Don Meredith facts for kids
Meredith with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s
|
|||||||||||||
| No. 17 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | April 10, 1938 Mount Vernon, Texas, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Died: | December 5, 2010 (aged 72) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Mount Vernon | ||||||||||||
| College: | SMU | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1960 / Round: 3 / Pick: 32 | ||||||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1960 / Round: 1 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
College Football Hall of Fame
|
|||||||||||||
Joseph Donald Meredith (born April 10, 1938 – died December 5, 2010) was a famous American football player. People often called him "Dandy Don." He was also a popular sports commentator and an actor. Don Meredith played as a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons.
He first played college football for the SMU Mustangs. Even though the Dallas Cowboys team was new, they managed to get Don Meredith to play for them. He became the Cowboys' second starting quarterback and their first big star quarterback. With coach Tom Landry's guidance, Don led the Cowboys to the playoffs for three years in a row, from 1966 to 1968. This included playing in the NFL Championship Game twice. He was recognized as one of the best players, earning a spot on the All-Pro team in 1966 and playing in the Pro Bowl three times.
After his football career, Don Meredith became a well-known sports commentator for NFL games from 1970 to 1984. He was one of the first people to broadcast Monday Night Football, working with Howard Cosell. Don Meredith also had a successful acting career. He appeared in many films and television shows, including a regular role as Bert Jameson in the TV series Police Story.
Contents
Don Meredith's Early Life
Don Meredith was born on April 10, 1938, in Mount Vernon, Texas. This town is about 100 miles east of Dallas. He went to Mount Vernon High School in his hometown. There, he was a star in both football and basketball. He also enjoyed performing in school plays. Don was a bright student and graduated second in his class.
Playing College Football
Many colleges wanted Don Meredith to play for them. However, he chose to play college football at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. He joked that it was because SMU was closer to home and easier to spell!
Don was the starting quarterback for SMU for three years. During this time, he was the best in the Southwest Conference (SWC) for completing passes. He was also chosen as an All-American player in 1958 and 1959. He was so popular that his classmates sometimes called the school "Southern Meredith University."
SMU honored Don Meredith many years later. In 1983, he received the university's Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2008, his jersey number 17 was officially retired, meaning no other player at SMU would wear it. Don Meredith was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys team was very new in 1960. They were so new that they almost missed out on drafting players! But Don Meredith had already signed a special contract. This meant he would play for the Cowboys once they officially joined the NFL. Other teams, like the Chicago Bears, also drafted him. However, the NFL made sure Don could play for the Cowboys, who then gave the Bears a future draft pick as a trade. Some people even call Don Meredith the "original Dallas Cowboy." He was part of the team before they even had a coach or a nickname!
Becoming a Star Quarterback
Don Meredith started as a backup player for two years. By 1963, Coach Tom Landry made him the full-time starting quarterback. Don was known for his toughness. In 1964, he was sacked (tackled behind the line of scrimmage) 58 times, which was a lot! But he kept playing hard.
He led the Cowboys to their first winning seasons. From 1966 to 1968, Don guided the team to the NFL playoffs every year. They even played in two NFL Championship Games. These were tough games, especially the famous "Ice Bowl" against the Green Bay Packers in 1967. Don retired from football in 1969 when he was 31 years old. He had played a big part in making the Cowboys a strong team.
Don Meredith's Football Achievements
Cowboys fans loved Don Meredith. They remembered him for his strong spirit and leadership. Throughout his career, he completed 50.7% of his passes. He threw for 17,199 yards and scored 135 touchdowns. In 1966, he was named the NFL Player of the Year. He also played in the Pro Bowl three times, showing he was one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Don Meredith explored new paths. He helped promote automated teller machines (ATMs) for a company where his brother worked.
A Voice for Monday Night Football
Don Meredith became famous as a color commentator for Monday Night Football starting in 1970. He worked alongside Frank Gifford and Howard Cosell. Don was known for his fun and relaxed style. He often sang "Turn out the lights, the party's over" during games that were already decided. This became his signature phrase. He took a break for a few seasons but returned to Monday Night Football. He retired from broadcasting after the 1984 season. His last broadcast was Super Bowl XIX.
Don Meredith was honored for his contributions to football. In 1976, he was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. This is a special recognition for important players. In 2007, he received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This award celebrates excellence in football broadcasting.
A Fictional Story
A former teammate, Peter Gent, wrote a novel called North Dallas Forty. This book told a fictional story about football life in the 1960s. One character, Seth Maxwell, was thought to be inspired by Don Meredith. Don Meredith himself made a humorous comment about the book.
Don Meredith: The Actor
Don Meredith also had a successful career as an actor. He appeared in many movies and television shows. He was even in commercials for Lipton Tea during the 1970s and early 1980s.
He lent his voice to an episode of the cartoon King of the Hill, playing himself. In this episode, his character missed a throw that would have won a lot of money for the main character. Don also acted in a movie called Three Days of Rain, which was directed by his son, Michael Meredith.
One of his early movie roles was in the 1974 film Terror on the 40th Floor. He also had a regular role as Detective Bert Jameson in the TV series Police Story.
Don Meredith's Family
Don Meredith had three children: Mary, Michael, and Heather. He was married to Susan Lessons Dullea.
Passing Away
Don Meredith passed away on December 5, 2010, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He was 72 years old. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Mount Vernon, Texas.
