Drew Pearson, original No. 88 for Dallas Cowboys, finally attains football immortality
Drew Pearson, the original 88 and the man who is the foundation of Dallas Cowboys’ legacy of greatness at the receiver position, has finally achieved football immortality.
Pearson officially took his rightful place among the legends of the game Sunday when he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021.
The anguish and frustration of being denied for so long are gone. There was nothing left but the screams and shouts of joy and no one does that better than Pearson.
Fittingly, he let the world know in grand Pearson-like fashion during his induction speech Sunday night.
He was cool. He was emotional. He was confident and he was bombastic.
It started with his famous catch phrase: “Hut, Hut.”
“This confirms it. The wait is over,” Pearson proclaimed. “The original No. 88 being presented for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“There are times I remember I had to hold my head up. There are times my friends tried to make a fool of me. Some said I was hopeless, a lion tangled in the night. But guess what? Strong hearts just keep going.
“And that is why I am standing here as the 53rd member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
The only thing that rivaled Pearson’s speech, which not surprisingly exceeded the time limit, was his Hall of Fame bust, featuring his classic Afro from the 1970s.
But just like his game, it endured the test of time all these years later.
Pearson, who joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa in 1973, played 11 seasons for the Cowboys, finishing as the all-time franchise leader in catches (489) and receiving yards (7,822). He played in three Super Bowls, winning the title in 1978.
Nicknamed Mr. Clutch, Pearson was an integral part of some of the most iconic plays in franchise history.
Most notable was the 50-yard “Hail Mary” reception from Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach to lift the Cowboys to a 17-14 win at the Minnesota Vikings in the 1975 NFC divisional round game.
He is the reason the Cowboys give their top receiver No. 88.
His legendary status is now immortalized forever among the greats of the game.
This story was originally published August 8, 2021 at 6:59 PM.
