Countdown to the season opener: Day 48 Don Perkins

We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we are running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football.

Today – number 48.

Born: March 4, 1938. Waterloo, Iowa
Position: Full back
Dallas Cowboys: 1961-1968
Awards: NFL Rookie of the Year- 1961
All-Pro- 1962, 1967, 1968
Pro Bowl- 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968
Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor

SetNumber: X12094

Don Perkins played running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 1961 to 1968, and was one of the franchise’s earliest stars. A sixth-round draft pick out of the University of New Mexico, Perkins was known for his tough, physical running style and ability to gain tough yards between the tackles. He was named NFL Rookie of the Year in 1961 and went on to earn six Pro Bowl selections. Perkins rushed for 6,217 yards in his career, still fourth-most in team history. He was a key figure in helping establish the Cowboys’ competitive identity in the 1960s.

Sadly, Perkins passed away in 2022 and left not just a legacy with the Dallas Cowboys, he was also a passionate father to four children and eleven grandchildren.

Don Perkins Highlights

The #Cowboys’ first-ever First-Team All-Pro selection (1962)

• Retired in 1969 as #NFL’s #5 all-time career leading rusher
• First Cowboy to rush for 100 yards in a regular season game, and the first to rush for 100 in a postseason game
• Held mantle… pic.twitter.com/QHKtLlkg5Q

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) December 10, 2024

Best known for:
Perkins was best known for being the first great running back in Cowboys history, setting a foundation of consistency and toughness that helped shape the team’s early identity.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Lesser known fact:
Perkins actually signed with the Cowboys before they had played a single game, agreeing to a contract in 1960 while the team was still being formed, making him not just a star, but one of the true original Cowboys.