gold star for USAHOF

2. Bob Lilly

This page generously sponsored by: Nobody yet! Sponsor it on Patreon to be the first name on this list!
2. Bob Lilly

There was serious consideration for Bob Lilly to be named number #1, but #2 is a damned good rank for a storied franchise like the Dallas Cowboys.

Bob Lilly would not just become a star player for Dallas, but he would earn the nickname of “Mr. Cowboy.”  He was the first player ever drafted by the team, and while the organization struggled in its early years, Lilly was a definite star for the team.  A Pro Bowl Selection in 1962, Lilly would have a ten-year streak of trips to Hawaii from 1964 to 1973, with seven of those years seeing Lilly named as a First Team All-Pro.

As the Cowboys improved, Lilly became the heart of the first incarnation of the "Doomsday Defense."  It was that defense that brought Dallas to their first Super Bowl appearance (V), which they lost to Baltimore.  The Cowboys returned the next season to the Super Bowl, and Lilly and Dallas would destroy the Miami Dolphins.  It was Lilly who had the signature play of the game when he sacked Bob Griese for a 26-yard loss. 

Lilly played with the Cowboys until 1974, and in our view, he is the greatest defensive player that Dallas ever had.

Lilly would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and was placed in the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1975.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Defensive End, Defensive Tackle
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 13th Overall in the NFL Draft 12/27/60.
  • Departed: Retired after the 1974 Season.
  • Games Played: 196
  • Notable Statistics:

    196 Games Started
    1 Interception
    17 Interception Return Yards
    1 Interception Return Touchdown
    18 Fumble Recoveries
    109 Fumble Recovery Yards
    3 Fumble Recovery Touchdowns
    95.5 Quarterback Sacks*
    153 Approximate Value

    14 Playoff Games
    5.5 Quarterback Sacks

    *Sacks were unofficially calculated by Pro Football Reference from 1960 to 1981.

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Super Bowl Champion (VI)
    First Team All-Pro (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 & 1971)
    Second Team All-Pro (1972)
    Pro Bowl Selection (1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 & 1973)
    Most Fumble Recovery Yards (1963)

Last modified on Sunday, 14 August 2022 01:22
Tagged under

Comments powered by CComment