Cowboys: DeMarcus Ware finally gets his flowers
The wait is over. After being denied in his first year of eligibility in 2022, Dallas Cowboys legend and all-time sack leader, DeMarcus Ware, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was enshrined in 2017, was also at the NFL Honors festivities on Thursday night. […]
The wait is over. After being denied in his first year of eligibility in 2022, Dallas Cowboys legend and all-time sack leader, DeMarcus Ware, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was enshrined in 2017, was also at the NFL Honors festivities on Thursday night. Ware, who was with his wife Angela, was told that Jones said that he could just knock and go into his private room.
Ware would knock on the door and ask if Jones was dressed, and he replied "possibly" as the two laughed and embraced. Thinking that he was just coming to see his former boss, Ware got the news that he was going to be immortalized in Canton, Ohio forever.
Ware was the 11th overall pick by the Cowboys in 2005 out of Troy. Ware's impact was immediate as he would begin a string of seven consecutive seasons of Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors with the Cowboys in 2006.
From 2007 through 2009, Ware was a first-team All-Pro, and again in 2011. He also garnered second-team All-Pro honors in 2006, 2010, and 2012.
During his nine seasons with the Cowboys (2005-2013), Ware would tally 117 sacks and even led the NFL in that category twice with 20 in 2008 and 15.5 in 2010. Ware produced 185 quarterback hits, 32 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and 23 passes defended as well and was also a two-time Butkus Award winner (2008, 2011) with the Cowboys, given to the NFL's top linebacker.
Ware would play his final three seasons with the Denver Broncos (2014-2016) where he added 21.5 more sacks and two more Pro Honors and won the ultimate team prize in 2015, the Super Bowl.
Ware's 138.5 sacks rank ninth all-time in NFL history, not bad for a player from a college that doesn’t get a lot of recognition. His fake spin used to terrorize offensive linemen, but his Hall of Fame bust will be very real in August.
Congrats to DeMarcus Ware on getting this honor, it's truly well-deserved.
Feature image Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
