Legendary Cowboys, SMU Quarterback Don Meredith Dies

by Brad Townsend - December 6th, 2010 - The Dallas Morning News

Don Meredith, the Dallas Cowboys and SMU quarterback and Monday Night Football icon, died Sunday evening in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 72.

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He was the only living Cowboys Ring of Honor member unable to attend the franchise's September 2009 inaugural game at Cowboys Stadium.

Meredith was the original Dallas Cowboy, signing a personal services contract on Nov. 28, 1959, two months before the franchise officially gained admittance into the NFL.

Hailing from Mount Vernon in East Texas, the quarterback nicknamed "Dandy Don" had the unique distinction of playing all of his home high school, college and professional football games within 100 miles of Dallas.

Don Meredith was a great guy. Due to a fraternity brother being a first cousin who was also a close friend with him, Don Meredith attended a Saturday night party held at my apartment in Atlanta. He was in town to play football with the Dalls Cowboys at the height of his fame in 1968. A huge fan, I spent most of the night hanging with the crowd that talked with him and the incredibly beautiful young lady who was his date. He was a down to earth guy who thought hanging out with a cousin and his fraternity brothers to be a totally natural thing to do. My date was impressed with him too. The entire fraternity talked about that party for months afterwards. It was a huge success. It also ended the doubt some had harbored that our fraternity brother was making up his supposed friendship with Dandy Don. The Cowboys won the game the next day.

I loved the way Meredith handled himself on Monday Night Football. He was as casual and comfortable on the show as he was hanging out with a bunch of college kids to spend time with his cousin that night. Dandy Don Meredith was a great guy. I know I said that already. However he really was and that is what should be remembered.

God bless Don's friends and family, especially his cousin Beau, wherever he is.