Well, they thought they could do it because that's exactly what they did to build this line. Frustrated fans wondered how in the world Jerry Jones and company could get such a stupid idea. The impression developed that the Cowboys' front office seemed to think it could put together a championship caliber line out of late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents. For years, there has been a great deal of frustration about the lack of resources (primarily draft picks) being devoted to shoring up the offensive line. The result is a piece of Cowboys' history, complete with triumph and tragedy.Īnd beyond the engrossing story of six flawed men who together made something on the football field that was very nearly perfect, it explains some things that many here have often wondered about. And because a line has to work together to function, it just made sense to speak of it as a group. He told me that the original idea was to do a piece about Nate Newton, who was the most famous of the six, but when they started looking deeper, they realized that the story of all six was too rich, too engrossing and too intertwined to pass up. I had a chance to talk to NFL Films producer Dave Douglas about the project. I just don't want to spoil the story, because I think you will find out things you didn't know, or may have forgotten. And, of course, no story about this line would be complete without Gary Busey. Pam Oliver relates her special connection to one of them. ![]() Jerry Jones (of course), Jimmy Johnson, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Brad Sham, and Jason Garrett, among others, speak about their days in Dallas. The story is told through the words of some of the linemen themselves, and by the people who were around them at the time. They dominated opposing defenses, and with a big boost from the commentary of John Madden, who really liked the way Newton played, they became stars in their own right. NFL Films has told the story of the six men who made up that line for the first two of those Super Bowls in A Football Life: The Great Wall of Dallas, airing on the NFL Network on Tuesday, 12/3/13, at 9 pm ET. Tackles Mark Tuinei and Erik Williams, guards Kevin Gogan and Nate Newton, and center Mark Stepnoski were the original line, with John Gesek stepping in when Stepnoski was injured. But they likely would never have become as famous or successful if they had not had one of the best offensive lines in the history of the league blocking for them. It was the rise of the Triplets, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin. Without them, running backs have no holes to go through, and wide receivers cannot catch the ball because the quarterback is lying on his back trying to figure out where that truck came from and if he is still in Pop Warner games.Īrguably the greatest years for the Dallas Cowboys franchise were the early nineties, when they won three Super Bowls in a span of four years. Even special teams aces can be the star of the moment (or the goat for who knows how long), similar to these guys in a college game you may have heard about last week.īut the real foundation of an NFL offense, the thing that can elevate mediocre "skill" players and hold back those with great talent, is made up of the big guys in the trenches. ![]() ![]() Defensive players also get their chance for the spotlight with crushing tackles, interceptions, sacks and forced fumbles. ![]() Running backs, wide receivers, and especially quarterbacks are the stars of the NFL.
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