Dallas Mourns the Loss of Super Bowl Champion D.D. Lewis at 79

Dallas, TX – September 17, 2025

The Dallas Cowboys and their fans are mourning the loss of franchise legend D.D. Lewis, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79.

Lewis, a sixth-round pick in the 1968 NFL Draft, went on to play 13 seasons in Dallas, becoming one of the most dependable linebackers in team history. He set a Cowboys record with 27 playoff appearances, including 12 divisional contests, nine NFC Championship Games, and five Super Bowl appearances. He won two titles, lifting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl VI and XII.

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, as the youngest of 14 children, Lewis first made his mark at Mississippi State, where he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American in 1967. He was later inducted into the

College Football Hall of Fame (2001) and the Mississippi State Ring of Honor (2011).

His career was defined not just by longevity, but by impact. In the 1975 NFC Championship Game, Lewis intercepted two passes against the Los Angeles Rams, helping Dallas become the first wild-card team ever to reach the Super Bowl. When Chuck Howley retired in 1973, Lewis stepped into the weakside linebacker role and held it for eight seasons, cementing his reputation as a tough, intelligent defender.

Off the field, he was remembered for a now-iconic quote about Texas Stadium: “It has a hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play.” That line became part of Cowboys lore, reflecting both the team’s identity and Lewis’s wit.

After retiring, Lewis settled in Richardson, Texas, where he devoted his time to family and community. He volunteered with local Boys & Girls Clubs and supported charity golf tournaments and youth programs, embodying the same commitment to service he once showed on the field.

Former teammate Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson summed up Lewis’s impact: “D.D. was a great player. I wanted his job Day 1, but I never could get it because he played Landry’s defense perfectly. He was tough, and he made me better.”

For Cowboys Nation, the loss of D.D. Lewis is more than the passing of a player. It’s the farewell to a champion, a leader, and a man whose toughness and loyalty helped shape Dallas football history. His legacy will forever live in the star on the helmet and in the hearts of fans who watched him give everything to America’s Team.

CHIEFS KINGDOM Heartbroken as Future MVP Preston Malone Dies at 15

Kansas City, MO – Chiefs Kingdom is in mourning after the devastating loss of 15-year-old Preston Malone, a Texas high school football player whose raw talent and fearless drive had many seeing him as a future MVP.

Malone collapsed during football practice after sprinting drills, telling his coaches he didn’t feel well. Trainers reacted immediately, placing him in a cooling tub and checking his temperature, while paramedics were called to provide urgent medical care.

Despite remaining conscious and speaking with coaches at the hospital, his health declined suddenly overnight. By Wednesday morning, Lancaster Independent School District officials confirmed Malone’s death, leaving teammates, family, and the entire community shocked and heartbroken.

In his final words, Malone apologized for not finishing drills and promised his trainer that he would be okay. Those words now haunt teammates who believed they were witnessing the rise of a star.

“Preston carried himself with maturity far beyond his years,” Superintendent A. Katrise Perera said. “Our hearts are broken, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, teammates, and all who knew him.”

Chiefs fans across the country have flooded social media with prayers and tributes. For them, Malone was more than a student-athlete — he was the embodiment of determination, humility, and the dream of NFL greatness.

The district has canceled practices and brought in grief counselors to help students and staff. Still, Malone’s passion and grit remain a powerful reminder of the heart it takes to chase football dreams.

To Chiefs Kingdom, Preston Malone will always be remembered as a symbol of courage and a “future MVP,” whose love for the game reflects the same fire that drives Kansas City’s champions.

School officials said they were “hopeful for his recovery, but his condition changed overnight” and he died on Wednesday morning.

Athletic trainers did “an exceptional job” following heat “procedures and protocols,” school officials said.

 “Our staff was immediate. They did what I would want anyone to do for if it was my child or any other child,” Kimberly Simpson, the chief of communications for Lancaster Independent School District, said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Due to the warm temperatures in Texas, coaches decided to keep football practice indoors on Monday, officials said. Players were also allotted five water breaks — each two minutes long — but were also allowed to grab additional water at other times, officials said.

While the indoor facility did not have an HVAC system installed, the space had four “large garage door areas” that are “always lifted up” along with fans to circulate air, officials said.

Officials also said the players were only wearing shoulder pads and shorts during this practice.

Malone’s official cause of death has not been released. School officials said they are asking the community to “join us in keeping the family in their thoughts and prayers.”

“No one ever wants to be in this position. As a mother, I never want to call a family and share that their kid is not safe in our building [or] our facilities and something has happened to them,” Perera said during the press conference.

Grief counselors are available at Lancaster High School and “across the district for students and staff” through the end of the week, officials said.

The school district has canceled football practices for the remainder of the week, officials said.