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In Sports News: Longtime Dallas Cowboys Linebacker Dave Edwards Dies At Age 76

Photo Credit:Associated Press

Photo Credit:Associated Press

Longtime Cowboys linebacker Dave Edwards has died at 76.

Edwards remained a Cowboys fan long after his 13 seasons in Dallas from 1963-1975, when he played a key role on teams that advanced to three Super Bowls.

Edwards attended two Cowboys games this season — the season opening loss against the New York Giants and the recent win over Washington on Thanksgiving.

“He was probably one of the biggest Cowboys fans to play for the Cowboys,” said Chris Edwards, one of Edwards’ two sons and a Dallas resident. Edwards’ other son is Mike.

Edwards, whose birthday is Dec. 14, died in his sleep early Tuesday morning, according to Chris Edwards. He lived near Lake Whitney, in the Laguna Park community, about 30 miles from Waco.

Edwards won Super Bowl VI with the Cowboys in January of 1972 and played in two other Super Bowls as a member of the Doomsday Defense. Nicknamed “Fuzzy,” Edwards was a remarkably consistent player, despite being somewhat less celebrated than fellow linebackers Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan.

The native of Alabama was also a two-way contributor in the SEC at Auburn. He decided to play for the Cowboys in the NFL as an undrafted rookie, despite the Denver Broncos picking him in the 1962 AFL Draft.

“Well I wanted to make the Dallas club because all I’d heard about was how many pretty girls there were in Dallas,” Edwards was quoted saying in a 1967 Dallas Morning News article. “What I heard was right.”

Edwards was receiving treatment for a heart condition. He had a previous heart surgery and had both hips replaced in recent years, but generally lived well, according to Chris Edwards.

Edwards’ wife, Gail, died in 2003.

In his 50’s and 60’s, he lived near Dallas’ White Rock Lake, around which he would ride his bike most days.

The family had not finalized memorial plans as of Wednesday evening, but were considering a service held near the lake.

Source: Sports Day Dallas News

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