DALLAS -- Walt Garrison, who led the Big Eight in rushing as an Oklahoma State Cowboy, won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys, and in the NFL offseason competed as a rodeo cowboy, has died. He was 79.
The NFL team said in a story posted on its website Thursday that Garrison died overnight. It did not give a cause of death.
A fifth-round draft choice out of Oklahoma State University, Garrison played nine seasons in Dallas and retired in 1974 as the No. 3 rusher and No. 4 receiver in franchise history. He is still fourth on Dallas' all-time list with 4.32 yards per carry and ninth with 3,491 rushing yards.
But it was Garrison's rodeo career -- which he called his first love -- that made him the ultimate cowboy. As a little-used backup during his rookie season, the Cowboys said he would go out after team meetings and compete in local rodeos as a steer wrestler, then get back to the hotel before 11 p.m. curfew.
