Two former Dallas Cowboys greats will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
DeMarcus Ware and Chuck Howley were announced as members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023 during the NFL Honors on Thursday night.
Ware was a finalist last year — his first season of HOF eligibility — but he was not selected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
A first-round pick by the Cowboys in 2005, Ware is the all-time sack leader for Dallas with 117. He finished his career with seven All-Pro selections (four first-team), nine Pro Bowl honors, two sack titles (2008, 2010), and won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos.
Ware is also a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade team.
This will add to his long list of accomplishments in his football career. Ware is already a member of the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. While there he earned All-Sun Belt and NCAA Division I-A All-Independent honors during his Troy career. In 2003, he won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year.
Before Sean Lee or Micah Parsons, Ware was the staple of the Cowboys’ defense for a long time. He was one of my favorite players as a kid growing up.
I still remember his strip sack against Drew Brees, ending the Saints’ bid for a perfect season in 2009. One of the best games I have ever watched as a Cowboys fan.
Ring of Honor Linebacker Chuck Howley was also selected to enter the Hall.
Howley earned All-Pro honors in five consecutive seasons from 1966-70 and was also a six-time Pro Bowler. He was named MVP of Super Bowl V despite Dallas’ loss to the Baltimore Colts on a last-second field goal.
The only player to ever win an MVP and be on the losing team.
Howley was WAY before my time, but during that game, he intercepted two passes and forced a fumble; he sounds like a heck of a player.
Darren Woodson fell short again this year. Woodson has been a semifinalist for the HOF on six occasions and, coming into this year, had never advanced beyond that.
Woodson retired following the 2003 season as the franchise’s all-time leading tackler who was also a five-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro, and a three-time Super Bowl champion.
All three players should have been inducted. Woodson will have his time, but for now, Howley and Ware will get to enjoy it.
The Cowboys now have 32 Hall of Famers who were a part of their organization for at least a year, Zack Thomas, who played for the Dallas in 2008 before he retired, was also announced as a member to enter this year.
Darrelle Revis, Joe Thomas, Joe Kelcko, and Ronde Barber were among the others that were announced last night.
Jimmy Johnson, Drew Pearson, and Cliff Harris were inducted in 2021. Outside of Woodson, who may be the next Cowboys great to have his name sit in Canton forever?