Well, hot tamale we’ve found ourselves trapped in the madness that is Monday again. This day is just the worst, isn’t it? Without Monday Night Football, there’s nothing redeeming about it. If you guys decide to band together and vote me as President of the United States in 2016 then I vow to do all that I can to abolish Monday from the week.
Until then all I can promise to do is present you with the Greatest 55 in Dallas Cowboys History.
The Following Players Have All Worn 55 For the Dallas Cowboys:
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*Active player on the Dallas Cowboys roster
Before we get started let me answer that burning question you’ve got. Yes, Oakland Raider Head Coach Jack Del Rio once donned 55 for the Dallas Cowboys. It was a fun 3 seasons, but 55 belongs to one man and one man alone.
Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan has an incredible football resume even without his time in Dallas. He is one of the most notable players to have been a part of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, playing for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant. Lee Roy would go on to play for an equally legendary figure on the sidelines, Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys.
Taken with the 6th overall pick of the 1963 NFL Draft Lee Roy Jordan was expected to make an impact early. Jordan became the first rookie linebacker in franchise history (to be fair the franchise was only three years old at the time) to start a season-opening game. Lee Roy’s leadership was apparent from the very beginning as he was named the captain of the defense in 1964. He distinguished himself apart from everyone around him as the young Cowboys found their way in the 1960s.
Air Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan was a smaller linebacker at 6’1” and 215 pounds; however, his small stature didn’t stop him from turning into quite the interception artist. Jordan has 32 interceptions to his name that in total covered 472 yards and put him in the end zone 3 times.
Lee Roy’s 32 career interceptions are tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers Jack Ham, Nick Buoniconti, and Tom Landry. Yes, the very Tom Landry that coached Lee Roy Jordan amassed 32 career picks in his time as a defensive back for the New York Giants. 32 interceptions is also the career total for a recent NFL retiree that many believe will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, former Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu.
One of the more impressive memories from Lee Roy’s history of picking off defenders came on November 4th, 1973. In the first ever meeting between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, Lee Roy Jordan picked off quarterback Ken Anderson THREE times… all within a span of five minutes! Lee Roy actually returned one of those 31 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys went on to rout Paul Brown’s Bengals at Texas Stadium.
Tackle Box
This #55 could do more than read a quarterback’s eyes, he could shut eyes altogether. Lee Roy Jordan was a tackling machine. For instance, in the Cowboys first game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Texas Stadium Lee Roy totaled 21 tackles! To put things in perspective, Luke Kuechly’s 24 tackles against the New Orleans Saints in 2013 served as an exclamation point to his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy that season.
As Dallas Cowboys Franchise History currently stands, Jordan ranks:
- 2nd in tackles with 743
- 2nd in assisted tackles with 493
- 2nd in combined tackles with a staggering 1,236
Lee Roy Built 55
In 14 seasons Lee Roy Jordan made an incredible impact on the Dallas Cowboys franchise. He helped them reach three Super Bowls, won one, and was the leader of Tom Landry’s “flex” defense. Lee Roy’s accomplishments were acknowledged when he became the seventh member inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1989, serving as the first member inducted by Jerry Jones.
Lee Roy Jordan is one of the greatest linebackers to ever live and hopefully his omission from the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be corrected in the near future. There is no omission here, however, Lee Roy Jordan is the Greatest 55 in Dallas Cowboys History.
Check back tomorrow to find out who the Greatest 54 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.
