10 of the greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time

10 greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time

Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys receives congratulations from teammates Michael Irvin (L) and Troy Aikman (R) after breaking the NFL career touchdown record against the Washington Redskins at Texas Stadium 27 December in Irving, Texas. AFP PHOTO/Paul BUCK (Photo by PAUL BUCK / AFP) (Photo by PAUL BUCK/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Bob Lilly (Photo by James Flores/Getty Images) /

2. Bob Lilly, DT

He was the franchise’s first-ever draft choice in 1961, although the Dallas Cowboys first took the field one year earlier. He is also in the conversation with the greatest defensive tackles in the history of the league. And he also made one of the biggest plays, literally, in Super Bowl history when he sacked Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Bob Griese for a 29-yard loss in Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium. It was a fitting effort that day as the franchise won its first NFL title and held Don Shula’s team without a touchdown in a 24-3 triumph.

Former TCU defensive tackle Bob Lilly played 14 seasons and never missed a regular-season contest. Sacks were not an official individual stat during his tenure but he spent his share of time in opposing backfields. And he did finish with an impressive 18 fumble recoveries. The first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame selection in 1980 was an 11-time Pro Bowler and seven-time All-Pro.

Cowboys’ head coach Tom Landry had this to say about “Mr. Cowboy” in 1972. “A man like that comes along once in a lifetime. He is something a little bit more than great. Nobody is better than Bob Lilly.” Who would argue with a Hall of Fame coach?

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