Duane Thomas dead at 77

[RS12]

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas died on Sunday, team officials confirmed, at the age of 77.

Thomas was born in Dallas and attended Lincoln High School before starring at West Texas State with future Miami Dolphins star Mercury Morris.

The Cowboys selected Thomas with the No. 23 selection in the 1970 NFL Draft. In his first season, he led the team in rushing with 803 yards and five touchdowns en route to being chosen as NFL Rookie of the Year.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/former-dallas-cowboys-west-texas-202045947.html

 

[RS12]

RIP Duane. You had greatness in you. Wish you could have stayed and proved it.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Talk about untapped potential. He could have been a great one. It was a pleasure to watch him run.

RIP Duane.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I just heard about Duane Thomas passing away. 2 days late thanks to today's media. Such a gifted athlete who lasted only 2 years as a Dallas Cowboy and 4 years total in the NFL. Sad thinking of what could have been, but he did help the Cowboys win their first ever Super Bowl in 1971.

Rest in peace, Mr. Duane Thomas.

 

[Praxit]

....always, always real sad to hear old cowboys pass on.

Duane was part of the first Landry connection, right before they acquired Dorsett.

 

[RS12]

I just heard about Duane Thomas passing away. 2 days late thanks to today's media. Such a gifted athlete who lasted only 2 years as a Dallas Cowboy and 4 years total in the NFL. Sad thinking of what could have been, but he did help the Cowboys win their first ever Super Bowl in 1971.

Rest in peace, Mr. Duane Thomas.

Actually I saw it on Hollywood Henderson FB page yesterday along with Duane's daughter twitter but they aren't official sources so I didn't post. Here is what Hollywood had to say.

"The Great Duane Thomas passed away yesterday. He was a great Cowboy. On his come back he was one of my roommates in Thousand Oaks. Lots of laughs and moments.RIP DUANE THOMAS"

 

[Diehardblues]

The original 33. RIP

Would have been SB VI MVP but they knew he wouldn’t interview and possibly not accept.

Our 1st very controversial great player. Many thought he’d be the next Jim Brown.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas died on Sunday, team officials confirmed, at the age of 77.

Thomas was born in Dallas and attended Lincoln High School before starring at West Texas State with future Miami Dolphins star Mercury Morris.

The Cowboys selected Thomas with the No. 23 selection in the 1970 NFL Draft. In his first season, he led the team in rushing with 803 yards and five touchdowns en route to being chosen as NFL Rookie of the Year.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/former-dallas-cowboys-west-texas-202045947.html

R.I.P. Duane and ya you were right about it all.

 

[SinceDayOne]

What a great talent. But as a player he was a troubled soul who could not be coached or helped until it was too late. I understand his personal life improved as he aged. I sure hope that is the case.

 

[Plankton]

A real shooting star of a player. Gone in a flash. First player to score a touchdown at Texas Stadium. His SB VI interview with Tom Brookshier is worth sharing again. Starts at 6:59. RIP to the man who called Tom Landry a plastic man, Tex Schramm a liar, sick and demented (Schramm's reply - That's pretty good, he got two out of three) and Gil Brandt as having the mentality of a street pimp.

 

[tomokawan]

First Team I watched as a child. Even wore 33 in Pee-wee. R.I.P.

 

[America's Cowboy]

 

[DCwarrior]

RIP Duane

 

[jwitten82]

Actually I saw it on Hollywood Henderson FB page yesterday along with Duane's daughter twitter but they aren't official sources so I didn't post. Here is what Hollywood had to say.

"The Great Duane Thomas passed away yesterday. He was a great Cowboy. On his come back he was one of my roommates in Thousand Oaks. Lots of laughs and moments.RIP DUANE THOMAS"

How isnt his daughter an official source?

 

[slick325]

R.I.P.

 

[RS12]

How isnt his daughter an official source?

 

[RonWashington]

Wow first I heard of this . Lots of talent . I remember the SB he refused to talk to the press . I loved that .

 

[gtb1943]

I truly believe he could have been a HOF

but he truly marched to the beat of a different drum

From what I have heard he settled down later in life

He and Hollywood were two of the players I believe could have been truly great: Hollywood could have been LT before LT

 

[Captain Late]

Sad to hear of Duane Thomas passing away.His combination of talent and intelligence were an impressive combination that made him special when he was on the field and were vital to the success of those 1970 and 1971 Cowboys Teams.He will forever be one of the biggest "What If" stories in NFL History.So many circumstances were a part of why he wasn't able to put a long career out there,between his own issues and the way the Cowboys Front Office dealt with him.But he will Never be Forgotten by anyone who saw what he did when he played.

RIP "Othello" and You were One of a Kind.

Evidently.......

 

[rags747]

RIP Duane. The world needs more of the Crazy One’s and I enjoyed your supreme talent immensely, All of it! He roomed with Steve Kiner a LB who was another of that generations free spirits. I shook Duane’s hand at the old Yankee Stadium in the 70/71 timeframe, obviously we were playing the Giants. Anyway, at the end of the game as they were coming off of the field he reached up and somehow found my hand, man his hand just engulfed mine but I was surprised at how soft it was. He had such a beautiful gallop, never seemed to be in a rush, he was just so so smooth. His daughter is quite beautiful btw. Godspeed Duane Thomas!