Cowboys whose legacy was a single play

[stag hunter]

Who are some former Cowboys whose impact on the franchise (positive or negative) can be boiled down to one single play?

Positive:
Woody Dantzler KO return vs SF that will be played on highlight reels until the end of time. Utterly unremarkable otherwise.

Negative:
Alex Barron - holding penalty negates game winning touchdown vs the Skins on final play of the game, Cowboys lose.

btw just looked up the Dantzler TD, crazy how unenthusiastic Summerall is on the call, guy basically sounds like he’s falling asleep. Unsurprisingly that was his final year in the booth.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Negative:
Alex Barron - holding penalty negates game winning touchdown vs the Skins on final play of the game, Cowboys lose.

Good one. I had forgotten about that. Dude was a holding machine.

 

[jazzcat22]

Clint Longly. Maybe not one play but a few long TD passes on Thanksgiving taking over for an injured Roger Staubach. Then thought he was the top guy after that.

 

[TheDuke]

Jackie Smith - SB XIII
Larry Brown - SB XXX (two plays)
Jesse Holley - 2011 vs. 49ers

 

[DarkVader33]

99 yard run TD.

 

[Jipper]

Leon lett...the Miami block and the superbowl misshap

 

[AbeBeta]

That Marion Barber run all over the end zone for a 2-yard gain.

Parcells nailed it by saying, "Sometimes give up is the best play." Short loss compared to multiple opportunities for the D to score?

 

[links18]

Patrick Crayton, pulled up his route on game winning TD pass.

 

[stag hunter]

Speaking of players cut the next day after single-handedly handing the game to the Skins… how about Tashard Choice getting stripped by D Hall on the last play before halftime, who then ran it back for a TD that ended up being the difference in the game.

…Although tbh I blame the playcalling just as much for that. Just kneel on the ball, you aren’t scoring on a flare pass from 70 yards out with 6 seconds left in the half.

Bothers me when coaches do that (call a short pass play against prevent D instead of running the clock out with a kneeldown) — just a pure stat padding move.

 

[FoxF]

Aikman to Alvin Harper 1992 NFC championship game against the niners.

 

[dupree89]

didnt really make an impact but a one play guy was percy howard

 

[Havic]

Reggie Swinton, punt return for TD

 

[Jipper]

Patrick Crayton, pulled up his route on game winning TD pass.

That was my second thought after lett…that play might have single handedly changed everything

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

*Drew Pearson with the Hail Mary
*Clint Longley's epic pass
*Zeke Elliott snapping the ball to Dak, who throws a dinky 10-yard pass when he needed a 40 throw in the end zone against the 2023 49ers in an NFC divisional.

 

[plymkr]

Reggie Swinton, punt return for TD

Wow!! Good memory. That was one if the few plays in the Campo era that was good. I believe that was Thanksgiving if I remember correctly.

 

[John813]

Random players:

Randal Williams: Fastest TD scored, at the time anyways, in 2003 when the Eagles tried for an opening onside kickoff

NFL will block the video from being played here.

Jesse Holley catching that OT pass from Romo to set up the game winning FG vs the 49ers.

And then after the whistle

George Teague nailing T.O. on the midfield star after a TD

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

George Teague, popping T.O. while he disrespects the star when no other Cowboy seemed to care.

 

[Coogiguy03]

ROMO bad hold lol, look where it got him

 

[DallasEast]

George Teague nailing T.O. on the midfield star after a TD

George Teague, popping T.O. while he disrespects the star when no other Cowboy seemed to care.

It is only one of two nice memories for me looking back at that game.

 

[Johannes44]

George Teague, popping T.O. while he disrespects the star when no other Cowboy seemed to care.

Really sad day to watch all those Cowboys just stand there and watch TO do that. Gutless.