With the way Free Agency is today in the NFL it’s very hard to get attached to many players because it’s so uncertain that players will stay with the same team their entire career. Those times that fans do get attached to some players they end up leaving and fans are left with those players jerseys hanging in their closets. Every offseason fans watch as players move from team to team. It’s amazing how the game has changed from when I was growing up. For the most part in the 70s and 80s players didn’t really move around a lot from team to team. Players on your team stayed for their whole careers for the most part or until they got older and management thought it they couldn’t help the team anymore. Since another round of Free Agency is coming up soon it got me thinking about the Cowboys Hall of Fame players and some popular Cowboys players over the years and how their careers ended.
- Hall of Fame wide receiver, Bob Hayes played for the Cowboys from 1965-1974. Hayes finished his career with the 49ers in 1975.
- Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett played for the Cowboys from 1977-1987. Dorsett finished his career with the Broncos in 1988.
- Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith played for the Cowboys from 1990-2002. Smith finished his career with the Cardinals from 2003-2004.
- Offensive lineman John Niland played for the Cowboys from 1966-1974. Niland finished his career with the Eagles in 1975.
- Quarterback Craig Morton played for the Cowboys from 1965-1974. Morton then played for the Giants from 1974-1976 and finished his career with the Broncos from 1977-1982.
- Running back Calvin Hill played for the Cowboys from 1969-1974. Hill then played for the Redskins from 1976-1977 and then finished his career with the Browns from 1978-81.
- Wide receiver Golden Richards played for the Cowboys from 1973- 1978. Richards finished his career with the Bears from 1978-79.
- Linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson played for the Cowboys from 1975-1979. Henderson then finished his career with the 49ers and Oilers in 1980.
- Running back Ron Springs played for the Cowboys from 1979-1984. Springs finished his career with the Buccaneers from 1985-1986.
- Cornerback Dennis Thurman played for the Cowboys from 1978-1985. Thurman finished his career with the Cardinals in 1986.
- Wide receiver Butch Johnson played for the Cowboys from 1976-1983. Johnson finished his career with the Broncos from 1984-1985.
- Cornerback Everson Walls played for the Cowboys from 1981-1989. Walls then played for the Giants from 1990-1992 and finished his career with the Browns from 1992-1993.
- Cornerback Michael Downs played for the Cowboys from 1981-1988. Downs finished his career with the Cardinals in 1989.
- Cornerback Ron Fellows played for the Cowboys from 1981-1986. Fellows finished his career with the Raiders from 1987-1988.
- Defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat played for the Cowboys from 1983-1994. Jeffcoat finished his career with the Bills from 1995-1997.
- Linebacker Eugene Lockhart played for the Cowboys from 1984-1990. Lockhart finished his career with the Patriots from 1991-1992.
- Offensive lineman Nate Newton played for the Cowboys from 1986-1998. Newton finished his career with the Panthers in 1999.
- Running back Herschel Walker played for the Cowboys from 1986-1989. Walker played for the Vikings from 1989-1991. He played for the Eagles from 1992-1994. He played for the Giants in 1995 and finished his career back with the Cowboys from 1996-1997.
- Wide receiver Kelvin Martin played for the Cowboys from 1987-1992. Martin then played for the Seahawks from 1993-1994. He played for the Eagles in 1995 and then finished his career back with the Cowboys in 1996.
- Linebacker Ken Norton Jr. played for the Cowboys from 1988-1993. Norton finished his career with the 49ers from 1994-2000.
- Offensive lineman Mark Stepnoski played for the Cowboys from 1989-1994. Stepnoski then played for the Oilers from 1995-1998 and finished his career back with the Cowboys from 1999-2001.
- Cornerback Kenny Gant played for the Cowboys from 1990-1994. Gant finished his career with the Buccaneers from 1995-1997.
- Wide receiver Alvin Harper played for the Cowboys from 1991-1994. Harper then played for the Buccaneers from 1995-1996. The Redskins and Saints in 1997. He finished his career back with the Cowboys in 1999.
- Defensive lineman Russell Maryland played for the Cowboys from 1991-1995. Maryland then played for the Raiders from 1996-1999 and finished his career with the Packers in 2000.
- Cornerback Larry Brown played for the Cowboys from 1991-1995. Brown then played for the Raiders from 1996-1997 and finished his career back with the Cowboys in 1998.
- Offensive lineman Erik Williams played for the Cowboys from 1991-2000. Williams finished his career with the Ravens in 2001.
- Defensive lineman Leon Lett played for the Cowboys from 1991-2000. Lett finished his career with the Broncos in 2001.
- Offensive lineman Larry Allen played for the Cowboys from 1994-2005. Allen finished his career with the 49ers from 2006-2007.
- Linebacker Dexter Coakley played for the Cowboys from 1997-2004. Coakley finished his career with the Rams from 2005-2006.
- Offensive lineman Flozell Adams played for the Cowboys from 1998-2009. Adams finished his career with the Steelers in 2010.
Many of these players I remember leaving for other teams, but there were a few that caught me by surprise. There are not too many players in the NFL who will stay with the same team for their entire career. Some of the all-time greats have left over the years like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Earl Campbell, Franco Harris, Roger Craig, Bret Favre, Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Eric Dickerson, Marcus Allen and so many others. So, whenever you start thinking that there is no way your favorite players would ever leave for another team, just remember this list.
No comments:
Post a Comment