We’re back on this lovely Friday (congrats, you made it to the end of the week) with another Countdown to Kickoff post.
In today’s piece, we will be crowning the Greatest #72 in Dallas Cowboys History, and if you missed the last player I crowned for my Greatest #74 piece, check it out here.
Skimming through all the players who have worn said number, you quickly find out there are only two players worthy of the selection. While that shouldn’t take away success from each player who made it to the NFL, after much consideration, I had narrowed down my list to Center Travis Frederick and DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones.
But before we jump to who I chose, here are all of the other players who wore #72:
- Bill Herchman (1960-1961)
- Tony Liscio (1963-1970)
- Don Talbert (1971-1971)
- Louis Cheek (1990-1990)
- Ray Childress (1996-1996)
- Stephen Peterman (2005-2005)
- Stephen Bowen (2006-2010)
- Trysten Hill (2020-Present, possibly for now)
Looking at Frederick and Jones, you get two players who have made massive impacts for the franchise on their respected side of the ball, but only one person could get the nod.
With that in mind, I chose Jones (if you haven’t noticed by the title) because of the dominance he displayed throughout his career, and it helps that he was able to snag a shiny, gold ring on his finger.
Also, he’s arguably one of the franchise’s best pass-rushers ever.
Don’t get me wrong, Frederick was a beast. But Jones was a demon on the field.
Just like I admitted about DT Bob Lilly in my last piece–I never saw Jones play a down for the silver and blue. But after seeing videos of him, I’m in awe.
Imagining how terrified QBs had to be seeing this giant come at them would have been a sight to watch, and I don’t know if I can think of any other edge-rusher on the top of my head who has played in the NFL with the same body type as him.
Drafted in the 1974 NFL Draft first overall by the Dallas Cowboys, Jones’s impact wouldn’t be felt until his third season, as he was critical in helping the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII.
He would play one more season before leaving the franchise in 1978 to take up a boxing career, in which he had success doing (6-0, 5 KOs), but would later return for his second stint with the team in 1980.
He would outperform his first stint with the team by a mile, rack up several All-Pro/ Pro Bowl Honors, and play ball for the Boys until 1989– when he would retire.
Statistically, Jones’s best year came in 1985, when he recorded 13.0 sacks.
But the craziest to me was that although Jones technically only got credited for 57.5 sacks by the NFL (since the league didn’t recognize sack totals until after the 1982 season), he was another 100-sack player the Cowboys had.
Now I get why some older-generation Cowboy fans reminisce about the good ole days when the franchise had a scary defense. Nonetheless, Jones was a monster on the field, and he’s my Greatest #72 in Dallas Cowboys History.
