How Did Our Fans View Duane Thomas in the Early 1970s?

[BenGran]

I remember him being a great player. I don't live in Texas so back then you didn't get USA Today or 24 hour sports coverage on ESPN so the only time you got news about Duanes troubles was a blurb on the Pregame show.

 

[Established1971]

Question for some of the older guys that post in here - how did our fan base view Duane Thomas in the early 1970s? I feel like it was one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of this franchise.

I got around to watching a special on ESPN a few hours ago about the 1971 Cowboys Super Bowl team, and one of the central characters around that season's events was RB Duane Thomas.

A little background, for those unaware:

Duane was drafted in the First Round in 1970 by Landry and Gil Brandt, and there were early comparisons to Jim Brown, which excited everyone in Dallas because he went to Lincoln High School and was eventually a star at West Texas State. Duane had a fantastic rookie season, finishing second in rushing yards in the NFC and averaged a whopping 5.3 YPC (a record which Emmitt Smith eventually tied). He was also the first rookie in NFL history to have back to back 100 yard rushing games in the playoffs, a feat he accomplished against Detroit and San Francisco respectively. Duane Thomas was named Rookie of the Year, and subsequently, his head got a little big also. He more or less demanded a revised contract from Tex Schramm after he won the Rookie of the Year honors, and Tex being Tex wasn't having any of it. Thomas ended up holding out, and also went to the media saying that Tex was cheap and hypocritical and that Landry was a "plastic man", a comment that befuddled teammates. Thomas was eventually traded to New England, but due to his inability to get along with Head Coach John Mazur, New England went to the Commissioner, who in an unprecedented move, voided several aspects of the deal - which subsequently sent Thomas back to Dallas. Thomas remained silent for the entire duration of the season, refusing to speak to teammates, coaching staff, and even the media. Thomas dominated the Dolphins on the ground in Super Bowl VI, and unanimously won the voting in MVP honors, but officials were afraid of how he would act at a banquet in New York, and decided to give the MVP award to Staubach, who only completed 12 passes in that game.

Eventually, Duane was traded to San Diego and bounced around the league after that. He returned to Dallas in 1976, but was not nearly as effective as he was in his prime. High character HOF Cowboys like Staubach and Bob Lilly have been on the record saying that Thomas would have had a HOF career if he would've just gotten his head right, and I believe I read that Landry lamented that he would have beaten the Steelers in Super Bowl X and XIII had he had Thomas on the field.

We were all hard on guys like Taco Charlton when we drafted him, but my question is this - how did our fans deal with these events in the early 1970s? Having Duane around could've possibly changed the trajectory of this franchise in the 70s and we could quite possibly have seven Super Bowl victories. Are Landry and Staubach just out of their minds, and were we just destined to lose to the Steelers anyway? Was Duane Thomas not that special of a RB at all, who just had two fluke seasons?

Interested in hearing from you guys on this subject, as I'm always trying to learn new things about my beloved team.

He was fun to watch, but the fact that he would refuse to answer questions and had Jim Brown by his side to answer questions for him, like some accused person only speaking to their lawyer, was childish and unnecessary. Plus the few times he did speak he could be annoying like calling the Super Bowl just another game. There is also a famous photo of the team warming up and he is warming up 20 yards away from everyone on his own. He was a big baby. I hadnt thought about him in decades and then he shows up on that special series Americas Game when they had the one on the 1971 team. In it he continually referred to Dan Reeves as "white boy." The man is still a pretty lousy person. He could run though, many, he was fun to watch run for the 2 years I saw him. But good riddance.

 

[Bobhaze]

He was fun to watch, but the fact that he would refuse to answer questions and had Jim Brown by his side to answer questions for him, like some accused person only speaking to their lawyer, was childish and unnecessary. Plus the few times he did speak he could be annoying like calling the Super Bowl just another game. There is also a famous photo of the team warming up and he is warming up 20 yards away from everyone on his own. He was a big baby. I hadnt thought about him in decades and then he shows up on that special series Americas Game when they had the one on the 1971 team. In it he continually referred to Dan Reeves as "white boy." The man is still a pretty lousy person. He could run though, many, he was fun to watch run for the 2 years I saw him. But good riddance.

Actually, I don’t think Thomas said that the SB was “just another game.” I’m pretty sure he said, “If it’s the ‘ultimate game’, why is it played every year?”

 

[ChuckA1]

The 71 Cowboys winning the 72 SB was a thrill for me. The near misses from the past were over and the Cowboys were on their way. I graduated from HS in 72 and had endured the two losses to Green Bay and the SB loss to the Colts.

As fans, we loved the play of Duane Thomas. But, at the time, many of us didn't understand what was going on in his head. I was disappointed when he was traded, but we just didn't understand what he was going through.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

The 71 Cowboys winning the 72 SB was a thrill for me. The near misses from the past were over and the Cowboys were on their way. I graduated from HS in 72 and had endured the two losses to Green Bay and the SB loss to the Colts.

As fans, we loved the play of Duane Thomas. But, at the time, many of us didn't understand what was going on in his head. I was disappointed when he was traded, but we just didn't understand what he was going through.

I think both Duane and the FO share the blame here. They could've worked something out.

I think we needed Duane more than we knew at the time, but getting Dorsett a few years later certainly softened the blow.

 

[KJJ]

A lot of things led up to the Cowboys moving on from Thomas. He actually shoved an 8 year-old kid who asked him for an autograph. First I’ve heard of that.

 

[DuncanIso]

A lot of things led up to the Cowboys moving on from Thomas. He actually shoved an 8 year-old kid who asked him for an autograph. First I’ve heard of that.

Good post!

 

[DuncanIso]

Narcissistic personality disorder involves a pattern of self-centered, arrogant thinking and behavior, a lack of empathy and consideration for other people, and an excessive need for admiration. Others often describe people with NPD as cocky, manipulative, selfish, patronizing, and demanding.

 

[ClappingCarrot]

Watched another NFL films short today on Thomas and Landry said verbatim that he would've cut any other player that acted the way that Thomas did, but it was because Thomas was so focused in and rarely made mistakes on the field that Landry let it go on for as long as it did.

Oh what could've been.

 

[Established1971]

Actually, I don’t think Thomas said that the SB was “just another game.” I’m pretty sure he said, “If it’s the ‘ultimate game’, why is it played every year?”

really? you thought I was making an exact word-for-word quote

I was clearly paraphrasing

 

[BAT]

Question for some of the older guys that post in here - how did our fan base view Duane Thomas in the early 1970s? I feel like it was one of the biggest wastes of talent in the history of this franchise.

I got around to watching a special on ESPN a few hours ago about the 1971 Cowboys Super Bowl team, and one of the central characters around that season's events was RB Duane Thomas.

A little background, for those unaware:

Duane was drafted in the First Round in 1970 by Landry and Gil Brandt, and there were early comparisons to Jim Brown, which excited everyone in Dallas because he went to Lincoln High School and was eventually a star at West Texas State. Duane had a fantastic rookie season, finishing second in rushing yards in the NFC and averaged a whopping 5.3 YPC (a record which Emmitt Smith eventually tied). He was also the first rookie in NFL history to have back to back 100 yard rushing games in the playoffs, a feat he accomplished against Detroit and San Francisco respectively. Duane Thomas was named Rookie of the Year, and subsequently, his head got a little big also. He more or less demanded a revised contract from Tex Schramm after he won the Rookie of the Year honors, and Tex being Tex wasn't having any of it. Thomas ended up holding out, and also went to the media saying that Tex was cheap and hypocritical and that Landry was a "plastic man", a comment that befuddled teammates. Thomas was eventually traded to New England, but due to his inability to get along with Head Coach John Mazur, New England went to the Commissioner, who in an unprecedented move, voided several aspects of the deal - which subsequently sent Thomas back to Dallas. Thomas remained silent for the entire duration of the season, refusing to speak to teammates, coaching staff, and even the media. Thomas dominated the Dolphins on the ground in Super Bowl VI, and unanimously won the voting in MVP honors, but officials were afraid of how he would act at a banquet in New York, and decided to give the MVP award to Staubach, who only completed 12 passes in that game.

Eventually, Duane was traded to San Diego and bounced around the league after that. He returned to Dallas in 1976, but was not nearly as effective as he was in his prime. High character HOF Cowboys like Staubach and Bob Lilly have been on the record saying that Thomas would have had a HOF career if he would've just gotten his head right, and I believe I read that Landry lamented that he would have beaten the Steelers in Super Bowl X and XIII had he had Thomas on the field.

We were all hard on guys like Taco Charlton when we drafted him, but my question is this - how did our fans deal with these events in the early 1970s? Having Duane around could've possibly changed the trajectory of this franchise in the 70s and we could quite possibly have seven Super Bowl victories. Are Landry and Staubach just out of their minds, and were we just destined to lose to the Steelers anyway? Was Duane Thomas not that special of a RB at all, who just had two fluke seasons?

Interested in hearing from you guys on this subject, as I'm always trying to learn new things about my beloved team.

The Sphinx was a stud but eccentric.

Jimmy would have been perfect coach for him.

 

[cern]

he was judged very harshly. no one could criticize landry. eventually, people came to realize he was a product of the times. he was an angry young man at a time that was highly looked down on.

 

[Doomsday101]

Honestly at that time I was not a big fan of Thomas. Calvin Hill was with the team as well and as Thomas was becoming a bigger distraction to the team as a fan I saw Hill as a team player who while his talents were not the same as Thomas, he would go out and do the job required by the Cowboys.

 

[conner01]

If there was message boards back then there would have been 1000 posts from leeblair about him being over paid lol

 

[eromeopolk]

Duane Thomas was a great back that did everything you wanted a great RB to do on the field. When he did not get the love he had sought for mostly all his life doing the one of the things he was bless by God to do, he became and was alienated. Individuality was abnormal versus it being normal now.

Remember that Duane Thomas was chosen to be a part of America's game with Bob Lilly and Roger Staubach. So just like everyone who is unique, and goes through the average world...its a process.

Read this view of Duane Thomas in 1970...
https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/the-lonely-blues-of-duane-thomas/ \
Versus this view in 2017...
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Duane-Thomas-His-own-man-10894868.php

I remember a great back that got cheated out of a recovered fumble that went straight to Dave Manders in Super Bowl V, literally ran the Cowboys to that Super Bowl as a rookie in the playoffs going for +130 in both games, then ran them to a second straight Super Bowl that they won, and he was the original no. 33 rightfully passed on the Tony Dorsett.

So was Duane Thomas everything he and they said he was...."EVIDENTLY"