FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Bob Lilly will always be known as “Mr. Cowboy.” After all, he was the Dallas Cowboys first ever draft pick.
The native Texan is known for leading the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl title and going on to become a Pro Football Hall of Famer—but his first accomplishment was playing for the university he always loved.
His dad’s favorite player was Sammy Baugh.
Baugh led TCU to its first national title in 1935, and that’s part of the reason Lilly wanted to attend TCU.
The other? He received a one cent postcard from the TCU offensive and defensive line coach, telling him that they were offering him a full scholarship, as well as a $10 a month laundry check.
The rest is history.
Lilly has had an amazing career as a Horned Frog. He was selected unanimously as an All-American in 1960 before being drafted by the Cowboys along with Baugh, Heisman winner Davey O’Brien and LaDainian Tomlinson—who ran his way into the record books at TCU as a Doak Walker award winner in the 2000 season.
Lilly, as part of the Mount Rushmore of TCU football, says he doesn’t think about how he paved the way for the current players in the College Football Playoff. He’s just glad he got to attend TCU.
His pride in the current team is based around the fact that they have earned the right to be in the national semi-final game against Michigan on New Year’s Eve.
In his words, he’s proud of them because “they can do it.”
