Bob Lilly a.k.a. "Mr. Cowboy" - ( And Mark Morthier's Favorite Player)

After an All-American career at Texas Christian University, Bob Lilly was the first-ever draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys. Lilly played from 1961 to 1974 and played defensive end for his first two and a half seasons with the Cowboys before Coach Tom Landry moved him to defensive tackle.

The Cowboys, born in expansion, struggled to produce a winning team until 1966. Then they lost in the post-season five years in a row. Lilly’s frustration boiled over after losing Superbowl V to the Baltimore Colts on a last-second field goal.

The following year, he took out his frustrations when he led the Cowboys and the “Doomsday Defense” to its first World Championship. In Superbowl VI, he chased down Miami Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese for a 29-yard sack, and the Cowboys went on to win 24-3.

Lilly, who was usually double-teamed and sometimes triple-teamed, learned to use his hands to stop offensive linemen from holding him. If they tried to block him straight on, he grabbed them and threw them out of the way. If they tried to cut block him, he would simply leap over them.

Besides being arguably the best defensive lineman the game has ever seen, Mr. Lilly has always been a class act off the field. Bob held a yearly charity golf tournament for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and often speaks to youth groups about having good moral values. Bob is also generous in giving back to the fans, signing autographs, taking pictures, and giving interviews.

Some of Bob Lilly's Credentials

Two-time NFC Champion
One-time Superbowl Champion
Nine-time All-Pro
Eleven Pro Bowl appearances
First Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor player
First Dallas Cowboys player in the Hall of Fame
Member of NFL 100th Anniversary team
Voted by Sporting News as the best lineman in NFL history

Despite all his achievements and accolades, Mr. Lilly remains a humble man who always gives credit to those who helped him along the way.

Dave and I thank Mr. Lilly for taking time out of his schedule to talk with us. It was quite a thrill for us two old-school Dallas Cowboys fans.

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Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond. He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.

He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training (Second Edition): A Guide for People with Limited Time and Running Wild: (Growing Up in the 1970s)