Charles Haley

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Haley was born in Gladys, Virginia. He attended William Campbell High School in Naruna, Virginia, where he was a three-year starter for the football team, playing linebacker and tight end. He accepted a scholarship from James Madison University. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1986 NFL draft. On August 26, 1992, Haley was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 1993 second round selection and a 1994 third round selection. He was moved to right defensive end in the Cowboys' 4–3 defense. He retired after the 1996 season because of his back injuries and his youngest daughter Brianna being diagnosed with leukemia. After football, Haley was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began to undergo therapy and to take medication. He was an assistant defensive coach for the Detroit Lions from 2001 to 2002.

In Their Own Story

The stakes were impossibly high during the 1994 NFC Championship Game when Haley faced the San Francisco 49ers, the team that had drafted him in 1986. After losing to them 38–28, the emotional toll was immediate, and Haley announced his retirement on the spot. Yet, the allure of continuing his dominance proved stronger than the fatigue. He returned after being offered a new contract, channeling that heartbreak into a historic 1995 campaign where he recorded 10.5 sacks before suffering a ruptured disk against Washington. Just six weeks post-surgery, Haley took the field for Super Bowl XXX. In a defining moment of his Dallas career, he recorded one sack and three quarterback pressures, helping secure the franchise's third title in four years. This victory made him the first player in history to win more than four Super Bowls, proving that even with a damaged back and a fractured past, his will to compete was unmatched.

Reader's Guide

Haley was selected to five Pro Bowls (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995) and was named NFL All-Pro in 1990 and 1994. In his first four seasons in Dallas, he was on three Super Bowl-winning teams: in 1992 (XXVII), 1993 (XXVIII), and 1995 (XXX). He was the first player with more than four Super Bowl rings. He was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor on November 6, 2011.

Did You Know?

• Haley was the first five-time Super Bowl champion in NFL history.
• He recorded 100.5 quarterback sacks in his 12 NFL seasons.
• Haley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
• His daughter, Madison Haley, is a professional soccer player for Brighton and Hove Albion.