Who are the best Dallas Cowboys players of all time? These players dominated and earned themselves legendary status on “America’s Team”.
Best Dallas Cowboys Players
The Dallas Cowboys franchise is the most popular NFL team and so there’s a different level of pressure when playing for the most iconic team in the league. Here are the 10 best Cowboys players of all time.
10. Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett starts our list of the best Dallas Cowboys players of all time. One of the best running backs ever, he was explosive out of the blocks and a huge part of the Cowboys offense during the 1970s and 1980s.
A four-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XII champion, Dorsett retired with 12,739 yards rushing, and also holds the record for longest touchdown run with a 99-yard carry against the Vikings in 1983.
Today in 1982, Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett sets NFL record for longest run from scrimmage when he darts through the Minnesota Vikings for a 99-yard touchdown run on Monday Night Football. pic.twitter.com/E7Jjb7dRK8
— Texas Sports History (@TXSportsHistory) January 3, 2023
9. Randy White
Nine-time Pro Bowler Randy White was a part of the Cowboys dynasty of the late 1960s and 1970s. He could line up at either defensive tackle or defensive end, and formed part of the feared “Doomsday Defense”.
The Super Bowl XII champion is one of the best Cowboys players of all time having amassed 1,104 tackles and 111 sacks in his regular season career.
8. Larry Allen
Larry Allen’s 10 Pro Bowl selections is the most in history for a Cowboys offensive player. The Super Bowl XXX champion is of the most powerful players in history and could bench press 700 pounds.
Allen was primarily a guard but could line up at any offensive line position except center. Despite his brute strength he showed incredible athleticism and was elite at both protecting his quarterback and opening running lanes.
7. Mel Renfro
One of college football’s best running backs in his era, Mel Renfro holds the record for most interceptions in Dallas Cowboys history. In his 14-season career, he played only for the Cowboys and was converted into a defensive back.
He played both at safety and cornerback and intercepted 52 passes, returning them for 626 yards, three of those being pick sixes. The two-time Super Bowl champion was known for his blistering pace, was a ballhawk, and helped to revolutionize the cornerback position.
6. DeMarcus Ware
One of the most feared pass rushers ever, DeMarcus Ware is the sixth best Dallas Cowboys player of all time. A block shedding specialist who was also good against opposition rushing, Ware registered 138.5 sacks during his career.
In his 12 seasons in Dallas, he recorded 117 sacks and 32 forced fumbles, both a franchise record. Ware never won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys but he did manage to win Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos.
5. Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin is one of the best Dallas Cowboys players of all time as well as one of the best running backs in NFL history. Along with Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, the three formed a deadly trio. In his 12 seasons in the league spent entirely in Dallas, he registered 11,904 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns.
Irvin had cheatcode-like route-running and was impossible to stop in one-on-one situations, winning three Super Bowl rings during his career. In 1999 his career ended following an injury against the Eagles. Philadelphia fans cheered on his injury , further fuelling one of the biggest NFL rivalries.
Michael Irvin “Finger licking good special ” reaction meme pic.twitter.com/WiSkmQhQjG
— Rick E Langston (@radvstheworld) September 27, 2022
4. Bob Lilly
Bob Lilly is arguably one of the greatest defensive linemen in history and one of the best Dallas Cowboys players ever. The first Cowboys pick in franchise history, he missed only one game in his 14-season career spent entirely in Dallas.
The 11-time Pro Bowler started his career as a defensive end before moving into a defensive tackle spot during his third season with incredible results. He went on to register 95.5 sacks and 18 fumble recoveries during his career and won. Super Bowl VI in 1972.
3. Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman was the first pick of the 1989 NFL Draft and he ended his career with 32,942 passing yards, a Cowboys record that he held until Tony Romo surpassed him.
A three-time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl XXVII MVP, Aikman played with an unmatched drive and determination, thriving during a period that was physically tough for quarterbacks.
2. Emmitt Smith
In his 13 seasons with the Cowboys (and two with the Cardinals), Emmitt Smith became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards. He was a crucial part of the 1990s Dallas Cowboys dynasty, dependable over such a long period of time.
Smith formed lethal partnerships with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, and they all played a key part in three Super Bowl victories for the Dallas Cowboys.
1. Roger Staubach
One of the greatest quarterbacks in history, Roger Staubach, is also the greatest Dallas Cowboys player of all time. “Captain America,” didn’t even begin his NFL career until age 27 but became the heart and soul of the Dallas Cowboys during the 1970s.
Known for his leadership, composure, and clutch performances, Staubach guided the team to two Super Bowl victories (VI and XII) and is often seen as one of the most underappreciated quarterbacks in history.