Legendary Dallas Cowboys linebacker D.D. Lewis died on Tuesday, September 16, after being hospitalized for 12 days in Plano, Texas. He was 79.
“D.D. was a great player,” former Cowboys star Thomas Henderson said. “He kept me from the weakside because he played it so well. D.D. was a tough guy and I wanted his job Day 1, but I never could get it because he played [coach Tom] Landry’s defense and I couldn’t interrupt that. So I ended up on the strong side, which was better for me because I got to box every down.”
The Mississippi State alum was drafted by the Cowboys in the 6th round of the 1968 draft. He played with the team for 13 seasons, including time spent serving in the military during his sophomore season.
The team announced his passing with a touching tribute, calling him “one of the most underappreciated players in franchise history.”
The Cowboys never had a losing season while Lewis was on the squad. The Knoxville, Tennessee, native appeared in five Super Bowls and helped bring the Lombardy Trophy to Dallas in 1971 and 1977.
Following his passing, Mississippi State released a statement for the Bulldog legend.
“An All-SEC standout and 1967 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, he played 13 years with the Dallas Cowboys, appeared in five Super Bowls, won two, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001,” the university said.
“Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play,” Lewis was once quoted as saying.
