- Dave Edwards (American football)
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For other people named Dave Edwards, see David Edwards (disambiguation).
Dave Edwards (American football) Date of birth: December 14, 1939 Place of birth: Columbia, Alabama Career information Position(s): Linebacker College: Auburn AFL Draft: 1962 / Round: 25 / Pick: 194
(By the Denver Broncos)Organizations As player: 1963-1975 Dallas Cowboys Playing stats at NFL.com David Monroe Edwards (born December 14, 1939 in Abbeville, Alabama) is a former American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.
College career
At 6'1" and 198 lbs, Edwards played college football at Auburn University, where he earned a degree in physical education. He was a two-way player at end, and won honors as an All-Southeastern Conference.
Professional career
After being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1962 American Football League Draft, Edwards didn't play for the Broncos, instead he opted to sign with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys as a free agent in 1963.
After he grew to 230 lbs, he started out on the Cowboy's taxi squad as an offensive lineman, and was later converted to an outside linebacker.
He started as a rookie in 1963, when Chuck Howley was moved from strongside linebacker to weakside linebacker, because it was decided that Edwards had more upper-body strength for the position.
He teamed up with Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan, to form one of the greatest linebacking corps in NFL history.
He intercepted two passes on December 12, 1970 against the Cleveland Browns, helping the Cowboys earn a 6-2 victory that sent them into the playoffs.
His teammates nicknamed him "Fuzzy".
He was strong, tough and steady throughout his eleven year career.
His strength made him a force against the run and he rarely made mistakes that could hurt his team.
He thrived against opposing tight ends, so much so, that John Madden had his Oakland linebackers study his technique in stopping the run while jamming the tight end.
Edwards was a key component in the Cowboys defensive dominance during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although overshadowed by Howley and Jordan, he was a great player for many years.
Edwards played in the NFL for 12 seasons and missed only 1 game during his career. He helped the Cowboys win 3 NFC Championships and 1 Super Bowl.
"The best thing you can say about Edwards is that he's a pro" asserts Cowboys defensive coach Ernie Stautner. "He plays while he's hurt and he still does an outstanding job. That's what a pro is."[citation needed]
In 1988, Edwards was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Edwards, who played in Super Bowls V, VI, and X with the Cowboys, retired after the 1975 season.
External links
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