Cowboys Tyron Smith's Tough Number To Follow

FRISCO - In a 65-year-old tradition started by Tex Schramm and continued by Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys don't retire numbers. But they do revere them.

Sacred digits wind up not in moth balls, but the Ring of Honor.

After Bob Hayes' No. 22 came Emmitt Smith. Drew Pearson gave way to Michael Irvin gave way to Dez Bryant gave way to CeeDee Lamb, all No. 88. Troy Aikman's 8 and Roger Staubach's 12 are immortal, and there's only one number ever worn by only one Cowboy: Bob Lilly, No. 74.

So it was amusing this week when some fans - and even naive Cowboys-centric websites - bemoaned the Cowboys already issuing Tyron Smith's No. 77 to a journeyman named Saahdiq Charles. Tyron is the best player to even don 77, but if Charles Haley's No. 94 can be re-issued to DeMarcus Ware and then Randy Gregory and now Marshawn Kneeland, five players have worn No. 28 since Darren Woodson, and Larry Allen's No. 73 went to Tyler Smith then ...

(Psst, DeMarcus Lawrence's No. 90 has already been given to newcomer Solomon Thomas.)

The subjective, fluid system leads to lively bar debates. Who wore it best:

21: Deion or Zeke?

22: Hayes or Emmitt?

54: Chuck Howley or Randy White?

88: Drew or Irvin or Dez or CeeDee?

Other numbers are no-brainers, such as No. 4 (Dak Prescott over '90s punter Mike Saxon), No. 11 (Micah Parsons over '80s quarterback Danny White) and the likes of Aikman and Staubach.

These are the Cowboys, not the Deion-led Colorado Buffaloes. If he was running the Cowboys like he does the Buffaloes, he'd retire kicker Brandon Aubrey's No. 17 after a couple of decent seasons and clearly have a statue of Tony Romo out front of AT&T Stadium. Shedeur ring a bell?

Tyron was the 14th Cowboys player to wear No. 77 and by far the best, clearly more productive than 1980-90s defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion Jim Jeffcoat.

The only real debate is which dearly departed No. 77 wore it better: Tyron or Luka Doncic?