Landry, Tom (1924—)
Tom Landry has become an icon of American football largely due to his tremendous success as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Landry's calm demeanor and his trademark hat also serve to distinguish his legend from that of other football coaches.
Landry compiled an overall record of 270-178-6 as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, the third most wins of any coach in the history of the National Football League. Landry was the Cowboys' first and only coach during that time period and helped build the Cowboys into "America's Team." During his 29 years as coach of the Cowboys, Landry led the team to two Super Bowl titles and five National Football Conference championships. Under his leadership the Cowboys were famous for last-minute comebacks and miracle wins. He was elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1990. In spite of Landry's tremendous success, he was unceremoniously dismissed when Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. An unspoken feud between the two men may have resulted in Landry not being inducted into the Dallas Cowboy Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium until 1993.
Landry was born September 11, 1924, in Mission, Texas. He played quarterback for the Mission High School Eagles and led the team to the regional championship in 1941. In 1942, he enrolled at the University of Texas on a football scholarship. However, World War II interrupted his education and collegiate football career. Landry was inducted into the Army Air Corps and began flight training in 1943. He served as a fighter pilot during the war; and in 1945, he was discharged from the Army Air Corps after flying 30 bombing missions over Europe.
In 1946, he reenrolled at the University of Texas. Landry started at fullback for the 1947 Texas team that won the Sugar Bowl and was named second-team All-Southwest Conference. He ended his senior season at Texas in 1949 by rushing for 117 yards in a Texas Orange Bowl victory. He went on to sign a professional football contract with the New York Yankees of the All-American Football Conference, where he played as a backup fullback, defensive back, and punter. In 1950, he joined the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was named a Giants assistant defensive coach in 1954, and as a player coach won All-Pro honors as a defensive back. His last active season as a player was 1955.
In 1959, Landry was named as head coach of the NFL expansion franchise in Dallas. The Cowboys were 0-11-1 in their inaugural season. Despite having a losing record, Landry signed a 10-year contract with the Cowboys in 1964. The contract extension paid off for the organization, as Landry went on to turn the team into perennial winners. When Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys, he shocked the city of Dallas, the state of Texas, and Cowboy fans everywhere by firing Landry on February 25, 1989. However, Landry's legacy in professional football and to the city of Dallas was immediately recognized. He was honored when the city of Dallas celebrated Tom Landry Day on April 22, 1989 and when he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys. Further Reading:
Bayless, Skip. God's Coach: The Hymns, Hype, and Hypocrisy of Tom Landry's Cowboys. New York, Simon & Schuster, 1990.
Klein, Dave. Tom and the Boys. New York, Kensington, 1990.
Landry, Tom, and Greg Lewis. An Autobiography: Tom Landry. New York, Harper Collins, 1990.
St. John, Bob. The Landry Legend: Grace Under Pressure. Dallas, Word Publishing, 1989.
Stowers, Carlton. Dallas Cowboys: The First Twenty-Five Years. Dallas, Taylor Publishing, 1984.
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