'I was crying like a baby': Dallas Cowboy legend reflects on Hall of Fame nomination call
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson was doing yard work when he got a phone call that cemented his name into pro football immortality.
He waited nearly 40 years to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. A few months before his induction, Pearson received a phone call stating a committee selected him for a permanent spot in Canton, Ohio — the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I was crying like a baby,” he said after the committee selection. “I thought I was going when they did the Centennial Class (of 2020).
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“When I got the word I was cutting grass and pulling weeds.”
He was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys' Ring of Honor in 2011, nearly a decade before he was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, according to Pearson’s biography on the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.
Pearson was excited after receiving the phone call.
“When I got the word, I yelled out a ‘Hallelujah,’" he said, "I guess my neighbors thought I was crazy.”
Pearson was a guest speaker during the Carlsbad Mayor’s Energy Summit on Oct. 19. He conducted a question-and-answer session with student-athletes from Carlsbad High School and signed autographs once his speech was done.
Who is Drew Pearson?
Born in 1951 in Newark, New Jersey, Pearson made the Dallas Cowboys roster in 1973 as a free agent.
He wasn't drafted after attending the University of Tulsa; however, he thought he could contribute to the Cowboys’ special teams, according to his biography on the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.
“By the time his career ended 11 seasons and 156 regular-season games later, he had left his mark as the franchise’s all-time leader in most receiving categories and established himself as one of the National Football League’s best clutch performers,” noted the website.
He played in seven NFC championships from 1973-82 and won a Super Bowl trophy in 1978 as the Cowboys defeated the Denver Broncos 27-10.
“I signed with the Dallas Cowboys because of what we represent,” he said during his Carlsbad speech.
Pearson played with other legendary Cowboys players from the 1970s including: Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Mel Renfro, Rayfield Wright, Bob Hayes and Cliff Harris.
He played for Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry during his tenure in Dallas.
Pearson's career numbers
From 1973-83 he played 156 games and caught 489 passes for 7,822 yards and 48 touchdowns, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame website.
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He also had 21 carries for 189 yards and no touchdowns during the same time during sporadic appearances as a running back.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Former Dallas Cowboy Drew Pearson talks Hall of Fame induction
