Tex Schramm

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Despite his name, Schramm was not born in Texas, but in San Gabriel, California. He attended Alhambra High School and went to the University of Texas, graduating in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. At UT he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Schramm interrupted his education to serve as an officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Before joining the Cowboys, Schramm was part of the Los Angeles Rams from 1947 to 1956. During his tenure, he hired Pete Rozelle as the Rams' public relations director, who would eventually become the Commissioner of the NFL. In late 1959, Schramm told his friends in football that he was interested in running a potential Dallas team. Chicago Bears owner George Halas introduced Schramm to Clint Murchison Jr., who hired Schramm as general manager. The league awarded a franchise to Dallas on January 28, 1960. In 1960, Schramm hired head coach Tom Landry and chief scout Gil Brandt. By the mid-1960s, the three men had built the Cowboys into an elite team. The Cowboys had 20 consecutive winning seasons and won the most games of any NFL team of the 1970s. They appeared in five Super Bowls that decade, winning Super Bowls VI and XII, and losing Super Bowls V, X, and XIII by a combined 11 points. In 1966, Schramm met secretly with AFL founder Lamar Hunt to begin negotiations that led to the 1970 merger and the first Super Bowl in 1967. Also in 1966, Schramm accepted the NFL's offer to have the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving, a tradition they have maintained every year since. Schramm was known as the most powerful general manager in the NFL. The Cowboys' owners during his tenure, Murchison (1960–84) and Bum Bright (1984–1988), delegated most of their authority to Schramm. Schramm represented the Cowboys at league meetings and exercised the team's voting rights. Schramm was one of the hardliners in the 1987 NFLPA Strike. He organized the hiring of replacement players and was effective in convincing regular Cowboys players to cross the picket line. Running back Tony Dorsett felt financially forced to rejoin. Eventually 21 Cowboys players broke the strike, a much higher rate than other teams; the Cowboys went 2-1 during the three strike-affected games. The Cowboys would only go 8–35 over the next two and a half seasons. Schramm advocated for innovations including instant replay, computer scouting, multi-

In Their Own Story

In 1987, Schramm displayed his uncompromising stance during the NFLPA strike, earning the moniker 'the commissioner of replacement football.' When players demanded better deals and free agency, Schramm organized the hiring of replacement players. He famously told NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw, 'Gene, here’s what you have to understand: we're the ranchers and you're the cattle, and we can always get more cattle.' His aggressive tactics included threatening to revoke millions in annuity payments from players who refused to cross picket lines. Running back Tony Dorsett, despite previously criticizing strike-breakers, felt financially forced to return due to these threats. Ultimately, 21 Cowboys players crossed the line, a higher rate than any other team, helping the squad go 2-1 during the three strike-affected games. However, the long-term cost was severe; the franchise suffered an 8–35 record over the following two and a half seasons, not recovering until new ownership arrived.

Reader's Guide

Tex Schramm was the original president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, serving from the team's inception in 1960 until after Jerry Jones purchased the team. He was a key figure in the NFL-AFL merger, the creation of the Thanksgiving Day game tradition for the Cowboys, and numerous innovations that modernized the NFL. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and posthumously into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2003.

Did You Know?

• Schramm was not born in Texas, but in San Gabriel, California.
• He hired Pete Rozelle as the Rams' public relations director; Rozelle later became NFL Commissioner.
• Schramm met secretly with AFL founder Lamar Hunt in 1966 to begin merger negotiations.
• He was known as 'the commissioner of replacement football' during the 1987 NFLPA strike.
• Schramm created the Cowboys Ring of Honor and was a one-man committee on inductions.