Fitzgerald & Rafferty: Cowboys' O-Line Legends

0:00On April 15, Dallas Cowboys fans are feeling the loss again with the passing of long-time center, John Fitzgerald. He spent 12 seasons anchoring the offensive line from 1971 to 1984, starting 108 games and never. Playing on a losing team, Fitzgerald was key to two Super Bowl wins, including the victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl 6. His career kicked off Rocky, bouncing between Guard and Center as a backup before locking down the starting spot in 1973. By 1975, Coach Tom Landry revived the shotgun formation and Fitzgerald nailed those seven yard snaps back to Roger Stalbach, without a glance. That helped fuel three Super Bowl trips in four years. The team hit the playoffs 11 times during his run, reaching 9 NFC title games and five Super Bowl's total. Fitzgerald added flair by doving his line, the four Irishmen and a brother, highlighting the tight knit crew that powered Dallas through the 70s and 80s.

1:02Just last year on June 5, the Cowboys lost another old line legend, Tom Rafferty, at age 70 after a stroke. Drafted in 1977, he started at Guard for four years before injuries shifted him to Center, in 1981, a temp gig that lasted nine seasons till his 1989 retirement. These two warriors defined those powerhouse lines, bridging errors from Stalbach to Ackman with grit and reliability. Their impact echoes in every Cowboys run game that followed.