When it comes to Dallas Cowboys fans, some former players such as Roger Staubach and Emmitt Smith, are adored by everyone. Other names, such as Bobby Carpenter, Greg Hardy, and Taco Charlton, are universally despised by Cowboys Nation. There are some names though, who are both loved and hated to such a degree that their very mention could cause a group of Dallas Cowboys fans to break out in a war of words or in some cases even fisticuffs. Those names are reserved for the most polarizing Dallas Cowboys. While there are a great many of them throughout the teams illustrious history, this is a list of the top 10 most polarizing Dallas Cowboys of all time.
HONORABLE MENTION: RB, EZEKIEL ELLIOTT (2016 – PRESENT); LB, THOMAS “HOLLYWOOD” HENDERSON (1975-1979): Both Ezekiel Elliott and Thomas Henderson were superb on the field for the Dallas Cowboys but both earned some notoriety off the field as well. Henderson for his drug addiction which derailed his promising career along with his brash attitude and penchant for running his mouth. Elliott has angered Cowboy fans for his lack of judgement off the field, for holding out in a contract dispute prior to last season, and he has been accused of quitting on his team during a blow out loss to the Bronco’s in 2017. Despite the criticism both of these players received, both remain popular enough among the fan base for their on the field exploits to be exempted from this list.
10. WR, DEZ BRYANT (2010-2017)
The Dallas Cowboys were able to draft the talented Dez Bryant in the 2010 NFL draft because he dropped late into the first round due to off the field concerns. He famously even had to agree to a curfew and an escort of chaperones among other things early in his career to keep him out of trouble. In practice and on the field, Dez earned a reputation as the hardest working player on the Dallas Cowboys roster during his career but his sideline outbursts and occasional tirades with members of the media left a bad impression on many fans. While Dez remains one of the more popular Dallas Cowboys players of his era, he has his fair share of detractors and thus he cracks the list of most polarizing Dallas Cowboys of all time.
**Photo by Kieth Allison https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/
9. RB, DUANE THOMAS (1970-1971)
Duane Thomas did not enjoy a long career with the Dallas Cowboys but he appeared destined for stardom after his rookie season. The man once dubbed “The next Jim Brown” led the Dallas Cowboys to it’s first Super Bowl victory in 1971-72 but his stellar season was shrouded in controversy. After a contract dispute and demanding to be traded (which he was granted only to have the trade voided) he refused to speak to teammates, management, and the media. Despite his incredible production on the field he was not a fan favorite as a result of his antics and he was immediately traded in the 1972 offseason.
8. DT, LEON LETT (1991-2000)
One of the more undeserving members of this list is the teams current defensive line coach and former standout DT Leon Lett. Lett was a talented player and at one point was the most dominant interior defensive lineman in the entire league. Multiple suspensions for violating the leagues substance abuse policy put a small dent in his reputation but that is not why he landed on this list. Leon Lett became famous for not one, but two infamous plays during his career in Dallas. The first occurred in Super Bowl XXVII during the Cowboys blowout win over the Bills, Lett was on his way to scoring a touchdown but slowed down to show boat before crossing the goal line only to have diminutive Bills wide receiver Don Beebe knock the ball out of his hands. The error did not impact the game, which was well out of reach, but it did occur on the biggest stage in pro sports. It also cost the Dallas Cowboys the record for scoring the most points in the Super Bowl. The very next year, Lett was involved in another embarrassing incident on Thanksgiving Day against the Miami Dolphins. In that game, he attempted to recover the ball after a blocked kick. That mistake cost the Dallas Cowboys the game while they were fighting to secure a playoff spot. Unfortunately for Lett, his great career is often forgotten while he is remembered more for those two mistakes making him a worthy addition to this list of most polarizing Dallas Cowboys of all time.
7. S, ROY WILLIAMS (2002-2008)
Roy Williams started off his career on a hall of fame trajectory. He was one of the most exciting defensive players of his generation and maybe the hardest hitting safety of all time who also had a knack for making big plays. Somewhere along the line, it all fell apart for Roy Williams. Some say, it was due to a change in coaching scheme and philosophy. Others believe it was a result of the game evolving to being more pass oriented resulting in players like Williams becoming obsolete. Many attribute his decline to the implementation of the horse collar tackle being outlawed, otherwise known as “The Roy Williams Rule”. It could have been any one or combination of those things but in any case, Roy Williams went from one of the more popular players among fans to one of the least popular after a trend of being on the wrong end of some big plays in his later years.
6. S, JEFF HEATH (2013-2019)
Jeff Heath should be the type of player that fans adore. An undrafted free agent, who plays hard, and does anything that is asked of him including kicking field goals! The trouble is, Jeff Heath was a role player thrust into a starting role by an organisation that refused to address an obvious weakness at the safety position. This exposed Jeff Heath and Cowboys fans witnessed him make countless blunders, costly missed tackles, and he was often involved in blown coverage miscommunications. Not to say he didn’t have his moments, because time and time again he made some spectacular plays. Ultimately, fans either loved or hated Jeff Heath during his tenure with the Cowboys and so he is very deserving of being on this list. I am quite certain though, that if he were the third or fourth safety on the roster instead of the starter for so many years, that Cowboy fans would revere him like they did a Bill Bates or Kenneth Gant.
5. QB, DANNY WHITE (1976-1988)
Being the quarterback of America’s team is tough job that comes with a lot of pressure and a fair share of criticism. Imagine if you were the guy that came after Roger Staubach and before Troy Aikman. Danny White was pretty much doomed from the start after having to follow in the footsteps of a legend like Staubach. Anything but multiple Super Bowl victories would be underachieving for an entire generation of Dallas Cowboys fans and Danny White was never able to deliver even one championship. Despite his impossible predicament, Danny White performed admirably as the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. This is not lost on all Cowboys fans. There is a strong contingent of Cowboy fans from the 80’s who revere Danny White and consider him the 3rd best quarterback in franchise history.
***Photo by © Jerry Coli | Dreamstime.com.LLC
4. QB, DAK PRESCOTT (2016-PRESENT)
If and when Dak Prescott signs his multi-year deal to temporarily make him the highest paid player in league history, he may rise a few spots on this list. For now, I rank him number four. It would be unfathomable for any other franchise fanbase to get lucky enough to find a quarterback in the fourth round of the NFL draft who could come in as a rookie and win 13 games and still complain about it. Yet, that is exactly what a large portion of Dallas Cowboys fans did because it is the Dallas Cowboys and of course because of the existence of another player on this list, Tony Romo. Many believed Tony Romo had more in the tank when he retired and blame Prescott for prematurely ending the Romo era. There is also a large contingent of Cowboys fans who believe Dak Prescott is inaccurate, unable to read defenses, and not among the elite QB’s in the game despite evidence otherwise. Dak also has a strong contingent of fans who appreciate all he has accomplished in his four year career, believe in him as a franchise QB, and believe he is a top 10 or even top 5 QB. Either way, if you doubt that Dak Prescott deserves to be on this list of most polarizing Dallas Cowboys of all time, I challenge you to start a conversation among a group of Cowboys fans by saying “Dak is(is not) a franchise QB” or “Dak deserves (does not deserve) to get paid.”
#Photo by Joe Glorioso All Pro Reels https://www.flickr.com/photos/joeglo/
3. WR, TERRELL OWENS (2006-2008)
T.O may have only played a handful of seasons with the Dallas Cowboys but he definitely deserves to be on this list. In fact Owens may be the most polarizing NFL player of all time. Owens was very talented and he performed at an elite level on the field. Despite his ability, he was often considered to be a cancer in the locker room and the Cowboys were among several teams who cut ties with him rather than put up with his antics. Excessive celebrations, a flamboyant personality, criticising coaches and teammates, arguing on the sidelines, and off the field shenanigans contributed to T.O being considered a “diva” or a selfish player. Some of those things that made him one of the most hated players in NFL history also made him one of the most adored. Owens may have had the most colorful personality of any football player that ever played before or after him. There is no other player that had as much charm, was as entertaining. or was more arrogant Love him or hate him, there is no denying that he backed up his arrogance with his play.
##Photo by © Scott Anderson | Dreamstime.com.LLC
2. GM/OWNER, JERRY JONES (1989-PRESENT)
Good Ol’ Jerry Jones is the only non player to make this list but he is more than deserving of the “honor”. Jones gained notoriety immediately after purchasing the Cowboys by firing Tom Landry. Helping to build up the team from bottom dweller to Super Bowl champion in 4 seasons helped his image immensely but firing Jimmy Johnson after back to back Super Bowls tarnished his public image once again and for a very long time. Ever since he parted ways with Johnson, the Cowboys have not enjoyed the same level of success and most fans point to Jerry Jones as the sole reason for that. Despite those errors in judgement, his failures as a GM to date, and a few other transgressions throughout the years Jerry Jones still managed to win over a large portion of the fan base with his fun loving, fast talking southern charm that only a billionaire, playboy, oil tycoon could pull off. One thing he has earned even among his harshest critics is respect. Whether it be because of the propensity to take risks, his eagerness to stand up to the NFL commissioner, or because of what he has done for the Dallas Cowboys from a business standpoint, he has gained the admiration of many fans. Still, the blame for not having won another Super Bowl among other things ensures that he will remain near the top of this list of most polarizing Dallas Cowboys.
###Photo by Keith Allison (c) https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/
1. QB, TONY ROMO (2003-2016)
There is but one way to divide a group of Dallas Cowboys fans at any gathering, and that is to mention one name…Tony Romo. The man is adored by an entire generation of Cowboys fans for his late game heroics, charming personality, and creativity and improvisation on the field of play. A true underdog, he was an undrafted free agent who became the all-time franchise passing leader. For all that he has accomplished, there is another half of Cowboys fans who remember him for never winning or coming close to a championship, for choking at the biggest moments, and for dropping the ball in a playoff game against Seattle. Fans will argue tooth and nail that Tony Romo was merely a product of a bad team versus those that argue Tony Romo couldn’t win the big game. Tony Romo is but one of many who have played quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys and with that responsibility comes the ultimate pressure to perform. The judgement of the fanbase is often swift and merciless. To be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is to be both loved and hated, abhorred and adored. It is the most prestigious job in pro sports and the more talent you have, the more passionately you will be loved as the more violently you will be hated. Tony Romo is ranked number one on this list of most polarizing Dallas Cowboys of all time because he played the quarterback position and because he was immensely talented.
All Data and Statistics obtained and verified from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
*Photo by (c) Kenneth D Durden | Dreamstime.com
**Photo by Kieth Allision https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
***Photo by © Jerry Coli | Dreamstime.com.LLC
#Photo by Joe Glorioso All Pro Reels https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/legalcode
##Photo by © Scott Anderson | Dreamstime.com.LLC
###Photo by Keith Allison (c) https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/
