Remembering a Football Legend: Former Basic High Alumnus and Dallas Cowboys Lineman, Gone at 66

Don Smerek, a former Dallas Cowboys defensive star, died last week after a fight with cancer. He was 66.

Smerek played college football at Nevada. After going undrafted, Smerek eventually signed with the Cowboys in 1981. The defensive lineman went on to spend seven seasons with the franchise, playing in 69 games.

Former Cowboys defensive lineman Don Smerek dies from cancer at age 66 |  Daily Mail Online

He finished his career in Dallas with 14.5 sacks.

“He was a great teammate, a great person,” Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Cowboys standout Randy White said. “He was just solid as a football player and I can always count on him. He would come in on third downs and rush the passer and the thing about Don as a football player, he was 100 percent.”

Former Cowboys DL Don Smerek dies at 66 - NBC Sports

White also recalled how he would often go fishing with Smerek.

“A great teammate playing football and we became really great friends off the field. He used to be my fishing partner and we used to go fishing and all the things that go along with that.”

Don Smerek

Former Cowboys defensive lineman Don Smerek is dead at 66. Getty Images
football, helmet
Smerek is remembered as “a great teammate.” Getty Images

Smerek is a Nevada native and moved to Texas after he retired from the NFL. Smerek’s sister Debbie Nye spoke about her brother’s “magnetic personality.”

Don Smerek - Hino Medical Center on Vimeo

“His teammates are lifelong friends, even going back to high school, college and NFL,” Nye said via The Dallas Morning News. “There’s still all of those people, were pretty much by his side. He was a larger-than-life individual, a very magnetic personality.”

The family will honor Smerek’s life in a private memorial service that is expected to take place later this month in Henderson, Nevada. Smerek is survived by his wife, Tandi, his three brothers, his sister, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Related Posts

Dalvin Cook Causes Shock: Demands $20 Million From Bills After Boycotting Voluntary Practice

James Cook is entering he final year of his current contract, and he has already shown his displeasure at his current plight by skipping the first day of the Buffalo Bills’ (largely voluntary) offseason program. And he has gained a supporter whom he knows …

Read more

After A Long Time of Silence, Travis Kelce Surprises Justin Timberlake’s Golf Event in Las Vegas

By JACK BEZANTS Published: 20:04 BST, 25 April 2025 | Updated: 07:21 BST, 26 April 2025 Travis Kelce is playing in a golf tournament in Las Vegas on Friday as he enjoys a quiet offseason away from the spotlight with girlfriend Taylor Swift . The Kansas …

Read more

Fan Outburst: Jerry Jones Caught Having a ‘Trump-esque’ Moment in Cowboys Tactics Room

Sport American Football JERRY JONES has been spotted during an awkward moment in the Dallas Cowboys’ NFL Draft war room. The billionaire owner is a key part of the NFC East side’s decision making on who they want to pick. 3 Jerry Jones was delighted when …

Read more

Impacto mundial: la legendaria ciudad dorada aparece después de 3.000 años en Egipto

Cultura. El sitio, un antiguo y floreciente asentamiento minero de oro, fue desenterrado bajo el Valle de los Reyes de Luxor. Actualizado: 1 de marzo de 2025, 10:07 a. m. EST. El complejo minero de la «ciudad del oro» en el Antiguo Egipto. Egipto/Ministerio de Turismo y Antigüedades. Arqueólogos…

Read more

‘Su Corazón No Soportó’: Guía del Río Presencia Una Escena Salvaje Que Cambiará Su Vida

Cerca de un caudaloso río en Nueva Escocia, Canadá, un grupo de águilas alzó el vuelo recientemente. Pero una de ellas, quizá cansada o esperando un poco más, no se fue con sus amigas. De repente, una ola la golpeó…

Read more

‘Sold Out Cheaply As A Sacrifice’: Micah Parsons’ Brother Urges Dak Prescott To Explode, Demand Trade From Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys used their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft to select Alabama guard Tyler Booker. Micah Parsons’ brother, Terrence Parsons Jr., took to social media shortly after the pick, expressing disappointment and calling for quarterback …

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *