Former Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas still has the entire sports world, including Emmitt Smith, still hurting over his shocking death.
Duane Thomas died Sunday at 77 years old.
Taking to X on Wednesday, Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith showed how much he was grieving when he expressed his condolences to him and his hurting family.
“Rest in peace Duane, sending thoughts and prayers to your family,” Smith wrote.
The Cowboys confirmed Thomas’ death to Pro Football Talk and the Dallas Morning News.
“The Great Duane Thomas passed away yesterday. He was a great Cowboy. On his come back he was one of my roommates in Thousand Oaks. Lots of laughs and moments. RIP DUANE THOMAS,” Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, the running back’s former teammate, wrote on Facebook.
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Thomas played for the Cowboys from 1970-71 and is best known as the first player to score a touchdown at Texas Stadium in 1971 when he led the team with 11 rushing touchdowns.
Those seasons were marred by controversy as a contract dispute once led Duane Thomas to call coach Tom Landry “plastic man.”
His conflicts with the coach led to issues with the media, and it resulted in Thomas allegedly being snubbed for multiple awards, including the MVP award in Super Bowl VI. That would be handed to quarterback Roger Staubach.
Duane Thomas Didn’t Play A Ton Of Years In The NFL
Duane Thomas only had a short time in the NFL, but his impact would last forever.
Thomas only played four years in the NFL after being a first-round pick of the Cowboys in the 1970 Draft out of West Texas A&M.
His rookie year saw him put up 803 rushing yards and five touchdowns and helped guide the team to Super Bowl V against the Baltimore Colts, but the team would fall short of their goal.
A contract dispute led to him being traded to the New England Patriots, but then-NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle voided the deal.
He returned to the Cowboys and vowed to be silent.
His second year was just as good as he led the NFL with 11 rushing touchdowns and had 793 rushing yards.
Duane Thomas would finally break his silence before the team’s Super Bowl VI win over the Miami Dolphins.
“If it’s the ultimate [game], how come they’re playing it again next year?” he said.
After the win, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers. He refused to show up to training camp, so he was traded to the Washington Redskins and played two seasons with the team.
