Cowboys Hall of Famer Chuck Howley Reveals Bob Lilly as Canton Presenter

A familiar defensive face will be on hand to pave the way for Dallas Cowboys legend Chuck Howley's Hall of Fame path in August.

Doomsday comes to Canton on Aug. 5 in more ways than one as The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced this week that Bob Lilly will serve as the Hall of Fame presenter for fellow Dallas Cowboys legend Chuck Howley, who is part of the Class of 2023 alongside fellow North Texas defensive star DeMarcus Ware (whose own enshrinement will be heralded by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones). 

Howley and Lilly spent nearly their entire combined careers together: both came to the Cowboys in the franchise's second season of existence in 1961. Lilly was the first rookie draft choice in team history at 13th overall while Howley came over in free agency from the Chicago Bears. Together in Dallas, the two united for 12 All-Pro nominations and helped the Cowboys rise from expansion-based mediocrity to a consistent contender in the NFC in the latter part of the 1960s and into the 70s. 

The defensive pairing later left a championship impression in Dallas: while the Cowboys fell in their first Super Bowl appearance, a 16-13 defeat to the Baltimore Colts in the fifth edition, Howley earned MVP honors, being the only such winner from the losing team. 

One year later, Howley and Lilly were the headliners of one of the most impressive defensive performances in Super Bowl history, holding the Miami Dolphins to 185 yards in a 24-3 victory. Both have since been inducted into the Cowboys' Ring of Honor on display at AT&T Stadium. 

There will be no shortage of Cowboys representation at this summer's Hall of Fame induction ceremony: in addition to the words of Lilly and Jones respectively leading Howley and Ware into the Hall, former Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson will introduce another inductee, Zach Thomas. 

Johnson was the Cowboys' head coach for five seasons, including two Super Bowl title runs and later served as Thomas' boss in Miami. Thomas also spent the final year of a 12-season career with the Cowboys, working alongside his classmate Ware.

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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