There are those who will say, with reason, that somebody up there must have taken a fancy to Staubach to get the Cowboys into their third Super Bowl (a record matched only by the Minnesota Vikings). In the playoffs, Dallas was expected to play dead for the powerful Vikings. Instead, Roger, a 1965 graduate of the Naval Academy, heaved a 50-yard scoring pass in the closing seconds of the game, and Dallas edged Minnesota 17-14.
A week later against Los Angeles, one of the best defensive teams in football, Staubach engineered a near-perfect game. Passing for 220 yards and four touchdowns, he dealt the Rams their worst defeat (37-7) in 13 seasons. "Everything fell perfectly into place like it had in no other game I have played in," Staubach said. "I'm not surprised we won—I just expected it to be a little closer."
Closer no doubt it will be against Pittsburgh on Sunday, Jan. 18. "I think we can beat them if we can establish a running game. They have the best defense in the game, but I think we have one of the best offenses."
Although Dallas has not had a losing season since Staubach became its quarterback four years ago, he earns $95,000 annually, a salary substantially below those of some weekend heroes. Unlike other stars who employ high-priced business agents, Staubach negotiates his own contracts, lines up endorsements and makes his own investments. "I've made some big mistakes," he admits, "but my life's still my own."
A devout Catholic who rarely smokes, drinks or swears, Staubach contends he is no stick-in-the-mud. "I have a deep faith in God and my family and that creates certain boundaries for my life," he says earnestly. "I guess it sounds corny nowadays to say that I happen to believe that family is what life is all about. But I'm no robot. I drink a beer occasionally and, heck, I enjoy sex as much as the next person."
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
