DALLAS — Former Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas died Sunday at 77 years old, team sources confirmed.
Thomas, who wore number 33, was a home-grown talent. He was born in Dallas on June 21, 1947, and went to Lincoln High School. His skills at the running back position led him to West Texas A&M for college, where ran for 2,418 yards and 20 touchdowns.
After his senior season, the Dallas Cowboys selected Thomas with the 23rd pick in the 1970 NFL Draft.
Thomas was a breakout success in his rookie season, rushing for 803 yards in 151 attempts. His early contributions helped the team advance to Super Bowl V, where he scored a receiving touchdown in a loss to the Baltimore Colts.
After his early success, Thomas asked for a renegotiated contract, but the Cowboys rejected it. As a result, he was traded to New England, where he refused to report. As a result of Thomas not budging, commissioner Pete Rozelle voided the trade, keeping Thomas a Cowboy.
After the failed negotiations, Thomas became notorious for avoiding reporters, but his talents on the field did the talking.
In 1971, Thomas became the first player to score a touchdown in the new Texas Stadium. During the season, he led the league with a career-high 13 touchdowns, earning him an All-Pro nod.
Again, Thomas helped lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl, this time against the Miami Dolphins. Thomas led Dallas in rushing yards with 95. He also rushed for a touchdown in the Cowboys' 24-3 win, making him the first player to score a TD in back-to-back Super Bowls.
According to The Ultimate Super Bowl Book, Thomas was reportedly voted the Super Bowl MVP, but due to his media boycott, the magazine that presented the award gave it to Roger Staubach instead.
After leading the Cowboys to a Super Bowl, Thomas was traded to the San Diego Chargers, where he again failed to report. He never played a game for the Chargers and was deemed ineligible for the 1972 season.
Thomas was then traded to the Washington Redskins, where he played for two years, rushing 442 yards. After demanding a salary increase and not reporting to training camp in 1975, Thomas was waived from the team.
Thomas tried to break into the NFL two more times: once with the Cowboys in 1976 and once with the Packers in 1979. Both times, Thomas was waived before the season started.
He finished his career with 2,335 total yards and 24 touchdowns. In 2004, Thomas was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
