Don Perkins

Donald Anthony Perkins (March 4, 1938 – June 9, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of New Mexico.

Early life Perkins was born on March 4, 1938, in Waterloo, Iowa, and was raised in the segregated part of Waterloo. Perkins earned eight letters for Waterloo West High School, four each in football and track (sprinter). He also played basketball. He was also named the Skyline Sophomore of the Year in 1957, when he was 11th in the nation in rushing with 744 yards on 122 attempts, which led the Skyline conference. In 1959, he led the nation in kickoff returns, with a 34.7 yards per return average. He was named Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) Back of the Week for November 21, 1959, when he rushed for 126 yards, had a 64-yard touchdown reception, and scored three touchdowns against Air Force. NMU came from behind to win the game 28–27. He also mentioned Perkins in his Hall of Fame induction speech in Canton, Ohio. When Perkins first came to Albuquerque and could not find a place to live because of racial segregation, Levy took Perkins into his home. He had eleven touchdowns his senior year. – a first in UNM history. which was a school record until the 1970s; and was in the inaugural class of the University of New Mexico Hall of Honor. Perkins name is in the Lobo Football Ring of Honor inside University Stadium, and his picture is one of four outside the stadium. This meant he would play for the Cowboys if and when they received an NFL franchise. Although he was selected in the ninth round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Colts, the league honored the contract, but made the Cowboys compensate the Colts with a ninth-round draft pick (#116-Roy Walker) in the 1962 NFL draft.

Perkins sat out the entire 1960 season with a broken foot (fifth metatarsal) he suffered in training camp, so he began playing with the Cowboys in 1961 as a rookie. He lacked long-distance speed, but made up for it with outstanding quickness and balance. He finished with 815 rushing yards (sixth among league leaders) and 4 touchdowns, earning NFL Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors. He was third in AP and UPI voting for the NFL's 1961 Rookie of the Year (behind Mike Ditka and Fran Tarkenton).

Not only was Perkins considered a superb blocker,

Perkins's best year was in 1962, when he rushed for 945 yards and seven touchdowns, He went from being on losing and mediocre teams, to playing in the NFL championship games against the Green Bay Packers in 1966 and 1967.

Even though he played the fullback position at and , In 1966, Dan Reeves rushed for 757 yards to 726 yards for Perkins. From 1964 through 1968, he never rushed for less than 690 yards, and in 1967 and 1968, he rushed for 823 yards and 836 yards respectively, with his highest career rushing average (4.4 yards per carry) coming in 1968. and fifth on the rushing touchdowns list, behind Smith, Dorsett, Marion Barber III, and Elliott. He was selected to six Pro Bowls, one first-team All-Pro team (1962), and was named second-team All-Pro as well (1967), while gaining a reputation in the NFL for his courage and resolve on some of worst teams in Dallas Cowboys history. In 1968, he helped end the Cowboys practice of segregating players when traveling to hotels.

"Perkins was in the toughest times", Cowboys head coach Tom Landry once told NFL Films: "The guy was a remarkable runner, a great pass blocker and one of the best players in our history." Walt Garrison, who replaced him in the starting lineup, once said, "Don Perkins was the best fullback the Dallas Cowboys ever had".

Perkins retired at the end of 1968 having led all active players in rushing yards since the retirement of Jim Taylor, and was fifth in NFL history with 6,217. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium alongside his quarterback Don Meredith in 1976. Only Bob Lilly was inducted ahead of them, in 1975. He was one of four former players asked to speak at Tom Landry's funeral.

The Professional Football Researchers Association named Perkins to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016.

NFL career statistics Legend Bold Career high

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving Fumbles GP GS Att Yds Avg Y/G Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Fum FR 1961 DAL 14 14 200 815 4.1 58.2 47 4 32 298 9.3 38 1 5 4 1962 DAL 14 14 222 945 4.3 67.5 35 7 13 104 8.0 21 0 2 0 1963 DAL 11 10 149 614 4.1 55.8 19 7 14 84 6.0 19 0 – – 1964 DAL 13 13 174 768 4.4 59.1 59 6 15 155 10.3 37 0 4 2 1965 DAL 13 13 177 690 3.9 53.1 43 0 14 142 10.1 27 0 2 1 1966 DAL 14 14 186 726 3.9 51.9 24 8 23 231 10.0 39 0 1 1 1967 DAL 14 14 201 823 4.1 58.8 30 6 18 116 6.4 15 0 1 0 1968 DAL 14 14 191 836 4.4 59.7 28 4 17 180 10.6 24 2 3 0Career 107 106 1,500 6,217 4.1 58.1 59 42 146 1,310 9.0 39 3 18 8

Personal life and death Perkins was a football analyst for CBS Sports, ABC Sports,