Ralph Neely

Ralph Eugene Neely (September 12, 1943 – January 5, 2022) was an American professional football player who was an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played 13 seasons and 172 games for the Cowboys from 1965 to 1977.

Early life Neely was born on September 12, 1943, in Little Rock, Arkansas. His family moved to New Mexico for the sake of his brother, who suffered from asthma. Neely attended Farmington High School in New Mexico, where he was an All-State tackle for two years (1960-61) in football, and a standout All-State center for the basketball team. He went to the state AA football championship game in 1960. He was also on the school’s baseball team and was a shot putter in track and field.

Neely was inducted into Farmington’s sports Hall of Fame in 1987. He was honored by Farmington during a ceremony in 2016 for his career and time at Farmington. He presented Farmington with a golden football as part of the NFL’s Super Bowl High School Honor Roll, Neely having played in four Super Bowls.

College He was recruited by the University of Oklahoma, where he played college football under coaches Bud Wilkinson and Gomer Jones. Neely was a 261-pound tackle who played both ways, as a dominant performer on defense and an excellent blocker on offense. He was named the Big Eight sophomore lineman of the year and was a two-time All-American and an All-Conference selection in both 1963-64.

Professional career In 1965, he was drafted in the second round of both the 1965 NFL draft (by the Baltimore Colts) and the 1965 AFL draft (by the Houston Oilers). On August 29, 1965, the Colts traded his NFL contractual rights to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for Billy Lothridge and a fourth-round selection ( No. 54-Rod Sherman) in the 1966 NFL draft.

Neely accepted the Oilers contract offer (which also included rights to own a Houston gas station), but requested it be kept secret to remain eligible to play in the Gator Bowl. When he learned that the Colts traded his rights to the Cowboys, he began negotiating with Dallas, and returned his check to the Oilers. Litigation ensued between the Oilers and Cowboys in regards to his rights.

A rookie in 1965, he joined the Cowboys just as they were beginning their ascent in the NFL, became an immediate starter at right offensive tackle and was named to the NFL All-Rookie team.

Neely was a four-time All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler in 1967 and 1969. In 1969, backup tight end Rayfield Wright replaced an injured Neely at right tackle for three games. In 1970, Neely was moved to right guard during training camp, because of the improved play of Rayfield Wright at right tackle, in order for the team to have the best player combination possible in the offensive line. Neely originally moved to right guard to replace an injured teammate. He was selected to the NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, though Neely has yet to join his bookend partner Wright, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor.

Later life and death In 2018, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Neely to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.

Neely suffered a series of serious health problems during and after his playing career. He joined a lawsuit against the NFL for the consequences of head trauma and concussions suffered as a player, which settled in 2016. Neely died on January 5, 2022, at the age of 78. He was living with dementia and the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) prior to his death.

His linemate Rayfield Wright similarly had numerous concussions as a player, suffered a long period of dementia as well as seizures later in his life, and joined the head injury lawsuit against the NFL. Wright died just a few months after Neely.