6 former Cowboys players and personnel named 2023 Hall of Fame semifinalists

When it comes to professional sports, the Dallas Cowboys are one of the most talked-about and storied franchises of all time. Tied in the league for the second-most amount of Super Bowl wins (5), some of the greatest players to play football were members of America’s Team.

But it isn’t just about the players. The Cowboys have also had some of the greatest NFL coaches and executives as well. That’s why they have 20 players and personnel currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Names like Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, and Jimmy Johnson all have busts in Canton, Ohio.

For the 2022 class, we saw yet another Cowboys great get absolutely snubbed in his first chance to make the Hall of Fame: DeMarcus Ware. It’s incredibly likely that he makes it this season, but could other Dallas legends join him in the 2023 class?

On Thursday, the Hall announced the 54 semifinalists for the Class of 2023 in the Seniors and Coach/Contributor categories. Six well-remembered Cowboys were on the list. They are:

1. Everson Walls, CB
2. Chuck Howley, LB
3. Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Personnel Executive
4. Dan Reeves, RB & Coach
5. Clint Murchison Jr., Owner/Founder
6. John Wooten, Personnel Executive

6 former Cowboys players and personnel nominated for the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Each semifinalist played his last game in the league no later than the 1996 season for the Senior player category. Now that the semifinalists have been chosen, the selection committees will meet and vote 12 Seniors and 12 Coach/Contributors to the final stage. Those results will be revealed on July 27.

Everson Walls, CB:

Walls played nine seasons for Dallas as a cornerback. It was his 11 interceptions in a single season that Trevon Diggs was trying to beat in 2021. Walls is a 4x Pro Bowler, 3x All-Pro, and a Super Bowl champion. The former Cowboy also led the league in interceptions for three separate seasons.

Chuck Howley, LB:

A Cowboys Ring of Honor member, Howley spent 13 of his 15 NFL years with Dallas. During that time he collected 24 interceptions, 17 fumble recoveries, and 26.0 sacks. He will be widely remembered for the fact that he is the only player in NFL history to win Super Bowl MVP as a member of the losing team. However, he did help the Cowboys win a ring in the season prior.

Frank “Bucko” Kilroy:

Kilroy himself was a guard for 12 years, but he is better remembered for his time as an executive in the league. He was a scout, GM, and VP for several NFL teams. Kilroy spent five years as a scout for the Cowboys.

Dan Reeves, RB & Coach:

The late Dan Reeves not only spent eight years as a running back for the Cowboys but was also an assistant coach for Dallas for several years under Tom Landry. He is a Super Bowl champ and 2x AP NFL Coach of the Year winner.

Clint Murchison Jr., Owner/Founder:

The man responsible for it all. Murchison Jr. was the founder of the Dallas Cowboys in 1960 and remained the owner until 1983. He is currently in both the Texas Sports and Texas Business Hall of Fames.

John Wooten, Personnel Executive:

Wooten was a football guard turned executive. After his pro career, he became a scout from 1975 to 1979. He was later promoted to Director of Pro Personnel in 1980. After his time with the Cowboys, he went on to be a front office exec for the Eagles and Ravens.