Dave Butz was a good player for a long time.  That’s a simple way to put it, but it is true.  

He spent the first two seasons of his career (1973-74) with the St. Louis Cardinals, then was traded to the Washington Redskins, where he played solidly for years.  Something clicked in 1982, and he began to establish himself as a premier Defensive Tackle in the National Football League and was a huge part of Washington's Super Bowl XVII Championship squad.  In 1983, he accumulated 11.5 Sacks while winning First Team Pro Bowl honors, his first (and only) Pro Bowl Selection, and winning the coveted AP Defensive Player of the Year.  Butz was a Second Team All-Pro the year after and played until 1988, winning a second Super Bowl Ring in the process.

While his run at the top may seem short, he was still good enough to be named to the 1980s All-Decade Second Team.

The Cardinals franchise has a long, storied history of great players.  Jay Novacek played five seasons there, but it wasn’t until he hit “Big D” that he became a star and was used to his full potential.

The early Dallas Cowboys dynasty featured a Hall of Fame offense of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.  As good as that triumvirate was, there were many who felt that their Tight End, Jay Novacek, was just as valuable.  Utilized well in Dallas, Novacek used his soft hands and could always be counted on to deliver in short-yardage pass situations.  Cowboys fans never had to worry about that position, and for five straight years, Novacek made the Pro Bowl. 

Jay Novacek’s final game was a five-catch, one-touchdown performance in the Cowboys’ Super Bowl XXX win over Pittsburgh.  Back issues forced him out of professional football, but after six great years in Dallas, he retired happy with what he accomplished.