In the comments from a recent post about retired players a name bubbled up from the past. Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson’s light burned brightly in Dallas. It also burned briefly.
A first round draft pick in 1975, the Austin native played on special teams during the first two seasons. In the third game of the 1977 season against Tampa Bay, Henderson picked off a pass for a 79-yard touchdown return.
It proved to be the game winning score and he added another interception later in the game. At some point he gave himself the “Hollywood” moniker and it stuck.
His run in Dallas ended in Week 12 of the 1979 season. While the Cowboys were losing to the Redskins, Henderson was mugging for the cameras on the sidelines.
Head Coach Tom Landry benched him for the rest of the season. Henderson had stops in Houston, San Francisco and Miami in 1980 before his drug abuse finally ended his career.
Still, many fans fondly recall “Hollywood” Henderson. The nickname remains one of the most popular still. Here’s a few other favorites of mine, listed here in no particular order.
Michael Irvin – “The Playmaker”
At both the University of Miami and with the Dallas Cowboys Irvin made plays. The bigger the stage, the bigger the play.
And he wasn’t too shy about telling you how good he was at it. He still isn’t to this day.
His career ending on the Veteran’s Stadium turf in Philadelphia marked the end of the Cowboys’ dynasty run of the 1990s.
But at least we have an archive of all the great plays make by The Playmaker. Not to mention three Lombardi Trophies to go with them.
Roger Staubach – “Captain Comeback”
No lead was safe. And even one second left on the clock was about two seconds too long if you were an opposing defense with Staubach on the field.
The many comebacks and clutch plays rank among the greatest in the NFL. Fortunately for Cowboys’ fans we never got to be on the wrong side of a Staubach miracle.
Randy White – “ The Manster”
It suited him. Half-man, half-monster. He was big, fast, and hard to stop.
Defensive Back Charlie Waters gave White the nickname, saying, “The way Randy Plays he has to be part-man and part-monster.” Opposing offensive lineman would agree.
The only things that stopped him was his age and Jimmy Johnson’s first day at training camp. Not even the Manster could defeat the force of will that was Johnson.
Ed “Too Tall” Jones
I’ll rate this as my all-time favorite. And I get to tell the story of when I met Jones in person, so win-win.
Prior to the start of the 1977 season, Jones did an appearance at a shopping mall in Tyler. I got an autograph from him.
My baby sister got scared to death. Jones was an imposing figure off the field too.
When he saw she was scared of him at first, he was nice enough to pause what he was doing and talk with her.
She warmed up to him and gave him a hug. Cuddy Too-Tall? Yeah, on that day. During the season? Not so much.
Marion “The Barbarian” Barber III
It was a natural nickname, especially the way he ran the football. For six seasons he terrorized defenses to the delight of Cowboys’ fans.
What might have been in that 2007 season, for the Cowboys and Barber, if they’d have beaten the Giants in the Divisional round.
Daryl “Moose” Johnston
How many times did Pat Summerall say “The Moose is on the loose” back in the day. I lost count.
Its safe to say that without “The Moose” Emmitt Smith isn’t the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. And at least one of those Lombardis might not be in the Cowboys’ trophy case.
Rayfield Wright – “Big Cat”
I wasn’t there when this nickname was bestowed. I’m old, but not that old.
But I imagine, given the time period, it went something like this: “Hey, that cat is big!”
It was the 1960s and 70s. You had to be there.
Bob “Bullet” Hayes
If, in Hayes’ prime, you were to hold a race between a fired bullet and Hayes you put your money on Hayes. He was just that fast.
Like Barber in 2007, had the Cowboys been able to get past the Packers and win the 1966 NFL Championship game, it might not have taken Hayes so long to get into the Hall of Fame.
Non-Cowboys Favorites
Some nicknames are just too good not to include, even if the player didn’t wear the Star. Here’s a few of my favorites:
Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Mean Joe Greene, O.J. Simpson – The Juice, Ken “The Snake” Stabler, and Broadway Joe Namath. Honorable mention to “Frantic” Fran Tarkenton, who spent most of his NFL career running for his life.
Those are mine, what are your favorite Cowboys’ – and non-Cowboys’ – players’ nicknames? Let us know in the comments below.