With Tony Romo’s retirement and release from the Dallas Cowboys this week, it seems like a good time to look at where he stands among the all-time quarterbacks in franchise history.
Based on a variety of factors, I’ve put together my Top-10 list of the greatest passers to ever wear The Star.
Of course, lists like these are always subjective and based on one individual’s values and priorities. After reading, I hope that you will comment with your reaction and your own lists.
(All of the statistics used in this article came from Pro Football Reference.)
10. Jason Garrett (1993-1999)
It would be easy to dismiss Jason Garrett, a career backup, as an all-time great. However, a closer look at Jason’s numbers with the Cowboys makes him stand out.
During his seven years as a backup, Jason Garrett went 6-3 in games that he started in relief of Troy Aikman. That .667 winning percentage puts him near the top of all Cowboys starters.
His passer rating of 83.2 is slightly above Aikman (81.6) and just below Roger Staubach (8.4).
Elevating Garrett over the rest of the pack is a single day (pictured above) that stands out in Cowboys history.
As a third-stringer in 1994, Garrett had to start in the Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers due to injuries to both Aikman and Rodney Peete.
Jason threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys stunned Brett Favre and the Packers for a 42-31 victory.
Jason Garrett was the consummate backup.
He only threw five interceptions in 294 attempts, which gives him the lowest INT ratio of anyone on our list except Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys’ dynasty train was able to keep rolling whenever Garrett was called upon.
9. Drew Bledsoe (2005-2006)
While he will always be best known for losing his job to Tony Romo, Drew Bledsoe was a stabilizing presence for the Cowboys during his one full season as the starting quarterback.
He won more games than he lost and helped the team prepare for the emergence of its next franchise quarterback.
Already 33 years old when he joined the Cowboys, Drew Bledsoe was brought in by Bill Parcells to provide an upgrade over the even older Vinny Testaverde.
The growth of the team under Parcells’ management helped Bledsoe to do just that, taking the Cowboys from 6-10 in 2004 to 9-7 the following year.
The Cowboys narrowly missed the playoffs in 2005.
Despite his short tenure, Bledsoe’s 12 wins as a Cowboys starting quarterback is the ninth-most in franchise history.
After all of the pain of the post-Aikman years and the horrors of Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson, and Drew Henson, Bledsoe reminded us what a legitimate NFL quarterback looked like.
8. Dak Prescott (2016 – present)
Even if he never played another down for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott is already 11th all-time in both yards and touchdowns.
His 104.9 passer rating is the best of any Cowboys QB to throw at least 10 passes or more. Dak’s 13-3 record as a starter — over 80% winning — gives him the best percentage among significant Cowboys QBs.
Prescott’s magical rookie season has already given him a special place in the team’s history.
Easily the best rookie quarterback in Cowboys history, Dak broke NFL records and was arguably the best rookie passer to ever grace the league.
Obviously, a lot can change as Dak Prescott’s Cowboys career continues. A few more seasons of sustained success should have him quickly vaulting the next few names on our list.
Then again, time could show him to be nothing more than a one-year wonder.
7. Eddie LeBaron (1960-1963)
The first starting quarterback in franchise history can’t be ignored.
Despite his long history with Washington, Eddie LeBaron came out of retirement to lead the new Dallas expansion team in 1960.
LeBaron’s overall numbers as a Cowboys quarterback are lousy.
He had a 5-22-1 record as a starting quarterback and threw 53 interceptions to just 47 touchdowns during his four years in Dallas.
However, much of that had to do with being part of an expansion team.
In 1962, despite the team’s 5-8-1 record, LeBaron joined Bob Lily, Don Perkins, and other Cowboys in the Pro Bowl.
He was the first Cowboys QB to get that honor.
Eddie had his best season in Dallas that year with a 95.4 passer rating with 1,436 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions.
6. Craig Morton (1965-1974)
Craig Morton is sixth all-time in wins (32), yards (10,279), and touchdowns (80) for Cowboys quarterbacks. Given that, #6 seemed a perfect spot for him on our list.
Drafted with the fifth-overall pick in the 1965 draft, Craig Morton served as Don Meredith’s backup for four seasons.
He eventually got the job after Meredith retired in 1969, but quickly found himself fighting off Roger Staubach.
Morton had to split time with Staubach in 1970 and eventually lost the starting job to him after the Cowboys fell in Super Bowl V to the Baltimore Colts.
Despite being stuck between two legends, Morton left his own mark on the franchise.
He posted a 32-14-1 record as a starting quarterback, one of the best win percentages in Cowboys history.
The Cowboys were 11-2-1 in Morton’s first season as the full-time starter in 1969, though they suffered a surprising early playoff exit.
5. Danny White (1976-1988)
Perhaps no Cowboys quarterback had battled with public opinion more than Danny White.
Burdened with carrying on the legacy of America’s Team immediately following Roger Staubach’s retirement, White had an incredible standard to try to live up to.
While he never brought home a Lombardi Trophy,
White was a successful winner for the Cowboys. He won 62 of 92 career starts and took the team to three straight NFC Championship Games from 1980-1982.
Unfortunately, could never get the win to put them in another Super Bowl.
He is fourth all-time in yards and third in touchdowns, ahead of Roger Staubach, in team history.
White’s later career was marred by injuries and the franchise’s overall decay from its peak years under Tom Landry.
He would battle with Gary Hogeboom and Steve Pelluer for the starting job up until his retirement in 1989, the same year that Landry was replaced by Jimmy Johnson.
Much like Tony Romo, White has been considered a victim of circumstances who could have had more success if not for the overall state of the Cowboys.
Much as White served as a less successful bridge from Roger Staubach to Troy Aikman, Romo’s career may wind up being a similar bridge from Aikman to Dak Prescott.
4. Don Meredith (1960-1968)
The first true star player at quarterback for the Cowboys, “Dandy Don” Meredith went to three Pro Bowls and remains fifth all-time in wins, yards, and touchdowns.
He started a pattern of success that Roger Staubach eventually carried on to Super Bowl victories.
After serving as Eddie Lebaron’s backup for a few seasons, Meredith took over in 1963.
He quarterbacked the Dallas Cowboys to their first winning season in 1966, eventually losing to the Packers in the NFL Championship Game.
Meredith and the Cowboys would again fall to Green Bay the following year in the famous “Ice Bowl” game.
Meredith’s football legacy extended beyond the playing field to the broadcast booth. He was one-third of what is generally considered to be the best Monday Night Football announcing team ever, working with Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford.
His trademark singing of “The Party’s Over” endures down to this day, having been quoted in the most recent Madden video game.
3. Tony Romo (2003-2016)
There are only two undrafted players on our list. One of them was way back at #10 and only started nine games in his career.
The other is Tony Romo, who retires from football as the all-time leader in yards and touchdowns for one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises.
One of the great all-time success stories in all of sports, Romo famously took the reins of the Cowboys during halftime of a 2006 game against the New York Giants.
Coach Bill Parcells went to Romo after weeks of veteran starter Drew Bledsoe’s struggles, and the unlikely hero kept the job for a decade.
Romo went to four Pro Bowls while posting the fourth-highest passer rating in NFL history.
His 97.1 career rating trails only Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady.
Time will tell if those three, who are all still playing, remain above Romo on the all-time list.
The only major blemish on Romo’s resume is his lack of postseason success.
Despite winning over 60% of his career starts, Romo only reached the playoffs four times.
He retires with a 2-4 record in January, having never gotten past the second round of the playoffs.
2. Troy Aikman (1989-2000)
If wrestler Bret Hart didn’t already own the nickname “The Excellence of Execution,” I would give it to Troy Aikman.
From his accurate passing to exceptional game management, Aikman captained the 90s dynasty to three well-deserved Super Bowl victories.
In addition to the championships, Troy Aikman went to six Pro Bowls and was named MVP in one of his three Super Bowls.
When he retired Troy was the Cowboys’ all-time leader in yards and touchdowns, though he is now second to Tony Romo in those categories.
In the history of NFL quarterbacks, only Tom Brady (5), Terry Bradshaw (4), and Joe Montana (4) have won more Super Bowls than Troy Aikman. Troy is in elite company with Bradshaw and Montana as the only passers to win three or more Super Bowls without losing one.
While he certainly benefited from having Emmitt Smith to hand the ball off to, Troy Aikman was no tag-along in the Cowboys’ 90s success.
His numbers alone set him apart in team history and his leadership was vital to the sustained success of the last great Cowboys era.
1. Roger Staubach (1969-1979)
While he won one less Super Bowl than Troy Aikman, Roger “The Dodger” Staubach is easily the most important player in the franchise’s history.
Second only to Tom Landry in terms of building the Cowboys’ overall legacy, Staubach was the superhero that captured hearts and minds as America’s Team rose to prominence.
Like Troy Aikman, Staubach was a six-time Pro Bowler and earned one Super Bowl MVP award.
What really separates them, though, is the spotlight that Staubach carried during his time as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback.
Aikman was part of “The Triplets” while Staubach was “Captain America,” standing alone as the team’s leader and figurehead.
Roger Staubach is the perfect blend of the last two guys on our list.
He had Tony Romo’s flash and play-making spark but also the success of Aikman.
Staubach gave the Cowboys the steak and the sizzle.
The astounding statistic for Roger Staubach is his .746 winning percentage. He won 85 of 114 career starts, which is the best track record for any significant Cowboys starting quarterback.
While Dak Prescott’s 13-3 record as a starter is mathematically better, he will have to maintain that kind of success for a decade to match or beat Staubach’s greatness.
And Staubach’s comeback wins are legendary – only a Google search away. He could strap the team on his back and will a win, whereas Aikman was IMO the ultimate system QB.
Aikman had to have talent around him – in 1996 with Irvin suspended and Emmitt Smith hurt, that became clear. But with it, he was a machine.
The classic 1974 Thanksgiving comeback of rookie QB Clint Longley, as told by the immortal John Facenda
;^)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcteaJHZDF0
While I get where you’re coming from, I think Aikman was essentially the offensive coordinator in 1995 and his leadership was essential in keeping guys in check during the dynasty. So much of what makes a great QB goes in in the huddle, locker room, and practice field and anyone from that era will tell how important Aikman’s presence was.
No doubt Aikman was a general on the team, and it was a factor. He meshed well with Jimmy Johnson’s hard-ass approach, and was at odds with Switzer’s more relaxed coaching.
I’ve often said the similarity between Johnson and Landry was an intolerance for mediocrity, and that was Aikman also. I hope that Dak will go in that direction also as he completely assumes the mantle now. The difference between W and L, even titles, can be 1 play & who wants to make it most.
This is a great list and very accurate. I hope that Dak will be able to overtake Romo at some point in his career. Overtaking the top two will mean he had a INCREDIBLE career with the “BOYS”
Thanks! Here’s a fun question; if/when Dak wins his first Super Bowl, does he automatically jump to #3 on the list?
I don’t think so. While playoff success is important, it’s also a team statistic. I’d need to see Dak have several years of playing success along with that championship.
Can’t find anything to argue with on this list.
Dak has more to prove in order to climb higher. While Tony Romo’s numbers are all-time leading, that playoff success has to be considered, especially in context of Cowboys history. Hard to put a guy higher than 3 when he didn’t play in an NFC Championship game.
The Danny White-Tony Romo comparison is just too accurate.