Top Three By Decade

[landroverking]

60s
Don
Bob
Chuck
70s
Rodger
Tony
Randy
80s
Danny
Drew
Randy
90s
Troy
Michael
Emitt
2000
Tony
Jason
D Ware
2010 forward
Tony
Jason
Dez

 

[CCBoy]

Don Perkins, Bob Lilly, Chuck Howley, Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett...when first posting in a thread, decorum is that one uses the full name, for clarity sake.

 

[Seven]

Not nearly enough defensive representation.

 

[LandryFan]

60s
Don
Bob
Chuck
70s
Rodger
Tony
Randy
80s
Danny
Drew
Randy
90s
Troy
Michael
Emitt
2000
Tony
Jason
D Ware
2010 forward
Tony
Jason
Dez

There were a couple of Dons and Bobs in the 60's that one could argue for this list...Don Meredith/Perkins, Bob Lilly/Hayes. Good list, though!

 

[CCBoy]

There were a couple of Dons and Bobs in the 60's that one could argue for this list...Don Meredith/Perkins, Bob Lilly/Hayes. Good list, though!

I was a dogface for 23...thanks for your service.

 

[LandryFan]

I was a dogface for 23...thanks for your service.

Likewise, CC. Served with many in Joint Commands and was stationed at a couple of Army Bases over the years.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

60s
Bob Lilly
Mel Renfro
Bob Hayes

70s
Roger Staubach
Rayfield Wright
Harvey Martin

80s
Randy White
Tony Dorsett
Jim Jeffcoat

90s
Troy Aikman
Emmitt Smith
Larry Allen

00s
Jason Witten
Greg Ellis
DeMarcus Ware

10s
????
????
????

 

[KJJ]

Not nearly enough defensive representation.

For good reason the Cowboys only have 3 defensive players in the HOF (not counting Deion and Haley) compared to 8 offensive players. In the Cowboys ROH the offense outnumbers the defense 10 to 7 so if you're going to list the top 3 players from each decade the offense is going to outnumber the defense.

 

[KJJ]

60s-Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes.

70s-Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Randy White.

80s-Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Jim Jeffcoat

90s-Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Micheal Irvin

2000s-Demarcus Ware, Jason Witten, Tony Romo

 

[KJJ]

Left Larry Allen out in the 90's because the Cowboys won back to back SB's before he arrived. When talking about the 90's you can't leave out any of the triplets they were a huge part of all 3 championships.

 

[jchap]

Really didn't think I'd see Greg Ellis in this thread

 

[windward]

60s
Bob Lilly
Chuck Howley
Don Meredith

70s
Roger Staubach
Randy White
Harvey Martin

80s
Tony Dorsett
Ed Jones
Everson Walls

90s
Troy Aikman
Emmitt Smith
Michael Irvin

00s
Darren Woodson
Larry Allen
Jason Witten

10s
Tony Romo
Dez Bryant
DeMarcus Ware

 

[KJJ]

Really didn't think I'd see Greg Ellis in this thread

The fact that you did points to how bad the 2000s were.

 

[KJJ]

Romo should be a lock on everyones list for the 2000s and beyond the team was going nowhere until he showed up. The 2000s started with 3 straight 5-11 seasons primarily due to Aikman's release and the Cowboys not having a solid QB to replace him. That decade was looking hopeless with a series of scrubs that had no business starting at QB in the NFL and a couple of washed up veterans who should have been backups. In 06 prior to Romo taking over for Bledsoe the Cowboys were headed for a 500 season at best.

They only made the playoffs once during that decade and Romo instantly turned the Cowboys into a playoff team and in his first full season as the starter in 07 turned the team into a serious contender. In 09 he led the team to their first playoff win since the 96 season. Everyone talks about what a rough go it's been for the Cowboys since the 90s but it hasn't gone near as bad as it would have gone had they not struck gold with Romo.

To this day we can't compete without him and the 2015 season was a perfect example of that. We were 3-1 with him and 1-11 without him. Had he gone down in week 2 of the 2014 season the Cowboys would have been lucky to win 6 games. The one full game he missed we got blown out by AZ. Any player you can't compete without should not only make your top 3 but be #1 on that list.