Cowboys 1st & 10: Woodson Hall Pass; 10 Top Stories
This has already been a good year for the Dallas Cowboys as far as the Pro Football Hall of Fame is concerned. That and the top 10 stories of the week as the Cowboys ready for their noon start at AT&T Stadium vs. Atlanta ...
1) Hall Pass
Safety Cliff Harris and head coach Jimmy Johnson are in the Hall’s Centennial Class, part of the celebration of the game’s 100th anniversary (the ceremony is being postponed until next year). The Hall’s voters appear poised to correct the wrong of NOT including wide receiver Drew Pearson in the Centennial Class, as he’s the only Seniors Committee nominee for the 2021 ballot, and those players make the Hall four out of every five times since the new format started about 15 years ago.
And now four Cowboys are part of the full ballot that voters will consider for the 2021 Hall of Fame class — safety Darren Woodson, offensive lineman Erik Williams, running back Herschel Walker and defensive lineman La'Roi Glover.
But here is where the good times are likely to end, though for one former Cowboy those good times shouldn’t end. In fact, Darren Woodson should get a ‘Hall’ pass soon, if we’re being honest.
The 2021 ballot has 130 players on it. There is one lead-pipe lock among the new candidates, one that could earn a unanimous vote — quarterback Peyton Manning. Two other first-time candidates, wide receiver Calvin Johnson and defensive back Charles Woodson, are going to be temping first-ballot inductees for voters, as well. And since the Hall of Fame only takes in up to five modern-era players each year, if all three make it, then anyone else on the ballot is going to have a hard time getting in.
Plus, 10 of last year’s 15 finalists are still on the ballot. Hall of Fame voters tend to remain “loyal” to their finalists from year to year, unless there are new nominees that clearly overtake them.
Most of this list will be pared down come November, when voters have to get it down to 25 names.
Woodson made the cut to 25 last year, so there’s a fair chance that he could make it again this time around. But getting past that cut and to the final list of 15 is something that Woodson hasn’t done yet and time is running short. Woodson was first eligible to join the ballot in 2008 and he only has a few years left before he falls into that purgatory between the modern-era ballot and the seniors’ ballot that Harris and Pearson lived in for years.
Woodson retired as the Cowboys’ all-time leading tackler. On my list of the Top 60 Greatest Cowboys of all-time, the only safety ahead of him was Harris. He’s a member of the Cowboys Ring of Honor and you can build a compelling argument for his induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Why? Well, because of the safety that got into the Hall of Fame last year, Broncos legend Steve Atwater.
Atwater entered the Hall last year with the following numbers — 1,188 tackles, 5 sacks and 24 interceptions. He went to eight Pro Bowls, plus he earned two Super Bowl rings, two All-Pro First Team selections and a place on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.
Here are Woodson’s numbers — 1,320 tackles, 23 interceptions and 11 sacks. Woodson won three Super Bowl rings, went to five Pro Bowls and earned four All-Pro First-Team selections. Aside from Atwater’s All-Decade selection, there isn’t much difference on paper.
With Atwater in, my belief is that Woodson, at the least, deserves a shot as a finalist this year. But it’s such a crowded class that the odds are against him. I made the point in my Top 60 piece that I think some, nationally, at least, hold Woodson’s longevity against him (in other words, he has big numbers because he played a long time, neglecting to consider that you still have to be productive if you’re going to play that long).
As for the remaining three Cowboys, I don’t see them getting off the initial list. Williams made my Top 60 list, but as I noted in that piece his car accident turned his career on its head, even with the comeback he made. Glover had a very productive NFL career, with 83 sacks as a nose tackle and defensive end. But defensive tackle is one of those positions that has a really hard path toward the Hall of Fame.
As for Walker, well, he’s interesting. It’s the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and that’s key here. Walker had 13,084 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving), but only two Pro Bowl nods in the NFL. He had another 5,048 yards as a kickoff returner. So that’s 18,168 all-purpose yards. That actually puts Walker at No. 12 all-time in all-purpose yards in NFL history.
Now, there’s the USFL factor. Would the committee actually consider Walker’s career in the fledgling football league (for which he passed on the NFL when he came out of college)? If so, in three seasons he rushed for 5,562 yards, caught 130 passes for 1,484 yards and returned three kickoffs for 69 yards. Plus, Walker actually holds the pro football record for most rushing yards in a season with 2,411, set in 1985 in the USFL (that was, of course, an 18-game season). So here’s a player with more than 25,000 yards in pro football. I still don’t think Walker gets to the semifinalist list, but I think he’s going to be an intriguing seniors candidate one day.
Woodson shouldn’t have to be a seniors committee consideration one day. But the odds seem stacked against him.
2) The Top 60 All-Time Dallas Cowboys Countdown
We wrapped up our Top 60 Dallas Cowboys of all-time before the season opener, as part of celebrating the Cowboys’ 60 seasons in Dallas. We presented the Top 60 in groups of five. We hope you enjoyed the series and if you have an opinion, take them to our Cowboy Maven community or hit me up on Twitter at @PostinsPostcard (as you read above, someone did).
If you missed any of the stories in our Top 60, just click on them below.
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 56-60
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 51-55
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 46-50
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 41-45
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 36-40
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 31-35
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 26-30
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 21-25
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 16-20
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 11-15
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 6-10
➡️ Cowboys Top 60 Greatest Players: Nos. 1-5
3) Cowboys Anniversary Countdown: Top 60 (Plus) Moments
Despite the existence of an entire generation of DFW 20-somethings that have yet to witness it with their own eyes, the Dallas Cowboys were once a successful, superior organization.
They’re still proud. Still relevant. Just, let’s be honest, no longer very good.
Our Heroes Have Always Been ... Er, Were Once Cowboys.
Our Richie Whitt dives into the Top 60 Moments in Dallas Cowboys history.
4) Cowboys scoops and moves
Anthony Brown? Goes down.
Ron Leary? Might be on the way up.
5) Breaking Down Trevon Diggs’ rookie debut
Periodically I’ll check in on the progress of the Cowboys’ rookies this season and break down some of their key plays from a recent game.
This week I’m taking a look at second-round pick Trevon Diggs, who played every play on defense for the Cowboys. It’s a deep look at his tackle of Cam Akers at the end of Sunday’s game with the Rams, the one that at least gave the Cowboys a shot at tying or winning the game.
6) Things that will help you this Sunday vs. Falcons
If you’re still getting ready for Sunday game with the Falcons, here is come great content to get you prepped:
➡️ Cowboys LB Sean Lee Surgery News; Team Adds LB
➡️ 'A Better CeeDee': No More 'Mistakes By Rookie'
➡️ Cowboys Clues: Here’s Personnel Plan For Week 2 vs. Falcons
➡️ First Look: Zeke Bowling Shoes Match 'Feed Me' Tattoo
➡️ McCarthy Cowboys 'Honeymoon' Is Officially Over
➡️ How to watch: Cowboys vs. Falcons
➡️ Sound the alarm? Tyron Smith, Amari Cooper injury updates
7) Randy Gregory returns to The Star
The next step for defensive end Randy Gregory to return to the field? Getting back on the practice field, which he did this week. Our Mike Fisher filed this report.
“I am in a good place,'' the long-suspended Dallas defensive end said recently, and while there are still limitations that go along with his recent reinstatement — he is allowed in the building (as of Monday) but can't practice with the team until Oct. 5 (which is why on Wednesday he participated only in conditioning and individual work) — yes, he looked to be "in a good place.''
Read more about Gregory’s comeback right here, along with the celebrity support he’s received from an unlikely source.
8) Deion is up for a new job?
Former Cowboys defensive back Deion Sanders has served as the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian High School in Cedar Hill, Texas, which has experienced great success with Sanders calling the plays and his son, Shedeur, executing them as quarterback. But earlier this week Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported that Sanders might be up for the head-coaching job at Jackson State University, which plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Tigers, at the moment, are not playing football until at least the spring.
But our Mike Fisher wrote about a bigger question — is Sanders ready for the job? Click here for reflections of a writer that has covered the Cowboys since before the days of Sanders.
9) Whitt's End: A Cowboys 'Pinch Of Perspective'
A pinch of perspective that keeps my “the refs screwed us!” emotions in check: Drew Pearson pushed off more catching the Hail Mary than Michael Gallup did in catching the potential game-winning bomb in Los Angeles.
Result of the missed pass interference calls? The 1975 Dallas Cowboys went to the Super Bowl. The 2020 Cowboys merely started 0-1.
Read Whitt’s End by clicking here.
10) Tweet Of The Week
Just wanna emphasize that collapsed lung and broken rib. You can question some things about Romo, but toughness was not one of them.
