Roger Staubach volunteers to be Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback
Roger Staubach, the headliner of The Salvation Army’s second-annual Inspiring Hope Luncheon at AT&T Stadium, joked that he volunteered to serve as Tony Romo’s backup.
“I called Mr. [Jerry] Jones before the draft and said I’d be the backup quarterback,” Staubach said. “I told him I’d give him $2 million if he’s let me do that. He said, ‘How old are you, Roger?’ I said, ‘Well, I’m 74.’ He said, ‘Well, I’ll do it if you give me $5 million.’ So I’m still available to someone.”
Staubach was OK with the Cowboys passing on a quarterback in the first three rounds before drafting Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott in the fourth. Dallas attempted to trade back into the first round for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, who went to Denver.
I think Tony [Romo’s] one of the really special quarterbacks in the NFL.
Former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach
“He’s a great athlete, and he’s smart,” Staubach said of Prescott. “He’s evidently got a great arm. He’s mobile. He can move around. Hopefully, he can be the guy. … It’s more than that. It’s mental too. So it’s meeting with them and making sure they have the confidence you have to have in the NFL. You have to transfer that to the team. The quarterback has got to lead the team in many different ways — in the locker room, in workouts and then on the field also.”
Staubach remains Romo’s biggest supporter, still believing Romo will join him and Troy Aikman as Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in Dallas.
“I think Tony’s one of the really special quarterbacks in the NFL,” Staubach said. “Troy and I would both say that we had support that helped us get to Super Bowls. Tony can lead the team. He’s a franchise quarterback. But it takes more than a quarterback. The team that won the Super Bowl last year had a great defense. I’d just love to see Tony win one. When the Cowboys are successful, everything in Dallas is better. Tony can take them there, and I hope the rest of the team can stay healthy and help him get there.”
Also attending the luncheon was another Hall of Famer, Cowboys great Emmitt Smith.
While Staubach gave thoughts on the quarterback position, Smith weighed in on running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys’ fourth overall selection.
Smith and Elliott’s college stats are remarkably similar.
Smith rushed for 3,928 yards and 36 touchdowns on 700 career carries in three seasons at Florida. He added 56 receptions for 463 yards and a touchdown.
Elliott rushed for 3,961 yards and 43 touchdowns on 592 carries in three seasons at Ohio State. He added 58 receptions for 449 yards and a touchdown.
It’s very early, but the kid has tremendous, tremendous talent. I think he’s going to be an impact player for the Dallas Cowboys for a long time.
Former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith on Ezekiel Elliott.
Smith, the league’s all-time rusher, said Elliott already has something Smith never had.
“He’s got speed — way more than I ever had,” Smith said.
Smith ran a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day at Florida in 1990, which is why he was available to the Cowboys with the 17th overall pick. Elliott ran a 4.47 at the NFL combine.
Smith gave his seal of approval to the Cowboys for their choice of Elliott with the fourth overall pick. Dallas has drafted eight running backs in the first round, including Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett and Smith, whom Elliott already is drawing comparisons.
“It’s very early, but the kid has tremendous, tremendous talent,” Smith said. “I think he’s going to be an impact player for the Dallas Cowboys for a long time. He has a great line in front of him already. If we can keep Tony Romo healthy, and keep players healthy in general, then we’ll get a chance to see his talent come to life right before our eyes. He has speed. He can take it to the house. Agility, he has that. He has soft hands, so he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s willing to block. So pass protection is awesome. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a first-, second- and third-down back, although the National Football League has shifted its gears.
“You round out the entire backfield, we’ve got something very special. We’ve got a five-star backfield as far as I’m concerned.”
The Cowboys also have Darren McFadden, who rushed for 1,089 yards last season, and signed Alfred Morris as a free agent and re-signed Lance Dunbar. Morris has three 1,000-yard seasons in his four NFL seasons.
Charean Williams: 817-390-7760, @NFLCharean
This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Roger Staubach volunteers to be Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback."