Welcome back to our series on the best Dallas Cowboys players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.
After an easy call in the penultimate batch of the 20s, we've got a similar situation here in the final entry at No. 29. While this particular player is nowhere near the team legend that the previous winner is, he does own one of the most historic seasons in Cowboys history.
But before we break that down, let's first look at everyone who's donned the digit for America's Team over the years.
- Chris Akins, DB
- Michael Bates, KR
- Terry Billups, DB
- Alundis Brice, DB
- Woodrow Dantzler, RB
- Keith Davis, DB
- Kenneth Gant, DB
- C.J. Goodwin, DB
- Alex Green, DB
- Robert Lavette, RB
- DeMarco Murray, RB
- Adrian Murrell, RB
- Greg Myers, DB
Now, from an overall standpoint, the most decorated player on this list would be Michael Bates, who was a bronze medalist in the 1992 Summer Olympics in the 200-meter dash and then went on to earn five trips to the Pro Bowl and a pair of All-Pro selections as a kick return specialist with the Carolina Panthers. But as he only played a pair of games with Dallas in his last season in the league in 2003, he's clearly not in the running for this slot.
As we're sure you've guessed by now, the clear-cut choice here is running back DeMarco Murray.
DeMarco Murray owns the Dallas Cowboys' records for rushing yards in a single game and a single season
A three-time All-Big 12 selection at Oklahoma, Murray was taken by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft with the 71st overall selection
While he began his career as the team's third-string back behind Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, an ankle injury to Jones a little over a month into the season opened an opportunity, and Murray certainly took advantage.
While Choice got the start in a Week 7 matchup with the then-St. Louis Rams, it was Murray who shined, setting a new single-game franchise record with 253 rushing yards on 25 carries, breaking the mark of 237 set by Emmitt Smith during his NFL MVP campaign in 1993. Murray's performance included a 91-yard touchdown, which stands as the second-longest TD run in Dallas history behind only Tony Dorsett's 99-yarder.
The former Sooner ultimately started seven games that season and ended his rookie campaign with 897 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding another 183 yards on 26 receptions.
After a foot injury limited him to just 10 games in 2012, Murray hit the 1,000-yard mark for the first time and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl in 2013, rushing for 1,121 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games, tacking on another 198 yards and two scores in the Cowboys' pair of playoff games.
But 2014 was his crowning achievement, as he set the Cowboys' new single-season rushing record with 1,845 yards, besting the 1,773 gained by Smith in 1995. Murray also scored a league-high 13 rushing touchdowns and added a career-high 416 receiving yards en route to earning a second straight trip to the Pro Bowl, a First-Team All-Pro selection, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and a third-place finish in the NFL MVP vote.
But just like that, he was gone.
Following Murray's historic season, Dallas decided it was more important to spend big money on wideout Dez Bryant, first slapping him with the franchise tag before ultimately signing him to a five-year, $70 million extension. Had the long-term deal happened earlier in the offseason, the Cowboys could have conceivably placed the tag on Murray instead.
But in tagging Bryant, it sent the clear message to Murray that he wasn't as important, and as such, he became the first player in 68 years to switch teams after leading the NFL in rushing, as he signed a five-year, $40 million deal to join the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Of course, things didn't work out so well in Philly, as he spent just one season with the Birds before being traded to the Tennessee Titans. And while he had a strong first season in Nashville, earning his third Pro Bowl selection after rushing for an AFC-best 1,287 yards and nine touchdowns, he played just one more season before retiring, as the Titans had reduced his role thanks to the emergence of Derrick Henry.
In his four seasons with the Cowboys, Murray rushed for 4,526 yards with 28 touchdowns on 934 carries, adding another 1,200 yards and one touchdown on 171 receptions.
Other Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees
- No. 0: Well, there's literally only one option here
- No. 1: Quietly one of Dallas' better special teams weapons
- No. 2: He once stood alone in the record books
- No. 3: This player needed just one season to make his mark
- No. 4: This is a no-brainer
- No. 5: This player has the third-most points in Cowboys history
- No. 6: The winner here just edged out a Pro Bowl history maker
- No. 7: Fizzled fast after his big payday
- No. 8: Member of an elite Super Bowl club
- No. 9: Doesn't get the credit he deserves
- No. 10: Also played professional basketball
- No. 11: No, it's not Micah Parsons
- No. 12: Didn't begin his Hall of Fame career until age 27
- No. 13: Was a solid WR2 (until he wasn't)
- No. 14: Led the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl appearance
- No. 15: Won multiple titles in another sport
- No. 16: Helped a legend score his first NFL TD
- No. 17: The Cowboys' first true franchise QB
- No. 18: Still holds a team record after 30-plus years
- No. 19: Might surprise some people
- No. 20: The Cowboys' all-time interceptions leader
- No. 21: This player was always 'Prime Time' entertainment
- No. 22: The only NFL MVP in Cowboys history
- No. 23: Was a key role player for Tom Landry
- No. 24: It's not the one who won Super Bowl MVP
- No. 25: Holds a unique place in Cowboys history
- No. 26: Didn't play one down of college football
- No. 27: Held a Cowboys record for nearly 50 years
- No. 28: Holds an odd team record
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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