'They Broke My Heart': Cowboys Legend Drew Pearson Upset Over Not Making Hall Of Fame - After Over 30 Years
PLANO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Drew Pearson, along with family, friends and media members, waited for nearly two hours Wednesday morning at his Plano home for the long-awaited news of the Dallas Cowboys legend's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The news never came.
Pearson will have to continue to wait -- and he's been waiting for over 30 years.
"We thought we were gonna have a good moment. We deserve that moment. Can't do nothing about it," Pearson told everyone at his home.
As a receiver, Pearson was part of a Super Bowl winning Cowboys team in the 1970s that included current Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett.
He began his historic NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Tulsa with the Cowboys in 1973. He then went on to make three Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro three times, as well.
Pearson made many game-winning catches in his 11-year career, but his most famous was the 50-yard "Hail Mary" catch from Staubach to seal a 1975 playoff victory over the Vikings.
Pearson helped lead Dallas to three Super Bowl appearances and one win in Super Bowl XII at the end of the 1977 season.
Many, including himself, believe he deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame alongside his fellow teammates. He's been eligible for over 30 years after retiring in 1983.
Pearson was visibly upset after the NFL Network finished listing the names for this year's Hall of Fame Class of 2020, which includes former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and former safety (and Pearson's teammate) Cliff Harris.
"Can't catch no more damn passes. Can't run no more routes. It's there!" Pearson said. "What upsets me more is when they say you don't deserve it, they sought negative about you. There's nothing negative about my career in the NFL. Nothing!"
"You put your hands into fate, your fate in the hands of people and you trust them to do it right... it hurts. They broke my heart," Pearson said.
After waiting over 30 years for the call into the Hall of Fame, Pearson was also upset over how the NFL handled the announcements of the inductees. The remaining Class of 2020 -- after Johnson and former Steelers coach Bill Cowher were announced last weekend -- was listed during the NFL Network's Good Morning Football show over a nearly two-hour stretch.
Pearson and everyone at his home were forced to sit and wait while the names were listed during the show, hoping Pearson would finally be called.
"They won't get me again. They won't get me like this again. This is the last one. They're not gonna screw me again," Pearson said.
"They broke my heart. And they did it like this!" Pearson said. "They strung it out like this."
