The Landry Hat
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6 players you may have forgotten played for the Dallas Cowboys

By Randy Gurzi

Nov 7, 2004; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back #27 Eddie George runs the ball in 1st quarter action. The Cincinnati Bengals lead the Dallas Cowboys 9-3 at the half. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Brett Hansbauer-USA TODAY Sports (c) 2004 by Brett Hansbauer
Nov 7, 2004; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back #27 Eddie George runs the ball in 1st quarter action. The Cincinnati Bengals lead the Dallas Cowboys 9-3 at the half. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Brett Hansbauer-USA TODAY Sports (c) 2004 by Brett Hansbauer /
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Dallas Cowboys
Sep 7, 2008; Cleveland, OH, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Zach Thomas (55) tries for an interception as safety Ken Hamlin (26) breaks up a fourth-quarter pass against Cleveland Browns receiver Syndric Steptoe (12) at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Browns 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Zach Thomas, 2008

When entering the 1996 NFL Draft, Zach Thomas was already battling against scouts who thought he was too small to play linebacker, but then things got more difficult for him. The 5-foot-11, 233-pounder put up some ugly numbers at the Scouting Combine, which dropped his stock further.

Eventually, the Texas Tech product was taken by the Miami Dolphins who used the 154th overall selection in Round 5 to land him. Thomas wound up making them look brilliant for the move.

He played 12 seasons for the Dolphins and racked up 1,734 tackles and 17 picks in that span. Then, ahead of the 2008 season, he was released during a staff shakeup and had offers from three teams. He chose the Cowboys.

The fit was questioned since Thomas was called too small to start in their 3-4 defense but Wade Phillips was adamant he could get the job done, and Thomas again proved his team right for taking a gamble. In his lone season with Dallas, he played in every game and had 94 tackles, a sack, and three pass defenses.

Those numbers are solid for any linebacker but even more impressive when it’s done by a 35-year-old playing a different spot in the defense than he was accustomed to.

While he did well, Dallas didn’t bring Thomas back in 2009. Instead, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and was cut during training camp not long after suffering a concussion.

Thomas is still waiting to get into the Hall of Fame. He would certainly go in as a Dolphin and won’t be remembered for wearing the star for such a short time.

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