NFL history: The Mount Rushmore of every NFL franchise
By Randy Gurzi
Dallas Cowboys: Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman
Arguably the most popular team in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys‘ Mount Rushmore is sure to cause arguments, no matter who gets chosen. That’s going to be the case for any team that’s won five Super Bowls, while also employing some of the biggest personalities in the game.
That being said, two names right away are absolute must-haves — Tom Landry and Roger Staubach. This quarterback-coach combo not only won two Super Bowls together, but they were a huge reason for the nickname that the Cowboys still have.
Staubach, a former Navy quarterback, was incredibly popular and hard to root against. He was a true American who was named to six Pro Bowls during his career that spanned from 1969 through 1979.
His coach throughout his NFL career was Landry, who was on the sidelines from 1960 until his controversial firing by new owner Jerry Jones in 1988. He finished his career with 200 wins for Dallas.
Next has to be Emmitt Smith, the running back who helped Dallas win their next three Super Bowls. One of the most durable backs ever, Smith is still the NFL all-time rushing leader.
As for the controversy, that comes with the final selection. Many names are worthy, but Troy Aikman should be the choice. He was under center for three Super Bowl wins and guided the 1990s dynasty team.
He never put up the kind of numbers that some of the big-name quarterbacks did during the regular season — due to the way the offense leaned on Smith — but Aikman had ice in his veins whenever the clutch moments arose.