Mississippi State, Dallas Cowboys legend DD Lewis dead at 79

A legend of both the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Dallas Cowboys, DD Lewis has passed away. Mississippi State announced his death on social media, also outlining the accolades he achieved during his playing days. Lewis was 79 years old.

“We mourn the passing of Bulldog legend D.D. Lewis,” the official Mississippi State Football X account said. “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.”

Lewis grew up in Knoxville, TN, but decided to play SEC football elsewhere. Only three years were spent at Mississippi State, playing as a two-way player. While the Bulldogs did not find much team success with Lewis on the roster, he himself excelled during his college days. Plenty of personal achievements were earned, including two first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American in 1967.

As Mississippi State mentioned in their tweet, the College Football Hall of Fame inducted Lewis in 2001. A great honor for one of the program’s best-ever players.

Even so, Lewis did not hear his name called too highly in the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys took him in the sixth round with the No. 159 overall pick. Back then, the draft looked a little bit different with 17 rounds, compared to the seven in today’s game.

Dallas wanted to take advantage of Lewis’ two-way ability, first putting him on the offensive line. However, it was clear where his talents were best used. Lewis became a star linebacker for the Cowboys under head coach Tom Landry. Nobody in franchise history has played in more playoff games than Lewis, 27. Two Super Bowl rings followed in 1971 and 1977, cementing his legacy with the Cowboys.

“I never realized that we had such a great defense until I got out of football and started looking back at it,” Lewis said via DallasCowboys.com. “But my attitude was, ‘Okay, we won that one, but let’s get back to work on the next one, you know? Let’s put it together.'”

Cowboys fans might recognize Lewis for a famous quote regarding the team’s old home, Texas Stadium. To this day, AT&T Stadium also has a hole at the top for the same purpose. “Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play,” Lewis said.