While playing for the Dallas Cowboys certainly has its benefits, it can have its flaws as well. With a moniker like “Americas Team,” it is incredibly difficult to go under the radar. With that being said, some players seemed to find a way to not be appreciated to their fullest extent, whether that is due to not being noticed enough or by being over scrutinized by media and fans.
These players deserve to be respected as you cannot paint the picture of Cowboys history without them, regardless of what national media thinks. So, while there are numerous players throughout Cowboys history who could be deemed “underappreciated”, we made a list of the top 5.
The top 5 most underappreciated players in Dallas Cowboys history
5. Bob Hayes, WR (1965-74)
The case for greatness:
The late great Bob Hayes was nicknamed “Bullet Bob” for good reason, as not many could keep up with the two-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter. Hayes was fast as lightning. In 1964, he set the then Olympic record for the 100-yard dash, and some believe if given an even playing field that he could have been faster than Usain Bolt.
Being the only player ever to win a gold medal and a Super Bowl, Hayes lit the league on fire posting two 1,000-yard seasons in his first two years and averaging 20 yards per reception for his entire career, with the peak being 26. He truly was the first of his kind and a big-play threat from anywhere on the field.
Hayes essentially was the fastest player to ever put on a helmet, but he wasn’t one-dimensional. If you take into consideration his stats from his prime, which would’ve been his first seven years in the league, he averaged 13 games a year, 945 yards, and 9.6 touchdowns. If you expand those averages to a modern-day 17-game schedule it looks even more ridiculous, as it would’ve been 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns per year.
Why he’s underappreciated:
In a franchise with as many great receivers as the Cowboys have had (especially with the No. 88s in Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, and Dez Bryant), you can see why a receiver from his era would certainly be forgotten. Hayes was a revelation, a player built for modern-day, air-it-out football trapped in an era that focused mainly on ground-and-pound.
While Hayes is a Hall of Famer, he did not get inducted until his posthumous induction in 2009, and he has not received the recognition he truly deserves as one of the greatest receiving threats to ever play.
4. Chuck Howley, LB (1961-73)
The case for greatness:
Howley was a five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro-Bowler outside linebacker who was fantastic in space. He intercepted 25 balls and had 18 fumble recoveries in his career. Being the only player on a losing team to win the Super Bowl MVP, Howley was phenomenal in big-time games, intercepting three balls in two Super Bowls, and having multiple other big-game performances.
Howley did everything on the field well, and was a mainstay on the early Cowboys teams, helping them emerge to relevancy. He also made a big fan of Tom Landry as well, as the famous coach once said “I don’t know that I’ve seen anybody better at linebacker than Howley.”
Why he’s underappreciated:
Much of why Howley is underappreciated comes down to two different reasons: First, he played on some very bad Cowboys teams early in his career since he was traded to the Cowboys in only their second year of existence after becoming an expansion team in 1960. Secondly, stats were counted differently back in that era, and certain stats (like sacks) were not recorded at all.
So, Howley, while not considered a sack machine, reportedly held his own rushing the quarterback very well and ended up with an unofficial sack total of 26.5 sacks. All of this leads to his numbers not being as eye-popping as they could’ve been, which is probably why he was a Hall of Fame snub, despite being in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. Many consider it a travesty that he has continued to be looked over.
3: Everson Walls, DB (1981-89)
The case for greatness:
Many Cowboys fans learned some of Walls’ exploits this past season when Trevon Diggs tied Walls’ single-season interception record, however, I don’t think the majority of Cowboys fans realize just how good Walls was.
Walls could easily be considered the greatest cover corner of the 1980s, earning three All-Pro and four Pro Bowl nods. To go along with that, he also led the league in interceptions three different times. The only other player that has accomplished that feat was the great Ed Reed.
Walls is tied with five others for 13th all-time in interceptions, with 57 career interceptions. While he did get beat from time to time, it was clear he was one of the top corners in the league for an entire decade and that deserves recognition. Not many corners average seven interceptions a year during their prime.
Why he’s underappreciated:
Of the 19 players with more than 56 career interceptions, only three of them are not in the Hall of Fame, and Walls is one of them. He has rarely been mentioned in Hall of Fame debates, nor is he in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor.
It is a shame that a player of this stature is relatively unknown throughout the likes of Cowboys lore. He wasn’t the flashiest of players and he wasn’t superbly athletically gifted, but perhaps he was a bit ahead of his time with his ball skills. His greatest ability was intercepting the football. An integral part of some of the best Cowboys teams ever, it’s criminal that Walls hasn’t received the respect he deserves.
2. Tony Romo, QB (2003-16)
The case for greatness:
I know I’ll get some flack for mentioning Tony Romo on this list, but there have been very few players this talented to see the media scrutiny that this QB saw throughout his career. Even with all of that criticism, Romo performed incredibly well in his career.
He has a Cinderella-like story, going from a small school bench warmer to the face of America’s Team. For what it’s worth, Romo lived up to his (at the time) record-breaking contracts, at least statistically, regardless of whether the team that surrounded him did not.
Romo, a one-time All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks first in franchise history in career passing yards (34,183 yards) and career touchdowns (248), and he ranks second in franchise history in passer rating behind Prescott with a career rating of 97.1.
The former quarterback is also highly ranked in his career stats when compared to the rest of NFL history, as he is 36th in passing yards, 24th in passing touchdowns, 9th in passer rating, 7th in yards per attempt, and 11th in completion percentage, placing him ahead of numerous Hall of Famers. Romo was certainly not the best QB in NFL history, or anywhere close. But his numbers are Hall of Fame worthy, regardless of the postseason failures.
Why he’s underappreciated:
Perhaps the most overly scrutinized player ever, every mistake Romo ever made in his career was nitpicked with a fine-tooth comb by every sports analyst on ESPN. This created an aura of Romo being a choke artist. However, the QB had 24 fourth-quarter comebacks, which ranks 18th all-time.
To be fair, he did have some very memorable highly publicized failures. Some were on him, some were on his teammates. The botched field goal hold in the 2006 playoffs, the multiple losses in the divisional round after having the first-round bye, and his altogether 2-4 career postseason record have tainted Romo’s legacy.
However, Cowboys fans should be thankful for Romo. He rescued the Cowboys from mediocrity and a quarterback carousel that they just couldn’t escape. Whenever he was on the field, the Cowboys always stood a chance to win the game and you never knew when Romo was going to pull out some of his magic.
The Romo years were an incredibly fun time, where an often-injured Romo showed his tenacity and toughness and willed the ‘Boys and the patchwork rosters they surrounded him with to multiple playoff births. Romo will likely not be inducted into the NFL hall of fame, however, he will most certainly be inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor.
1. Darren Woodson, SS (1992-2003)
The case for greatness:
Coming in at No. 1 is quite frankly the most underappreciated player in NFL history. This man was widely considered by fellow players to be one of the best safeties to ever play and has been a perennial Hall of Fame snub.
Woodson was a staple on three Super Bowl-winning teams and was respected throughout the game. As a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler, the safety was good at everything on the field. He could be lined up on a blitz or close to the line and perform well, and he was excellent at coverage. Woodson is also the Cowboys’ all-time leader in tackles as well.
Michael Irvin once said this about Woodson:
"“Darren Woodson came in in a time when we were putting safeties in the Hall of Fame for just hitting people… and Darren Woodson would lay a hit on you. But, Darren Woodson also had the ability to take a tight end out, to play a slot receiver. That’s what safeties are doing now; it wasn’t what they were doing then.”"
Hall of Fame linebacker, Brian Urlacher, even called him his “favorite player of all time.”
Why he’s underappreciated:
How can a guy who is this respected throughout the league be left out of Canton? Your guess is as good as mine. Woodson has constantly been overlooked throughout his playing career. The day he broke the Cowboys’ all-time tackle record was the same day Emmitt Smith broke the NFL’s all-time rushing record.
Fans completely overlooked Woodson’s incredible feat, and ever since he retired, the voters have overlooked Woodson. Hopefully, Cowboys fans can look back and truly understand how much of an intricate part Woodson played in helping the Cowboys win the three Super Bowls in the 1990s.
So, there you have it. The top 5 most underappreciated players in Cowboys history. Let us know what your top 5 would be!