Oklahoma State Set to Add Leslie O'Neal to Ring of Honor

The Cowboys will add another name to their stadium on Saturday.

Dec 20, 1992; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Leslie O'Neal (91) in action against the Los Angeles Raiders at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State will add another name to its Ring of Honor on Saturday.

At OSU’s game against Arkansas, the team will unveil the newest addition to the Ring of Honor, with Leslie O’Neal joining the illustrious group inside Boone Pickens Stadium. O’Neal is set to be the fifth addition and first defensive player added. He will join Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore and Terry Miller.

While OSU has been known for its offense, O’Neal is perhaps the best defensive player to play in Stillwater. O’Neal played with the Cowboys from 1982-85 and was a consistent star along the defensive line.

O’Neal earned no shortage of honors while he was in college, including Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1984 and a unanimous All-American selection in 1985. Making an All-Big Eight team in each of his final three seasons, O’Neal helped OSU make three straight bowl games for the first time. O’Neal is one of eight Cowboys in the College Football Hall of Fame, as he was inducted in 2020. 

OSU records held by Leslie O’Neal:

Single-season sacks - 16 (1984)

Single-season yards from sacks - 118 (1984)

Career sacks - 34

After his OSU career, O’Neal quickly made an impact in the NFL, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year with the San Dego Chargers, who drafted O’Neal with the No. 8 pick in 1986. Playing 13 seasons in the NFL from 1986-99, O’Neal made six Pro Bowls and was Second Team All-Pro in 1994.

With 132.5 career sacks, O’Neal is 14th on the NFL’s all-time leaderboard. As one of the best at getting to the quarterback, O’Neal also finished top 10 in sacks in six seasons.

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