We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we are running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football.
Today – number 8
Tony Dorsett
Born: April 7, 1954.Rochester, Pennsylvania
Position: Running back
Dallas Cowboys: 1977-1987
Awards: Super Bowl champion- XII
All-Pro- 1981, 1982, 1983
Pro Bowl- 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983
Tony Dorsett played running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 1977 to 1987, becoming one of the most dynamic runners in franchise history. Drafted second overall out of Pittsburgh after winning the Heisman Trophy, Dorsett made an immediate impact, rushing for over 1,000 yards as a rookie and helping Dallas win Super Bowl XII. Known for his smooth running style, vision, and breakaway speed, he earned four Pro Bowl selections and retired as the Cowboys’ all-time leading rusher, a mark later surpassed by Emmitt Smith. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Best known for:
Dorsett was best known for his explosive speed and big-play ability, including his legendary 99-yard touchdown run in 1983, the longest rushing play in NFL history.
Lesser known fact:
Dorsett is one of only a handful of players to win a college national championship, the Heisman Trophy, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and a Super Bowl. Remarkably he achieved all four in just a span of two years.
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