Ranking the greatest players in Dallas Cowboys history

There have been several great quarterbacks in this team’s storied history but every time one of them begins to have success, they start getting compared to Roger Staubach. A Heisman Trophy winner for the U.S. Naval Academy, Staubach was drafted in the 10th round of the 1964 NFL Draft and the 16th round of the AFL Draft.

However, he first went to serve his country in the Navy and even had a tour of duty in Vietnam during the war. Eventually, he joined the Cowboys, making his debut with the team in 1969 at the age of 27.

His first two seasons in the league saw him serving as a backup. He appeared in 14 games but had just four starts and threw three touchdowns with 10 picks in that span. Then in 1971, the legend was born.

Staubach took over for Craig Morton early that season and the Cowboys didn’t lose again. He led them to 10-straight regular-season wins and then helped them win their first Super Bowl, knocking off the Miami Dolphins 24-3 — he was even named the MVP in that win.

He continued to win for Dallas, leading them to an 85-29 mark as the starting quarterback, and winning another Super Bowl for them as well.

Staubach had several traits that endeared him to fans, which included his high character off the field, his leadership on it, and his persistence as a player. Dallas was never out of a game as long as Staubach was under center and his knack for coming from behind earned him the nickname “Captain Comeback.”

To this day, he remains the best player in franchise history and is still a recognizable figure despite not playing since 1979.