Dallas Cowboys: 15 Best players in team history
By Randy Gurzi
Bob Lilly. 4. player. 123. . Defensive Tackle. (1961-1974)
Coming in at No. 4 is Bob Lilly, the Cowboys star defensive tackle who played from 1961-74. Known as “Mr. Cowboy,” his appointment to this spot may seem low to some fans who still consider him to be the best to have ever played for the team. While their argument is fair, the fact is the Cowboys just have had too many stars to put them in an order everyone can agree with. It’s also not a knock in Lilly placing him here, because he was an absolute stud and deserves the accolades he has been given.
Lilly was drafted in the first round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Cowboys as well as the second round of the AFL Draft by the Dallas Texans. He ended up choosing to play for the Cowboys, who had made a trade with the Cleveland Browns to secure his rights after entering the draft without a first-round pick.
Originally a defensive end for the first two seasons of his career, Lilly moved to defensive tackle in 1963. Often considered the first real superstar the team ever had, Lilly was the first ever Cowboys draft pick and their first entrant into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also an original iron-man, playing in 196 consecutive games. A one-time Super Bowl winner, Lilly made 11 Pro Bowls and was named to the 1970s and 1960s All-Decade Teams.