Cowboys boast 2 recently-retired players poised for Hall of Fame

There was a time not that long ago - and for a long time - that Cowboys Nation bemoaned a perceived "bias" against their team's legends getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With two consecutive classes void of Dallas Cowboys, is it time to re-boot the narrative?

With the inductions of Sterling Sharpe (Green Bay Packers), Antonio Gates (Los Angeles Chargers), Jared Allen (Minnesota Vikings) and Eric Allen (Philadelphia Eagles) this weekend in Canton, the Cowboys will go 0 for the last 2. Their last players enshrined were DeMarcus Ware and Chuck Howley, both in 2023.

Two years for America's Team feels like a drought, even for a franchise that last sniffed a Super Bowl in 1996. According to the official Pro Football HOF site, the Cowboys have a whopping 32 representatives in Canton.

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Bogus, however, as that list includes drive-by contributors such as Harold Carmichael (13 of 14 seasons played with the Eagles), Terrell Owens (only three of 17 in Dallas), Bill Parcells (both Super Bowls with the New York Giants), and even Jackie Smith (known for only one iconic oops with the Cowboys).

San Francisco 49ers former player Terrell Owens smiles after being honored in the Hall of Fame induction | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Cowboys' "real" HOF number is 20. But they should be adding to that in the coming years. Despite a tweaking of HOF bylaws making it more difficult to earn football immortality, Dallas has a couple of players poised in the Red Zone.

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The 2026 class has three no-brainers in quarterback Drew Brees, receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and coach Bill Belichick. Also on the ballot will be receiver Julian Edellman, linebacker Luke Kuechly, quarterback Philip Rivers, running backs Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy, and a tight end named Jason Witten. He's an 11-time Pro Bowler who is second behind only Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez among tight ends in games started, receptions, and yards, and is sixth in touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin blocks during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

For more than a decade, Witten was one of the best, most reliable players at his position, but not playing in even an NFC Championship Game will dent his chances. Especially considering that in 2027, four-time Super Bowl champ Rob Gronkowski will be eligible.

Witten will earn his way into Canton, but because of crowded classes in 2026 (Brees, Fitzgerald, Belichick), 2027 (Ben Roethlisberger, Adrian Peterson, Gronk), and 2028 (Tom Brady, J.J. Watt, Richard Sherman), he might be forced to wait until the 2029 when Aaron Donald is the only slam dunk.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten smiles on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

On the horizon in 2030 comes the Cowboys' next best chance in offensive lineman Zack Martin. Former teammate Tyron Smith will also be eligible, and it will be interesting to see how their legacies stack up.

As for senior committee candidates, Cowboys fans will likely spend the next few years clamoring for Lee Roy Jordan, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Ralph Neely, Harvey Martin and Everson Walls. Three-time Super Bowl safety Darren Woodson was a finalist for three consecutive years, but the fear is his time has come, and gone.

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