Mel Renfro, the original Prime, and best-ever in Cowboys’ defensive backfield
Four men have roamed the defensive backfield with such ferocity and prowess that they have permanently etched their faces onto our Mount Rushmore of defensive backs.
All four have won championships to go along with the respect of every opponent they faced on the gridiron. One player was decades ahead of his time.
The Original Prime
Mel Renfro came out of college as a two-way player, renowned as one of the best running backs in the history of the University of Oregon.
In 1966, his third season in Dallas, he got to play on the offensive side of the ball.
But his star shined brightest on defense.
During the first six of his 14 seasons in Dallas, Renfro played at free safety before moving to cornerback. Over 174 games he would pick off 52 passes — he’s still the team’s all-time leader in this category — with three interceptions returned for touchdowns.
