Don Smerek, a former Dallas Cowboys defensive star, died final week after a battle with most cancers. He was 66.
Smerek performed faculty soccer at Nevada. After going undrafted, Smerek finally signed with the Cowboys in 1981. The defensive lineman went on to spend seven seasons with the franchise, taking part in in 69 video games.
He completed his profession in Dallas with 14.5 sacks.
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“He was an amazing teammate, an amazing individual,” Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and former Cowboys standout Randy White mentioned. “He was simply stable as a soccer participant and I can at all times depend on him. He would are available in on third downs and rush the passer and the factor about Don as a soccer participant, he was 100%.”
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White additionally recalled how he would typically go fishing with Smerek.
“An incredible teammate taking part in soccer and we turned actually nice associates off the sphere. He was once my fishing associate and we used to go fishing and all of the issues that associate with that.”
Smerek is a Nevada native and moved to Texas after he retired from the NFL. Smerek’s sister Debbie Nye spoke about her brother’s “magnetic character.”
“His teammates are lifelong associates, even going again to highschool, faculty and NFL,” Nye mentioned by way of The Dallas Morning Information. “There’s nonetheless all of these folks, had been just about by his facet. He was a larger-than-life particular person, a really magnetic character.”
The household will honor Smerek’s life in a non-public memorial service that’s anticipated to happen later this month in Henderson, Nevada. Smerek is survived by his spouse, Tandi, his three brothers, his sister, in addition to a number of nieces and nephews.
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