Rayfield Wright, Dallas Cowboys Legend, Dies at 76

His legacy is about class off the field and about being a championship Cowboy on it.

FRISCO - Legendary Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Rayfield Wright - the Hall of Famer nicknamed "Big Cat'' - died Thursday at the age of 76.

“Over the past few weeks, it has become abundantly clear the love that so many Hall of Famers and others around the NFL felt toward Rayfield, his wife, Di, and the extended Wright family,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “His gentle nature away from the game belied his commanding presence on the field. All fans, especially those of the Cowboys, will remember fondly his dominance on the offensive line in the 1970s and how he took protecting Dallas quarterbacks as his personal mission.

"We will guard his legacy in Canton with equal tenacity.''

Wright, who was hospitalized for several days following a severe seizure that led to his passing, earned induction into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

During his 13 years with "America's Team,'' he appeared in a total of 188 games in the regular season and in the postseason. Wright was a three-time first-team All Pro, was selected to play in six consecutive Pro Bowls, and earned two Super Bowl rings as a key member of Dallas' star-studded offense.

Wright was named to the first team as an offensive tackle on the NFL’s All-Decade team of the 1970s.

Said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: “Rayfield Wright was the epitome of what it takes to be a Hall of Famer. His grit, his agility, his passion, his charisma and his love for football, the community and his family always shined through. …

“He will be deeply missed.”

Wright was a late bloomer who did not make his high school varsity team until his senior season, and after that moved on to little Fort Valley State College, where he was a star in three sports. He did it all for his teams and his school, versatile enough to serve as the punter on the football team and athletic enough to be a star on the track team and an NBA prospect due to Wright participated in three sports. He played tight end, safety, defensive end and punted for the football team (earning All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors), ran a 50-second 440-yard dash in track and at 6-6 and 260 pounds became an NBA prospect in basketball.

But his legacy is about class off the field and about being a championship Cowboy on it.

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