When Scott Laidlaw showed up in Dallas, he was labeled the guy from Stanford. To some, that came with assumptions. Nerdy. Smart. What they missed was a player who understood football down to its bones. If there was anyone who would run into the wrong hole, it wouldn’t have been Laidlaw. Even better was the fact that he fit perfectly in Dallas. The playbook felt familiar, and Laidlaw leaned into it. Before long, he became part of the Cowboys ‘ folklore of the 1975 ‘Dirty Dozen draft’, which saw a bunch of rookies drag the team to a Super Bowl appearance.

While they lost that championship, Laidlaw played in Dallas for a total of five seasons before joining the New York Giants. But his contributions can never be forgotten. That’s the reason Laidlaw was honored for shaping the franchise alongside his fellow ‘Dirty Dozen’ teammates just a month before his death.

“It’s fun. Interesting to see what everybody’s been doing,” Laidlaw said during the ceremony. “We haven’t been together like this before, so it’s very exciting.”

His family confirmed his death, but no cause was mentioned. He was 72.

Laidlaw spent five seasons with the Cowboys from 1975 to 1979, and appeared in the playoffs in three of those seasons. The highlight came in the 1977 season, when Dallas surged all the way to Super Bowl XII and capped the run with a 27-10 victory over the Denver Broncos. That’s when he earned his only Super Bowl ring.

The Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl the very next season, but that run ended in a 35-31 loss to the Steelers. Along the way, though, Laidlaw left his mark in the postseason, scoring two rushing touchdowns: one against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game and another against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional Round.

But his career, though short, was never easy. Knee issues and recurring hamstring injuries constantly tested his durability, even as he remained part of a championship-caliber core. Drafted in the 14th round out of Stanford in 1975, he racked up 1,007 rushing yards and nine touchdowns over 74 games. His 1976 season stood out with 424 yards and three scores, showing what he could do when healthy.

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ member has now left us. Word of his death quickly spread, prompting Cowboys fans to give Laidlaw a heartfelt shout-out for his key role in the Dallas dynasty.

Fans join Thomas Henderson with heartfelt tributes for Scott Laidlaw

Laidlaw’s former teammate, Thomas Henderson, was one of the first to pay homage.

“Scott Laidlaw was a teammate of mine. We were rookies together in 1975. To his family, so so sorry for your loss. Just saw him at the 50 year reunion of the dirty dozen. R.I. P. Buddy,” he wrote on social media.

As news of Scott Laidlaw’s death spread, the NFL world offered prayers and heartfelt tributes, remembering him for his legacy with America’s Team. Fans mentioned on social media:

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• “RIP Scott Laidlaw, NFL Running Back. Dallas Cowboys (1975–1979). Dirty Dozen. Super Bowl Champ (XII). New York Giants (1980). Stanford Cardinal. All-Pac-8 (1974) #InMemoriam #RIP.”
• “What a great player, rest peacefully, Scott Laidlaw.”

For older fans, his passing brought memories rushing back to draft day itself. The 1975 NFL Draft came just two weeks after Super Bowl IX, at a moment when the Cowboys were coming off an 8-6 season. They had missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years. So, the 1975 draft was going to be the turning point for the franchise. They knew the team needed a reboot, and that’s exactly what they did in the draft after choosing 12 rookies: 11 picks and one undrafted free agent. Laidlaw was a part of that cohort.

It was considered one of the best drafts in NFL history. It was the same year Henderson was also drafted.

• “RIP, Scott Laidlaw!”
• “Scott Laidlaw #RIP35 and thanks for the memories. I was a big fan. Honored to of been able to watch u give it all you had for the Cowboys in the great days of football.”

Fans remembered Laidlaw’s contributions and the way the 1975 draft turned things around for the Cowboys. Back at Stanford, he was part of their passing attack. He used that skill to his advantage in professional football.

 “That was actually an advantage for me over guys that came in from the Wishbone or other deals. They had to learn the system,” Laidlaw once said.

He spent much of his career in the background, as a backup. He was waiting for his turn, and that opportunity came in 1978. When Robert Newhouse went down with an injury, Scott Laidlaw grabbed the chance. He stepped into the spotlight and embraced the moment. He wanted to play, and when his chance came, he delivered.

Rest in peace, Scott Laidlaw. A legend who was always ready when it mattered most.