THE TOP 25 DALLAS COWBOYS PLAYERS OF ALL TIME

The Dallas Cowboys are perhaps no longer “America’s Team," and they are no longer winning Super Bowls left and right. But they are still the most valuable franchise in the NFL. Over the years, the Cowboys have had many legends take the field for them. Here are the 25 best players to wear the star on their helmets.

25. ZACH MARTIN

Offensive linemen don’t get a lot of love, and Martin is still early in his career. However, since the Notre Dame product was drafted, he’s been arguably the best guard in the league. He’s played four full seasons and made four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. If he stays healthy, the Hall of Fame could be in his future.

24. TERRELL OWENS

If Owens had spent his entire career with Dallas, he’d be much higher up on this list. He’s arguably one of the top five receivers of all time, his testy personality notwithstanding. Yes, he spent only three years in Dallas, but they were three great years. We’re talking 38 touchdowns over three seasons and tons of memorable plays. The power of T.O. is that he needed only three years with the Cowboys to crack the top 25.

23. DREW PEARSON

The NFL was a different league in the ‘70s. Case in point: Pearson once led the league in receiving yards with 870. He had two 1,000-yard seasons in his career, though, a career that was spent entirely with Dallas. Pearson was named to the All-1970s Team by the NFL, making him something of an overlooked figure from football’s past.

22. BOB HAYES

They called him “Bullet” Bob Hayes for a reason. You know how it's said that some NFL players have track speed? Hayes won two gold medals as a sprinter at the 1964 Olympics. He then joined the NFL, where he used that speed to drive defenses crazy. One year, he had 34 catches but turned them into 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. There was something magic about "Bullet."

21. NATE NEWTON

Unfortunately, Newton’s football legacy has been overshadowed a bit by multiple drug trafficking arrests, though the changes about the way marijuana is perceived may have softened that. As a player, though, he was great. The offensive guard was on three Super Bowl teams with the Cowboys, and he made six Pro Bowls in Dallas as well. The massive guard certainly made things easier for Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.

20. DARREN WOODSON

Woodson spent his entire 12-season career patrolling Dallas’ secondary, and his heyday coincided with the Cowboys’ perfect. He made five-straight Pro Bowls from 1994 through 1998, racking up the tackles and picking up a few interceptions here and there. Darren is no Rod Woodson, but he had a great career in his own right.

19. CLIFF HARRIS

Harris is another Cowboy from the ‘90s who deserves more love. He was an excellent defensive back but also a great kick returner. Harris made the Pro Bowl in his final six seasons and then called it a career at the age of 31. That’s what we call going out on a high note. His career spanned 1970-1979, and fittingly he was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-1970s Team.

18. DEION SANDERS

Sanders certainly gets bonus points for flash. If you are talking legendary football players, though, highlight reels matter, and few defensive players have a reel that matches "Prime Time." Neon Deion was in Dallas for five seasons and played a full 16 games only once. It didn’t matter. The man made three All-Pro teams and completely shut down opposing receivers. Sanders had a big personality, but he backed it up with his on-field performance.

17. LARRY ALLEN

There aren’t a lot of stats you can point at in terms of offensive linemen. As such, it can be hard to define dominance on the line. Maybe this will cover it though: Allen made six All-Pro teams and 10 Pro Bowls as a Cowboy. He’s a Hall of Famer who spent almost his entire career in Dallas. The only thing holding him back is that it’s hard to be iconic as an offensive tackle.

16. DEZ BRYANT

Dez had an acrimonious end to his time with the Cowboys, but during his heyday he gave the Cowboys the weapon they had been missing. Over a three-year peak, he had over 1,200 yards and at least 12 touchdowns in every season. He once led the league with 16 touchdowns. Finally signing on with the Saints in early November, just days after turning 30, he then suffered a season-ending injury that could jeopardize his future. But he had a great run with Dallas.

15. JASON WITTEN

Witten? Oh, he’s just one of the most prolific tight ends of all time. He finished with a whopping 1,152 receptions in his career — a career that was spent entirely with the Cowboys. Witten is fourth all time in receptions and 21st in receiving yards, which makes him one of the best pass catchers ever. The Hall of Fame awaits, but he’s already a living Cowboys legend.

14. TONY ROMO

Romo got a bad rap because the Cowboys never won a Super Bowl with him. However, his performance, aside from a memorable botched fumble, was pretty much impeachable. Though he never made an All-Pro team — competition was tough — he threw 248 touchdowns and he had some great seasons in which he carried the Dallas offense. His biggest sin was not being Troy Aikman, but his excellence will be recognized in time.

13. LEE ROY JORDAN

Jordan is an old-school name, as he played from 1963 to 1976. He was a middle linebacker, which isn’t the most glamorous position at times, but he made a major impact. The Alabama alumnus finished his career with 32 interceptions, and he made five Pro Bowls as well. The name may have faded with time, but the greatness of his play has not.

12. CHUCK HOWLEY

Howley is a trivia question answer because he is the only player to ever be named Super Bowl MVP for a losing team. However, he was so much more than that. Howley played linebacker right next to Jordan for many years — talk about a dynamic duo — and stats weren’t kept as specifically back then. What we do know, however, is that he made five All-Pro teams. Plus, it is cool that he won Super Bowl MVP in a losing effort.

11. CORNELL GREEN

While Howley and Jordan were playing as linebacker, Green was in the secondary. That Cowboys defense of the ‘60s was amazing. Green twice had seven interceptions in a season, and that was back in the day when teams weren’t throwing the ball constantly. He scored four touchdowns in his career, and he was a three-time All-Pro.

10. DEMARCUS WARE

Drafted out of Troy, Ware turned out to be a real diamond in the rough. Pretty much from the word go, he was a sack machine. He led the league in sacks twice, including a 20-sack season. Ware also led the NFL in tackles for loss three times with Dallas. When Ware was on the field, opposing offenses took notice.

9. ROGER STAUBACH

Before there was Aikman, there was Staubach. Probably the best football player ever drafted from the Naval Academy, Staubach led the NFL in passer rating four times, and he spent his entire Hall of Fame career with the Cowboys. Plus, he was the Super Bowl VI MVP. That gets you a lot of points with a fan base.

8. MEL RENFRO

Renfro may not be as flashy as Staubach, but he had a fantastic career in his own right. We’re talking 10 Pro Bowls and a Hall of Fame induction. The defensive back had 52 career interceptions, 26th most all time. He was also an impressive kick returner, making him something of an early version of Deion Sanders.

7. ED "TOO TALL" JONES

Jones is in the nickname Hall of Fame, and you could argue that he belongs in the actual football Hall of Fame as well. Though the 6-foot-9 defensive end started his career before sacks were an official stat, he still finished with 57.5 “official” sacks, which doesn’t include anything from his first six seasons. He had 10 sacks when he was 36 years old! “Too Tall” was simply too good for most offensive linemen.

6. BOB LILLY

Lilly is an old school name, but he was one of the very best defensive linemen of the ‘60s. Like Jones, he plays in a time before sacks were official, but here’s what we do know about the career-long Cowboys. He made 11 Pro Bowls and was an All Pro a whopping seven times. No Cowboy made more All-Pro teams.

5. RANDY WHITE

However, White did tie Lilly with seven All-Pro appearances. He made the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-1980s team, and rightfully so. The guy was an absolute beast, and the best defensive player in Cowboys history. White was named Super Bowl MVP in 1977, and he rightfully was inducted into the Hall in 1994. Right around when a new run of Super Bowls began. The ‘90s were a good time to be a Cowboys fan.

4. TONY DORSETT

Dorsett actually entered the Hall the same year as White. A lot of Cowboys fans probably made the trek to Canton for that ceremony. The legendary Pitt running back was a true workhorse for Dallas. He ranks 12th in all-time touches, but he made those pay off. Dorsett scored 91 touchdowns in his career, and he still is 10th in all-time rushing yards. Even though he played in the heyday of running backs, he still stood out.

3. MICHAEL IRVIN

Would you believe Irvin made only one All-Pro team? That’s what playing in the same era as Jerry Rice will do to you. Though he was controversial at times, Irvin is the best receiver that the Cowboys have ever had, and he spent his entire career there. When Dallas was dominating in the ‘90s, he was a key cog in the offense. For five straight years in the ‘90s, all Pro Bowl years, he had over 1,200 yards receiving. Irvin still ranks 12th in career receiving yards per game, even with the explosion in passing.

2. TROY AIKMAN

Let’s be honest: When you think “Dallas Cowboys,” Aikman is probably the first name that comes to mind. He was the quarterback of America’s Team when it was at its peak. He never actually threw a ton of touchdowns, but the man ran the offense and kept it humming. In the playoffs, he stepped up constantly, even winning MVP once. Aikman was definitely the face of the Cowboys in the ‘90s…

1. EMMITT SMITH

But he wasn’t their most important player. Who else could it be? Smith leads the Cowboys in career Approximate Value by a wide margin. Advanced stats not your thing? Try this on for size: He’s first in career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Only Jerry Rice has more career scores. We’re talking one of the best running backs ever, perhaps the very best. In 1993 he was named MVP and Super Bowl MVP. Now he has been named the greatest Dallas Cowboy of all time.