Nov 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys former player Darren Woodson gives a speech during his induction into the ring of honor at halftime of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at AT&T Stadium. Seattle won 13-12.
Former Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson has once again been denied a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, marking his third consecutive year as a finalist without induction.
Woodson, who spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the Cowboys, was a key figure in the team’s 1990s dynasty, helping Dallas win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. He remains the franchise’s all-time leading tackler with 1,350 tackles before retiring in 2004.
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WATCH HEREThis was Woodson’s 17th year of eligibility, and had he been inducted, he would have become only the third defensive player from the Cowboys’ dominant 1990s team to earn a spot in Canton.
Woodson, now 55, has long advocated for greater recognition of that defense, saying the unit has often been overlooked in discussions of all-time great teams.
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SIGN UP “It’s a dream come true to be a finalist—it always has been, and I will forever be grateful to be in this position,” Woodson told 105.3 The Fan before the announcement. “But it’s not so much for me. I guess when I look at this position we’re in right now, it’s about the recognition of some of the guys I played with on the defensive side of the ball that never got credit. We’ve never been represented in a way that people recognize that ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95 Cowboys defense.”
Woodson was one of 15 modern-era finalists for this year’s Hall of Fame class, joining notable first-time nominees such as Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, and Adam Vinatieri. Only five players were ultimately selected.
Speaking after the snub, Woodson expressed his disappointment.
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“I gotta deal with it. I mean, it just is what it is, man. It sucks,” he said. “I wish I could walk in and grab that gold jacket. It’s painful, man, it really is.”
Despite the setback, Woodson remains hopeful that his time will eventually come. As Cowboys fans and former teammates continue to advocate for his place in Canton, he remains one of the most respected and accomplished defensive players still waiting for football’s highest honor.
