Best Dallas Cowboys player to wear No. 23 was a key role player for Tom Landry

Welcome back to our series on the best Dallas Cowboys players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.

While we kicked off the 20s with three consecutive entries covering Pro Football Hall of Famers and some of the biggest legends in the 60-plus-year history of America's Team, we certainly don't have anything like that going on here at No. 23.

Nevertheless, we still have to pick a winner, so let's have a quick look at everyone who's donned the digit for Dallas over the years.

Margene Adkins, WR
Vince Agnew, CB
Robert Bailey, DB
Bene Benwikere, CB
Jaydon Blue, RB
Alundis Brice, DB
Aveion Cason, RB
Tashard Choice, RB
Malik Davis, RB
Rico Dowdle, RB
Derrick Frazier, DB
Dwayne Goodrich, DB
Jakar Hamilton, S
Johnny Holloway, DB
Mike Johnson, DB
James Jones, RB
LeQuan Lewis, CB
Woodley Lewis, E
Kevin Mathis, DB
Leon McFadden, CB
Mike Montgomery, WR
Sammy Morris, RB
Dick Nolan, DB
Evan Oglesby, DB
Darian Thompson, DB
Robert Turbin, RB
Corey White, DB
Robert Williams, DB

So, with all due respect to each and every player on this list, the fact that we had to seriously consider Rico Dowdle for this slot pretty much says it all.

To his credit, Dowdle did have that one strong season in 2024, tallying 1,328 total yards from scrimmage (1,079 rushing, 249 receiving) and five total touchdowns (two rushing, three receiving). In his four other seasons with the club, however, he racked up a combined 529 total yards and four touchdowns.

Speaking of running backs, we also had to consider another in Tashard Choice, a backup for three and a half seasons from 2008 to 2011 who was adored by fans but never really received a genuine shot unless Marion Barber or Felix Jones got hurt.

At the end of the day, though, it wasn't a running back that took this title, as our decision came down to a pair of defensive backs. We took a long look at Robert Williams, who was a solid starter on those bad Dallas teams in the late 1980s but was relegated to a backup role once better options were added to the roster.

While Williams technically got himself a pair of rings for the Cowboys' Super Bowl wins in 1992 and 1993, he only played 13 games for Dallas between those two seasons, none of which came in the postseason, and didn't play in either title game, as he was one of only two players declared inactive for Super Bowl 27 and was released long before Super Bowl 28 took place.

As such, our call here is Mike Johnson, who may not have the hardware Williams has but was at least a starter on a Cowboys team that went to a title game.

Mike Johnson was a solid defender for the Dallas Cowboys in the late 1960s

While Johnson may not have played running back in the NFL, he did do so at the collegiate level, although he didn't get much of a shot to shine, as he shared a backfield with Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers for the first two of his three years on the varsity squad at the University of Kansas.

Nevertheless, as he was a strong tackler on special teams for the Jayhawks, the Cowboys offered him a contract as an undrafted free agent in 1966, with the plan being to use him on special teams while also converting him to play defensive back. Johnson had actually been selected in the 14th round of the 1966 AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, but he chose to sign with Dallas instead.

While Williams played mostly on special teams as a rookie, he also filled in at linebacker at times. And in 1967, he cracked the starting lineup at cornerback and ended up recording five interceptions in helping the Cowboys to their second straight NFL Championship Game under Tom Landry, the third-most on the team behind Pro Bowlers Cornell Green and Mel Renfro. Dallas, of course, lost that game to the Green Bay Packers in the famous "Ice Bowl" at Lambeau Field.

Johnson was solid again in 1968, racking up another three interceptions, but that was as good as things got, as he failed to start a single game in 1969 after losing his job to Phil Clark. He was traded ahead of the 1970 season to the Chicago Bears, who released him before the regular season began, and that was the end of his NFL career.

Johnson's run with the Cowboys may not have been long, but it was at least good enough for him to take this title of the best player in franchise history to wear No. 23.

Other Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

This list will be updated daily until all 100 entries are complete, so please be sure to check back in with The Landry Hat for updates.

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Mike Johnson was a solid defender for the Dallas Cowboys in the late 1960s

Other Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

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