Neely, who spent his entire career in Dallas, played on five Cowboys Super Bowl teams and won two championships.
DALLAS – Ralph Neely, dubbed “one of the first great offensive linemen in team history,” died on January 5th, according to the Dallas Cowboys. He was 78 years old.
The team didn’t say what caused his death.
Neely, born September 12, 1943 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and raised in Farmington, New Mexico, played his entire career with the Cowboys.
Before Neely came to Dallas, he played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1962 to 1964 under head coaches Bud Wilkinson and Gomer Jones.
He joined the Cowboys as a starter in 1965 and played in jersey number 73 for 13 years. After spending the first five years of his career as a right tackle, Neely moved to the left, where he played for the rest of his career.
Neely played on five Cowboys Super Bowl teams and won two championships. The last game of his career was the 1977 Super Bowl XII victory against the Broncos.
From 1967-69, Neely received three All-Pro awards for the first team. In 1967 and 1969 he also made it to the Pro Bowl.
According to the Cowboys, Neely ranks 11th in franchise history with 168 games started.
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