Fansided

Best quarterback/wide receiver duos in NFL history

By Staff

INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 16: Peyton Manning No. 18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates the touchdown of Marvin Harrison No. 88 for a 30-20 lead over the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 16, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 16: Peyton Manning No. 18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates the touchdown of Marvin Harrison No. 88 for a 30-20 lead over the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 16, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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NEW HAVEN, CT – OCTOBER 27, 1974: Wide receiver Bob Hayes No. 22 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to a game on October 27, 1974 against the New York Giants at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut.
NEW HAVEN, CT – OCTOBER 27, 1974: Wide receiver Bob Hayes No. 22 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to a game on October 27, 1974 against the New York Giants at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. /

9. Don Meredith and Bob Hayes

Like it was mentioned earlier, the Dallas Cowboys have had a few great quarterbacks. And it would be unfair to exclude Don Meredith from that list of phenomenal gunslingers.

Dallas acquired him as a 22-year-old rookie in 1960 out of SMU, and he spent two years sitting behind Eddie LeBaron. As the Cowboys continued to lose games, they finally gave the reins to Meredith.

The wins didn’t exactly come in bunches, but Meredith did find a rhythm with the No. 88 overall draft pick in the 1964 NFL Draft: Bullet Bob Hayes.

As a rookie, Hayes led the league with 12 receiving touchdowns. He led the league with 13 touchdowns the next year, too. He and Meredith would only play four seasons together, but it was a magical four seasons.

Meredith retired in 1968 with 135 career passing touchdowns. Hayes caught 36 of them en route to finishing his career with 71 receiving touchdowns.

They didn’t do much as a team, but Meredith and Hayes set the precedent for Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks and wide receivers moving forward.  In fact, their best season together came in the form of that 1966 season. As Hayes was leading the league in scoring grabs, it was partially because of Dallas’ offense opening up and vertically stretching the field.

Meredith led the NFL with 15.8 yards per completion. He finished that season with career highs in touchdowns (24) and passing yards (2,805). On top of that, the Cowboys finished with their best record in franchise history at that point with a 10-3-1 record. They fell to the Green Bay Packers in the Conference Championship.

A few years later, a man named Staubach led them to their first Super Bowl.

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