Roger Staubach Leadership

Lore & Background

Staubach's leadership was defined by his rivalry with Craig Morton, his former teammate from 1965. After competing for the starting job during the 1970 season where both started roughly half the games, Staubach secured the role permanently following a critical relief performance against San Francisco in the 1972 division playoffs when Morton was struggling. By Super Bowl XII, Staubach faced his old rival one last time. He led an offense that included rookie Tony Dorsett and veteran fullback Robert Newhouse. The game featured a dominant defensive display where the Cowboys forced eight turnovers, allowing only eight completions for 61 yards. Two of these interceptions in the first quarter set up 10 points, establishing control early against the Broncos' Orange Crush Defense.

Reader's Guide

To understand Staubach's leadership in this specific context, fans must look at how he managed the game against the Broncos' elite defense. The strategy relied on the 'Doomsday Defense' forcing turnovers rather than a high-scoring aerial battle. Staubach utilized key weapons like Drew Pearson, who was the leading receiver with 48 receptions for 870 yards during the season, and tight end Billy Joe DuPree. However, the game also highlighted the versatility of his offense, as rookie Tony Dorsett led the team in rushing with 1,007 yards despite not starting until the tenth game. The leadership required trusting a running-heavy attack when necessary while exploiting defensive breakdowns, such as Johnson's diving catch and Newhouse's option pass.

Did You Know?

• Craig Morton became the only quarterback to post a zero passer rating in a Super Bowl before being replaced by Norris Weese.
• The game was the first Super Bowl played in a domed stadium and the first played in prime time in the Eastern United States.