Last weekend, the NFL GOAT of GOATs prepared to say goodbye. This weekend? The Dallas Cowboys' GOAT - Roger Staubach - prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday.
With Tom Brady officially - after a weekend of coy denials - announcing his retirement from the NFL, the only remaining debate is whether he is the greatest football player ever.
Considering seven Super Bowls, five Super Bowl MVPs, three MVPs, six All-Pros, 15 Pro Bowls and every major passing record over his 22 seasons, Brady has no peers. He is, of course, the GOAT of the New England Patriots' franchise and perhaps - though he spent only two seasons in Florida - also of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (though linebacker Derrick Brooks may have something to say about that).
Brady's retirement is prompting NFL franchises to ring in February by grudgingly getting introspective. They won't like what they see in comparison. No team has won more Super Bowls than Brady or boasted a player even remotely close to his unprecedented success and accolades.
But who's close?
While there's a valid argument that the Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki is the greatest overall sports figure in the history of DFW, the Dallas Cowboys have several legitimate candidates for their all-time best player.
Given his record 29 years, 20 consecutive winning seasons, five Super Bowl appearances, statue in Arlington and impeccable morality, ranking former coach Tom Landry behind anyone feels blasphemous. But, then again, he wore a hat, not a helmet. And with his Hall-of-Fame career, three Super Bowls and AT&T Stadium legacy, Jerry Jones is, to many, the face of the Cowboys. Alas, like Landry, he never played a snap for America's Team.
The candidates for Cowboys' Brady:
Bob Lilly - The GOAT discussion starts from the start with “Mr. Cowboy”, the first draft pick in franchise history in 1960. A menacing tackle that anchored the famed “Doomsday Defense” for 14 seasons, he won a Super Bowl, made 11 Pro Bowls and now lives in both the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame.
Troy Aikman - He began his Hall-of-Fame career 11-1 in the playoffs and won three Super Bowls and a Super Bowl MVP. But he doesn't crack the Top 30 in any all-time NFL passing statistic, and some will argue that - considering the accomplishments of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin - he was never even the best player in his own huddle.
Roger Staubach - America’s quarterback won a Heisman Trophy, served in the Navy, captured two Super Bowls, one Super Bowl MVP and wound up in the Hall of Fame on a career highlighted by cardiac comebacks. However, he lasted only 11 seasons (half as long as Brady) and no longer leads Dallas in any major passing category.
Emmitt Smith - Tough to shove aside a guy whose Canton career includes three Super Bowls, a Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP, four rushing titles and gaping leads - still, 18 years after he retired - in NFL all-time rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Only thing that dents his Cowboys legacy are those last two seasons playing in the uniform of the Arizona Cardinals.
It's Emmitt or Roger. It's not, of course, as clear-cut as Brady's GOAT status. Wanna give Roger a gift on Saturday, his 80th birthday? Cool. Vote for him!
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