Cornell Green

Cornell M. Green (born February 10, 1940), is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He did not play college football at Utah State University, but was a two-time All-American as a basketball player for the Aggies, selected in the 1962 NBA draft, but not in the NFL draft.

Early life Green was born on February 10, 1940, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was one of five sons raised by Elijah and Gladys Green. His oldest brother, Pumpsie Green, became the first African American baseball player on the Boston Red Sox, the last team in major league baseball to integrate.

Green was raised in northern California in Richmond and attended El Cerrito High School. He is in El Cerrito's Athletic Hall of Fame. He played on the basketball team from 1955-1957, and was All-ACAL (1956-1957), All-Northern California (1956-1956-1957), and All-State in 1957. He played one year on the football team in 1956.

College career In 1958-1959, he played basketball at Contra Costa College, where he was All-State in basketball. He went on to play college basketball at Utah State University in Logan, where he earned All-American honors (1961, 1962) as well as All-Skyline conference honors in each of his three years (1960–62). He is also the sixth leading scorer in Utah State history with 1,890 points. which remains the highest year-end basketball ranking in school history.

The Chicago Zephyrs drafted Green in the fifth round of the 1962 NBA draft. He did not play in the NBA, but instead went on to a ten-year career in the NFL. In 2001, he was inducted into the State of Utah Basketball Hall of Fame.

Professional career Green was a college basketball player who never played a down of college football, that the Dallas Cowboys converted into a defensive back.

On a tip from Utah State basketball coach LaDell Anderson, the Cowboys discovered and signed the multi-talented younger brother of then Red Sox infielder Pumpsie Green for $1,000. This was one of the innovative personnel decisions the Cowboys were known for. In another version, it was Green that approached Cowboys executive Gil Brandt at a Utah State football game and asked for a chance.

At that time, he was leaning towards playing in the NBA, after being selected by the Chicago Zephyrs in the fifth round of the 1962 NBA draft. Even when he reported to the Cowboys' training camp in Marquette, Michigan, in 1962, he just thought of it as a $1,000 bonus. "I figured I’d go there for a week ... and they’d cut me," Green has said.

His teammates nicknamed him "Sweet Lips" and Green eventually made the 1962 team as an undrafted free agent, learning fast enough to start 3 games and be selected to the NFL All-Rookie team.

Legacy and honors In 1985, he was named to the Dallas Cowboys 25th Anniversary Team.

In 2017, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Green to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017.

In 2020, Green was ranked number 23 on the list of the 60 greatest Cowboys players, chosen as part of the team's celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Scouting and business career Green began scouting for the Dallas Cowboys in 1970 while still an active player and continued scouting as a full-time scout through 1979, after retiring in 1975.

Personal life He is the brother of Pumpsie Green, the first African American player to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last Major League Baseball team to integrate.