D.D. Lewis

Cowboys linebacker who played in five Super Bowls.

Dwight Douglas Lewis (October 16, 1945 – September 16, 2025) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs and was selected in the sixth round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft. Lewis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

Quick Facts

Position: Linebacker
Born: 16 October 1945
Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died: 16 September 2025
Place of death: Plano, Texas, U.S.
High school: Fulton (Knoxville)
College: Mississippi State
Draft year: 1968

Lore & Background

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 16, 1945, Lewis was the youngest of 14 children. He was named Dwight Douglas after two great generals in World War II, Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur. He attended Fulton High School, where he was a Tennessee All-State linebacker in 1963. He starred at Mississippi State University from 1965 to 1967 as a two-way player and three-year starter.

He led the Bulldogs in tackles and assists all three of his varsity seasons and was named team captain his senior year. Despite being on teams that went 7–23, Lewis earned All-Southeastern Conference honors twice and was a first-team All-American selection his senior year. Repeatedly referred to as the top linebacker in the SEC, Lewis made a distinct impression on rival coaches. Hall of Fame coach Bear Bryant called D.D. Lewis 'the best linebacker in the country'.

Bill Yeoman applauded Lewis' ability to recover and pursue and said he was the finest linebacker he had seen that year. Following the 1967 season, Vince Dooley said he was the best linebacker Georgia had faced – 'He's terrific.' Lewis won numerous awards: SEC All-sophomore team (1965), All-SEC (1966–67), SEC defensive player of the year (1967), UPI second-team All-American (1967), and outstanding athlete (1968). At the end of his senior year, Lewis was selected to play in the Senior Bowl, the Coaches All-America Game, and the Blue–Gray Game.

For his accomplishments while at Mississippi State University, Lewis was inducted into the nation's College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. In 1987, Lewis was inducted into the state of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Lewis is also a member of the Mississippi State, Blue–Gray Game, Knoxville, Mississippi and Tennessee sports Hall of Fame. Although he was a great college player, Lewis was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft, because teams thought that he was too small to play in the NFL.

As a rookie at training camp, the team tried him at center, before moving him to outside linebacker. In 1969, he spent what would have been his second season doing military service. In 1973 after serving as a backup for four seasons, Lewis took over the weakside linebacker position, when Chuck Howley retired, and held this position for nine straight years.

Reader's Guide

He played for 13 years and started 135 consecutive games (third in team history), until his retirement after the 1981 season. He made five Super Bowl appearances while winning Super Bowl VI, and Super Bowl XII. He holds the Cowboys playoff record with 27 games played.