Dallas City News

We are at day 34 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 34.

One of the all-time Cowboys greats wore 34 for Dallas. and that is none other than the electrifying Cornell Green.

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Cornell Green was born February 10, 1940 and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1962, having not ever played a down football as he was a basketball player in college.

The significance of athleticism was emphasized by the Cowboys personnel director, Gil Brandt. To identify suitable players, the Dallas organization expanded its search beyond traditional football avenues, opting to recruit athletes from basketball programs. One notable success from this strategy was Green. He arrived at the team’s 1962 training camp on a whim to see how the experience would unfold. Remarkably, Green was not released during his rookie training camp and went on to prove himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

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Green ascended to the starting lineup as a defensive back at the conclusion of his rookie season and maintained that position for his twelve years. Over the course of his career, including playoff appearances, he appeared in 186 games. Notably, Green achieved a remarkable streak of 145 consecutive starts, ranking as the third-most in the history of the franchise. Throughout his career, he recorded 35 interceptions, returning three for touchdowns, one of which was a notable 60-yard return against the Cleveland Browns during the 1967 playoffs. Additionally, he recovered seven fumbles, successfully returning two for touchdowns. Green earned All-Pro honors three times as a cornerback and was selected for the franchise’s 25th anniversary team.

During his 12 seasons with Dallas, Green contributed to seven division titles, two NFC championships, and one Lombardi Trophy. He concluded his career having played exclusively for Dallas, achieving five Pro Bowl selections and four All-Pro accolades. Following his football career, he joined the scouting team for the Denver Broncos.

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