Welcome back to our series on the best Dallas Cowboys player to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.
While the No. 0 entry was as easy as can be, as literally only one player has worn it since America's Team joined the NFL in 1960, the choice for who to take at No. 1 proved to be a bit difficult, which also proved to be the case here at No. 2. Here's a quick look at every player who's worn the number for Dallas over the years.
- Jose Cortez, K
- Cobie Durant, CB
- Lin Elliott, K
- Jourdan Lewis, CB
- Brett Maher, K
- Brian Moorman, P
- Mike Nugent, K
- Sam Paulescu, P
- Juanyeh Thomas, S
- KaVontae Turpin, WR/KR
- Anthony Wright, QB
- Greg Zuerlein, K
One would think it's safe to say that some people would go with Jourdan Lewis, who's actually the only player on this list who donned the digit for more than two seasons, wearing it for three years from 2022 to 2024 after previously sporting both No. 27 and No. 26 during his first five years with the club. The multiple numbers don't have anything to do with our decision, though, as he's just not our guy.
Some might go with Lin Elliott, who took sixth place in the 1992 Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in helping the Cowboys to the first of three Super Bowl titles in four years, but he fizzled out something fierce after that first season. Greg Zuerlein also got a look, but he's not our choice either.
As for who did take the title of the best Cowboys player to wear No. 2, we opted for Brett Maher, who, as Dallas fans well know, wasn't the most accurate kicker in the world but had a monster leg.
Brett Maher was the first kicker in NFL history with two field goals of 62 yards or longer in a career
Maher's road to the NFL was absolutely wild.
Undrafted out of Nebraska in 2013, he signed as a free agent with the New York Jets, who cut him before training camp. Soon after, he signed with the Cowboys, who cut him after just two weeks. From there, he spent several seasons in the CFL before returning to the NFL in March 2017 with the Cleveland Browns, who cut him in early May.
After an All-Star season back in Canada in 2017 with the Ottawa Redblacks, Maher returned to the Cowboys in 2018 and after he had a solid preseason, Dallas shockingly cut ties with Dan Bailey, thus thrusting Maher into the starting role.
Donning No. 2, the Nebraska native only connected on 80.6 percent of his field goals, but he was twice named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. In addition, in a Week 14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, he drained a 62-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, a kick that, at the time, was the longest in Cowboys history and tied for the third-longest in NFL history.
In 2019, in a Week 6 loss to the Jets, Maher drained another 62-yarder, thus making him the first kicker in NFL history with two kicks of at least that length in a career. Just one week later, in a Week 7 win over the Eagles, he connected on a 63-yarder to set a new franchise record, which has since been broken by Brandon Aubrey.
Unfortunately, Maher's accuracy issues got worse, and he was released with a few weeks to play in the regular season after having missed 10 of 30 field goals. He returned to Dallas in 2022, wearing No. 19 with No. 2 being taken by Lewis, and had a much better overall campaign, connecting on 90.6 percent of his field goals and adding another 60-yarder to his resume, thus becoming the first in NFL history with four kicks of 60 yards or longer.
Maher has since been joined in this exclusive club, but being the first locked up this title of being the best Cowboys player to wear No. 2.
Add us as a preferred source on Google