certainly drive his team to championships.
He was inducted into the NFL Hall-of-Fame in 2006.
4. Randy White, DL
Years as a Cowboy: 1975-1988
Another Cowboy Hall-of-Famer, “The Manster” was a consistently ferocious defender for more than a decade. He was one of the main pieces of the 70s Cowboys’ famed “Doomsday Defense,” and helped push the team to a championship in Super Bowl XIII.
3. Bob Lilly
Years as a Cowboy: 1961-1974
Nicknamed “Mr. Cowboy,” Lilly was one of the key figures in helping the Cowboys rise to popularity. He has 11 Pro Bowl appearances and seven All Pro tags under his name, along with a Super Bowl championship. The man was arguably one of the most iconic defensive players in the history of the team.
2. Emmitt Smith, RB
Years as a Cowboy: 1990-2002
Emmit Smith was the offensive workhorse of the Cowboys’ trio of championships in the 90s, which eventually led to him becoming the rushing king of the NFL.
He’s considered to be in the “Mt. Rushmore” of running backs, which should be well-deserved since he had over 18,000 yards rushing, 17,162 of which was with the ‘Boys.
1. Roger Staubach and Tom Landry
Years as a Cowboy: Staubach (1969-1979), Landry (1960-1988)
Don’t think of this as a cop out. These two were the reason why the Dallas Cowboys got the nickname “America’s Team.” Staubach drove the team down the field time and again, while Landry got the team prepared night in, night out.
They were the leaders of the franchise’s first golden era and kept it as a powerhouse for a long time, which included a pair of championships. Them sharing the number one spot just seems right.
