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The Doomsday Defense was the defensive lineup of the Dallas Cowboys American football team during the dynasty years of the late 1960s – 1970s. This defense was the backbone of the Cowboys' dynasty, which won two Super Bowls (VI, XII) and played in three more (V, X and XIII).cite-ref-1[1]

In 1964, sports writer Gary Cartwright of the Dallas Morning News coined the phrase "Doomsday Defense".cite-ref-2[2] The Doomsday Defense is often recognized as having two different "generations," but different listings of players and time periods exist.cite-ref-3[3] The original "Doomsday Defense" can generally be identified as the Cowboys' defenses from 1966 to 1974. "Doomsday II" had its heyday from approximately 1975 to 1982.cite-ref-4[4] Many Cowboy fans recognize the defense from 1992 to 1996 as "Doomsday III", though to a lesser extent. This defense was in part, responsible for the Cowboys being the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a four-year span.cite-ref-5[5]

The first defensive player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Super Bowl was linebacker Chuck Howley (V).cite-ref-6[6] Later linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White became the first (and only) teammates (co-MVPs) to win the award (XII).cite-ref-7[7]

• Lineup

• "Doomsday"

• "Doomsday II"

• References

• External links

Defensive line:

• #71 – Willie Townes / #63 – Larry Cole

• #75 – Jethro Pugh

• #74 – Bob "Mr. Cowboy" Lilly (NFL 1960s All-Decade Team; NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)

• #66 – George Andrie / # 67 – Pat Toomay

Linebackers:

• #54 – Chuck Howley (Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)

• #55 – Lee Roy Jordan (Ring of Honor)

• #52 – Dave Edwards / #50 – D. D. Lewis

Defensive backs:

• #34 – Cornell Green

• #20 – Mel Renfro (Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)

• #27 – Mike Gaechter / #41 – Charlie Waters

• #26 – Herb Adderley (Hall of Fame; NFL 1960s All-Decade Team) / #43 – Cliff Harris (Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)

Defensive line:

• #79 – Harvey Martin (NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; 1977 NFL Defensive Player of the Year)

• #63 – Larry Cole / #78 – John Dutton

• #54 – Randy "The Manster" White (NFL 1980s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor)

• #72 – Ed "Too Tall" Jones

Linebackers:

• #58 – Mike Hegman / #56 – Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson

• #53 – Bob Breunig

• #50 – D. D. Lewis

Defensive backs:

• #31 – Benny Barnes

• #43 – Cliff Harris (NFL 1970s All-Decade Team; Hall of Fame; Ring of Honor) / #26 – Michael Downs

• #41 – Charlie Waters / #42 – Randy Hughes

• #24 – Everson Walls / #25 – Aaron Kyle

cite-note-11. ↑ "Too Tall, Too Mean, Too Much". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-22. ↑ "Fifty Things You Never Knew About The Dallas Cowboys". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-33. ↑ "The NFL's 10 Greatest Defensive Teams of All Time". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-44. ↑ "A Better Doomsday Looms for Dallas". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-55. ↑ "Cowboys Make Third Time Doomsday for Bills, 52–17". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-66. ↑ "One Cowboy Wins: Howley Gets Award". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

cite-note-77. ↑ "Doomsday In The Dome". Retrieved September 7, 2022.

• Video:Doomsday II – The Dawn of America's Team

• Video:Doomsday – A Second Appointment With Destiny