Dallas City News

We are at day 29 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 29.

One of the most exciting players to wear number 29 for Dallas may not have won any Lombardi trophies, but he helped propel the team to one of their best seasons since winning their last Super Bowl, breaking a number of records along the way. That player is DeMarco Murray.

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DeMarco Murray was born February 12, 1988 and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. Upon his arrival in Dallas, he found himself low on the depth chart, positioned behind starting running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. However, this situation changed rapidly when Jones was sidelined due to an injury. In Week 6, during a game against the St. Louis Rams, Murray shattered Emmitt Smith’s franchise record for rushing yards in a single game by accumulating 253 yards, averaging an impressive 10.1 yards per carry, which also set a new franchise record. Consequently, Murray secured the starting position for the remainder of the season and concluded his rookie year with an average of 5.5 yards per carry.

In 2013, Murray achieved his first 1,000-yard rushing season and received his first nomination to the Pro Bowl. Although the Cowboys finished their season with a record of 8-8 for the third consecutive year, there was optimism surrounding the team. Heading into 2014, they were expected to have a remarkable season, featuring one of the league’s top offensive lines. Many referred to the trio of Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray as the new triplets.

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The 2014 season commenced with Murray surpassing Jim Brown’s 1958 NFL record for the most consecutive 100-yard rushing games at the start of a season, achieving this feat in eight straight games. Additionally, Murray established a new franchise record by rushing for at least 100 yards in 12 games throughout the season, moving past Walt Garrison to secure the seventh position on the Cowboys’ all-time rushing yards leader board. Concluding the season as the leading rusher in the league, Murray received recognition as a First-Team All-Pro and was selected for his second Pro Bowl, marking his second consecutive season with over 1,000 rushing yards. At the season’s end, he was honored with the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award after amassing an impressive total of 1,845 rushing yards, which not only broke Emmitt Smith’s single-season record but also ranks as the 18th highest in NFL history.

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Heading into the playoffs, the Dallas Cowboys were reported as the team to beat but would lose to Green Bay in the Divisional Round. It would be Murray’s final game with Dallas and he would move in free agency to play for the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Tennessee Titans. He is currently employed at the University of Oklahoma as the team’s running back coach.