The 25 greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time (2024)

The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports team in the world at $8 billion, per Forbes. They've won five Super Bowls. Only the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers have won more rings. In this list, we'll look at the greatest Cowboys of all time.

This list was created by measuring each player's Approximate Value, a Pro Football Reference statistic that's used to "put a single number on the seasonal value of a player at any position from any year,"according to their website. Let's get to it!

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Smith is the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He ran behind The Great Wall of Dallas, one of, if not the greatest offensive lines of all time. He was the feature back of the Cowboys dynasty that won three Super Bowls in four years. The only other team to accomplish this feat is the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots. He had an intense rivalry with fellow great Barry Sanders for the title of best running back in the league. After a stint with the Arizona Cardinals, Smith retired as a Cowboy.

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Lilly was born and raised in Texas. He played college football at Texas Christian University (TCU). The Hall of Fame defensive tackle shut down the other team's plays in the backfield on a regular basis. The 11-time Pro Bowler helped Dallas win its first Super Bowl in 1971.

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White took over at defensive tackle when Bob Lily retired. When the Cowboys won their second Super Bowl in 1977, both White and defensive end Harvey Martin were named Super Bowl MVP. It's the only time that two players have won Super MVP. Neck and shoulder injuries hindered his ability to play the game at the level he wanted to, and he retired in 1988.

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Renfro played free safety for the Cowboys. He was part of the Cowboys' defense that won two Super Bowls in the 1970s. The 10-time Pro Bowler intercepted 52 passes in his career. He was also a lethal return man. In 1996, Renfro was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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Dorsett made a name for himself at the University of Pittsburgh when he won the Heisman Trophy in 1976. The Cowboys took notice and drafted him. He made an immediate impact, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. His running helped the Cowboys win the Super Bowl in 1977. He ran for 1,000 yards or more in eight seasons with the Cowboys. Dorsett and Derrick Henry are the only players inNFL history to run for a 99-yard rushing touchdown.

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Too Tall Jones was drafted by Dallas with the first overall pick in the 1974 NFL Draft. The Tennessee State alum is the highest pick ever for an HBCU football program. Standing at 6-foot-9, 271 pounds, his nickname was fitting. He won the Super Bowl in 1977 and retired a year later to become a professional boxer. He went 6-0 (5 KOs) in the heavyweight division. He came back and played nine more seasons before retiring in 1989.

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Believe it or not, but Green didn't play football until he got to the NFL. He was a college basketball star at Utah State. The Cowboys saw his potential as a defensive back and signed the undrafted free agent. After learning how to play football in his rookie year, he became the Cowboys' starting defensive back for more than a decade. He helped the Cowboys win their first Super Bowl in 1971. Green was a natural.

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Staubach helped the Dallas Cowboys become America's Team. He also started the tradition of great Cowboys quarterbacks. He played college football at Navy and won the Heisman Trophy in 1963. He served in the Vietnam War before joining the Cowboys. Staubach started out as Craig Morton's backup but beat him for the job and led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories. Without Staubach, there is no America's Team.

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Irvin was the definition of a winner. He won a national championship with the Miami Hurricanes in college. After the fact, he was drafted by the Cowboys. He ended up winning three Super Bowls in Dallas. Nicknamed The Playmaker for his habit of making big plays in big games, Irvin was the heart and soul of the Cowboys dynasty. Since retiring, he's let his outgoing personality shine as a football analyst.

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Allen was the leader of The Great Wall of Dallas. Allen won a Super Bowl with Dallas in just his second year with the team (1995). The 11-time Pro Bowler rarely missed a game in his 12 years in Dallas. The Hall of Fame guard was as dominant of a blocker as you'll ever see.

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Howley started his career with the Chicago Bears. He retired after suffering a career-ending injury and moved back to his hometown in West Virginia to work at a gas station. He made his comeback with the Cowboys in 1961 and played 13 seasons there. He's still the only player to lose the Super Bowl and still win Super Bowl MVP. Don't feel too bad, though. A year later, the Cowboys won it all. He retired in 1973 because of injuries.

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Aikman was the leader of the Cowboys Triplets in the '90s. Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin took the NFL by storm and won three Super Bowls in four years. The Cowboys were a run-heavy team and Aikman didn't have to throw a lot. But when he did, he let it loose. His leadership kept the Cowboys together in good times and bad.

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Jordan was a star at Alabama before the Cowboys drafted him. He played his entire 14-year career with the Cowboys. He guided the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl victory in 1971. While he was an undersized linebacker (6-foot-1, 221 pounds), he made up for it with determination and tenacity.

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Romo went undrafted out of Eastern Illinois. He started his career as a backup and became the Cowboys' all-time leading passer. He earned a reputation as a choker who threw interceptions in big moments. However, he took several talent-deficient teams and competed for a playoff spot in several seasons. He's now an analyst on CBS Sports alongside Jim Nantz.

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Witten is the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver. He quickly became Tony Romo's favorite target. The 11-time Pro Bowler is statistically one of the greatest tight ends of all time. His run with no helmet on exemplified his toughness.

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Neely was the left tackle that protected Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach's blindside. He was part of one of the most successful times in the franchise's history. He won two Super Bowls with the Cowboys and retired as a champion in 1977.

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Martin is one of the only active players on this list. He was part of the great Dallas offensive lines of the '10s that also featured Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick. The eight-time Pro Bowler has blocked for multiple 1,000-yard rushers. He's also a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. He has a Hall of Fame resume. A Super Bowl ring would seal the deal--something Dallas hasn't won since the '90s.

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Emmitt Smith became the NFL's all-time leading rusher, thanks to Nate Newton's blocking. He was part of The Great Wall of Dallas with Larry Allen and many others. The six-time Pro Bowler was a mainstay on Dallas's offensive line. He started in 180 games for Dallas. He helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls in the '90s. Newton was also a favorite of John Maddens.

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Ware was an excellent pass rusher out of Troy University. The nine-time Pro Bowler holds the Cowboys record for most career sacks with 117. He was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate almost every year with the Cowboys. The Hall of Famer left Dallas for the Denver Broncos, where he won Super Bowl 50 as a member of the No Fly Zone defense.

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White had big shoes to fill in Dallas. He succeeded Roger Staubach, the best quarterback in franchise history. Overall, he went 62-30 as a starter and led the Cowboys to three consecutive NFC Championship Games (1980-1982), losing all of them. White was criticized for not being able to win the big game. He's an underappreciated Cowboys player. He was also a solid punter for a few years there.

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Smith has been the Cowboys left tackle for the last 12 years. He's blocked for Tony Romo and Dak Prescott. He's quietly dominated at left tackle. The future Hall of Famer has been one of the best left tackles for years now and has become the gold standard at the position.

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The Hall of Fame right tackle blocked the Dallas Cowboys to daylight. The two-time Super Bowl champion protected Roger Staubach and created open holes for Tony Dorsett to run through. His value to those Cowboys teams from the '70s is immeasurable.

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Martin and Randy White are the only co-Super Bowl MVPs in the history of the game. In his 10 years in Dallas, he went to four Pro Bowls and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1977.

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Woodson was drafted by a pick that was acquired from the Herschel Walker trade. He helped Dallas win three Super Bowls in the '90s as their hard-hitting safety. He was always a big play waiting to happen.

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Pugh was a key contributor on those Dallas defenses from the '70s that won two Super Bowls. He was a game-wrecker at defensive tackle.