Few NFL franchises have had as many recognizable quarterbacks as the Dallas Cowboys, from the early days of Don Meredith to the championship years of Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. 

With Tony Romo, Dak Prescott and others leaving their mark, deciding the top seven requires looking across different eras. Here are the seven greatest quarterbacks to play for the Dallas Cowboys, ranked from No. 7 to No. 1.

7. Don Meredith (1960-1968)

Don Meredith became one of the first major quarterbacks in Cowboys history after joining the franchise in its inaugural era. He took over as the starter in 1963 and helped Dallas reach its first winning season in 1966, going 10-3-1 while making the Pro Bowl.

According to Randy Gurzi of Landry Hat, Meredith finished his Cowboys career with 17,199 passing yards and 135 touchdown passes. He also made three consecutive Pro Bowls from 1966 through 1968 before retiring at age 30.

6. Craig Morton (1965-1974)

Craig Morton spent a decade with Dallas after the Cowboys selected him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. Although he started only 47 games for the franchise, Morton became the team's starting quarterback after Don Meredith's retirement.

Morton led Dallas to a 10-2-1 record as a starter in 1969 and reached the Super Bowl that season. He followed that with an 8-3 record as a starter in 1970 before eventually losing the starting job to Roger Staubach.

5. Danny White (1976-1988)

Danny White had an unusual path to becoming a Cowboys starting quarterback. He initially served as Roger Staubach's backup while also handling punting duties, even helping Dallas during its Super Bowl-winning 1977 season.

White became the starter after Staubach retired and remained in that role from 1980 through 1987. He finished with 21,959 passing yards and a 62-30 regular-season record as a Cowboys starter.

4. Dak Prescott (2016-Present)

Dak Prescott quickly became the Cowboys' starting quarterback after being selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. An injury to Tony Romo opened the door for Prescott, and he responded by leading Dallas to a 13-3 record while winning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Prescott has since become one of the most productive quarterbacks in franchise history and has recorded multiple 4,500-yard seasons and owns the Cowboys' single-season touchdown record with 37 touchdown passes in 2021.

3. Tony Romo (2003-2016)

Tony Romo went undrafted in 2003 and spent his first three seasons with Dallas without taking a regular-season snap. That changed in 2006 when he replaced Drew Bledsoe and eventually became the Cowboys' franchise quarterback.

Romo finished his Dallas career with 34,183 passing yards and 248 touchdown passes. He also owns the franchise's former career records for passing yards and touchdown passes, along with the single-season passing-yardage record of 4,903 yards in 2012. 

2. Roger Staubach (1969-1979)

Roger Staubach arrived in Dallas after completing his Navy service and initially played behind Craig Morton. He eventually won the starting job and led the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl victory in the 1971 season.

Staubach finished his career with an 85-29 record as a starter, 22,700 passing yards and 153 touchdown passes. He was also a six-time Pro Bowler and helped Dallas win two Super Bowl titles during his career.

1. Troy Aikman (1989-2000)

Troy Aikman arrived as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft and became the quarterback who led Dallas from a 1-15 season to the center of the NFL's 1990s championship era.

Aikman finished his Cowboys career with 32,942 passing yards and 165 regular-season touchdown passes. He also added 3,849 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in the playoffs while leading Dallas to three Super Bowl victories in a four-year span from 1992 to 1995.

With Aikman and Staubach leading Dallas to Super Bowl titles and Romo and Prescott adding major passing numbers, the seven QBs represent different eras of Cowboys history. 

Written by

Divyanshi Raj