I can't help but wonder what Tony Dorsett would've been like in today's game

[dguinta1]

To this day still my favorite! Even with all the studs Dallas has had, nobody like Tony D. I tweeted to him that I used to run around the house pretending to be you....and he replied thank you. Number one for me!

 

[eromeopolk]

My last word on Tony Dorsett is what I say about all the great. When a player makes playing his sport look easy...He/she is special and he/she is great...Tony Dorsett, Randy Moss, Randy White, Aaron Donald, Elway, Mahomes etc. They just make it look easy.

 

[KeepinTime]

I'll still never forget that Monday Night game when Tony D ran 99 yards from scrimmage for a TD!! It was awesome!!

Pearson really fought his guy off so Tony could take it all the way.

 

[Thomas82]

It seems today's game is tailor made for his skill set.

 

[joseephuss]

It seems today's game is tailor made for his skill set.

Where would he rank, based solely on his college resume, if he was thrown into the mix among the current group of running back prospects in this year's draft? My guess is pretty high.

 

[Jarntt]

Tony Dorsett is the reason I'm a Cowboys fan, converted from the Skins.
However ... he would have had likely 3-4 good years playing in today's NFL and then would have been out of the league.
Dorsett was 170lbs soak and wet. No way he holds up against 250-300lb linemen and linebackers.
He'd suffer a similar fate as Zeke.

that is just not true at all

 

[Shane612]

Yep. Dorsett had 4.33 speed.

Landry said TD can run 4.4/40 just rolling out of bed

 

[Shane612]

Paraphrasing Randy White way back..

" you have the corner on him and a perfect angle And a split second later your watching the back of his jersey "

You'd have to be Derrell Green to catch him from behind.

 

[Thomas82]

Where would he rank, based solely on his college resume, if he was thrown into the mix among the current group of running back prospects in this year's draft? My guess is pretty high.

I wish I was old enough to appreciate his skill set when he was at the height of his powers. Unfortunately, he came into the NFL 2 years before I was born, so I vaguely remember him sharing a backfield with Herschel Walker. I do remember watching him with Denver though.

 

[Thomas82]

I have also wondered at times how TD and Emmitt would do if they could switch eras.

 

[joseephuss]

I have also wondered at times how TD and Emmitt would do if they could switch eras.

I think Landry would have loved having Emmitt in the backfield.

 

[Captain-Crash]

he would be pretty old and in the hospital.

 

[Doomsday101]

Even today if a RB measurable of 5'11" 200 lbs with 4.3 speed the likelihood of him being a 1st rd pick would still be very good. The fact that TD showed very good skills as a pass catcher as well as elusive RB would only increase his stock

 

[Robalocc88]

I loooove Emmit. But Dorsett with Emmits line? Yikes

 

[tromofan]

I grew up watching Tony and without question he is my favorite Cowboy RB. That said, I don't think it is fair to compare 70s players and today's player. Everything benefits the player today from training, diet, and coaching, etc. There is no way to properly guage how good he would've been today if he had access to all that(not to mention a lot more money), although it is fun to imagine.

 

[RonnieT24]

Dorsett was great for his time, but this thread is a perfect example of people overrating players from the past. Dorsett was small, he would've been a part time player in today's league at his size

Dorsett was essentially the same size as Chris Johnson.. And there have been more than a few backs in that 190-200 range who have done just fine. But the size thing is overplayed because if he was growing up today you would also have to give him the benefit of modern diet and offseason training so it's easy to conclude that he would grow up 10-15 pounds heavier but just as fast or faster ..

 

[RonnieT24]

I loooove Emmit. But Dorsett with Emmits line? Yikes

Dorsett's line wasn't no scrubs either..

 

[RonnieT24]

Yep. Dorsett had 4.33 speed.

Not just that but he also had it at the top end as well. Remember when he ran like 9.3 in the 100 yard dash during the SuperStars competition? IN TENNIS SHOES!!!! Dude was an absolute burner.

 

[tyke1doe]

that is just not true at all

Yeah, he was. Team rosters are notorious for elevating weight. Dorsett was a small back. Fast but small, which is the reason why Landry wouldn't give him a full workload.

 

[Thomas82]

Dorsett's line wasn't no scrubs either..

Here's an except from a comparison I wrote between TD and Emmitt:

There is a narrative that Tony Dorsett achieved his greatness with half the offensive line that Emmitt Smith had. Emmitt ran behind a bigger O-line that many consider better, but TD's line wasn't exactly trash. It was actually one of the better O-lines in its day, with its fair share of Pro Bowl selections. Each runner benefitted from the type of offensive line that was best for him. Emmitt had a man-on-man smash-mouth line that fit his straight-ahead inside running style. TD had a line that was quick and agile, which fit his outside running ability. It was an O-line that was very proficient at blocking for the draws, traps, and screens that were a trademark of TD's career.

In his 11 years with the Cowboys, TD ran behind 2 Pro Bowl linemen with a combined 9 selections. You could argue that those 2 O-linemen were deserving in the years they didn't make it. There were other linemen blocking for TD that were Pro Bowl caliber even if they didn't get the recognition. It was harder to earn Pro Bowl selections in those days, and they actually meant something. Also, TD had 3 linemen blocking for him in his later years that didn't get any notoriety until they started blocking for Emmitt.