Cowboys Ex Lineman Don Smerek Dead At 66

The Dallas Cowboys lost a beloved member of the family over the weekend.

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Don Smerek passed away from cancer on Saturday, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports. He was 66.

Smerek joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1980, although he missed his entire rookie season after fracturing his ribs. He spent his entire eight-year career with the Cowboys, recording 14.5 sacks in 69 games despite starting just four of those contests.

After Smerek's passing, Cowboys Hall of Fame defensive lineman Randy White spoke of the impact his former teammate had on and off the field.

“He was a great teammate, a great person,” White told the Dallas Morning News. “He was just solid as a football player and I can always count on him. He would come in on third downs and rush the passer and the thing about Don as a football player, he was 100 percent.”

Smerek was born in Waterford, Michigan, but moved to Henderson, Nevada at a young age. There, he became an all-state player at Basic High School before going on to star at the collegiate level for Nevada, where he earned All-Big Sky honors as a senior.

Smerek is survived by his wife, three brothers and a sister, along with several nephews and nieces. Debbie Nye, his sister, said that the family will hold a private memorial service later this month in Henderson.

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“His teammates are lifelong friends, even going back to high school, college and NFL,” Nye said. “There’s still all of those people, were pretty much by his side. He was a larger-than-life individual, a very magnetic personality.”