DALLAS _ The Cowboys' contingent in the Pro Football Hall of Fame continues to grow, but one notable name has been left in the cold, again.
Joining former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson, former hard-hitting safety Cliff Harris learned Wednesday morning that he will be the franchise's newest representative in Canton, Ohio.
Harris becomes part of a special centennial class that will be enshrined later this year to celebrate the NFL's 100th birthday. The 20-member class consists of 10 players from the senior class, three contributors and two coaches. Five modern-day players will round out the class of 2020 when they are revealed on Feb. 1, the day before Super Bowl LIV.
Harris also becomes the 19th person to represent the Cowboys in the Hall of Fame.
Johnson got the Cowboys procession underway on Sunday evening when David Baker, the president of the hall, surprised the former Cowboys coach with the news in the Fox Studios at the half of Sunday's playoff game between Green Bay and Seattle. Johnson led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships in the early '90s and set the stage for another.
Harris, a member of the Cowboys' Ring of Honor, entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 1970 out of tiny Ouachita Baptist in Arkansas. He worked his way into the starting lineup as a rookie and stayed there for nine consecutive seasons.
A member of the 1970s all-decade team, Harris was the only defensive starter from that team without a bust in Canton. The free safety was named to six Pro Bowls, four All-NFL teams and was an integral part of two Super Bowl-winning teams.
Harris finished his Cowboys career with 29 interceptions and 16 fumble recoveries. He was at his best in the playoffs with six interceptions in 21 postseason games.
His nickname was "Captain Crash."
Former Dallas receiver Drew Pearson also was a finalist for the centennial class, along with original franchise owner Clint Murchison, but didn't make the final cut announced Wednesday.
Pearson, also in the Cowboys' Ring of Honor, was on the receiving end of one of the league's most iconic plays, the Hail Mary reception from Roger Staubach that sealed a playoff victory over Minnesota in 1975. But his accomplishments went well beyond that one play.
Like Harris, he was named to the league's All-Decade team for the '70s. He remains the only offensive player on that team not to currently have a bust in Canton.
The Tulsa star had a knack for rising to the occasion, earning him the nickname "Mr. Clutch." He led the Cowboys in receptions and receiving yards for four consecutive seasons ('74-77) and played a significant role on the team that won Super Bowl XII.
Pearson was named to the Pro Bowl three times and was recognized as an All-Pro on three occasions. The club has not retired his number, but it's handed out sparingly, going to Michael Irvin and Dez Bryant after him.
When asked on an appearance on 1310 The Ticket, Harris said he was "really sad" that he and Pearson weren't a part of the same Hall of Fame class.
"I'm so happy right now, but I'm equally unhappy that Drew didn't make it," Harris said. "As I've said, and he knows this, he and I are like brothers. My son is named Andrew. I call Drew, he's like my little brother. ... But he's my buddy, he's my friend. I care about him (and) love him. It hurts me that he didn't make it. I wish that we coulda gone in together."
Pearson, in an appearance on 105.3 The Fan's "K&C Masterpiece" expressed his frustrations of not making the Hall, but offered up an appreciation of a different kind.
"Being selected in the Hall of Fame would've been icing on the cake," he said. "Let me tell you something, guys: being a former Dallas Cowboy, that's the cake. I've been able to make a great living as a former Dallas Cowboy because of that. Hall of Fame would've just added to that."
A group called "Friends of Clint Murchison Jr." sent materials to the Pro Football Hall of Fame eight months ago to lobby for his inclusion. The presentation included two videos that detail Murchison's accomplishments during his ownership of the Cowboys and a letter of nomination.
Six members of the Hall of Fame are among the 20 signatures on the letter. They are Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Mel Renfro and Rayfield Wright. Other star Cowboys players, executives and friends fill out the list.
Murchison landed the expansion franchise, which began play in 1960. He presided over an era that yielded five Super Bowl appearances, two championships and 20 consecutive winning seasons.
Unlike Jerry Jones, who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame two years ago, Murchison preferred to stay in the background and allow the triumvirate of Tom Landry, Tex Schramm and Gil Brandt run the franchise. This is why the group has chosen to emphasize the owner's insight and leadership in the construction of Texas Stadium.
Murchison moved the team from the Cotton Bowl to Texas Stadium in '71 and owned the franchise until '84. He passed away three years later at the age of 63.
