Ralph Eugene Neely(September 12, 1943 – January 5, 2022) was an American professionalfootballplayer who was anoffensive tacklefor theDallas Cowboysin theNational Football League(NFL). He played 13 seasons and 172 games for the Cowboys from 1965 to 1977.
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | September 12, 1943 Little Rock, Arkansas,U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died: | January 5, 2022 (aged 78) | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Farmington (NM) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Oklahoma | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1965/ round: 2 / pick: 28 | ||||||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1965/ round:2/ pick: 15 (by theHouston Oilers)[1] | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Early life
editNeely attendedFarmington High School,where he was an All-Statetacklefor two years infootball,and a standoutcenterfor thebasketballteam.
He was recruited by theUniversity of Oklahoma,where he playedcollege footballunder coachesBud WilkinsonandGomer Jones.Neely was a 261-poundtacklewho played both ways, as a dominant performer on defense and an excellent blocker on offense. He was named theBig Eightsophomore lineman of the year and was a two-timeAll-Americanand an all-conference selection in both 1963 and '64.
Neely was one of threeSoonersstars who missed the 1965Gator Bowlgame againstFlorida State University.Neely,fullbackJim Grisham andhalfbackLance Rentzelsigned with professional teams before the game, and were ruled ineligible for the contest, which Florida State won 36–19 on the strength of fourtouchdowncatches byFred Biletnikoff.
Professional career
editIn1965,he wasdraftedin the second round of both the1965 NFL draft(by theBaltimore Colts) and the1965 AFL Draft(by theHouston Oilers). On August 29,1965,the Colts traded his NFL contractual rights to theDallas Cowboysin exchange forBilly Lothridgeand a fourth-round selection (#54-Rod Sherman) in the1966 NFL draft.[2]
Neely accepted the Oilers contract offer (which also included rights to own a Houston gas station), but requested it be kept secret to remain eligible to play in theGator Bowl.When he learned that the Colts traded his rights to the Cowboys, he began negotiating with Dallas, and returned his check to the Oilers. Litigation ensued between the Oilers and Cowboys in regards to his rights.[3][4]
A rookie in1965,he joined the Cowboys just as they were beginning their ascent in theNFL,became an immediate starter atright offensive tackleand was named to theNFLall-rookie team. With great quickness for his size, he became a dominant player on the Cowboysoffensive linefor 13 seasons.
One of the terms of the merger agreement between theNFLand theAFLwas that the Neely contract dispute be resolved. In1966,the Cowboys finally agreed with the Oilers to send multiple draft choices (a first (#23-Tom Regner), second (#49-Roy Hopkins) and two fifth round choices (#119-Willie Parker& #127-Zeke Moore) in the1967 NFL draft), pay all of the court costs and to start the annual pre-season game theGovernor's Cupbetween the two teams.[5]
Neely was a four-timeAll-Proand a two-timePro Bowlerin1967and1969.In1970,he was moved toright guardduringtraining camp,because of the improved play ofRayfield Wrightat right tackle, in order for the team to have the best player combination possible in theoffensive line.He replacedTony Lisciowho had a back injury atleft offensive tackleduring the fifth game of the season. The move became permanent and Neely manned the position until1977,while continuing to be one of the NFL's premieroffensive linemen.
He was injured halfway into the Cowboys victorious1971Super Bowlseason, when he fractured his left leg in an off-road motorcycle accident; forcing him to miss the last 7 games and the playoffs.[6]
In1977,Neely retired after the Cowboys wonSuper Bowl XIIagainst theDenver Broncos.[7]He was selected to theNFL 1960s All-Decade Team,though Neely has yet to join his bookend partner Wright, in thePro Football Hall of Fameor in theDallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.
Later life and death
editIn 2018, theProfessional Football Researchers Associationnamed Neely to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.[8]
Neely died on January 5, 2022, at the age of 78.[9]He was living withdementiaand the effects ofchronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE) prior to his death.[10]
References
edit- ^"1965 AFL Draft".Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2017.RetrievedMarch 23,2017.
- ^"Cowboys Trade Lothridge To Baltimore Colts,"The Associated Press(AP), Monday, August 30, 1965.Retrieved February 15, 2014
- ^Houston Oilers, Inc., Appellant, v. Ralph Neely, Appellee,361 F.2d 36 (10th Cir. 1966) – Justia.Retrieved May 25, 2020
- ^"Oilers' Suit Against Neely Upheld By Supreme Court,"The Associated Press(AP), Tuesday, October 11, 1966.Retrieved February 15, 2014
- ^"The curious case of Houston vs. Dallas".UHCL Signal.November 3, 2014.
- ^"Cowboys Lose Neely,"United Press International(UPI), Tuesday, November 2, 1971.Retrieved February 15, 2014
- ^"Cowboys' Neely to Retire".Associated Press. December 23, 1977.
- ^"PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018".RetrievedSeptember 20,2019.
- ^Williams, Charean (January 5, 2022)."Former Cowboys offensive lineman Ralph Neely dies at 78".NBC Sports.RetrievedJanuary 6,2022.
- ^Widow of Dallas Cowboys great Ralph Neely says his final years were destroyed by CTE