Ralph Neely

No. 73

Position:

Offensive Tackle

Personal information

Date of birth:

September 12, 1943

Place of birth:

Little Rock, Arkansas

Height:

6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Weight:

265 lb (120 kg)

Career information

High school:

Farmington (NM)

College:

Oklahoma

NFL draft:

1965 / Round: 2 / Pick: 28

Career history

Dallas Cowboys (1965–1977)

* Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Career highlights and awards

Sophomore Lineman of the Year (1962)
1× Honorable-mention All-Big Eight (1962)
2× All-Big Eight (1963, 1964)
Second-team All-American (1963)
All-American (1964)
4× All-Pro (1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
2× Pro Bowl selection (1967, 1969)
NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
2× Super Bowl champion (VI, XII)
4× NFC Champion (1970, 1971, 1975, 1977)

Career NFL statistics

Games:	172
Kick Returns:	7
Kickoff yards:	48
Games Started:	168
Fumble Recoveries:	5
Player stats at NFL.com

Player stats at PFR

Ralph Eugene Neely (born September 12, 1943) is a former American football offensive tackle who played 13 seasons and 172 games for the Dallas Cowboys from 1965 to 1977.

Early years

Neely attended Farmington High School (New Mexico), where he was an All-State tackle for two years in football, and a standout center for the basketball team.

He was recruited by the University of Oklahoma, where he played college football under coaches Bud Wilkinson and Gomer Jones. He was a 261-pound tackle who played both ways, as a dominant performer on defense and an excellent blocker on offense. He was named the Big Eight sophomore lineman of the year and was a two-time All-American and an all-conference selection in both 1963 and '64.

Neely was one of three Sooners stars who missed the 1965 Gator Bowl game against Florida State University. Neely, fullback Jim Grisham and halfback Lance Rentzel signed with professional teams before the game, and were ruled ineligible for the contest, which Florida State University won 36–19 on the strength of four touchdown catches by Fred Biletnikoff.

Professional career

In 1965, he was drafted in the second round of both the 1965 NFL Draft (by the Baltimore Colts) and the 1965 AFL Draft (by the Houston Oilers). On August 29, 1965, the Colts traded his rights to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Billy Lothridge and a fourth round selection in the 1966 NFL Draft.^[1]

Neely accepted the Oilers contract offer (which also included rights to own a Houston gas station), but requested it be kept secret to remain eligible to play in the Gator Bowl. When he learned that the Colts traded his rights to the Cowboys, he began negotiating with Dallas, and returned his check to the Oilers. Litigation ensued between the Oilers and Cowboys in regards to his rights.^[2]

A rookie in 1965, he joined the Cowboys just as they were beginning their ascent in the NFL, became an immediate starter at right offensive tackle and was named to the NFL all-rookie team. With great quickness for his size, he became a dominant player on the Cowboys offensive line for 13 seasons.

One of the terms of the merger agreement between the NFL and the AFL was that the Neely contract dispute be resolved. In 1966, the Cowboys finally agreed with the Oilers to send draft choices (a first, second and two fifth round choices in the 1967 NFL Draft), pay all of the court costs and to start the annual pre-season game the Governor's Cup between the two teams.^[3]

Neely was an four-time All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler in 1967 and 1969. In 1970, Neely started the season at right guard, but soon took over for Tony Liscio at left offensive tackle, where he manned the position until 1977, while continuing to be one of the NFL’s premier offensive linemen.

He was injured halfway into the Cowboys victorious 1971 Super Bowl season, when he fractured his left leg in an off-road, in-season motorcycle accident; and missed the rest of the year.^[4]

In 1977, Neely retired after the Cowboys won Super Bowl XII against the Denver Broncos.^[5] He was selected to the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, though Neely has yet to join his bookend partner Rayfield Wright, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.

References

External links

Ralph Neely Sooners bio

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl VI Champions

10 Ron Widby 12 Roger Staubach (MVP) 14 Craig Morton 15 Toni Fritsch 19 Lance Alworth 20 Mel Renfro 22 Bob Hayes 23 Margene Adkins 26 Herb Adderley 30 Dan Reeves 31 Gloster Richardson 32 Walt Garrison 33 Duane Thomas 34 Cornell Green 35 Calvin Hill 36 Joe Williams 37 Isaac Thomas 41 Charlie Waters 42 Claxton Welch 43 Cliff Harris 46 Mark Washington 50 D. D. Lewis 51 Dave Manders 52 Dave Edwards 54 Chuck Howley 55 Lee Roy Jordan 56 Tom Stincic 60 Lee Roy Caffey 61 Blaine Nye 62 John Fitzgerald 63 Larry Cole 64 Tony Liscio 66 George Andrie 67 Pat Toomay 70 Rayfield Wright 71 Rodney Wallace 72 Don Talbert 73 Ralph Neely 74 Bob Lilly 75 Jethro Pugh 76 John Niland 77 Bill Gregory 79 Forrest Gregg 83 Mike Clark 85 Tody Smith 87 Billy Truax 89 Mike Ditka

Head Coach: Tom Landry Coaches: Ermal Allen Bobby Franklin Jim Myers Dan Reeves Ray Renfro Ernie Stautner Jerry Tubbs

Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XII Champions

National Football League | NFL's 1960s All-Decade Team

1964 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

QB John Huarte B Larry Elkins B Gale Sayers B Tucker Frederickson C Dick Butkus G Rick Redman G Glenn Ressler T Larry Kramer T Ralph Neely E Fred Biletnikoff E Jack Snow

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