Who are the 10 best Cowboys players of all time?

The Dallas Cowboys are considered one of the greatest franchises in the history of the NFL, they are called “America’s team.”

As one of four teams in league history with at least five Super Bowl titles, it is a franchise that has boasted many long-time stars over the years. This makes it very difficult to answer the question: Who are the greatest players in the history of the club?

FOX Sports Research took on the task of answering this question, crunching the numbers and ranking the 10 best Cowboys players of all time.

While there are obvious choices near the top, there are also surprising names that made our list when we analyzed their performance.

What is your favorite Cowboy position?

Let’s take a look:

10. Jason Witten

One of the greatest tight ends of all time, Witten helped elevate the Cowboys offense in the 2000s and 2010s. He was a Pro Bowl mainstay for most of his career, being honored 11 times in his 16 seasons with the Cowboys. He had at least 900 yards receiving in seven of those seasons, most of which coincided with winning years in Dallas. While Witten never won a Super Bowl in Dallas, he established himself as one of the game’s tight ends. He is second all-time among tight ends in receptions (1,228) and receiving yards (13,046) and sits sixth all-time in touchdown receptions among tight ends (74). In fact, his reception total is so high that it ranks fourth all-time, regardless of position.

9. Mel Renfro

Renfro was one of the first great players in Cowboys history. Joining the team in 1964, Renfro quickly became an impact player as he earned his first 10 straight Pro Bowl nods as a rookie. Towards the end of that run, the Cowboys emerged as contenders. He helped them win two Super Bowls and reach another, where he recorded a touchdown in the 1970 NFC Championship Game, a game that allowed the Cowboys to score the game-winning touchdown over the 49ers. He led the league in interceptions the season before with 10, and finished his career with 52. That total is not only the fifth-most by a safety, but also the most in Cowboys history.

8. Michael Irvin

Irvin was one of three players who made up the trio of “The Triplets” that were key to the Cowboys’ dominant run in the 1990s. The Cowboys wide receiver was instrumental in their 1992 Super Bowl win, recording six receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns in Super Bowl XXVII against the Buffalo Bills. Irvin was a five-time Pro Bowler, recording seven 1,000-yard seasons over an eight-year span in the mid-1990s. His career ended early and suddenly due to a back injury he suffered during the 1999 season, but it is clear that he has established himself as one of the best players in Cowboys history for his role in winning three Super Bowls.

7. Randy White

The Cowboys had a pair of players ranked in the top 10 of FOX Sports’ list of defensive interior players. White was the lesser of the two, but he had an impressive career in the 1970s and 1980s as he helped the Cowboys win another Super Bowl title in 1977. He earned co-Super Bowl MVP honors for his performance in that game, lowering the standard. down the Denver Broncos’ offense to victory. That year also marked the first of nine consecutive seasons in which White was named a Pro Bowler, posting at least 10 (unofficial) sacks in five different seasons. He posted 111 illegal sacks in his 14-year career.

6. Tony Dorsett

Dorsett also participated in the Cowboys’ 1977 championship season, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year to quickly establish himself as a franchise icon. He also rushed for a touchdown in the Super Bowl win. The following season, Dorsett earned his first of four Pro Bowl honors and had one of his eight top-10 games in rushing yards. That also marked one of eight years in which Dorsett rushed for at least 1,000 yards, setting a career-best of 1,646 rushing yards in 1981. Dorsett finished his 12-year career with 12,739 yards, 10th all-time.

5. Larry Allen

Allen was even a part of the Cowboys’ Super Bowl win in the 1990s, and was drafted in 1994. But he still excelled as one of the best players in Cowboys history and one of the best players in NFL history. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro in his 14-year career, earning 10 of those Pro Bowl nods in his 12 seasons in Dallas. Allen moved seamlessly along the offensive line throughout his career, earning Pro Bowl honors for his work at tackle and guard throughout his time in Dallas. His work on the Cowboys’ offensive line made him one of the few players ever named to two NFL All-Decade teams, earning the honor in the 1990s and 2000s.

4. Bob Lilly

White’s solid tenure dominating Dallas’ interior defensive line was preceded by Lilly’s Hall of Fame career. Lilly was a Pro Bowler in all but three seasons of his 14-year career (1961-74), helping the Cowboys emerge as one of the game’s best teams in their first seasons as an organization. After many seasons of contention, Lilly finally got over the hump for the Super Bowl in 1971. He helped Dallas win Super Bowl VI, with his 29-yard sack. The Miami Dolphins quarterback Brian Griese is considered one of the game’s most important plays. Lilly had at least eight (unofficial) sacks in five seasons, finishing his career with 95.5 sacks. Lily ended up becoming the first player ever to be inducted into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor.

3. Emmitt Smith

Not only is Smith one of the greatest running backs in Cowboys history, but he is also arguably the best running back in NFL history. Smith is ranked No. 1 on FOX Sports’ list of all-time leading running backs, as no running back has rushed for more yards (18,355) and touchdowns (164). His rushing ability helped the Cowboys tremendously in the 1990s, helping the team win three Super Bowls and build one of the game’s greatest running backs. His MVP win in 1993, in which he rushed for 1,486 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games, is also the only MVP in franchise history. That was one of five seasons in which he rushed for at least 1,400 yards. He also won the Super Bowl MVP for his 132-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII.

2. Troy Aikman

Aikman righted the ship for the Cowboys to win three Super Bowls in the 1990s, anchoring one of the most memorable offensive units. He may not have won the MVP like Smith, but Aikman was an effective passer in his time. He was named a Pro Bowler six times, finished in the top 10 in passer average six times, was in the top 10 in yards per attempt six times and finished in the top 10 in passing percentage eight times in his career. That efficiency was reflected in each of the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl wins, completing 70% of his passes with a 229.7 passing yards average and a 111.9 passer rating. He showed especially in Super Bowl XXVII, throwing for 273 yards and four touchdowns to win the MVP in their victory over the Bills.

1. Roger Staubach

Earning several nicknames such as “Roger The Dodger” and “Captain America,” Roger Staubach’s greatness helped the Cowboys become the nation’s favorite team. He led them to four Super Bowl appearances and won two of them, most notably winning the MVP in Super Bowl VI in 1971. Staubach’s 85 wins from 1969 to 1979 were the most of any quarterback during that span, which also earned him six Pro Bowl appearances. induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is also the only quarterback to ever win the Heisman Trophy and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Honorable mentions:

• Bob Hayes
• DeMarcus Ware
• Drew Pearson
• Charles Haley
• Chuck Hawley
• Rayfield Wright
• Zack Martin

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

---

---