D.D. Lewis, Cowboys linebacker and two-time Super Bowl champion, dies at 79

D.D. Lewis, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys, died earlier this week at age 79, the team confirmed Wednesday. He was a cornerstone of Dallas’s Doomsday defense during the 1970s and contributed to the club’s two Lombardi Trophy campaigns in 1971 and 1977.

A Mississippi State product, Lewis starred as a linebacker with the Bulldogs, earning All-American honors, two First-Team All-SEC selections, and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in 1967. He was selected by Dallas in the sixth round of the 1968 NFL Draft. After a one-year military stint, he joined the Cowboys in 1970 and went on to play 13 seasons in Dallas, appearing in 186 games with 135 starts. He began his Cowboys career as a backup to Chuck Howley, including in the 1971 championship year, before taking over the starting role in 1973. Lewis never experienced a losing season in Dallas, and the Cowboys reached the playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons. His 27 playoff games as a Cowboy were the most in franchise history at the time; the mark has since been surpassed by Tom Brady and Jerry Rice among non-kickers.

In addition to his on-field success, Lewis was recognized for his leadership and consistency. He received the Cowboys' Man of the Year Award in 1981 and was voted to the franchise's Silver Anniversary Team in 1984. His collegiate career was later honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and Mississippi State's Ring of Honor in 2011.

The Cowboys issued a statement expressing condolences and praising his durability and impact on the franchise. Lewis's legacy endures as a defining member of the Doomsday defense and one of Dallas's most durable linebackers.