This week the Dallas Cowboys will welcome several (the full amount is obviously subject to change) new players thanks to the NFL draft. Our collective hope is that they are all future Hall of Famers and that they help the team return to serious prominence.
Maybe that happens. If it does then maybe one of those players will be held in high esteem relative to franchise history. You might argue that they should have a spot in the Ring of Honor or Hall of Fame (as noted) if that winds up happening.
Last week the Cowboys saw a player who checks these boxes call it a career as Tyron Smith retired and held a press conference at The Star. There is no question that Smith is among the very best players to ever put a star on their helmet.
Just a few days after that retirement, the Cowboys signed a new offensive linemen in Saahdiq Charles. That was a pretty normal thing, but it took a bit of a turn on Friday morning when it was realized that Charles will be wearing Smith’s old jersey number of 77.
As soon as this came to light there were people who were sharing opinions that this should not be allowed by the Cowboys. That is certainly understandable on some level given who Smith is relative to the team.
My take on all of this is that it is perfectly fine to hand out Smith’s number. If we are going to have some discussion about which ones should be retired (the Cowboys have never formally retired any number, but there are select few that they do not ever hand out in an effective retirement of sorts) then I would offer that 8, 12, 22 and 74 are the beginning and end of that conversation. Even if you agree with that, 74 is sometimes given out to a player during training camp, although they never wear it during the regular season.
Tyron Smith was incredible. We all know that. But it is okay to hand out his jersey number. What’s more is that while he did just retire, he left the team last year. The Cowboys have moved on already. Consider that even in his retirement presser that Smith acknowledged how Tyler Smith is the new leader of the offensive line (this is especially true with Zack Martin having also retired) and that Tyler wears Larry Allen’s old number in 73. Heck, Zack Martin wore Rayfield Wright’s 70.
It can be true that Tyron, Zack and whoever were amazing Cowboys and that it is okay for their numbers to re-enter the standard circulation.
Do you agree with this? Or do you feel another way? Let us know in the comments below!
RJ Ochoa
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