[tps_title]4. Jim Cooper, OT, 1977[/tps_title]
While he would eventually become a fixture on the Cowboys’ offensive line, Jim Cooper’s career started like many 6th-round picks’. He was cut at the end of training camp as a rookie, but was re-signed a week later due to an injury.
That rookie season would allow Jim to pick up a Super Bowl ring in a reserve role.
Cooper entered the league as an offensive tackle but spent his rookie year learning every position. He was the backup center in 1978 but then took over as the starting right tackle when Rayfield Wright was injured.
He became the full-time starter at right tackle after Wright’s retirement in 1980.
Cooper helped the Cowboys go to three-straight NFC Championship games from 1980-1982 but never returned to the Super Bowl.
While he missed half of the 1984 season due to injury, Cooper returned in 1985 as a starter. Injuries crept up in 1986 and eventually led to his retirement.
Jim Cooper gave the Cowboys 10 seasons and 99 starts as a versatile offensive lineman. He was a full-time starter for early years of Danny White’s run as starting QB and helped Dallas contend for championships for several seasons.
Check your stats on all time Cowboys sack leaders. Harvey Martin has around 115 career sacks, much more than Andrie. Martin has always been getting the screws when it comes to all time greats.
You’re absolutely right, Bob. But like Andrie, his stats are “unofficial” as well. So I was only making the point of how Andrie compared to the guys whose stats were officially recorded post-1982.
But yeah, Martin definitely is underappreciated as well.