Duane Thomas
| Duane Thomas | |
|---|---|
|
Position (s): running back |
Jersey numbers: 33, 47 |
| born June 21, 1947 in Dallas , Texas | |
| Career information | |
| Active : 1970 - 1975 | |
| NFL Draft : 1970 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23 | |
| College : West Texas A&M University | |
| Teams | |
|
|
| Career statistics | |
| Gaining space through running | 2,038 yards |
| Average per run | 4.5 yards |
| Touchdowns | 24 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Duane Julius Thomas (born June 21, 1947 in Dallas , Texas , USA ), nickname : "The Sphinx" is a former American American football player . He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins .
Player career
Duane Thomas attended high school in Dallas and after graduating from West Texas A&M University received a scholarship for the football team he played from 1966 to 1969. Thomas was drafted 23rd in the first round in 1970 by the Dallas Cowboys . The team's coach was Tom Landry , who used him together with Calvin Hill on the position of running back. In his rookie season , Thomas scored five touchdowns through running play, contributing to the success of the Cowboys in 1970. The Cowboys managed to get into the NFC Championship Game in this game round , where they met the San Francisco 49ers . Thomas played superbly in the final. With 27 runs he was able to achieve a space gain of 143 yards . He also carried a ball for a touchdown in the opposing end zone . The Cowboys left as 17:10 winners and moved into the Super Bowl with the victory . In Super Bowl V , the Cowboys faced the Baltimore Colts . Thomas was able to use a pass from quarterback Craig Morton for a touchdown in the game . However, he could not prevent the 16:13 defeat of his team.
Thomas, who was considered grumpy and moody (which also earned him the nickname!), Was able to significantly improve his good performance from 1970 in the next year. However, his relationship with his club had deteriorated significantly. He was dissatisfied with his salary . His demands for a higher income, however , were not accepted by Tex Schramm , the manager of the Cowboys. The relationship with Tom Landry was also significantly strained after Thomas had called his coach, among other things, a " plastic man ". The Cowboys therefore decided to hand over their player to the New England Patriots . The change was unsuccessful, the Patriots viewed Thomas' behavior towards the club as inappropriate and obtained a reversal of the player change through the NFL. Thomas had to go back to the cowboys, but refused any contact with the club officials, coaches and teammates outside the field. His playful performance in 1971 was all the more astonishing.
Thomas achieved eleven touchdowns in the 1971 regular season with a running game, which was the NFL's annual best. The season was no less successful for his team. With eleven wins from 14 games, the team from Dallas was able to move into the play-offs , where they first met the Minnesota Vikings . In the 20:12 victory of his team, Thomas managed a touchdown, which he followed up with another touchdown in the 14: 3 victory of the Cowboys over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. This victory meant the move into Super Bowl VI , where you met the Miami Dolphins trained by Don Shula . Thomas ran in the Super Bowl 19 times with the ball and achieved 95 yards of space, caught three passes from quarterback Roger Staubach to a space gain of 17 yards and scored a touchdown on pass from Staubach.
The Cowboys' difficulties with Duane Thomas off the field did not diminish even after the successful season. Since he was said to have drug problems, the Cowboys gave him to the San Diego Chargers in 1972 . Thomas never played for the San Diego team . In 1973 and 1974 Thomas ran for the Washington Redskins. He could not build on his successes from Dallas. After a season with The Hawaiians from the NFL competitive league World Football League (WFL), Thomas ended his career.
According to the NFL
Duane Thomas wrote a book about his life with the Dallas Cowboys after his career. He set up a foundation that collects funds for charitable organizations. Today he works as a representative for the Buick automotive company in California .
literature
- Duane Thomas, Paul Zimmerman: Duane Thomas and the Fall of America's Team. 1989, ISBN 9780446357142 .
Web links
- Short biography of Duane Thomas
- Relationship with Tom Landry ( Memento from February 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Duane Thomas at the Dallas Cowboys ( Memento from February 15, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ^ Annual statistics of the cowboys 1970
- ↑ Statistics NFC endgame 1970
- ↑ Statistics Super Bowl V
- ↑ Annual statistics of the cowboys 1971
- ↑ Statistics Divisional Play-Off Game Cowboys vs. Vikings 1971
- ↑ Statistics NFC Championship Game 1971
- ↑ Super Bowl VI statistics
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Thomas, Duane |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Thomas, Duane Julius |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American football player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 21, 1947 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dallas , Texas , USA |