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From baby photographer, to a personnel grunt, to building America’s Team, to building a franchise on the internet and satellite radio, to the Ring of Honor, and now, to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It has been a long (too long), fulfilling journey for one Gil Brandt, and one that results in him being cast as an immortal.
But now Brandt is in a place that honors the accomplishments of those who left an indelible imprint on the game of football. He now will take his rightful place alongside the original architects of the Dallas Cowboys: Tex Schramm and Tom Landry in the Hall of Fame. This is correcting a long standing wrong in his accomplishments not getting the proper recognition that they deserve. And, one that thankfully took place while he was still alive to receive the good news, no slam dunk with Brandt approaching his 86th birthday in March.
Brandt’s success is a testament to hard work and having the will to crack into industries that seemed impossible to get into. Following his leaving the University of Wisconsin before graduating, Brandt was a baby photographer (he was resourceful enough to cut a deal with nurses in hospitals to take pictures of newborns, and allow Brandt to sell them to the new parents). He was also a friend of Los Angeles Rams star running back Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, who made a recommendation to then general manager Schramm to bring Brandt on in some capacity, labeling his friend as someone who knew how to get things done. Schramm brought Brandt on in personnel, where he assisted in identifying talent such as Del Shofner, Jack Pardee, Billy Ray Smith, Lamar Lundy and Jimmy Orr, all of whom enjoyed long NFL careers.
Following Schramm’s departure to CBS, Brandt moved to the 49ers for a season, when news broke that in an effort to counter the launch of the upstart American Football League, the NFL approved a new franchise in Dallas. That franchise was to be led by Schramm. Who was one of Schramm’s first hires?
Gil Brandt.
Schramm gave Brandt a simple marching order – with the team not having the benefit of participating in the 1960 NFL Draft, and only being given table scraps from their fellow NFL teams to build a roster, Schramm told Brandt to find enough players to fill a roster. Brandt managed to get his hands on a contract template from the Rams, doctor it to read “Dallas Rangers” (the team’s original planned name), and managed to sign 40 players to a contract before the team was officially approved for play. Schramm and Brandt also managed to work with owner Clint Murchison to sign two critical players to personal services contracts to bind their rights: SMU quarterback Don Meredith and New Mexico running back Don Perkins. With these two players as future building blocks, the Cowboys had something to look forward to during a very bleak present, going winless in their inaugural season, and not having a non-losing season for five years.
During this time of despair, Brandt worked to establish scouting templates that became the standard of the NFL. Where many teams relied solely on the draft to get personnel, the Cowboys went the route of mining small colleges for undrafted free agents. The Cowboys would routinely invite near 100 undrafted free agents in an effort to find contributors. While one can look at finding early draftees like Bob Lilly and Lee Roy Jordan as critical, it was Brandt’s information network that led to finding gems off the beaten path – Cornell Green, Mike Gaechter, Pete Gent, Cliff Harris, Drew Pearson, Everson Walls and Michael Downs. This extended to draft picks from smaller colleges, such as George Andrie (Marquette), Pettis Norman (Johnson C. Smith), Jethro Pugh (Elizabeth City State), Rayfield Wright (Grand Valley State), Duane Thomas (West Texas A&M) and Thomas Henderson (Langston).
Brandt also looked to find translatable skills from other sports, and project that to the NFL. Doing this resulted in success stories such as Green, Gent, Wright and Bob Hayes. The Cowboys didn’t limit the possibilities of where to find players – this extended to kickers, where they found Toni Fritsch in Europe playing soccer. It was this “do whatever it takes” attitude that helped lift the Cowboys up to the highest of heights.
The computerization of the Cowboys draft data helped streamline the Cowboy draft operation, and set the standard for building the team that went 20 seasons without a losing record. Taking the traits that Brandt had developed, the Cowboys built a relatively objective draft model that lifted the Cowboys from a punchline to the most talented team in the league. The Cowboys also instituted personality, intelligence and psychological testing to determine which draftees would better adapt to Landry’s methods of teaching. These methods are used today by every team in the league.
While Brandt has been known best for the Dirty Dozen draft of 1975, it were the previously mentioned innovations that set the table for a draft such as that to occur. But, that draft took a team that appeared to be on the brink of a slide to three Super Bowl appearances and a decade of success. The draft haul of Randy White, Henderson, Bob Bruenig, Burton Lawless, Pat Donovan, Randy Hughes, Scott Laidlaw, Herb Scott, Kyle Davis, Mitch Hoopes, Rolly Woolsey, and undrafted free agent Percy Howard (NOTE: the draft was so deep that linebacker Mike Hegman, who went on to play 13 years for the Cowboys, didn’t make the team in 1975) provided rocket fuel to the team and lifted them to a surprise appearance in Super Bowl X.
The Cowboys entered a dark time in personnel when it came to the 1980’s, with the changing of the schedule of the draft helping to level the playing field between teams. Years of drafting late in the first round also took their toll, and Brandt looked for more finds than ever. The mistakes made in the draft, along with an inability to adapt their systems to a more modern NFL, led to a slide that resulted in the selling of the team to Jerry Jones, who unceremoniously let the Holy Trinity of the Cowboys go – first Landry, then Schramm followed by Brandt.
In his personnel career, Brandt had a hand in identifying and selecting nine players who ultimately made the Hall of Fame: Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes, Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman (Brandt was still working in personnel for the 1989 draft). That is a magical run that was worthy of recognition well before this year.
In his post-personnel career, Brandt continues to contribute to the NFL. Brandt has worked as part of the group that identifies and invites prospects to the NFL Scouting Combine, as well as to the NFL Draft. He was written columns on the draft for NFL.com since its inception, and was one of the early voices and forces behind Sirius NFL Radio. For a man who left an organization that couldn’t adapt to the changing times, Brandt did more than adapt post-Cowboys – he continues to redefine himself.
It was well overdue for Brandt to be included in the Ring of Honor.
But, for a man who has spent over 60 years working with the NFL in many capacities, it’s a disgrace that he will reach the age of 86 before he’s properly honored in the NFL. Thankfully, he was around to receive the good news.
This honor is the culmination of one hell of a football journey for one Gilbert Harvey Brandt.
And, it’s a heck of an accomplishment for a former baby photographer.
It has been a long (too long), fulfilling journey for one Gil Brandt, and one that results in him being cast as an immortal.
But now Brandt is in a place that honors the accomplishments of those who left an indelible imprint on the game of football. He now will take his rightful place alongside the original architects of the Dallas Cowboys: Tex Schramm and Tom Landry in the Hall of Fame. This is correcting a long standing wrong in his accomplishments not getting the proper recognition that they deserve. And, one that thankfully took place while he was still alive to receive the good news, no slam dunk with Brandt approaching his 86th birthday in March.
Brandt’s success is a testament to hard work and having the will to crack into industries that seemed impossible to get into. Following his leaving the University of Wisconsin before graduating, Brandt was a baby photographer (he was resourceful enough to cut a deal with nurses in hospitals to take pictures of newborns, and allow Brandt to sell them to the new parents). He was also a friend of Los Angeles Rams star running back Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, who made a recommendation to then general manager Schramm to bring Brandt on in some capacity, labeling his friend as someone who knew how to get things done. Schramm brought Brandt on in personnel, where he assisted in identifying talent such as Del Shofner, Jack Pardee, Billy Ray Smith, Lamar Lundy and Jimmy Orr, all of whom enjoyed long NFL careers.
Following Schramm’s departure to CBS, Brandt moved to the 49ers for a season, when news broke that in an effort to counter the launch of the upstart American Football League, the NFL approved a new franchise in Dallas. That franchise was to be led by Schramm. Who was one of Schramm’s first hires?
Gil Brandt.
Schramm gave Brandt a simple marching order – with the team not having the benefit of participating in the 1960 NFL Draft, and only being given table scraps from their fellow NFL teams to build a roster, Schramm told Brandt to find enough players to fill a roster. Brandt managed to get his hands on a contract template from the Rams, doctor it to read “Dallas Rangers” (the team’s original planned name), and managed to sign 40 players to a contract before the team was officially approved for play. Schramm and Brandt also managed to work with owner Clint Murchison to sign two critical players to personal services contracts to bind their rights: SMU quarterback Don Meredith and New Mexico running back Don Perkins. With these two players as future building blocks, the Cowboys had something to look forward to during a very bleak present, going winless in their inaugural season, and not having a non-losing season for five years.
During this time of despair, Brandt worked to establish scouting templates that became the standard of the NFL. Where many teams relied solely on the draft to get personnel, the Cowboys went the route of mining small colleges for undrafted free agents. The Cowboys would routinely invite near 100 undrafted free agents in an effort to find contributors. While one can look at finding early draftees like Bob Lilly and Lee Roy Jordan as critical, it was Brandt’s information network that led to finding gems off the beaten path – Cornell Green, Mike Gaechter, Pete Gent, Cliff Harris, Drew Pearson, Everson Walls and Michael Downs. This extended to draft picks from smaller colleges, such as George Andrie (Marquette), Pettis Norman (Johnson C. Smith), Jethro Pugh (Elizabeth City State), Rayfield Wright (Grand Valley State), Duane Thomas (West Texas A&M) and Thomas Henderson (Langston).
Brandt also looked to find translatable skills from other sports, and project that to the NFL. Doing this resulted in success stories such as Green, Gent, Wright and Bob Hayes. The Cowboys didn’t limit the possibilities of where to find players – this extended to kickers, where they found Toni Fritsch in Europe playing soccer. It was this “do whatever it takes” attitude that helped lift the Cowboys up to the highest of heights.
The computerization of the Cowboys draft data helped streamline the Cowboy draft operation, and set the standard for building the team that went 20 seasons without a losing record. Taking the traits that Brandt had developed, the Cowboys built a relatively objective draft model that lifted the Cowboys from a punchline to the most talented team in the league. The Cowboys also instituted personality, intelligence and psychological testing to determine which draftees would better adapt to Landry’s methods of teaching. These methods are used today by every team in the league.
While Brandt has been known best for the Dirty Dozen draft of 1975, it were the previously mentioned innovations that set the table for a draft such as that to occur. But, that draft took a team that appeared to be on the brink of a slide to three Super Bowl appearances and a decade of success. The draft haul of Randy White, Henderson, Bob Bruenig, Burton Lawless, Pat Donovan, Randy Hughes, Scott Laidlaw, Herb Scott, Kyle Davis, Mitch Hoopes, Rolly Woolsey, and undrafted free agent Percy Howard (NOTE: the draft was so deep that linebacker Mike Hegman, who went on to play 13 years for the Cowboys, didn’t make the team in 1975) provided rocket fuel to the team and lifted them to a surprise appearance in Super Bowl X.
The Cowboys entered a dark time in personnel when it came to the 1980’s, with the changing of the schedule of the draft helping to level the playing field between teams. Years of drafting late in the first round also took their toll, and Brandt looked for more finds than ever. The mistakes made in the draft, along with an inability to adapt their systems to a more modern NFL, led to a slide that resulted in the selling of the team to Jerry Jones, who unceremoniously let the Holy Trinity of the Cowboys go – first Landry, then Schramm followed by Brandt.
In his personnel career, Brandt had a hand in identifying and selecting nine players who ultimately made the Hall of Fame: Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Bob Hayes, Roger Staubach, Rayfield Wright, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman (Brandt was still working in personnel for the 1989 draft). That is a magical run that was worthy of recognition well before this year.
In his post-personnel career, Brandt continues to contribute to the NFL. Brandt has worked as part of the group that identifies and invites prospects to the NFL Scouting Combine, as well as to the NFL Draft. He was written columns on the draft for NFL.com since its inception, and was one of the early voices and forces behind Sirius NFL Radio. For a man who left an organization that couldn’t adapt to the changing times, Brandt did more than adapt post-Cowboys – he continues to redefine himself.
It was well overdue for Brandt to be included in the Ring of Honor.
But, for a man who has spent over 60 years working with the NFL in many capacities, it’s a disgrace that he will reach the age of 86 before he’s properly honored in the NFL. Thankfully, he was around to receive the good news.
This honor is the culmination of one hell of a football journey for one Gilbert Harvey Brandt.
And, it’s a heck of an accomplishment for a former baby photographer.
, and one for the great Gil Brandt 
