Welcome back once again to our series on the best Dallas Cowboys players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.
We've gotta be honest with you here; the No. 15 hasn't produced the sexiest overall list of players. Nevertheless, let's go ahead and have a look at everyone who's donned the digit for America's Team over the years.
- Cornell Burbage, WR
- Ezekiel Elliott, RB
- Toni Fritsch, K
- Andre Holmes, WR
- Manuel Johnson, WR
- Derion Kendrick, DB
- Babe Laufenberg, QB
- Devin Smith, WR
- Micheal Spurlock, WR
- Devin Street, WR
- Deonte Thompson, WR
Naturally, the big name that stands out here is Ezekiel Elliott, who racked up 8,488 yards and 71 touchdowns on the ground over the course of eight seasons in Dallas, adding another 2,718 yards and 14 scores as a receiver.
But let's not forget that Zeke wore No. 21 for seven of those eight seasons, only switching to No. 15 when he returned to the team in 2024 after a one-year stint with the New England Patriots. And that last year certainly wasn't great, as he tallied just 295 total yards. So, he's not our call here. And just as a spoiler, he won't be the call at No. 21 either, as there's a little matter of a guy who goes by "Prime Time" who'll be taking that slot.
But getting back to No. 15, the selection here certainly isn't the most popular name in franchise history, but he's undoubtedly one of the more unique talents ever to wear a star on the side of his helmet, that being kicker Toni Fritsch.
Toni Fritsch won three soccer titles in his home country of Austria before joining the Dallas Cowboys
You know how Brandon Aubrey played soccer before joining the Cowboys? Well, that was Fritsch. And while Aubrey may be the better NFL kicker, Fritsch was a far better soccer player.
A native of Petronell-Carnuntum, Austria, Fritsch played 123 games for Rapid Wien (also known as Rapid Vienna or Sportklub Rapid), scoring 15 goals and helping the club to three Austrian championships in 1964, 1967, and 1968 and back-to-back Austrian Cup titles in 1968 and 1969. He also suited up for the Austrian national team on nine occasions. So, yeah, the guy knew what to do with his feet.
As such, when the Cowboys went looking for a soccer-style kicker to bring over from Europe in the early 1970s, they quickly fell in love with the then-26-year-old, who was actually the first player they saw and the first they tried out.
While Fritsch began his NFL career on the practice squad in 1971, he was activated midway through the year, and in his debut, he kicked a game-winning, 26-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 16-13 road win over the then-St. Louis Cardinals. He also made history that day by becoming the first Austrian ever to play in an NFL game.
Dallas went on to win the Super Bowl that season, although Fritsch didn't participate as much as he would have liked, as he suffered a hamstring injury that limited him to just two games. Nevertheless, he got himself a ring in a second professional sport and remains the only player in history to win professional titles in both association football and American football. So, just that alone is something special.
Fritsch certainly wasn't the most accurate kicker, making just 66 of 107 field-goal attempts in four seasons with the Cowboys. But he did make 98.3 percent of his extra-point tries and led all kickers in scoring in 1975, his final year with the team (he missed the '74 campaign with a knee injury), tallying 104 points to finish third overall among all players, trailing only running backs O.J. Simpson (138) and Chuck Foreman (132).
Traded to the then-San Diego Chargers ahead of the 1976 season, Fritsch played through the 1982 campaign, also suiting up for the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans), for whom he earned a First-Team All-Pro nod in 1979, and the New Orleans Saints.
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
Add us as a preferred source on Google