For the first time in nearly eight years, Dallas Cowboys Owner/General Manager Jerry Jones announced another player will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.
During the Cowboys’ Season Kickoff event, Jones surprised Dallas’ all-time sack leader DeMarcus Ware with the news.
Ware played nine years for the Dallas Cowboys from the 2005 through 2013 seasons.
His patented sack celebration is etched in Cowboys’ fans memories, as we got to see him slam his fists into the turf after taking down the quarterback 117 times.
He joins the great Darren Woodson as the only players inducted into the famed Ring of Honor in the last decade.
Woodson earned the honor on November 1, 2015.
Ware was drafted by the Cowboys with the 11th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft.
He was one of two first round picks in Bill Parcells’ third season as Dallas’ head coach, and the first season the defense switched to a 3-4 alignment.
Without the switch to the 3-4 defense, Ware likely would not have been selected by by the Cowboys.
He was viewed by draft pundits as too small to be a true defensive end, and a role as a linebacker in a 4-3 scheme would have been a waste of his pass rushing prowess.
As fate would have it, the new scheme made Ware the perfect pick for the Cowboys, and they were rewarded with a dominant 3-4 pass rushing outside linebacker.
Career in Dallas
Ware started 127 of a possible 128 games in his first eight seasons as a Cowboy.
He established himself as a defensive captain as early as his sophomore season, and posted double digit sacks in seven of his first eight.
The lone exception was his rookie year, where he posted 8.0 sacks on his way to ranking fourth in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Ware had an incredible five season run from 2007 through 2011.
He compiled 80.0 sacks, 100 tackles for loss, and was voted All-Pro 1st team four times, with the other season being voted All-Pro 2nd team.
Hampered by back issues, Ware played only 13 games in his final season in Dallas, and finished with a career low 6.0 sacks.
His lingering back issues were a factor in his eventual release following that season, but the main factor was a cap hit that would have crippled the Cowboys.
Ware would go on to sign with the Denver Broncos, and was a huge factor in their Orange Crush defense that he would win a Super Bowl with.
His time in Dallas, however, is what defined his career.
Ware left the Cowboys with 178 games played, 117.0 sacks, 576 tackles, 145 tackles for loss, 32 forced fumbles, and countless good memories.
What About Jimmy?
Naturally, the big question for Jerry Jones after announcing Ware would be inducted into the Ring of Honor was “What about Jimmy Johnson?”.
In typical Jerry fashion, he deflected the question, reiterating that Ware would be the only inductee this season.
He added that Ware would have been inducted sooner, but he did not want to steal the spotlight from his NFL Hall of Fame induction.
Jerry was asked if Jimmy’s age would have any bearing on moving up the timeline for his induction, citing that Johnson is 81 years old.
Jones responded by saying “Jimmy is the youngest 81 year old I’ve ever met.”
Yet another deflection, and another sideways answer.
We may never see Jimmy Johnson’s name up in the Ring of Honor, but for now we celebrate DeMarcus Ware.