Former Dallas Cowboys Great Don Meredith Dies at Age 72

The Dallas Cowboys first legendary quarterback, Don Meredith died Sunday after suffering a brain hemorrage.  He was 72. 

Meredith came to the Cowboys when they were still a young expansion team and guided them to their first winning season.  He took the Cowboys to the brink of the NFL Championship in 1966 and 1967 only to be denied in the final minutes by the Green Bay Packers.  The 1967 NFL Championship game, known as the Ice Bowl, is still considered one of the all-time NFL’s greatest games.

Meredith still owns the Cowboys record for most yards in a game, 460, and still has 3 of the top 4 passing games in Cowboys history.  He was a three-time Pro-Bowler and was the 1966 NFL Player of the Year.

His easy-going attitude and his toughness made him a leader on the team, but it was only after his retirement that the Dallas fans would really appreciate him.

Meredith retired at age 31, saying the game was no longer fun.  He went on to co-host ABC’s Monday Night Football with Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford and he appeared in several movies.