Dallas City News

[UPDATE] This article was prepped in advance and went to publish mere minutes before we learned that Duane Thomas had passed. It was purely a coincidence, but now serves as our tribute to his passing. RIP.

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We are at day 33 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 33.

Beyond Tony Dorsett (who we covered last year), another sensational runner wore number 33 for Dallas, Duane Thomas.

Duane Julius Thomas was born June 21, 1947 and selected by the Dallas Cowboys in first round of the 1970 NFL Draft. He received the Rookie of the Year award after accumulating 803 rushing yards and scoring five touchdowns, helping Dallas to its inaugural Super Bowl. In consecutive playoff games, Thomas rushed for 135 and 143 yards, making history as the first rookie to achieve two 100-yard rushing performances in playoff games. Additionally, Thomas became the first player to score a touchdown in Texas Stadium, which was then the new home of the Cowboys.

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Assisting Dallas in securing their inaugural NFC title, Thomas sought to renegotiate his contract at the conclusion of the season. The Cowboys informed him that a salary increase would be contingent upon his agreement to an extension, which he declined. When the organization dismissed his request for a new contract prior to the commencement of the 1971 season, and feeling frustrated by the media’s apparent alignment with management, Thomas refrained from speaking to reporters for a duration of five months.

Thomas ran for 793 yards and secured the top spot in the league with 11 rushing touchdowns in 1971. His performance in Super Bowl VI, where he rushed for 95 yards and scored a touchdown, contributed to the Cowboys’ first Lombardi Trophy win. However, his postgame interview with Tom Brookshier on CBS led to him being perceived as eccentric. The interview, in which both men appeared extremely nervous, became a memorable moment in Super Bowl history. Brookshier began by inquiring if Thomas was as fast as he appeared on the field, to which Thomas responded, ‘Evidently.’

Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images

Thomas was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1972 but problems there led to him being benched for the entire year. He was then traded to Washington, where he served as a backup for two seasons.

In 1976, Thomas rejoined Dallas, but he was released prior to the commencement of the regular season. The dynamic, slashing type runner had the potential to be among the greatest in NFL history had he remained with the Cowboys.

Photo by Focus On Sport/Getty Images