PLANO, Texas — D.D. Lewis, a key member of the “Doomsday Defense” for the Dallas Cowboys during the 1970s and a two-time Super Bowl champion, has died Tuesday at the age of 79.
Mississippi State University, where Lewis played football in college, announced his death in a post on social media. The Cowboys also confirmed Lewis’ death on the team’s website.
He reportedly died at Medical City Plano Hospital. No cause of death was reported.
“He was an awesome dad, he was the best dad,” Melna Bourland, Lewis’ daughter, tells The Dallas Morning News. “He would be a big jokester, he loved to do pranks on me and my sister, and he loved to laugh and he was just the best dad anybody could ever have.”
Lewis, a linebacker, was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Cowboys in 1968. He missed one year while serving in the military but returned in 1970.
He joined the Cowboys as they entered their 1970s heyday. The team never had a losing season during his career and he played in five Super Bowls, winning titles during the 1971 and 1977 seasons.
“D.D. was such a steady force for the Dallas Cowboys,” former teammate Cliff Harris tells the Morning News. “We knew we could count on D.D. He was the weakside linebacker in our complex Flex defense and I knew or we knew whatever his responsibilities in that Flex defense was, he was going to perform. A great athlete and it’s sad to see him leave this earth early. I feel for his family.”
Lewis reached the playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons and played in 27 playoff games. Only two players appeared in more playoff games, Tom Brady and Jerry Rice.
According to the Cowboys, he missed only four regular season games during his career. From 1973 to 1981, his final season, he started 132 out of 134 games at weakside linebacker.
The Cowboys say the team’s late coach, Tom Landry, once described Lewis as the team’s most underappreciated player.
According to NBC News, Lewis is credited with a famous quote about the Cowboys’ previous home, Texas Stadium, saying “Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play.”
Lewis was named to the Cowboys Silver Anniversary Team in 1984.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.