These Cowboys belong on the Ring of Honor

There are 22 names adorning the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor — eleven on the offensive side, eight on defense, and three non-players. They are (in order of induction):

Quarterbacks: Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, and Troy Aikman.

Running backs: Don Perkins, Tony Dorsett, and Emmitt Smith.

Receivers: Bob Hayes, Michael Irvin, and Drew Pearson.

Linemen: Rayfield Wright and Larry Allen.

Defensive linemen: Bob Lilly, Randy White, and Charles Haley.

Linebackers: Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan.

Defensive backs: Mel Renfro, Cliff Harris, and Darren Woodson.

Non-players: Tom Landry (Head Coach), Tex Schramm (General Manager), and Gil Brandt (VP Player Personnel).

Brandt was the last person added to the Ring of Honor in 2018.

In looking back at the top four at every position in Cowboys history recently, we began to notice those players who are not yet in the Ring of Honor.

Here are the next five men whose names should be added:

Jimmy Johnson

Seriously, Jerry Jones needs to build himself a big ol’ bridge and get over it.

Jimmy Johnson delivered *three Super Bowls with the team he built in the 1990s. He revitalized a franchise in decline and set the standard going forward.

Did we mention that he’s responsible for three Super Bowl wins in four years?

Jones promised back in 2021, shortly after Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, to put Johnson’s name up there where it belongs. It has been nearly two years since he made that promise.

He needs to keep it.

Jerry is 80 years old. Jimmy is 79. It is far past time to quit fooling around and pay the man the respect he earns while he’s still around to enjoy it.

Johnson needs to be the next name added. This year, Jerry.

Ed “Too Tall” Jones

Randy White and Harvey Martin got all the press, especially during the Cowboys’ Super Bowl XII win over Denver. But Ed “Too Tall” Jones was a beast.

He was fast for his size, making it hard for running backs to get through the line.

ANAHEIM, CA – 1985: Defensive lineman Ed “Too Tall” Jones #72 of the Dallas Cowboys during a 1985 NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

And quarterbacks usually threw to the other side of the line, rather than try to navigate a pass over his outstretched arms.

Jones put in a lot of games and was a factor in nearly all of them.

Just for fun, if and when they add him, they should make the “Too Tall” letters taller than the rest of his name.

DeMarcus Ware

Another monster on the defensive line who deserves the recognition of the Ring.

The NFL quarterbacks DeMarcus Ware faced are likely still seeing that blue and white 94 in their nightmares.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) nearly has his helmet ripped off his head after being landed on by Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) in the third quarter at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Thursday, November 22, 2012. The Cowboys lost 38-31. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)

The only thing missing from his resume is a Super Bowl ring won in Dallas. But that is not his fault at all.

If the Cowboys could not put it together enough on the field to win a championship during his tenure in Dallas, then they can at least honor him properly.

Jason Witten

The man suffered what was believed to be a ruptured spleen and didn’t miss a single regular season game.

He caught a pass against the Eagles, got his helmet knocked off, and still plowed his way downfield.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was injured during this tackle by two Oakland Raiders defenders. Dallas won the preseason game, 3-0, played at the Oakland Coliseum on Aug. 13, 2012. Photo by Richard Paolinelli.

That’s just two of many reasons why Jason Witten’s name belongs up on the Ring of Honor.

Unconvinced? Try this: He’s the Cowboys’ career leader in receptions (1,215) and yards (12,977) too.

Like Ware, all he’s missing is a championship. And, like Ware, it isn’t because of anything he failed to do on the field.

Daryl Johnston

You think Emmitt Smith becomes the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards without the Moose leading the way? Nope.

Daryl Johnston doesn’t have the monster numbers the other backs have.

But he did a lot of the dirty work in the trenches that got Smith the rushing title he still enjoys, as well as three of the Cowboys’ five Super Bowls.

Turn the Moose loose one last time.