7 Greatest Dallas Cowboys players of the 21st century

6. Greg Ellis – DE

Before Demarcus Lawrence came along, Greg Ellis was known as one of the top defensive ends for the Cowboys. Known to some as the guy Dallas selected instead of Randy Moss in the 1998 NFL Draft, Ellis’ time with the Cowboys ended up turning out pretty well.

In 11 seasons with Dallas, the former pass rusher racked up a total of 77 sacks. Ellis’ 66.5 sacks since 2000 are also the second most of any Cowboys defender.

Midway through the 2006 season, he suffered a devastating torn Achilles. It was an injury that some viewed as something that could potentially end his career in the NFL. However, Ellis decided to return to the football field in 2007 rather than hang up his cleats at the age of 32. It turned out to be the right choice.

During the 2007 season, Ellis finished with 12.5 sacks (a career-high), 31 tackles, and three forced fumbles. His performance that year resulted in the only Pro Bowl invite of his career and him being named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

Ellis took a chance on himself in 2007 and it resulted in him having the most productive season of his career. Unfortunately, that year was bittersweet for the defensive end as Dallas ended up losing in the Divisional Round of the playoffs despite the fact that they were the No. 1 seed in the NFC.