Dallas Cowboys Friday Flashback: Larry Brown

Starting this week, NFL Spin Zone will have a Dallas Cowboys Friday Flashback, where the career of a former Cowboys player will be looked back upon to have not only the nostalgia of “back in the day,” but there will also be some team history learned along the way.

The Dallas Cowboys have had some very good players on their roster throughout their tenure in the NFL, and for one player, his greatest moment with the franchise came on the biggest stage in pro football as Larry Brown was named the Super Bowl XXX Most Valuable Player.

It is going on 21 seasons since the last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl championship, and on that Jan. 28, 1996 day in Tempe (Ariz.), Brown saved his best with the Cowboys in what was then his fifth season with the franchise.

Looking back on the “Super Sunday,” Brown played the game of his life by tallying two interceptions on the biggest stage of them all against then-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell for a total of 77 yards in the 27-17 Super Bowl victory. The two interception returns went for 44 and 33 yards apiece, both eventually leading to touchdown runs by Emmitt Smith.

Todd Archer of ESPN.com quoted Brown in February when looking back at that Super Bowl MVP performance:

"“The first interception I was where I was supposed to be. Charles [Haley] had a good rush and barely hit O’Donnell’s hand, and it altered the path of the ball. So the first one was really a gift.”"

In that postseason, Brown also had in interception in the NFC Championship against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, a game the Cowboys won 38-27 at Texas Stadium.

During the ’95 season, Brown, who is now 46 years old, played in all 16 regular-season games (15 starts), having an interception in six games, including returning two for touchdowns in Week 9 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles (20 yards), then again against the Eagles (at Philadelphia) for 65 yards, his longest return of that season.

Brown, who was a 12th-round draft choice in 1991, for his career played in a total of 13 playoff games with the Cowboys. He totaled five interceptions in those games, including another Super Bowl interception, his first one in Super Bowl XXVII against Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

For his career, Brown played for the Cowboys from 1991-95, then returned to the team in ’98 after spending two seasons with the Oakland Raiders from 1997-98 where he played in just 12 games in two seasons (totaling one interception and 24 tackles) after winning his Super Bowl MVP award.

In his six total regular seasons with the Cowboys, Brown totaled 13 interceptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He forced one fumble and had two fumble recoveries. Brown also collected 279 tackles in those same six seasons.

The former Cowboy returned to the franchise in ’98 to end his career, playing in just four games at 29 years old without much fanfare or numbers as a reserve player, making just one tackle during that final season.

Brown may not be remembered as one of the all-time greats to ever play the game, and he most likely won’t be a member of the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, but he did have a pretty solid career for being a 12th-round draft choice.

Must Read: Cowboys Roster Breakdown: Offensive Line

He’ll be remembered for overcoming the odds, being a three-time Super Bowl champion and having his best day as a professional on the biggest stage of them all, as it was the last time the Cowboys played on that stage.

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