Cowboys star, ultimate team player Darren Woodson enshrined in Texas Black Sports HOF
Let’s just cut to the chase.
Former Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A key member of three Super Bowl title teams, a five-time Pro Bowl player who ended his 12-year career as the Cowboys all-time leading tackler and second in special teams tackles, Woodson is starting to have doubts he will ever gain admittance into football’s ultimate shrine.
He has been a semifinalist four times in 12 years of eligibility.
“There is not a lot of trust and belief,” Woodson said. “If it happens, it happens. If there is one thing left on my resume, it’s that one.”
Until then the man is allowing himself to appreciate the other halls who choose to bestow honors upon him.
Already a member of the Arizona State Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Cowboys’ hallowed Ring of Honor, Woodson added the Texas Black Sports of Hall of Fame to the list at a luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel on Saturday.
Woodson headlined a class that included former New York Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead, former Houston Oilers linebacker Robert Brazile, Baylor track legend Deon Minor, former La Marque football coach Larry Walker, former Texas basketball star Tiffany Jackson, golfer Lewis Stanfield, tennis pioneer Marcus Freeman and former Mansfield Timberview volleyball player Camera Broadnax.
“It’s an honor to go into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame,” Woodson said. “To be recognized in any way and to go into any Hall of Fame, especially the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame. It is a huge honor to think that people look at me in a certain way.
“My identity has never just been wrapped up into sports and I never wanted it that way, which is why I have two companies and why I am in commercial real estate and why I have my own software company and am the founder of that company. I’ve always wanted to make a difference. This is their way of them giving me that pat on the back and saying you have made a difference.”
As Woodson looks back on his career he says that today he is more appreciative of what he has accomplished than he was back then.
He never took time to live in the moment. He was so focused on being the best he could be.
Woodson didn’t log as many interceptions as other safeties because on passing downs he was covering receivers like Hall Famer Jerry Rice as a slot corner — a skill and versatility most safeties didn’t have in their arsenal. He also logged full-time reps on special teams, which was unheard of for valued starters.
“Did I appreciate my career as much as I appreciated the commitment, the sacrifice?” Woodson asked rhetorically. “I ran down on three special teams. I appreciate what I brought to the table. I look back on it. I feel like I was the ultimate team player.
“You don’t go first in tackles, second all-time in special teams tackles and play more snaps than anybody from 1992 to 2003,” he said. “Tell me who played more snaps than I did. There were a lot of snaps, a lot of surgeries. So I appreciate the commitment. Right now, I can say I gave everything I had. I know I gave everything.”
Woodson’s biggest fear is following in the footsteps of another underappreciated former Cowboys legend, receiver Drew Pearson. Pearson is the only member of the NFL All-Decade team of the 1970’s and only receiver on the all-decade teams of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s still waiting on a call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I look back now and say I did do a lot and I do want to be remembered,” Woodson said, “and I hold that dear because watching Drew Pearson go through the bull that he is going through, you can’t tell me he should not be in the Hall of Fame. Drew was a phenomenal player who never got recognized for how great he was. It’s almost like I am running down that same path and that sucks.”
It’s past the time for the game to show its appreciation to Woodson.
The Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame did it’s part Saturday.
