David Monroe Edwards (December 14, 1939 – December 6, 2016) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
. He played
college football at
Auburn University.
Early years
Edwards attended Abbeville High School. He was a two-way tackle and contributed to the team having a 9-1 record, while outscoring their opponents 281-19 in 1957. He received All-state honors as a senior. He also practiced
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
.
College career
He accepted football scholarship from
Auburn University.
Edwards was a two-way player who was used as an
offensive end
An end in American and Canadian football is a player who lines up at either end of the line of scrimmage, usually beside the tackles. Rules state that a legal offensive formation must always consist of seven players on the line of scrimmage and ...
and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is ...
. As a junior, he posted 6 receptions (tied for second on the team) for 74 yards and no touchdowns.
As a senior, he led the team with 25 receptions for 372 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was named to the
All-SEC team. He played in the 1962
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...
, where
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade Landry (September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000) was an American professional football player and coach. He was the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL), a position he held for 29 seasons. Dur ...
coached the opposing team (North).
In 1987, he was inducted into the
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history. The museum displays over 5,000 objects related to athletes who were born in Alabama or earned fame ...
.
Professional career
Edwards was selected by the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in the 25th round (194th overall) of the
1962 AFL Draft, but chose to sign with the
NFL's
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 1962. As a rookie, he started out as an offensive end on the
taxi squad
In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...
and was later converted to outside
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
. He wasn't activated for any of the 14 games.
In 1963, he gained 25 lbs (from 205 to 230) and started 6 games, while replacing the injured
Lee Roy Jordan
Lee Roy Jordan (born April 27, 1941) is a former American football linebacker. After attending the University of Alabama, playing under head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, he played 14 years in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from ...
and
Harold Hays
Leo Harold Hays (born September 24, 1939) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at University of Southern Mississippi.
Early yea ...
. In 1964, he began the season as the starter at
strongside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, pla ...
, until
Chuck Howley
Charles Louis Howley (born June 28, 1936) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. Howley spent his first two seasons with the Chicago Bears, who ...
passed him on the depth chart in the fourth game.
In 1965, he was named the starter at
weakside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. He would end up forming with Howley and Jordan, one of the best
linebacking corps in
NFL history as part of the '
Doomsday Defense The Doomsday Defense was the defense of the Dallas Cowboys American football team during the dynasty years of the late 1960s - 1970s. This defense was the backbone of the Cowboys' dynasty, which won two Super Bowls ( VI, XII) and played in three mo ...
'.
In 1967, he had 3 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown against the
Baltimore Colts. In 1969,
Chuck Howley
Charles Louis Howley (born June 28, 1936) is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. Howley spent his first two seasons with the Chicago Bears, who ...
was moved to
strongside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, pla ...
and Edwards to
weakside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
.
Referred to as "Fuzzy" by his teammates, Edwards' strength made him a difficult player to deal with against the run and he was also known to rarely make mistakes that could hurt the defense.
He thrived against opposing
tight ends
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
, so much so, that then
Oakland Raiders linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
s coach
John Madden
John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, who he led to eight pl ...
, instructed his linebackers to study Edwards' technique in stopping the run while jamming the
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
.
In 1970, he intercepted two passes against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, contributing to a 6-2 win, that was key for the team to make the playoffs.
On July 1, 1976, he announced his retirement and was replaced with
Bob Breunig. Although overshadowed by Howley and Jordan, he was a key component in the Cowboys' defensive dominance during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cowboys defensive assistant coach
Ernie Stautner
Ernest Alfred Stautner (April 20, 1925 – February 16, 2006) was a German-American professional American football coach and defensive tackle in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also served as a coach for the Pittsburg ...
said "The best thing you can say about Edwards is that he's a pro. He plays while he's hurt and he still does an outstanding job. That's what a pro is".
Edwards missed only one game in his 12 NFL seasons, while starting 135 games. He recorded 30 turnovers, that included 13 interceptions and 16 fumbles recoveries (tied for second in franchise history). He helped the Cowboys win three
NFC
NFC may refer to:
Psychology
* Need for cognition, in psychology
* Need for closure, social psychological term
Sports
* NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game
* NCAA Football Championship (Philippines)
* Nati ...
Championships and one
Super Bowl. He played in Super Bowls
V,
VI and
X.
Personal life
Edwards was a talented painter whose work was displayed in several shows.
[ On December 6, 2016, Edwards died in his sleep the day he was scheduled to undergo tests for a heart condition at a Waco hospital. Edwards' son, Chris, planned on burying both of his parents' ashes together. However, his house was robbed on March 20, 2017, and his mother Gail's ashes were taken by the burglar.]
References
External links
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Profile
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Dave
1939 births
2016 deaths
American football linebackers
Auburn Tigers football players
Dallas Cowboys players
People from Houston County, Alabama
Players of American football from Alabama