Best Dallas Cowboys player to wear No. 48 was beloved despite not posting big numbers

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

We're just one entry away from hitting the official halfway point of our journey, but before we get there, we've obviously got some business to tend to here at No. 48. As we've done throughout the series, let's kick things off by taking a look at everyone who's worn the number for America's Team over the years.

Micheal Barrow, LB
Zion Childress, DB
Jabril Cox, LB
Princeton Fant, TE
Jake Ferguson, TE
Daryl Johnston, FB
Joe Thomas, LB
Terry Witherspoon, FB

As you can see, this is not a lengthy list by any stretch, and with all due respect to those on it, there simply aren't many notable names here.

You undoubtedly noticed multiple-time Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson, who's worn No. 87 throughout his career. But what you may not remember is that during his first training camp with the team in 2022, he sported No. 48 to honor a past player before switching digits just before the regular season.

And that player he was honoring, of course, is our selection in this slot, that being legendary fullback Daryl "Moose" Johnston.

Daryl "Moose" Johnston was one of the most complete fullbacks in NFL history

A First-Team All-Big East selection and an All-American in his final year at Syracuse in 1988, Johnston was taken by Dallas in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft with the 39th overall selection.

That '89 draft, of course, was also when the Cowboys used the No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Troy Aikman, but it was actually another QB, that being backup Babe Laufenberg, who slapped the "Moose" nickname on Johnston during training camp due to his 6-foot-2, 240-pound stature. And Johnston certainly used that size to his advantage throughout his career, although his main job was never to pick up yardage.

A year after Aikman and Johnston joined the Cowboys, Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson used the team's first-round selection in the 1990 draft on running back Emmitt Smith, who, as everyone knows, went on to become the NFL's all-time leading rusher.

And "Moose" provided the blocks for a lot of those yards, so much so that Smith said on at least two occasions that he wouldn't have accomplished what he did without Johnston, first on the day he broke Walter Payton's record and again when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The NFL certainly took notice of what Johnston meant to the 1990s Dallas dynasty that won three Super Bowls, as it was because of him that the league added a dedicated fullback position to the Pro Bowl in 1993, with "Moose" earning a trip to the game in both 1993 and 1994.

Now, while we mentioned that Johnston's main job wasn't to handle the football, it's not as if he never did so, as he rushed for 753 yards and eight touchdowns before retiring following the 1999 season, adding another 70 yards and two scores in the playoffs.

What some may not remember is that the three-time Super Bowl champ was a fantastic receiver out of the backfield. In fact, he tallied more receptions (331) than he did rushing attempts (255), with his 294 regular-season catches going for 2,227 yards and 14 touchdowns, and his 37 postseason grabs going for 247 yards and a score.

So, to put it simply, the guy was one of the most complete fullbacks this game has ever seen. Johnston, of course, went on to become a successful broadcaster, but to Cowboys fans everywhere, he'll always best be remembered as one of the most beloved players in franchise history.

Full list of Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Daryl "Moose" Johnston was one of the most complete fullbacks in NFL history

Full list of Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

Schedule