Longtime Cowboys Center John Fitzgerald Dies at 77

Two-time Super Bowl champion played for Dallas from 1971 to 1980.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 6:07pm

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John Fitzgerald, the Dallas Cowboys' starting center for most of the 1970s, died on Tuesday morning. Fitzgerald played in 137 games (109 starts) with the Cowboys from 1971 to 1980 after being drafted in the fourth round in 1970 out of Boston College. He was a member of the Cowboys' first two championship teams in Super Bowls VI and XII.

Why it matters

Fitzgerald was an integral part of the Cowboys' dynasty in the 1970s, helping the team win two Super Bowls as the starting center. His passing marks the end of an era for one of the NFL's most successful franchises.

The details

Fitzgerald was the center when head coach Tom Landry popularized the shotgun formation with Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach. He played a key role in the Cowboys' offensive success during their championship runs in the 1970s.

  • John Fitzgerald died on Tuesday morning.
  • Thursday would have been Fitzgerald's 78th birthday.

The players

John Fitzgerald

The Dallas Cowboys' starting center for most of the 1970s, Fitzgerald played in 137 games (109 starts) with the team from 1971 to 1980 after being drafted in the fourth round in 1970 out of Boston College. He was a member of the Cowboys' first two championship teams in Super Bowls VI and XII.

Tom Landry

The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, Landry popularized the shotgun formation that Fitzgerald played a key role in during the Cowboys' championship runs in the 1970s.

Roger Staubach

The Hall of Fame quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 to 1979, Staubach was the signal-caller in the shotgun formation that Fitzgerald helped execute during the team's success in the 1970s.

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The takeaway

Fitzgerald's passing marks the end of an era for the Dallas Cowboys, as he was a key member of the team's dynasty in the 1970s that won two Super Bowls. His contributions as the starting center, including helping to popularize the shotgun formation with Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach, will be remembered as part of the Cowboys' storied history.