Bob Lilly facts for kids
Lilly c. 1968
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| No. 74 | |||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | July 26, 1939 Olney, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 267 lb (121 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Pendleton (Pendleton, Oregon) |
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| College: | TCU (1958–1960) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1961 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13 | ||||||
| AFL draft: | 1961 / Round: 2 / Pick: 14 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Robert Lewis Lilly (born July 26, 1939), known as "Mr. Cowboy", is a famous American football player. He played as a defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). Bob Lilly played for 14 seasons. He also played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs. Lilly was honored by being put into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
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Early Life and High School
Bob Lilly was born in Olney, Texas. He grew up in Throckmorton. His family worked in farming and ranching. A big drought in the 1950s made his family move. This happened at the end of his junior year of high school.
He had been an All-District player in football at Throckmorton High School. He also earned All-District honors in basketball. In 1956, his family moved to Pendleton, Oregon. There were jobs available there, and his mother had family nearby. For his senior year at Pendleton High School, he was named All-state in football. He was also second-team All-state in basketball.
College Football Career
Lilly received a special scholarship to play football at Texas Christian University (TCU). His teammates called him "Tiger [Lilly]". In his second year, his team, the Horned Frogs, won the Southwest Conference (SWC) championship. He was mostly a backup player that year.
The next year, he became a starter. He played alongside another great defensive tackle, Don Floyd. They helped their team tie for the SWC championship. Their defense was very strong, allowing only eight points per game. Lilly also earned All-SWC honors that year.
In 1960, his senior year, Lilly was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best college players in the country. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
Professional Football Career
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
Bob Lilly was the very first player ever chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL Draft. The Cowboys traded with the Cleveland Browns to get the 13th pick in the 1961 NFL draft. This allowed them to pick Lilly.
He started his professional career as a defensive end in 1961. But in 1963, his third season, Cowboys coach Tom Landry moved him. Lilly became a defensive tackle. He quickly became the most important player in Dallas' famous "Doomsday Defense".
Super Bowl Success
As a tackle, Lilly was chosen as a first-team All-NFL player many times. This happened every year from 1964 to 1969, and again in 1971. In 1970, the Cowboys finally reached the Super Bowl. They played against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V. The Cowboys lost a very close game, 16–13. Lilly was very frustrated after the loss.
But in 1971, Lilly and the Cowboys won Super Bowl VI. They beat the Miami Dolphins 24–3. One of the most famous plays in Super Bowl history was Lilly's 29-yard sack of Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese. This was a record at the time and a highlight of his 14-year career.
Skills and Achievements
Lilly was named an All-Pro seven times. He was also chosen to play in 11 Pro Bowl games. He was known for his great skills in rushing the passer. He could also break up plays with his quickness and instincts. Lilly had a special way of standing, called a four-point stance. He put both hands on the field, which helped him rush forward with more power.
His quickness helped him score four defensive touchdowns in his career. One was from returning an interception 56 yards in 1964. The other three came from recovering fumbles. What made Lilly special was his amazing combination of quickness, fitness, and strength. He could make tackles all over the field. NFL Films made a short film about him. They called him the "unblockable, unstoppable, force of the Doomsday Defense". Because he was so good, other teams often used two or three players to try and block him.
Lilly played in 196 games in a row without missing one. The only NFL game he missed was the 1973 NFC Championship Game. He had a leg injury.
"Mr. Cowboy" and Hall of Fame
Fans lovingly called him "Mr. Cowboy". His name was the first to be put into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. This honor is displayed at the Cowboys' stadiums. The Cowboys held a special "Bob Lilly Day" on November 23, 1975. This was to honor him as the first person in the Ring of Honor.
Lilly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. This was his first year of being eligible. He was the first player who played his entire career with the Cowboys to be elected to the Hall of Fame. The Sporting News named him to their All-Century NFL Team. They also called him "the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history".
Coach Tom Landry said that "another Lilly won't come along in my time." He also said, "Nobody is better than Lilly." Bob Lilly is a member of the National Football League 1960s All-Decade Team and the National Football League 1970s All-Decade Team. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him number 10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was the highest-ranked defensive lineman and the highest-ranked Cowboy.
The Cowboys do not usually retire jersey numbers. However, Bob Lilly is the only player to wear #74 in the team's history.
Personal Life
When Bob Lilly traveled with the Cowboys, he often had his camera with him. His interest in photography started in 1961. He was named to the College Football All-America Team. As part of this honor, he received a camera and a year's supply of film. He spent more and more time studying and taking pictures of old sports stadiums.
Lilly wrote a book in 1983 called Bob Lilly Reflections. It featured many of his black-and-white photos of his teammates. After he stopped playing football, Lilly moved to Waco, Texas. He ran a business there for a while. Later, he decided to sell his business and start a career in landscape photography.
He lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, for a few years. There, he opened a photo art gallery. In 1989, he moved back to Texas, settling in Graham. As of 2016, Bob Lilly lived in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife, Ann. They married in 1974. He is a grandfather of 12 and a great-grandfather of three.
Images for kids
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Lilly's Hall of Fame bust
