Dallas Cowboys: 30 greatest players in franchise history
123. . Safety. (1992-2004). Darren Woodson. 11. player
It’s hard to imagine that the Dallas Cowboys defender who currently holds the franchise record for the most career tackles all-time is not in the Hall of Fame. But that is the case for safety Darren Woodson, who recorded 813 total tackles during a stellar 12-year career, all of which was spent in Dallas.
Drafted in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, the Cowboys had the opportunity to select Woodson due to the large draft capital obtained via the famous Herschel Walker trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
A 6-foot-1, 219-pound outside linebacker, Woodson was shifted to safety by then defensive coordinator Dave Campo. Possessing both the run-stopping/tackling abilities of a strong safety and the coverage skills of a free safety, the versatile Woodson quickly became one of the top players at his position in the entire league.
During his 12-year career, “Woody” racked up five Pro Bowl nominations and was elected as an NFL All-Pro four times. He also helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowl titles in the early nineties.
Darren Woodson’s name was included as part of the preliminary list of nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in both 2008 and 2011. In 2015, Woodson was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor.