A former running back for the Dallas Cowboys is reported to have died, having passed away peacefully in his sleep last Wednesday, according to NWA Online.
Walt Garrison, considered to be one of the true Cowboys to have played in the NFL due to his love for rodeo, was 79 at the time of his passing.
Garrison led the Big 8 in rushing while at Oklahoma State and would win a Super Bowl with Dallas in 1972. The Dallas 25th Anniversary Team member went to his only Pro Bowl that season.
The former RB played nine seasons before retiring in 1974, leaving as the No. 3-ranked rusher and No. 4-ranked receiver in team history. He is still fourth on the Cowboys’ all-time yards per carry list with 4.32 and ranks ninth with 3,491 rushing yards.
A cause of death was not reported.
Garrison called the rodeo his “first love” and said he would go out to compete in local events after team meetings during his rookie season, causing head coach Tom Landry to ban him from moonlighting during the season.
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“I wasn’t starting,” he once explained. “I was returning punts and kicks and covering on the kamikaze squad, that’s all I was doing. And hell, you could get hurt worse on them than you can rodeoing. I didn’t think much about it, but the Cowboys did.”
