Former running back who played a key role in the Dallas Cowboys’ first Super Bowl victory, has passed away at the age of 77, as confirmed by the team to various news outlets on Tuesday. The cause of death has not been disclosed. In the 1971 season, Thomas played 11 games, starting 10, and achieved 793 rushing yards along with a league-high 11 touchdowns.
He also recorded 13 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns. During the 1971 playoffs, he contributed an additional 205 yards and three touchdowns, including a standout performance of 95 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl VI, where the Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-3.
Thomas faced challenges within the team, resulting in trades to two different franchises that he ultimately did not report to.
After his successful rookie season in 1970, where he rushed for 803 yards, he sought a contract restructure. Despite attempts by the Cowboys to trade him to the New England Patriots before the 1971 season, the deal fell through, leaving him with the Cowboys. He was known for being somewhat withdrawn, rarely engaging with teammates or the press.
Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson remarked to the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday, “I slept six feet from him, and he didn’t have much to say. He was a peaceful man.”
Following the 1971 season, the Cowboys arranged another trade with the San Diego Chargers, but once again, Thomas declined to report and ended up sitting out the entire 1972 season. He eventually joined the Washington Redskins, where he played in 1973 and 1974, accumulating 442 yards and five touchdowns on 127 carries. –Field Level Media
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