The Dallas Cowboys haven’t been to the Super Bowl in quite a while, and now they’ve lost one of their most prominent figures from their golden days.
The community and the team rallied to mourn the loss of former executive Gil Brandt, who passed away early on Thursday morning at 91 years old.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is saddened to share the news that the Class of 2019's Gil Brandt has passed away at age 91. #HOFForever
Statement from the Hall of Fame: https://t.co/iQoPJUBQxn pic.twitter.com/nyNessbfRi
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 31, 2023
The Hall of Famer had plenty of experience as a league executive, but his days with the Cowboys were definitely the most successful.
Shortly after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he got a part-time scouting job with the Los Angeles Rams; then he joined the San Francisco 49ers as a full-time employee for two years before taking his talents to Texas.
He served as the team’s vice president of player personnel from the team’s inception in 1960 all the way to 1988, helping them win two Super Bowls and being their very-first chief talent scout.
In his almost three decades with the organization, Brandt was an integral part of the team’s decision-making and success.
He’s responsible for drafting stars like Herschel Walker and Roger Staubach, as well as finding other not-so-known gems such as Everson Walls, Drew Pearson, and Cliff Harris.
Also, believe it or not, the game of football owes a lot to Brandt, as he was the first to use computers in scouting and evaluation processes, paving the way for the thorough methods we have nowadays.
The league lost one of their greats today, and our hearts go out to his friends and family on this sad day.
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