Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, Dallas had a mediocre 7-9-1 record and failed to make the playoffs.  There were no new additions but two elevations among active players.

As always, we present our top five, but there were no changes.

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Bob Lilly
3. Roger Staubach
4. Randy White
5. Mel Renfro

You can find the complete list here:

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who added his fourth Pro Bowl, went to #22 from #29.

The second elevation was Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb, who climbed from  #41 to #33.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Cowboys dealt with injuries to major players and slumped to a 7-10 record.  Nevertheless, there was a new entrant, and a few elevations on the Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which remain unchanged.

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Bob Lilly
3. Roger Staubach
4. Randy White
5. Mel Renfro

You can find the entire list here.

Of note, Offensive Guard Zack Martin, who retired after the season, was unable to move up beyond #10.

Quarterback Dak Prescott remained at #29.

Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb makes his debut on the list at #41.

DeMarcus Lawrence moved up one spot to #47.

Micah Parsons moved up two spots to #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

CeeDee Lamb, a consensus All-American from Oklahoma, was selected 19th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He quickly gained attention under significant pressure, taking on the storied No. 88 jersey once worn by Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin. As a rookie, Lamb made an immediate impact, racking up 935 receiving yards despite a challenging season for the team with Dak Prescott's season-ending injury. After Prescott's return, Lamb transformed from a talented slot receiver into one of the most versatile and complete perimeter wide receivers in today's professional football.

Lamb quickly rose the receiver hierarchy with decisive steps. In 2021, he made his first Pro Bowl and achieved his initial 1,000-yard season. The following year, he became a key player by catching 107 passes for 1,359 yards and nine touchdowns. With strong run-after-catch skills and sharp route-running from both the slot and boundary, Lamb became Prescott's dependable target in all passing situations.

His career reached a transcendent peak during a historic 2023 season. Orchestrating the league's top-scoring attack, Lamb topped the NFL with a franchise-record 135 receptions while setting new single-season team marks in receiving yards (1,749) and scoring 12 receiving touchdowns. That masterclass earned him First-Team All-Pro honors and a third-place finish in AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting, cementing his place among the league's top playmakers. After an offseason contract dispute, he validated his landmark extension in 2024 with a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl run, catching 101 passes for 1,194 yards.

Despite facing defensive game plans tailored specifically to slow him down—and missing three games due to injury—Lamb continued his steady production in 2025. He hauled in 75 passes for 1,077 yards, averaging a career-high 14.4 yards per catch and earning his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. In doing so, Lamb joined Michael Irvin as the only receivers in Cowboys history to record five straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, while climbing to third on the franchise's all-time receptions leaderboard behind only Jason Witten and Irvin.

Lamb enters this year having already accumulated 571 receptions, 7,416 receiving yards, and 41 receiving touchdowns, alongside 390 rushing yards and three ground scores. A five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and holder of the franchise's single-season receiving records, Lamb enters the 2026 season in the prime of his career, needing fewer than 600 yards to jump to third place on the Cowboys' all-time receiving yards list and firmly build his case as a top-ten legend in franchise history.

Could we see a potential top-ten Cowboy?

This is the season for NFL retirements.

Last week, two potential early retirements were announced, with Wide Receiver Julio Jones and Defensive Back Patrick Peterson hanging up their cleats.  Today, Offensive Tackle Tyron Smith signed a ceremonial deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the team that drafted him ninth overall in 2011, so he could retire in “Big D.” 

A Cowboy for the first 13 of his 14 seasons, Smith went to eight Pro Bowls, seven of which were consecutive (2013 to 2019).  He was also selected for two First Team All-Pros (2014 & 2016).  Smith, who started all 171 of his NFL games, was regarded as one of the football’s elite stoppers of pass-rushers and, had he not suffered a slew of injuries late in his career, could have been one of the best Tackles of all time.

Smith is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2030, and in our pre-2024 Notinhalloffame Football monitor, he was ranked #22 overall.  Notably, he retires two months after his longtime lineman Zack Martin.

We here at notinhalloffame.com would wish Tyron Smith the best in his post-playing career.

It has been reported that Zack Martin, the starting Right Guard for the Dallas Cowboys since 2014 will be retiring, and that brings us a heavyweight contender for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Martin played his college ball at Notre Dame where he helped bring them to the 2013 BCS Championship Game.  He was drafted in the First Round (16th Overall) in 2014 by the Cowboys, where he immediately win the job at Right Guard.

Martin would become one of the best Guards in Cowboys history, earning seven First Team All-Pros, two Second Team All-Pros and 10 Pro Bowls.  He is now eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024, and in our 2024 Pre-Season Hall of Fame monitor, he was ranked #4 Overall and #1 among Offensive Linemen.

We here at notinhalloffame.com wish Zack Martin the best in his post-playing career.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Dallas made the playoffs but suffered an early exit.  The 2023 Season gave us two new entrants with three elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Bob Lilly
3. Roger Staubach
4. Randy White
5. Mel Renfro

You can find the entire list here.

Offensive Guard Zack Martin cracks the top ten from #12 to #10.

Fellow Offensive Lineman Tyron Smith advanced to #14 from #17.  He is now with the New York Jets.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who added his third Pro Bowl in 2023, climbed to #29 from #41.

Defensive End DeMarcus Lawrence, who went to four Pro Bowls, makes his first appearance at #47.

Linebacker Micah Parsons, who has only been a pro for three years, has finished in the top three in all of them in Defensive Player of the Year voting.  He debuts at the tail end of the list at #50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Few defensive players in NFL history have exploded onto the professional scene with the immediate, game-wrecking impact of Micah Parsons. Selected 12th overall out of Penn State in 2021—where he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2019—Parsons was expected to give Dallas a versatile, sideline-to-sideline off-ball linebacker. Instead, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn quickly unleashed his rare, twitchy speed as a full-time pass rusher, revealing a defensive phenomenon capable of single-handedly altering offensive game plans.

Parsons put together one of the most dominant four-year opening acts the league has ever witnessed. Combining ungodly closing burst with rare bend around the edge, he became the ultimate hybrid defender, shifting effortlessly from off-ball coverage to lining up directly over center to dictate protection calls. He captured unanimous NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2021 after logging 13.0 sacks, setting a foundation that saw him finish in the top three of AP Defensive Player of the Year voting in each of his first three seasons.

Between 2021 and 2024, Parsons earned Pro Bowl honors in all four of his seasons in Dallas, becoming just the second player in NFL history alongside Hall of Famer Reggie White to record at least 12.0 sacks in each of his first four professional campaigns. His ability to disrupt pocket mechanics created a ripple effect across the entire Dallas defense, consistently placing the unit among the league's top takeaway-generating groups.

Yet, despite his superstar status, a protracted and increasingly bitter contract standoff with Jerry Jones reached a boiling point in the summer of 2025. Following a formal trade request during training camp, the Cowboys stunned the football world in late August 2025 by trading Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks—a blockbuster deal that instantly reshaped the NFL landscape.

With Dallas, he amassed 52.5 sacks, 256 combined tackles, 63 tackles for loss, 107 quarterback hits, and nine forced fumbles.

Astoundingly, Parsons still made this star-studded list despite only playing four years in Dallas.  That is how special he was playing in the state of Texas.

Selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2014 draft out of Boise State, DeMarcus Lawrence came to Dallas as a decorated collegiate pass rusher. A two-time First-Team All-MWC selection, the athletic edge defender broke his foot during his first training camp, delaying his debut until midseason. He quickly made up for lost time in the playoffs, securing a game-clinching fumble recovery against Detroit to announce his presence as a big-game playmaker.

After flashing starter potential with an 8.0-sack campaign in 2015, "Tank" unleashed his full breakout in 2017. Armed with an explosive bull-rush, relentless motor, and elite hand combat, Lawrence terrorized opposing backfields to the tune of 14.5 sacks, finishing tied for second in the NFL and placing fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He proved that peak was no fluke in 2018, backing it up with 10.5 sacks to earn his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod and secure a lucrative long-term extension as the anchor of Dallas's defensive front.

What separated Lawrence from pure speed rushers was his exceptional, dirty-work impact in the run game. Consistently setting a hard edge, setting up twists for teammates, and blowing up plays before they could turn the corner, he developed into one of the most complete, two-way defensive ends in football. Even as Micah Parsons arrived to share the pass-rushing spotlight, Lawrence remained the vocal heartbeat of the unit, earning two additional Pro Bowl nods in 2022 and 2023.

Lawrence became a free agent in March 2025 and signed a three-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks, ending his decade in Big D. He quickly proved his value by helping their top-ranked defense and won his first Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LX.  As a Cowboy, he had 61.5 sacks, 450 combined tackles, 93 tackles for loss, 21 forced fumbles, and two defensive touchdowns.

An All-American at Syracuse, Daryl Johnston became the “Moose” in Big D when Dallas chose him with their Second Round Pick in 1989.

Johnston was listed as a Fullback/Running Back, but he was mostly a blocker and had far more yardage as a receiver.  Paving the way for Emmitt Smith, Johnston was integral in Dallas’s three Super Bowls in the early 1990s dynasty, and he parlayed that popularity into a broadcasting and executive career.

Johnston is never in the Pro Football Hall of Fame conversation, but to Cowboy Nation, he was a legend.  Many non-Cowboys fans will say the same.

Many football players are large men, but few are freakishly tall.  Hence the nickname of “Too Tall” for the 6’ 9” Ed Jones.

Recruited at Tennessee State for basketball, Jones later turned his attention to the gridiron and was an All-American Defensive End and made history as the first HBCU player to receive the first overall pick (1974) in an NFL Draft.

Jones has a good start to his career, winning All-Rookie honors, while finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.  Jones, whose height made him literally stand above all others.  Showing improvement annually and helping Dallas win Super Bowl XII, Jones shocked the sporting world by retiring and focusing on a boxing career.

Most people were unaware that Jones had boxed in college, and it was one of his original loves.  He had a 6-0 record, and all of his fights were televised nationally.  It made Jones a bigger star, and he returned to football in 1980.  While this time off could hurt others, Jones claimed it made him a better football player.  He was right.

Too Tall had the best period of his career, earning three straight Pro Bowls (1981 to 1983). His best sacking numbers came after he had double-digit sack numbers in 1985 and 1987. Injuries and age forced Jones to retire after 1989 after he appeared in 224 Regular-Season Games and 20 Playoff Games.

Overall, Jones appeared in three Super Bowls, won one, and was a large cog in the machine that got them there.  To this day, there are many who, whenever they think of batted balls, images of Too Tall Jones dance in their heads.

In 2013, Jones was elected into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional Football lost another great one.

Hall of Fame Guard Larry Allen passed away today at 52.  He was vacationing with his family in Mexico at the time.

Drafted in the second round in 1994, Allen earned a starting job on the Dallas offensive line and helped them win Super Bowl XXX, and would later become their best lineman, earning six consecutive First Team All-Pros (1996-2001) and 10 Pro Bowls as a Cowboy.  He added an eleventh in 2006, in his first of two years with San Francisco.

Allen entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013 in his first year of eligibility. 

We at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to Larry Allen's fans, family, and friends.

Byron Jones, originally from New Britain, Connecticut, was a versatile defensive back who played multiple positions for UConn, before being selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. During his time in Dallas, Jones excelled at cornerback, earning Second Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection in 2018. After five years with the Cowboys, he spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins before retiring with a total of 444 combined tackles, four interceptions, and five forced fumbles.

After a decent career at Eastern Carolina, Dwayne Harris was a late round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2011, where he would serve mostly in Special Teams.

Harris was strong not just as a Returner but as a Gunner, which allowed him to enjoy a ten-year career in the National Football League.  A Cowboy for his four years, Harris was a New York Giant over his next three seasons, where he was a Pro Bowl Selection in 2016.  He also played for Oakland where he led the NFL in Yards per Punt Return in 2018.  Harris closed his career with a year in Chicago in 2020.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.  Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such, it is important to us that the

Dallas Cowboys will FINALLY be enshrining Jimmy Johnson into their Ring of Honor

The announcement came from Cowboys Owner, Jerry Jones before today’s game against the Carolina Panthers, and will officially happen on December 30, during their home game against the Detroit Lions.

Johnson took the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship in 1987, and a year later was signed by Jones to take over the helm in Dallas.  After a 1-15 start, Johnson turned the ship around and with the triumvirate of Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman led the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl wins (XXVII & XXVIII) but the success led to fractures in the relationship between Johnson and Jones.  The two agreed to part company before the 1994 Season, and Johnson would later coach the Miami Dolphins, and then work for Fox as a television analyst.  He had an overall record of 44-36 and 7-1 in the playoffs.

Johnson had previously entered the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but this honor, although clearly deserved, seemed to be forever barred from this one.  Jones had previously said that he “could not handle the disloyalty” as to the reason that Johnson was not yet honored.  As always, time and retrospect can heal all.

Johnson will join Cowboys legends, Bob Lilly, Don Meredith, Don Perkins, Chuck Howley, Mel Renfro, Roger Staubach, Lee Roy Jordan, Tom Landry, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Bob Hayes, Tex Schramm, Cliff Harris, Rayfield Wright, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith, Drew Pearson, Charles Haley, Larry Allen, Darren Woodson, Gil Brandt and DeMarcus Ware.  Of that list, all but four (Meredith, Perkins, Jordan and Woodson) are Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Jaromir Jagr for his impending honor.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:

1. Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Cowboys returned to the playoffs, and lasted two games before they were eliminated. 2022’s season saw three active players elevate their rank.

As always, we present our top five, which had no changes.

1. Emmitt Smith

2. Bob Lilly

3. Roger Staubach

4. Randy White

5. Mel Renfro

You can find the entire list here.

Offensive Lineman, Zack Martin, skyrocketed nine spots to #12. He added an eighth Pro Bowl last year.

Running Back and Free Agent, Ezekiel Elliott, climbed from #38 to #34.

Quarterback, Dak Prescott, went to #42 from #47.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

From La Belle Provence, Quebec, Canada, L.P. Ladouceur played his college ball at California, and though he was undrafted, he was signed by the New Orleans Saints, but was released before the end of training camp.  He moved one state west, and made the Dallas Cowboys as their Long Snapper in 2005, a role he held for 16 years.

Ladouceur made the Pro Bowl once in 2014, but was one of the most durable Special Teams players of his era.  The Quebecer set NFL records for the most Games Played by a Canadian and the most consecutive Games Played by a Long Snapper.

Ladouceur will not come close to the Hall, but a durable Long Snapper deserves a few sentences.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post-2021 revision of our top 50 Dallas Cowboys.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Cowboys won their division with a 12-5 record, but were unable to make noise in the playoffs.  America’s Team still has stars, and we saw elevations and a top 50 debut.

As always, we present our top five:

1. Emmitt Smith

2. Bob Lilly

3. Roger Staubach

4. Randy White

5. Mel Renfro

You can find the entire list here.

The new entry is current Quarterback, Dak Prescott, who makes his first appearance at #47.

Tight End, Billy Joe DuPree has been knocked off the list.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft from Mississippi State, Dak Prescott was initially seen by scouts as a developmental project behind veteran Tony Romo. When Romo suffered a preseason back injury and was sidelined, Prescott was thrust into the spotlight. He responded spectacularly, recording one of the most impressive debut seasons ever for a quarterback in professional football. Prescott led the Cowboys to a 13–3 record, threw 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions, and achieved a career-high 104.9 passer rating. His outstanding performance earned him the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and a spot in the Pro Bowl.

Prescott quickly proved himself as a resilient, dual-threat quarterback, blending sharp pre-snap reads with excellent pocket mobility. In his early years, he guided Dallas to several NFC East division titles, consistently performing in the air while also adding a threatening running element near the goal line. In 2019, he demonstrated his explosive vertical passing skills by throwing for a career-high 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns, establishing himself as a top-tier volume passer.

Despite a devastating ankle injury ending his 2020 season prematurely, Prescott made a remarkable recovery in 2021. He set a franchise single-season record with 37 touchdown passes, led Dallas to another 12-win season, and was the runner-up for the Comeback Player of the Year award. During this period, his leadership of the offense improved greatly, effectively combining daring downfield throws with careful, short-yardage plays.

His standout performance in 2023 marked a peak in his career, as Prescott led the league's highest-scoring offense. He topped the NFL in touchdown passes for the first time, throwing 36 touchdowns with only nine interceptions for 4,516 yards. This exceptional season earned him his third Pro Bowl selection and a Second-Team All-Pro honor, while he also finished as the runner-up for the AP NFL MVP award.

After a widely publicized offseason contract dispute, Dallas signed Prescott to a record-breaking extension before the 2024 season, making him the highest-paid player in league history at that point. However, his 2024 season was difficult; following an inconsistent offensive start, Prescott sustained a significant partial hamstring avulsion in Week 9, which led to season-ending surgery. He played only eight games, threw for 1,978 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns.

Returning fully healthy for the 2025 season, Prescott re-established himself as the heartbeat of the Cowboys' attack. He started all 17 games, rebounding with another productive aerial campaign, throwing for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns, while reaching major career milestones and earning his fourth career Pro Bowl selection. Heading into the 2026 season—his 11th year leading America's Team—Prescott sits as the Cowboys' all-time passing leaderboards’ anchor, behind only Tony Romo and Troy Aikman.

Prescott has thus far played 139 games, passing for 35,989 yards, 243 touchdowns, and 92 interceptions, with 2,115 rushing yards and 31 rushing touchdowns. A four-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2018, 2023, 2025), All-Pro, and Walter Payton Man of the Year(2022), Prescott aims in 2026 for a deep playoff run to secure his legacy among franchise legends.

The Football world lost one of the great ones, as it was announced that former Offensive Tackle and former Dallas Cowboy, Rayfield Wright, passed away at the age of 76.

Wright came to Dallas as a seventh round pick in 1967, where in his first three seasons, he was used as an Offensive Tackle, Tight End, and occasional Defensive Tackle.  By 1970, he settled in at Right Tackle, and it was there where he became one of the best at that position of all-time.

Wright was named to six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1971 to 1976, and in those first three years, he was a First Team All-Pro.  His contributions would help Dallas win Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII.

Wright left Dallas after being released for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1980, but he never played a game for them, thus making his entire career in the NFL with the Cowboys.  He would enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and he is also a member of the 1970s All-Decade Team.  Wright was also honored with a place in the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2004.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to offer our condolences to the fans, family and friends of Rayfield Wright.

We lost another great one, as it was announced today that former Dallas Cowboys star, Ralph Neely, passed away at the age of 78

An All-American at Oklahoma, Neely was drafted in the second round in 1965 by the Baltimore Colts, who traded his rights to Dallas.  The Offensive Lineman was chosen for his first First Team All-Pro in 1967, which would lead to two more right after.  Also, a two-time Pro Bowl recipient, Neely, helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl VI and XII, and he would start 168 of his 172 Games.  He would be named to the 1960s All-Decade Team, and is a member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.

In our latest Notinhalloffame.com list for those to consider for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Neely was ranked at #178.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Ralph Neely.