Every era of Dallas Cowboys football, one lineup. These are the highest-rated Dallas Cowboys legends across the 1960s to today — a full 11 on both sides of the ball, chosen by iKnoBall's era-adjusted engine — and the record they'd post over a 17-game season.
Offense is weighted 55%, defense 45% — exactly how iKnoBall scores a roster. Think you'd start a different 11? Prove it.
Roger Staubach headlines the group at a 95 overall — the kind of number only genuine all-time greats reach on iKnoBall's scale. Around Staubach, the model fills out a complete lineup that balances quarterback play, skill-position firepower, the trenches, and a defense across Dallas Cowboys history, then simulates all 17 games. The result — 14–3 — reflects both the raw talent and how the pieces fit on both sides of the ball.
Every Dallas Cowboys legend in the iKnoBall pool, ranked by era-adjusted overall. The top group forms the starting 11 above; the rest are the depth chart and the debate.
| Player | Position | Era | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Staubach | Quarterback | 1970s | 95 |
| Emmitt Smith | Running Back | 1990s | 98 |
| CeeDee Lamb | Wide Receiver | 2020s | 96 |
| Michael Irvin | Wide Receiver | 1990s | 94 |
| Larry Allen | Offensive Guard | 1990s | 99 |
| Bob Lilly | Defensive Tackle | 1960s | 98 |
| Micah Parsons | Linebacker | 2020s | 98 |
| Deion Sanders | Cornerback | 1990s | 99 |
| Cliff Harris | Free Safety | 1970s | 93 |
| Zack Martin | Offensive Guard | 2010s | 98 |
| Randy White | Defensive Tackle | 1970s | 96 |
| DeMarcus Ware | Defensive End | 2000s | 96 |
| Tyron Smith | Offensive Tackle | 2010s | 96 |
| Troy Aikman | Quarterback | 1990s | 95 |
| Jason Witten | Tight End | 2000s | 94 |
| Terrell Owens | Wide Receiver | 2000s | 94 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | Running Back | 2010s | 94 |
| Travis Frederick | Center | 2010s | 94 |
| Tony Dorsett | Running Back | 1980s | 93 |
| Charles Haley | Defensive End | 1990s | 93 |
| Rayfield Wright | Offensive Tackle | 1970s | 92 |
| Erik Williams | Offensive Tackle | 1990s | 92 |
| Mel Renfro | Cornerback | 1960s | 91 |
| Darren Woodson | Strong Safety | 1990s | 91 |
| Nate Newton | Offensive Guard | 1990s | 91 |
| Tony Romo | Quarterback | 2000s | 91 |
| Amari Cooper | Wide Receiver | 2010s | 91 |
| DeMarcus Lawrence | Defensive End | 2010s | 91 |
| Dak Prescott | Quarterback | 2020s | 91 |
| Trevon Diggs | Cornerback | 2020s | 91 |
Draft your own all-time Dallas Cowboys — or any franchise across five sports — build your roster, and sim a full season chasing a perfect 17–0. Free to play.
Build Your All-Time TeamGet the AppBy iKnoBall's era-adjusted ratings the all-time Dallas Cowboys lineup is Roger Staubach (QB, 1970s), Emmitt Smith (RB, 1990s), CeeDee Lamb (WR1, 2020s), Michael Irvin (WR2, 1990s), Larry Allen (OL, 1990s), Bob Lilly (DL, 1960s), Micah Parsons (LB, 2020s), Deion Sanders (CB, 1990s), Cliff Harris (S, 1970s), Zack Martin (FLEX-O, 2010s), Randy White (FLEX-D, 1970s). Together they project to a 14–3 regular season.
iKnoBall's simulation projects this 11-man lineup at 14–3 over a 17-game season, with an average starter rating of 97. The model runs each game as a probability from the roster's combined offensive and defensive strength, so an all-time team contends for a near-perfect year but nothing is guaranteed.
Each player's overall is era-adjusted so a 1970s legend and a modern superstar sit on the same 70–99 scale. Offense (QB, skill players, line) is weighted 55% and defense 45%, and only true all-time greats reach the mid-to-high 90s.
Yes — iKnoBall is a free game where you draft one legend per era, build your all-time roster, and simulate a full season chasing a perfect 17–0. Play it free at play.iknoball.com.
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Ratings are era-adjusted and computed by iKnoBall's simulation engine. Records are model projections for entertainment, not predictions. Player names belong to their respective owners; iKnoBall is an independent fan-made game.