Leon Lett
DT #78 — Dallas Cowboys
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About Leon Lett
Leon Lett played 10 seasons of NFL football for the Dallas Cowboys. He was a two-time Pro Bowler, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and a legitimately good defensive tackle who could move faster than a 290-pound man should be able to move. None of that is why you know his name. You know Leon Lett because of two plays. That's it. Two plays out of a decade-long career, and they are two of the most replayed bloopers in NFL history.
The first: Super Bowl XXVII. Lett scooped up a fumble, rumbled toward the end zone with nobody near him, and started celebrating before he crossed the goal line. Don Beebe, sprinting from behind, knocked the ball loose. Touchback. No touchdown. The second: Thanksgiving Day, 1993. Miami missed a field goal. The ball was sliding harmlessly through the end zone. All Dallas had to do was let it go. Lett, for reasons that remain unclear to everyone including Leon Lett, slid into the ball, touched it, and gave Miami a recovery. The Dolphins kicked the game-winning field goal. Two plays. A man's entire football legacy, compressed into two moments of spectacularly bad judgment. The cruel part is that Lett was a good player. The funny part is that nobody will ever care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Leon Lett only known for blooper plays?
Essentially, yes. He won three Super Bowls and made two Pro Bowls, but the career accomplishments exist in a separate universe from the two plays that made him famous. Every NFL blooper reel starts or ends with Leon Lett. He is the patron saint of premature celebration and unnecessary contact. His legacy is a cautionary tale about what happens when you do the wrong thing at the most visible possible moment.
What makes Leon Lett content different from other Cowboys content?
Every other Cowboys legend on this page is known for doing something great. Lett is known for doing something memorably wrong, twice, on national television. His content is pure slapstick. It's physical comedy on the biggest stage. The Super Bowl fumble is a lesson in hubris. The Thanksgiving play is a lesson in impulse control. Both are funny because Lett seems like such a likable guy who just could not help himself.
Last updated: April 2026