It’s “America’s Team” for a reason. The Dallas Cowboys are the most loved and most hated franchise in the NFL. The most popular team in the most popular sport in the U.S. usually leads to desire from players to join the Cowboys. That’s why we’ve seen star players force their way there. It happened with Deion Sanders, Terrell Owens, and countless others.
However, those players made sense in Dallas. This was a place where the stars shined bright. That’s why there’s a star on the helmet. Jerry Jones is likely the most influential owner in the league, and it leads to an aura around this team in general.
It doesn’t always work out, and there are star players who go to Dallas to see their star fizzle. Now, we look at these players and say “wow, they played there?” There are Hall of Famers who just couldn’t cut it in Texas.
3. Lance Alworth never looked right in a Dallas Cowboys jersey
Lance Alworth played eight years with the San Diego Chargers, racking up seven 1,000-yard seasons on the way to Canton, OH. Yet, he says the two most-important catches in his career came with the Dallas Cowboys.
He was traded to the Cowboys in 1971, but he wasn’t the same guy. He finished the season with less than 500 yards for the first time since his rookie season. He did catch two passes in Super Bowl VI en route to a victory over the Dolphins. He returned for one more season, but he was really bad. He had less than 200 yards, and it was time to retire.
All in all, we’re sure Alworth felt it was worth it. He got his only Super Bowl ring, and it did nothing to diminish his Hall-of-Fame career. Still, seeing Alworth in a Cowboys uniform hurts Chargers fans to this day.
2. Eddie George
Speaking of seeing a career fall apart in Dallas, Eddie George’s terrible tenure with the Cowboys might have cost him his place in Canton. George was one of the best running backs of his generation. After eight seasons and 10,000 yards with the Titans, George signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys.
George fell off a cliff. He was injured multiple times, and he was ineffective when he was on the field. He finished the 2004 season with 432 yards, a career low. Not only was it a career low, but it was also less than half the yards he had ever rushed for in a season. It was dreadful to watch. He eventually lost his starting job to Julius Jones.
This was a player that was electric in his time. Running backs were as important as ever in the mid-90s and early 2000s. Coming off Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith, George looked like the next great player at the position. His career was still one of the greats of this era, but the cliff he ran off changed the perception.
George has a long list of accolades, but he isn’t enshrined in the Hall. Is the bad taste that his final season left the reason he’s held out? It’s probably more complicated than that, but it has to be a part of the equation. Oh well, at least the team considers him a “legend.”
1. Zach Thomas
Zach Thomas was famous for being the field general for the Miami Dolphins. Those giant shoulder pads just made sense in teal and orange. Thomas made it through some of the more tumultuous years towards the end of his tenure, including Nick Saban walking away from the NFL and Cam Cameron’s 1-15 season.
In January 2009, the Dolphins decided Thomas was no longer deemed fit for their long-term plans. They cut the future Hall-of-Famer, and he was free to sign with whoever he wanted.
Thomas grew up in Texas, playing high school in Pampa, Texas, and he went to Texas Tech University. One could argue he was likely a Cowboys fan growing up in Texas. This might be a dream come true for a star player. Thomas was pretty good with the Cowboys, recording 94 tackles despite playing in a 3-4 defense. Thomas seemed like a traditional middle linebacker who works best in a 4-3, but he showed his versatility in Dallas.
It still looks weird seeing Thomas anywhere besides Miami. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when Miami decided it was time to rebuild. He will go down as another strange Cowboy who spent one year trying to make it in Dallas. At least Thomas can say he was somewhat successful.