Dallas Cowboys: 30 greatest players in franchise history

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TEMPE, AZ – JANUARY 28: Safety Bill Bates #40 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates on the sidelines during Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sun Devil Stadium on January 28, 1996 in Tempe, Arizona. The Cowboys won 27-17. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) /

123. . Safety. (1983-1997). Bill Bates. 27. player

Legendary head coach Tom Landry once said: “If we had 11 players on the field who played as hard as Bill Bates does and did their homework like he does, we’d be almost impossible to beat.” Isn’t that enough of an endorsement to land Bates on this list?

No? Now consider the fact Bates helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls, played for a ridiculous 15 seasons, and forced the NFL to create a spot for a special teams player on the Pro Bowl roster just for him. Enough said.

An undrafted rookie out of Tennessee in 1983 after posting a pedestrian 4.8-40 time, Bates was completely ignored during the draft. He then rejected an offer to play for the rival USFL in order to play for his favorite childhood NFL team, the Cowboys.

Through true grit and determination, Bates would win NFC Special Teams Player of the Year his rookie season. The following year, he would be named to the Pro Bowl with none other than the legendary John Madden leading the charge.

Bill Bates’s hard-nosed playing style and intense work ethic made him one of the most popular Dallas Cowboys players of all-time. Combined with his career longevity, Super Bowl rings, and impact on the NFL as a special teams ace; and Bates is more than worthy of landing on our list.

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