Henry Roldán
To be considered one of the best players in the history of the Dallas Cowboys is no easy task. On a team with so much tradition that has won five Super Bowl rings, selecting the top five is no easy task, too.
However, here we took on the task of doing so and we bring you the names that occupy the elite of what is considered the most popular team in the NFL.
5.- Best Dallas Cowboys Players of All Time: Larry Allen (G/T)
Probably the best offensive guard in history is part of our list of the best players in Cowboys history. Allen played 12 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Dallas organization, being a real nightmare for opposing defenders every time they tried to get past this 6’4″, 300-pound wall, who could not only play as a guard but also as a tackle.
The Hall of Famer made his opponents look insignificant, while allowing Emmitt Smith to continue adding numbers to his record with big runs through the holes he opened in the defensive line. For that reason, he was named to the Pro Bowl 10 times (11 in his career), made six All-Pro teams and secured a spot on the All-Decade team in the’90s and 00’s’.
By the way, if you want to see a sample of his power, look for the video of the moment he lifted 317 kilograms (700 pounds) during a Cowboys practice. Unbelievable!
4.- Best Dallas Cowboys Players of All Time: Troy Aikman (QB)
To fully appreciate Aikman’s importance in Cowboys history, the first overall pick in the 1989 draft won three of the franchise’s five Super Bowl rings.
Unlike many other quarterbacks, Aikman did not have dazzling statistics or lead many categories in his 12 seasons (1989-2000) in the NFL, all with Dallas. However, he always found a way to win, to make that precise pass and to make the most of playing alongside the greatest running back of all time, Emmitt Smith.
Aikman currently leads the Cowboys in most games won (94) and pass completions (2,898) in Cowboys history and was named to the Pro Bowl six times and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
3.- Best Dallas Cowboys Players of All Time: Emmitt Smith (RB)
Imagine how historic the Dallas Cowboys are and how many players have been part of their ranks, that the man who is considered the best running back in history is not at the top of our list of best players in history.
Smith played 13 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Cowboys, and along with Aikman was an important part of that dynasty that won three Super Bowl between 1992 and 1995. In the history of the league, no one has more ground yards (18,355) and touchdowns by land (164) than Smith, being for obvious reasons the leader of the organization despite not playing his last two seasons with it.
Wearing the Lone Star uniform, he also had 11 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 yards on the ground, twice topped 1,700, won the 1993 circuit MVP, was named to eight Pro Bowls, made four All-Pro teams and in 2010 was elected to the Canton Hall of Fame.
2.- Best Dallas Cowboys Players of All Time: Bob Lilly (DT/DE)
Lilly, better known as “Mr Cowboy,” became the Cowboys’ first NFL draft pick in 1961 and the franchise’s first player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
In 14 seasons with the Cowboys, the defensive wing did not miss a single game, playing 196 games for the Dallas team. At that time, catches were not an official statistic, but his 95,5 sacks and the 18 fumbles he picked up in that period remain in the record.
Lilly was key in the 1971 Super Bowl victory, precisely with a great catch in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins, in addition to being called 11 times to the Pro-Bowl, seven times he was on an All-Pro team and was part of the teams of the ’60s and 70′.
1.- Best Dallas Cowboys Players of All Time: Roger Staubach (QB)
To be one of the best players in history, it is not only necessary to have good records. It also counts to be an example, a person with commitment and dedication. And that is the case with Staubach.
Considered the greatest player in Cowboys history, Staubach was selected in the 10th round of the 1964 Draft, but it wasn’t until 1969 that he played in the NFL as he decided to fulfil national commitments by going to defend the United States in the Vietnam War.
Once he returned, at the age of 30, the quarterback joined the Cowboys and in 1971 took over the starting job at the position. That year he posted a 10-0 record and led his team to victory in Super Bowl VI by earning MVP honors.
The so-called “Captain Comeback” not only won a Lombardi Trophy again in 1977, but he also remains the quarterback with the most yards on the ground in franchise history with 2,264, was named to the Pro-Bowl six times, made the All-Decade Team in the 1970s and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985.
