You know when you go to dinner and are particularly starving? And the waiter brings a tray of food and you get your hopes up and BAM! …takes it to the table next to you? It’s demoralizing. That’s what every day of this offseason has felt like waiting for football.
The good news is that we’re 52 days away from filling our bellies with the usual servings of Tony, Dez, and a side of Coleslaw. Consider this your appetizer and enjoy the Greatest 52 in Dallas Cowboys History.
The Following Players Have All Worn 52 For The Dallas Cowboys:
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I hope that you really are starving because Chef Boy R-J has prepared not one, but two delectable appetizers for you!
Dexter Coakley
Dave Edwards
Cowboy Dave
If there’s hair in your food then you usually send it back, right? Well our first appetizer’s nickname was “Fuzzy” so don’t do that here.
Dave Edwards was drafted 194th overall (yes, 194th!) by the Denver Broncos in the 1962 American Football League Draft. Edwards elected not to be a horsey but to ride one, and signed with the Dallas franchise as a free agent in 1963 to become a Cowboy.
Edwards Scissorhands
1963 saw one of our Greatest 54s in Dallas Cowboys History, Chuck Howley, make the move to the weakside linebacker spot, opening up the strongside. Dave Edwards cannonballed his way into one of the greatest linebacking corps in NFL History. Chuck, Dave, and Lee Roy Jordan (our Greatest 55 in Dallas Cowboys History) turned the Cowboys into a contender. While Lee Roy manned the middle and Chuck floated out, Fuzzy thrived against the run.
Dave Edwards became very well-known for how excellently he jammed opposing tight ends. Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden was so impressed that he had his team study Dave Edwards so that they could emulate his play. Edwards served as a key component that allowed the Dallas Cowboys to win their first Super Bowl in the 1971 season. He was an excellent linebacker, but he is edged out by one other #52.
Dexter’s Laboratory
Raise your hand if you’ve got over 1,000 tackles for the Dallas Cowboys. Ok, I see some of you guys. What’s up? Ok now raise them if you had 7 straight 100-tackle seasons. I see a few of you have left…this is getting awkward. Last one here, tackle a Denver Bronco if you’ve scored four defensive touchdowns with a Star on your head!
Dexter Coakley, ladies and gentlemen! This tackling machine was taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the 3rd round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Coakley took over the starting duties at the weakside linebacker position in that rookie year of 1997 and never gave it up.
#52: Dexter Coakley
Coakley teamed up with the Greatest 59 in Dallas Cowboys History, Dat Nguyen, to compose one of the better linebacker tandems in the early 2000s. Dexter played so well that he became the first Cowboy linebacker to head to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl since Ken Norton Jr. in 1993.
Dexter Coakley was a breath of fresh air for the Cowboys at the linebacker position. He tackled and tackled and tackled, totaling 1,046 for his Cowboy career…good enough for 4th in franchise history.
In 128 games in the blue and silver Dexter Coakley started 127. He was the epitome of durability and is the Greatest 52 in Dallas Cowboys History.
Check back tomorrow to find out who the Greatest 51 in Dallas Cowboys History is!
Want to share your opinions on who should be featured on our Countdown To Kickoff? Email me at rjochoa@insidethestar.com or Tweet @rjochoa.
