The Dallas Cowboys lost a beloved member of the family over the weekend…
Don Smerek, a former defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, passed suddenly on Saturday due to cancer, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. He was sixty-six.
Smerek signed with the Cowboys in 1980 as an undrafted free agent, but he suffered a rib fracture that kept him out of the game throughout his rookie campaign.
Despite starting only four games during his eight-year tenure, he recorded 14.5 sacks in 69 games with the Cowboys.
Cowboys Hall of Fame defensive tackle Randy White discussed the influence his old comrade had both on and off the field following Smerek’s demise.
White said of him to the Dallas Morning News, “He was a great teammate, a great person.” “As a football player, he was just reliable and always there for me.
The thing about Don as a football player was that he was 100%. He would rush the passer on third downs.
Smerek was born in Waterford, Michigan, but at an early age, his family relocated to Henderson, Nevada.
He excelled at the university level for Nevada, where as a senior, he was named All-Big Sky. Prior to that, he was an all-state player at Basic High School.
Smerek leaves behind his spouse, three brothers, a sister, and a number of nephews and nieces. His sister Debbie Nye stated that a private memorial service will be held in Henderson later this month by the family.
According to Nye, “his teammates are lifelong friends—they go all the way back to high school, college, and the NFL.”
“Those folks are still there, and they were essentially on his side. He had a fascinating personality and was a larger-than-life character.
