The Doomsday Defense was the defensive lineup of the Dallas Cowboys American football team during the dynasty years of the late 1960s - 1970s. This defense was the backbone of the Cowboys' dynasty, which won two Super Bowls ( VI, XII) and played in three more ( V, X and XIII). [1]
In 1964, sports writer Gary Cartwright of the Dallas Morning News coined the phrase "Doomsday Defense". [2] The Doomsday Defense is often recognized as having two different "generations," but different listings of players and time periods exist. [3] The original "Doomsday Defense" can generally be identified as the Cowboys' defenses from 1966 to 1974. "Doomsday II" had its heyday from approximately 1975 to 1982. [4] Many Cowboy fans recognize the defense from 1992 to 1996 as "Doomsday III", though to a lesser extent. This defense was in part, responsible for the Cowboys being the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. [5]
The first defensive player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Super Bowl was linebacker Chuck Howley ( V). [6] Later linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White became the first (and only) teammates (co-MVPs) to win the award ( XII). [7]
Lineup
"Doomsday"
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Defensive line:
- #71 - Willie Townes / #63 - Larry Cole
- #75 - Jethro Pugh
- #74 - Bob "Mr. Cowboy" Lilly ( NFL 1960s All-Decade Team; NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)
- #66 - George Andrie / # 67 - Pat Toomay
Linebackers:
- #54 - Chuck Howley ( Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)
- #55 - Lee Roy Jordan ( Ring of Honor)
- #52 - Dave Edwards / #50 - D. D. Lewis
Defensive backs:
- #34 - Cornell Green
- #20 - Mel Renfro ( Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)
- #27 - Mike Gaechter / #41 - Charlie Waters
- #26 - Herb Adderley ( Hall of Fame; NFL 1960s All-Decade Team) / #43 - Cliff Harris ( Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)
"Doomsday II"
Defensive line:
- #79 - Harvey Martin ( NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; 1977 NFL Defensive Player of the Year)
- #63 - Larry Cole / #78 - John Dutton
- #54 - Randy "The Manster" White ( NFL 1980s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)
- #72 - Ed "Too Tall" Jones
Linebackers:
- #58 - Mike Hegman / #56 - Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson
- #53 - Bob Breunig
- #50 - D. D. Lewis
Defensive backs:
- #31 - Benny Barnes
- #43 - Cliff Harris ( NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor) / #26 - Michael Downs
- #41 - Charlie Waters / #42 - Randy Hughes
- #24 - Everson Walls / #25 - Aaron Kyle
References
- ^ "Too Tall, Too Mean, Too Much". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Fifty Things You Never Knew About The Dallas Cowboys". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "The NFL's 10 Greatest Defensive Teams of All Time". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "A Better Doomsday Looms for Dallas". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Cowboys Make Third Time Doomsday for Bills, 52-17". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "One Cowboy Wins: Howley Gets Award". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ "Doomsday In The Dome". Retrieved September 7, 2022.