Welcome back to another edition of the Countdown to Kickoff Series.
We’re officially 11 days out until the Dallas Cowboys take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and if you couldn’t tell by my previous posts, I’m so excited. But to keep the flow going in this series and my excitement tamed, you know the drill.
We have to commemorate the number of days until kickoff.
And in today’s post, we have a QB who not only led his franchise at the helm–but also boomed punts downfield.
(Sounds like what most HS QBs do nowadays.)
Add in that he helped the Cowboys maintain a winning culture after HOF QB Roger Staubach retired– this player was underrated and deserves his flowers.
So without further ado, let’s welcome Mr. Danny White to the stage.
Danny White’s Football Career
White’s path to the NFL was interesting to learn about because he was going to Arizona State University for baseball, but the Sun Devils Head Football coach, wanted White to punt for his team too.
I couldn’t imagine playing nine innings on a Friday night and then traveling back to campus or wherever their football game was that week to go punt on a Saturday. Add in that he eventually played QB for the university– I would make a large bet that his body was just sore every week.
While he likely had the proper training to tough it out, White was one of ASU’s best athletes as he earned All-American honors and compiled a 33-4 record as the Sun Devils QB/P.
His NFL story wouldn’t begin until 1976 as he eventually signed with the Cowboys after a short-two-year stint in the World Football League with the Memphis Southmen. From 1976 to 1979, White’s role was mainly in punting, and you could say he was pretty damn good, as he averaged around 40 yards a punt.
As mentioned, once Staubach retired in 1979, the franchise needed a replacement. They could have gone any other way, but HC Tom Landry knew who would be the answer, and White got the nod.
A full-time starter at QB now, I thought it was unique because he was able to maintain his duties at punter. (I wonder if fans would trust QB Dak Prescott to punt today.)
From 1980-1982, White successfully led his team to three straight NFC Championship games, but he, unfortunately, couldn’t win any of them. Statistically, his best year was in 1982, as he got nominated for a Pro Bowl, Second Team All-Pro, and got votes for the MVP.
But of course, you know the fanbase was spoiled from Staubach’s greatness, so his stats were meaningless, and he got criticized for failing to take the team back to the Super Bowl. And to make matters worst, injuries and inconsistent play would sum up the rest of his Cowboys career, and he retired in 1989.
While I never saw White play in my life, after reading posts about him and seeing highlights over him, he’s a QB I would have rallied behind weekly. Yes, I understand that people are mad he couldn’t take the franchise to the promised land, but he kept the team afloat after they lost arguably the Greatest Cowboy of All-Time.
So, let’s appreciate him for his accomplishments, and in today’s piece, as he’s the Greatest #11 in franchise history.
Also, if any fans have any favorite memories of White, please share them in the comments.
