Welcome to another edition of the Countdown to Kickoff Series! We’re officially 38 days away until the Dallas Cowboys take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And, to commemorate the number of days until the season opener, we’re honoring the Greatest #38 in franchise history.
While I did miss punching in the Greatest #39 in franchise history this week, I didn’t want to leave you all high and dry. So to ease your curiosity– I would have chosen CB Brandon Carr as the Greatest #39.
(I even had a snazzy title for the piece, “Let’s Hop in the ‘Carr,’ But Make Sure Brandon Is Inside.”)
But enough of the past. Let’s focus on today and dive into Safety Jeff Heath’s NFL career, which translated into him being the Greatest #38 in franchise history.
And, of course, you know the drill. Before we give some roses to Heath and relieve his underrated play-making career, here are all the players who wore #38.
The Following Players Have Worn #38:
- Sam Baker, K/P
- Ron Francis, CB
- Chris Hall, CB
- Duane Hawthorne, CB
- Jeff Heath, S* (active and currently a free agent)
- David Lang, RB
- Israel Mukuamu, S* (active)
- Lynn Scott, S
- John Williams, RB
- Roy Williams, DB (Only wore the number for one season)
Jeff Heath’s NFL Career
Before making his way onto the Dallas Cowboys, Heath went through some life obstacles as a football player. From barely getting recruited out of high school to taking an offer at a D2 university and then going undrafted, Heath had to grind his way to the top. And, to me, there was no doubt Heath used that fire in every play he made on the field.
Heath’s career with the Boys began in 2013, as he impressed coaches enough in Training Camp and during the preseason to earn himself a backup safety gig. While he would remain a viable backup until 2016, Heath made little plays that were arguably underappreciated and underrated.
Once he became a full-time starter in 2017, Heath finished almost top-three in all defensive categories (tackles, TFL, and special teams tackles); and you could argue this was arguably his most memorable play that year:
Jeff Heath keeping #Cowboys playoff hopes alive. pic.twitter.com/rFseqk7K4H
— Dem Boyz Nation (@DemBoyzNation) December 18, 2017
But if we sidetrack and you asked me what my favorite play was of him, it has to be when the Cowboys needed a Kicker after Dan Bailey got hurt in Week 7, and he trotted out there to kick an extra point all nonchalant.
(What makes Heath’s random kicking game even funnier is this video breakdown of former NFL Punter Pat McAfee over Heath, as his best line was, “Look at that stroke.”)
Heath would play two more seasons for the Boys before leaving in free agency in 2020 to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders for two years, $8 million. A so-so season with the Raiders, as I would describe, Heath lasted only one season and attempted to latch on with the New Orleans Saints last year; but got released as well.
Currently, he’s a free agent.
Despite that, Heath and the word “underappreciated” will forever be linked for me. While he wasn’t the most talented player, Heath brought that grit to the Cowboys’ defense– as he wasn’t afraid to knock the crap out of someone.
Yes, he may have given you headaches with his weekly up-and-down performance on the field, but don’t act like you weren’t going crazy when Heath came up with those menacing hits or crucial turnovers on defense.
But for now, we’re going to show some love and appreciation for him today as he earned the crown of being the Greatest #38 in franchise history.
