Best Ever to Wear a Cowboys Jersey

[Hostile]

It is wild how some numbers have tons of talent and others are almost devoid of any.

Link to every player to wear every number. Honorable Mention in parenthesis.


1...Matt McBriar
2...Anthony Wright
3...Richie Cunningham
4...Mike Saxon
5...Clint Stoerner
6...Nick Folk
7...Steve Beuerlein
8...Troy Aikman
9...Tony Romo
10...Ron Widby
11...Danny White
12...Roger Staubach
13...Jerry Rhome
14...Eddie LeBaron
15...Toni Fritsch
16...Steve Pelleur
17...Don Meredith
18...Glenn Carano
19...Lane Allworth
20...Mel Renfro
21...Deion Sanders
22...Emmitt Smith (Bob Hayes)
23...Tashard Choice
24...Everson Walls
25...Aaron Kyle
26...Herb Adderley (Preston Pearson)
27...Thomas Everett
28...Darren Woodson
29...Kenneth Gant
30...Dan Reeves
31...Roy Williams
32...Dennis Thurman
33...Tony Dorsett
34...Cornell Green (Herschel Walker)
35...Calvin Hill
36...Larry Brinson
37...James Washington
38...Sam Baker
39...Borderick Sargent
40...Bill Bates
41...Charlie Waters
42...Randy Hughes
43...Don Perkins (Cliff Harris)
44...Robert Newhouse
45...Manny Hendrix
46...Mark Washington
47...Dexter Clinkscale
48...Daryl Johnston
49...Tony Curtis
50...D.D. Lewis
51...Ken Norton, Jr.
52...Dexter Coakley
53...Bob Bruenig (Mark Stepnoski)
54...Randy White (Chuck Howley)
55...Lee Roy Jordan
56...Thomas Henderson (Bradie James)
57...Vinson Smith
58...Mike Hegman
59...Dat Nguyen
60...Derek Kennard
61...Nate Newton
62...John Fitzgerald
63...Larry Cole
64...Tom Rafferty
65...Andre Gurode
66...George Andrie
67...Pat Donovan
68...Herb Scott
69...George Hegamin
70...Rayfield Wright
71...Mark Tuinei
72...Ed Jones
73...Larry Allen
74...Bob Lilly
75...Jethro Pugh
76...Flozell Adams
77...Jim Jeffcoat
78...Leon Lett
79...Harvey Martin
80...Tony Hill
81...Terrell Owens
82...Jason Witten
83...Golden Richards
84...Jay Novacek
85...Kevin Williams
86...Butch Johnson
87...Jay Saldi
88...Michael Irvin (Drew Pearson)
89...Billy Joe DuPree
90...Jay Ratliff
91...J.P. Ladoucer
92...Tony Tolbert
93...Anthony Spencer
94...DeMarcus Ware (Charles Haley)
95...Chad Hennings
96...Marcus Spears
97...LaRoi Glover
98...Greg Ellis
99...Chris Canty

 

[Silverstar]

There are 3 jersey numbers that just don't jive with me Hos...


14...Craig Morton (Eddie LeBaron)

Craig Morton played 10 seasons with the Cowboys from 65'-74' and threw 80 TD's and 73 INT's wearing the star. Morton's record was 32-14-1 as the Cowboys starting QB...not counting postseason. He played only 2 games in 1974 and finished the rest of the season with the Giants. Eddie LeBaron played 4 seasons with the Cowboys between 60'-63'. His record was 4-22-1 with 45 TD's and 53 INT's. Personally, I think it's an easy call for this jersey number and LeBaron (ex-Commander) probably shouldn't even be on the list. However, I know there are those who feel he deserves mention being our 1st QB and I understand that.

32...Walt Garrison (Dennis Thurman)

Both of these players contributed greatly to the team and should be listed, but Garrison played 9 seasons for the Cowboys from 66'-74' to Thurman's 8 seasons from 78'-85'. Also, Garrett never played for another team, while Thurman played one last year for the division rival Cardinals. Both have one Pro Bowl berth, but Garrison has a SB ring to show off where Thurman doesn't. Thurman did grab 36 INT's for the Cowboys and returned 4 for TD's, but Garrison was no slouch running and catching the ball either. He finished with 30 rushing TD's (4.3 avg) and hauled in 9 more receiving TD's. Garrison was also a KR in the 60's and averaged 19.8 yards on 41 returns. His total yards from scrimmage was 6,493 not counting the postseason...not bad for his era. It's a very tough call, but I think Garrison contributed just a bit more for the Cowboys, than Thurman did while wearing the star.

39...Duane Hawthorne

Hawthorne played 4 seasons with the Cowboys between 99'-02'. He started 21 games at LCB and snagged 6 INT's while wearing the star. After 10 games in 2002, he finished the rest of season with the Niners. Broderick Sargent played only 1 season with the Cowboys in 1989. He started 5 games at FB with 20 rushes for 87 yards and 1 TD. He also caught 5 passes for 50 yards. I'm sure both played special teams, but Hawthorne simply contributed more to the team than Sargent. The jersey should go to Hawthorne...for now.

 

[THUMPER]

I would put Dave Manders ahead of Ken Norton Jr for #51.

 

[ZeroClub]

26 is an interesting number. From the link:

26...Herb Adderley, Andrew Davison, Buddy Dial, Michael Downs, Mario Edwards, Aaron Glenn, Ken Hamlin, Paul Palmer, Preston Pearson, Jeff Sanchez, Kevin Smith

Adderley was a great player and he helped put the Cowboys over the top, but most of his career was with the Packers - where he had his best years. Adderley wasn't an All-Pro at any point during his Dallas career. He was a Cowboy for only 3 years.

Pearson, a former Colt and Steeler, was a key part of the team for a few years before Dorsett's arrival. He was one of the first and best 3rd down backs.

Michael Downs was no slouch - made All-Pro once and was a team captain. He started as a rookie and played 7 or 8 years.

And then you have Kevin Smith, who a very fine player (especially before his injury) and he too was an All-Pro once.

I think a case could be made for any one of those four players.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Was Hawthorne #39? I thought he was 38...

But speaking of 38, I've never heard of Sam Baker before. How about Ron Francis instead.

 

[jchap]

Cool list, there are a lot more modern cowboys than I would have thought.

 

[TNCowboy]

Excellent idea for a thread.

The really tough choices are at 54 and 43. 4 of the greatest Cowboys of all time. I probably would go with Harris over Perkins, him being a player I remember well.

I think you'd also have to give consideration to John Dutton at 78. He was never as good in Dallas as he was with the Colts, but then Lett - as good as he was - never reached his potential either.

 

[gbrittain]

Just me, but I would move Lance Alworth out and slide Miles Austin in his place.

Lance Alworth as a Cowboy:

49 catches 682 yards 4 TDs.

Miles Austin as a Cowboy:

99 catches 1674 yards 14 TDs.

 

[Future]

Was Hawthorne #39? I thought he was 38...

But speaking of 38, I've never heard of Sam Baker before. How about Ron Francis instead.

I'm pretty sure he was 38 also...

26 is an interesting number. From the link:
Adderley was a great player and he helped put the Cowboys over the top, but most of his career was with the Packers - where he had his best years. Adderley wasn't an All-Pro at any point during his Dallas career. He was a Cowboy for only 3 years.
.

\For what it's worth...Mario Edwards was 27, not 26

 

[casmith07]

No Carp at #54? :laugh1:

 

[percyhoward]

I'd put Harris slightly ahead of Perkins, and Terry Glenn way ahead of Golden Richards.

 

[bbgun]

69...George Hegamin

travesty. but i guess your hands were tied.

 

[THUMPER]

Just me, but I would move Lance Alworth out and slide Miles Austin in his place.

Lance Alworth as a Cowboy:

49 catches 682 yards 4 TDs.

Miles Austin as a Cowboy:

99 catches 1674 yards 14 TDs.

How about Lance Rentzel? As a Cowboy:

183 catches, 3521 yards, 31 TDs

 

[Cowboy Brian]

#19 is Miles.

 

[rcaldw]

Great stuff Hos.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

T-new deserves atleast a mention

 

[burmafrd]

As a defense of Eddie Lebaron remember how putrid a team he had compared to Morton who inherited what was basically a SB team.

 

[TNCowboy]

Just me, but I would move Lance Alworth out and slide Miles Austin in his place.

Lance Alworth as a Cowboy:

49 catches 682 yards 4 TDs.

Miles Austin as a Cowboy:

99 catches 1674 yards 14 TDs.

Depends on your criteria. Alworth is clearly the best player to ever wear that # for the Cowboys, he just wasn't that player anymore when he was a Cowboy.

If it has to be how good the guy was as a Cowboy, it probably should be Rentzel.

 

[Punkabilly56]

79 Erik Williams
80 Alvin Harper

 

[TNCowboy]

T-new deserves atleast a mention

Not really. Waters was the better player.