Herbert Scott
Encyclopedia
Herbert Carnell Scott is a former American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
. He attended Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, and went on to star at the Virginia Union University
where he was All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
three times.
at Kellam High School, Scott chose to attend Virginia Union University
, an HBCU located in Richmond, Virginia.
He was a four-year starter, 1971–75, and was twice named (1973 and 1974) All-CIAA
and Division II All-American.
He was also part of Virginia Union University
first -CIAA
football
title in 50 years when the 1973 Panthers finished 9-1, including six shutouts.
In 1982 he was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(CIAA) Hall of Fame.
In 1988 he was inducted into the Virginia Union
Sports Hall of Fame.
in the thirteenth round of the 1975 NFL Draft
as an offensive guard
.
He was one of 12 drafted rookies who made the team that year - hence the "Dirty Dozen
" nickname for the Cowboys 1975
draft, that helped the team reach Super Bowl X
.
The "Dirty Dozen" rookie class, didn't even include linebacker
Mike Hegman
, who was drafted that year but did not arrive until 1976
. Or rookie free agent quarterback
Jim Zorn
who made the team, but was later cut, to make room for running back Preston Pearson
, who had just been released by the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
His skills and development allowed the Cowboys in 1975
to trade John Niland
who had previously been to six Pro Bowl
s. The draft pick they received from the Philadelphia Eagles
enabled them to draft wide receiver
Tony Hill
.
Scott became a full time starter at left guard
in 1976
and became a fixture at the offensive line through the 1984 season
.
Steady and rarely penalized, he emerged as one of the top guards
in the league during the late 70s and early 80s and together with Pat Donovan formed one of the best left-side tandems in the NFL.
During his time with the Cowboys, center
John Fitzgerald nicknamed the Cowboys offensive line as the "Four Irishmen and a Scott", when it was formed by Fitzgerald, Scott, Jim Cooper, Tom Rafferty
and Pat Donvan. That group helped paved the way for Tony Dorsett
's Hall of Fame rushing
career.
In 1980
, Scott became the Cowboys' first All-Pro
offensive lineman since Rayfield Wright
in 1975
. He was a two-time first team All-Pro
and a three-time Pro Bowl
er, attending the game from 1979
through 1981
. Teammate Tony Dorsett
once said, "When Herb goes after a guy, the next thing you see are feet in the air."
On one of his memorable moments, he and Tom Rafferty
teamed on the block that cleared the way for Tony Dorsett
's 99-yard run against the Minnesota Vikings
on Monday Night Football
in 1983
.
Scott also caught Roger Staubach
's final career pass, in a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 1979
, but as an offensive lineman, he was an ineligible receiver and the Cowboys were penalized, negating the play.
Injuries slowed Scott later in his career, when he saw some action as a tackle and retired after the 1984 season
.
Scott's entire professional career in the NFL was spent with the Dallas Cowboys
(1975
-1984
). He was a mainstay and cornerstone of the Cowboys offensive line during those 10 seasons. He helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII
and 3 NFC Championships.
Scott is considered to be one of the greatest offensive linemen ever to play for the Cowboys.
In 2006 he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He attended Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, and went on to star at the Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
where he was All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
three times.
College career
After playing footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at Kellam High School, Scott chose to attend Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
, an HBCU located in Richmond, Virginia.
He was a four-year starter, 1971–75, and was twice named (1973 and 1974) All-CIAA
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
and Division II All-American.
He was also part of Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
first -CIAA
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
title in 50 years when the 1973 Panthers finished 9-1, including six shutouts.
In 1982 he was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
(CIAA) Hall of Fame.
In 1988 he was inducted into the Virginia Union
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Scott was selected by the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the thirteenth round of the 1975 NFL Draft
1975 NFL Draft
The 1975 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1975.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
as an offensive guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
.
He was one of 12 drafted rookies who made the team that year - hence the "Dirty Dozen
Dirty Dozen (American football)
The Dirty Dozen is the nickname referring to the rookies drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1975. These players were sometimes credited with helping the Cowboys advance to Super Bowl X and was a key foundation of the team's success during the latter half of the 1970s going into the early 1980s...
" nickname for the Cowboys 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
draft, that helped the team reach Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
.
The "Dirty Dozen" rookie class, didn't even include linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Mike Hegman
Mike Hegman
Michael William Hegman is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Tennessee State University....
, who was drafted that year but did not arrive until 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
. Or rookie free agent quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jim Zorn
Jim Zorn
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs...
who made the team, but was later cut, to make room for running back Preston Pearson
Preston Pearson
Preston James Pearson is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Baltimore Colts , the Pittsburgh Steelers , and the Dallas Cowboys . Before his NFL career, he played for the University of Illinois, where he excelled at basketball...
, who had just been released by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
His skills and development allowed the Cowboys in 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
to trade John Niland
John Niland (American football)
John Hugh Niland is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League from 1966 through 1975.-Early years:He was an All-State fullback at Long Island's Amityville High School....
who had previously been to six Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s. The draft pick they received from the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
enabled them to draft wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Tony Hill
Tony Hill (American football)
Leroy Anthony Hill, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1977 to 1986...
.
Scott became a full time starter at left guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
in 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
and became a fixture at the offensive line through the 1984 season
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
.
Steady and rarely penalized, he emerged as one of the top guards
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
in the league during the late 70s and early 80s and together with Pat Donovan formed one of the best left-side tandems in the NFL.
During his time with the Cowboys, center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
John Fitzgerald nicknamed the Cowboys offensive line as the "Four Irishmen and a Scott", when it was formed by Fitzgerald, Scott, Jim Cooper, Tom Rafferty
Tom Rafferty
Thomas Michael Rafferty is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York, and went on to start four years for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University earning All-American honors in 1975.-Early years:Rafferty attended...
and Pat Donvan. That group helped paved the way for Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
's Hall of Fame rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
career.
In 1980
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
, Scott became the Cowboys' first All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
offensive lineman since Rayfield Wright
Rayfield Wright
Larry Rayfield Wright is a former American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-High school and college years:...
in 1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
. He was a two-time first team All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and a three-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er, attending the game from 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
through 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
. Teammate Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
once said, "When Herb goes after a guy, the next thing you see are feet in the air."
On one of his memorable moments, he and Tom Rafferty
Tom Rafferty
Thomas Michael Rafferty is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He attended Fayetteville-Manlius High School in Manlius, New York, and went on to start four years for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University earning All-American honors in 1975.-Early years:Rafferty attended...
teamed on the block that cleared the way for Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
's 99-yard run against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
in 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
.
Scott also caught Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
's final career pass, in a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 1979
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
, but as an offensive lineman, he was an ineligible receiver and the Cowboys were penalized, negating the play.
Injuries slowed Scott later in his career, when he saw some action as a tackle and retired after the 1984 season
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
.
Scott's entire professional career in the NFL was spent with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(1975
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
-1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
). He was a mainstay and cornerstone of the Cowboys offensive line during those 10 seasons. He helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1977 regular season...
and 3 NFC Championships.
Scott is considered to be one of the greatest offensive linemen ever to play for the Cowboys.
In 2006 he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.