by: Griffin McVeigh 44 minutes ago griffin_mcveigh
A legend of both the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Dallas Cowboys, DD Lewis has passed away. Mississippi State announced his death on social media, also outlining the accolades he achieved during his playing days. Lewis was 79 years old.
“We mourn the passing of Bulldog legend D.D. Lewis,” the official Mississippi State Football X account said. “An All-SEC standout and 1967 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, he played 13 years with the Dallas Cowboys, appeared in five Super Bowls, won two, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.”
Lewis grew up in Knoxville, TN, but decided to play SEC football elsewhere. Only three years were spent at Mississippi State, playing as a two-way player. While the Bulldogs did not find much team success with Lewis on the roster, he himself excelled during his college days. Plenty of personal achievements were earned, including two first-team All-SEC and first-team All-American in 1967.
As Mississippi State mentioned in their tweet, the College Football Hall of Fame inducted Lewis in 2001. A great honor for one of the program’s best-ever players.
Even so, Lewis did not hear his name called too highly in the 1968 AFL/NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys took him in the sixth round with the No. 159 overall pick. Back then, the draft looked a little bit different with 17 rounds, compared to the seven in today’s game.