Former Cowboys running back Duane Thomas died Sunday, the team confirmed Tuesday. Thomas was 77.
The Cowboys made Thomas a first-round pick in 1970. He led the team in rushing as a rookie, with 803 yards and five touchdowns while finishing second in rookie of the year voting.
He accounted for another 358 yards and two touchdowns on 81 touches in three postseason games, including a Super Bowl loss to the Colts.
Thomas wanted a new contract and refused to report to training camp in 1971, while commencing in name calling that included referring to coach Tom Landry as “a plastic man . . . no man at all.” The Cowboys traded Thomas to the Patriots, but after problems between Thomas and coach John Mazur, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle made the unprecedented move of voiding part of the trade.
Thomas returned to Dallas but boycotted the press, team management and teammates, refusing to talk to anyone all season.
Still, he led the league in rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (13), gaining 793 rushing yards and 946 total yards.
Before Super Bowl VI, when Thomas finally talked, he offered one of the most famous quotes in NFL history: “If it’s the ultimate [game], how come they’re playing it again next year?”
Thomas rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns in three postseason games, including 95 yards in the Cowboys’ Super Bowl victory over the Dolphins.
The Cowboys traded him to the Chargers, but he failed to report to training camp, and the Chargers traded him to Washington. He played only two seasons with Washington, rushing for 442 yards and five touchdowns.