In terms of overall athletic ability, lettering in multiple sports in high school is quite impressive. Many football coaches say that kind of versatility is the first thing they look for, other sports developing more of the athleticism in a player.

Of course, for anyone to participate in more than one sport in college is rare, at that point having figured out where to focus time and talent. So that's why it's absolutely mind blowing what Chuck Howley did at West Virginia University, earning letters in five – yes, five ­– different sports: football, track, wrestling, gymnastics and swimming.

The fourth player in franchise history inducted into the Ring of Honor and the only player to this day named Super Bowl MVP of a losing team, Howley was in his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia, pumping gas while the Cowboys were going 0-11-1 in their inaugural 1960 season. A first-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1958, the 24-year-old had already retired because of a knee injury. Until, that is, he decided to play in a collegiate alumni game and felt no pain.

In one of the more brilliant decisions in team history, Dallas traded for his rights, head coach Tom Landry saying, "I don't know that I've seen anybody better at linebacker than Howley."

Among the very few who was allowed to freelance within Landry's famed Flex defense, Howley trusted his instincts at the weakside linebacker position, often breaking away from the play call to make a big tackle. Missing just five games in his first 12 seasons with the Cowboys, Howley was everywhere, the lone player in franchise history with 20 sacks and 20 interceptions, finishing with 26 and 24, respectively. His 16 fumble recoveries are also tied for the second most in franchise history.

Howley was named the MVP of Super Bowl V behind two interceptions and a fumble recovery, and he should have been a year later as well when Dallas defeated Miami, 24-3, behind his 10 tackles, an interception and another fumble recovery.

A six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, Howley was named to the second-team All-Decade squad for the 1960s and was finally enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. Which is all the more impressive considering he started the decade pumping gas.