This is part of a series of posts that will provide an in-depth look at the Cowboys of the 1960s. Several will provide comprehensive statistics.

Don MeredithIn looking at the passing statistics of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s, it is plainly obvious and not surprising that Don Meredith leads every major category in terms of single-season stats and in terms of stats for the entire decade. What is somewhat surprising is that Eddie LeBaron, who played on some pretty awful Dallas teams from 1960 to 1962, generally outperformed Craig Morton, who saw a significant amount of playing time in 1967 and 1968 and who started in 1969.

For some context, consider these facts:

The 1961 season was the last year that LeBaron served as the primary starter (10 of 14 games). The Cowboys finished 4-9-1 and finished with the following rankings on offense:

Passing Attempts: 3rd out of 14 teams (422)
Passing Yards: 6th out of 14 teams (2661)
Rushing Attempts: 10th out of 14 teams (416)
Rushing Yards: 10th out of 14 teams (1819)

In 1969, when Morton started 13 of 14 games, the Cowboys finished with these rankings:

Passing Attempts: 12th out of 16 teams (355)
Passing Yards: 4th out of 16 teams (2846)
Rushing Attempts: 1st out of 16 teams (532)
Rushing Yards: 1st out of 16 teams (2276)

Morton finished with a better passer rating during the decade, but also had a much better offensive line and all-around talent with which to work than LeBaron. Morton played four more seasons with Dallas during the 1970s, and though he had his best year with the club in 1970, his overall stats were not much better than what he compiled in the 1960s.

Below are total stats for the decade and top 10 performances by season in the various passing categories.


1960s: Career Passing Statistics

Years
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int. Rating
1960-68 Don Meredith 2308 1170 50.69% 17199 135 111 74.8
1960-63 Eddie LeBaron 692 359 51.88% 5331 45 53 67.2
1965-69 Craig
Morton		 585 305 52.14% 4747 40 36 76.5
1965-67 Jerry Rhome 75 39 52.00% 496 1 3 60.8
1969 Roger
Staubach		 47 23 48.94% 421 1 2 69.5
1960 Don Heinrich 61 23 37.70% 371 3 3 54.7
1965-69 Dan
Reeves		 32 14 43.75% 370 2 4 68
1964 John
Roach		 68 32 47.06% 349 1 6 30.8
1969 Calvin Hill 3 3 100.00% 137 2 0 158.3
1964 Billy Lothridge 9 2 22.22% 24 0 2 0
1961 Buddy Humphrey 2 1 50.00% 16 0 0 77.1
1962 Sam Baker 1 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6
1968 Craig Baynham 1 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6
1964 Frank Clarke 1 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6
1964 Perry Lee Dunn 2 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6
1961-62 J.W. Lockett 3 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6
1964 Jim Stiger 1 0 0.00% 0 0 0 39.6

1960s: Season Passing– Attempts

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1964 Don Meredith 323 158 48.92% 2143 9 16
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1960 Eddie LeBaron 225 111 49.33% 1736 12 25
1962 Don Meredith 212 105 49.53% 1679 15 8

1960s: Season Passing– Completions

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1964 Don Meredith 323 158 48.92% 2143 9 16
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1960 Eddie LeBaron 225 111 49.33% 1736 12 25
1962 Don Meredith 212 105 49.53% 1679 15 8

1960s: Season Passing– Percentage (min. 100 att.)

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1962 Eddie LeBaron 166 95 57.23% 1436 16 9
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1961 Don Meredith 182 94 51.65% 1161 9 11
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1967 Craig Morton 137 69 50.36% 978 10 10

1960s: Season Passing– Yards

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1964 Don Meredith 323 158 48.92% 2143 9 16
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1960 Eddie LeBaron 225 111 49.33% 1736 12 25
1962 Don Meredith 212 105 49.53% 1679 15 8

1960s: Season Passing– TD

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1962 Eddie LeBaron 166 95 57.23% 1436 16 9
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16
1962 Don Meredith 212 105 49.53% 1679 15 8
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1960 Eddie LeBaron 225 111 49.33% 1736 12 25

Season Passing– Interceptions

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.		 TD Int.
1960 Eddie LeBaron 225 111 49.33% 1736 12 25
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16
1964 Don Meredith 323 158 48.92% 2143 9 16
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12
1961 Don Meredith 182 94 51.65% 1161 9 11

Season Passing– Rating

Year
Name
Att.
Comp.
Pct.
Yds.
TD
Int.
Rating
1962 Eddie LeBaron 166 95 57.23% 1436 16 9 95.4
1968 Don Meredith 309 171 55.34% 2500 21 12 88.4
1966 Don Meredith 344 177 51.45% 2805 24 12 87.7
1969 Craig Morton 302 162 53.64% 2619 21 15 85.4
1962 Don Meredith 212 105 49.53% 1679 15 8 84.2
1965 Don Meredith 305 141 46.23% 2415 22 13 79.9
1963 Don Meredith 310 167 53.87% 2381 17 18 73.1
1967 Don Meredith 255 128 50.20% 1834 16 16 68.7
1967 Craig Morton 137 69 50.36% 978 10 10 67.7
1961 Eddie LeBaron 236 120 50.85% 1741 14 16 66.7