Cowboys Coach Tom Landry tells Joe Theismann how he'd like to be remembered by his players (1989)

Former Washington Redskins QB Joe Theismann sat down as a ESPN Reporter and interviewed former Dallas Cowboys Cowboys Coach Tom Landry after he returned from Europe after his release from the Cowboys organization.
"The most important thing in life in what we do is to have a positive effect among the people you coach. You may not have it right then, but when they get out in their careers after football, and they come back to me and say "I understand what you were talking about when I was playing for you", that's the greatest thrill I have in football". - Tom Landry

[@hoderharris]

Theismann does a good job here. It's clear he has a great deal of respect for Landry and asks him thoughtful questions.

[@williampowell3378]

Yeah

[@Mr.Derogatory316]

Despite the fact that he hated the Dallas Cowboys and didn't like Tom Landry

[@turtle19dad]

He even took up for Coach when by saying “They did you dirty” in a sense.

[@nickcurran3105]

@@Mr.Derogatory316 I don't think he disliked Coach Landry. No one could have conducted an interview like that with a man he disliked. Sure, he probably "hated" him when he was a player, but not really. Not as a man.

[@davidluna5511]

Grown up watching Tom Landry as their head coach of the Dallas you can't look at the Dallas cowboys without thinking about Tom Landry

[@rog9601]

Lets face it, even with all the star players, Tom was really THE Dallas Cowboys.

[@raymondweaver8526]

And Staubach

[@t4texastom587]

@@rog9601 YES......he definitely was.🏈🇨🇱

[@PlasticStrws]

As a 36 year old man. Who was born in Houston and was and always will be partial to the Houston Oilers. Probably coolest name and uniforms ever.

[@jesseg1218]

What an absolute treasure Tom Landry was. I could never see him being rude to a reporter for asking a redundant or ridiculous question. He was all class.

[@gregoryhunt1142]

TRUE CLASS ACT !

[@siberia1409]

Joe Theismann was very professional here! I used to hate the Redskins because of his talent, but he did a good job here and I really liked the fact that he came out and said what many people were thinking! That is the worst he had seen anyone treated in the NFL! Good job Joe!

[@williampowell3378]

Yeah

[@r.williamcomm7693]

Yes IMHO from the minute Joe Theismann went into the broadcasting booth & doing interviews he really did a great job. He became as good at that as he was at football.

[@mikepuleo9375]

I enjoyed Thiesmann doing color commentary and I'm a Dallas fan

[@clifftanton8385]

I will never forgive Jones for his actions against Coach Landry and Coach Johnson

[@clifftanton8385]

Theisman very thoughtful and respectful

[@tyjameson7404]

Joe Theismann did an amazing job in this interview. Pure class and respect ❤️🙏🏽👍🏼🙌🏼

[@williampowell3378]

Yep

[@malachi00000007]

A Great Man....and a great Man Of God!....

[@thomasdunn8214]

A great interview of a great coach. Tom Landry was an NFL treasure and will remain so forever.

[@gregoryhunt1142]

AMEN

[@turtle19dad]

A true gentleman.

[@claystaples362]

One of the greatest coaches of all time.

[@coachmikesfilmroom3111]

He's the most important coach in football history possibly all of sports. His fingerprint is still on every facet of the way the game is played.

[@esequielrodriguez7065]

My head Coach till this day

[@briandavidson1946]

Wow...when did u play for the Cowboys?

[@joedimaggio6261]

@@briandavidson1946 LOL 😆

[@esequielrodriguez7065]

I didn't play with them but with Tom Landry alot of fans were led to the Lord and i am of those fans

[@RETRO_BELL]

Forever and always

[@josephpowelliii9169]

Gr8 Christian gentleman also...the "gold standard"....

[@RAJohns]

Thanks for uploading this. He was a humble man. Flew those bombers over Germany in WWII. The two biggest games were loses, The Ice Bowl and The Catch, but had two SB wins and 20 consecutive winning seasons.

[@rog9601]

You are welcome and am glad to share.

[@peterstanakis4585]

Growing up, first and foremost,my Dad was my hero! Second,Tom Landry was my Coach! Lastly ,Roger Staubach is the greatest field general of all time......God I miss and love my Dad and I love my Dallas Cowboys!!!!!

[@josephpowelliii9169]

Agree totally bro!!!

[@t4texastom587]

I'm with ya', Peter. Same here Brother.

[@kmjr2400]

Mr. Landry was a class act .

[@clydeallen738]

Landry was a class act

[@Ed9870]

Great man. I was privileged to meet Tom Landry at the Touchdown Club in DC in June of 89. Former Redskins coach and his arch-rival George Allen hosted a luncheon and Coach Landry was the first non-Redskin inducted into their Hall of Fame. He was genuinely touched by this honor by his former foes, and he commented that it was the nicest thing to have happened since his firing earlier that Spring. He was such a gentlemen. When I approached him for a handshake, he introduced himself as Tom Landry, and then introduced his wife Alicia to me. And I was just a face in the crowd and he made you feel like you were a guest in his home. A real old school gentleman and an absolute Mount Rushmore NFL legend.

[@romulodelmendo8361]

I remember the year he coached the Cowboys to the Super Bowl against the Steelers with a makeshift team with Preston Pearson as the halfback. He had Staubach do the shovel pass to Preston. He lost 21-17 in a heartbreaker where Staubach's pass was incomplete in the last seconds. But I can see why he considered that year his most memorable. The most heartbreaking loss was against the 49ers in 1981 where they lost because of "The Catch" and Drew Pearson's loose shirt. They had a great team with Danny White at QB.

[@frankieecanales8827]

Percy Howard caught a TD from Roger, and very nearly had his second in the last seconds in the end zone: it bounced off of his helmet off of a Steeler shoulder pads! Would have been THE greatest finish ever!!!!

[@ozneroll2132]

“The Catch”….shouldn’t have beaten the Cowboys….all Dallas needed was a field goal after the catch and Dallas had plenty of time to move down the field and get it but Danny White went and turned the ball over!

[@bonanzatime]

He was the quintessential head coach.

[@michaelwdukes2377]

Greatest coach ever...even a greater man

[@rog9601]

Really no comparison to other coaches Michael.

[@jamesmartin4902]

Tom Landrey was one of my favorite coaches growing up.

[@nymike06]

Joe Theismann does a very good during this interview.

[@stevejustice3436]

Class act

[@t4texastom587]

When Jones bought the team and let Coach Landry go, I honestly tried to like and keep pulling for the team, but found I could not. In '63, I started watching the Cowboys not because of Lebaron, not because of Meredith, not because of Lilly, and not because of Howley. I started watching the Cowboys because of Tom Landry. R. I. P. TOM LANDRY 🏈🇨🇱

[@blachloch1]

Got to meet Mr Landry when I was in basic training in 1983 at Lackland AFB...an amazing man who would not talk football his focus was on God and while as a youngster I was dying to talk football I have the ultimate respect for him because he didn't.

[@frankieecanales8827]

Amen!!

[@jeffkopp1604]

Truly one of the classiest members of the nfl fraternity.

[@nickcurran3105]

I am a Redskins' fan, and I love Tom Landry. I love how Coach Landry said it was his first time visiting Europe with his wife. He was so humble. He could easily have added that he had seen a lot of Europe once before when he flew 30 B-17 combat missions over Europe in 1944-45 as a 20 year old, and saw Belgium up close when he crash landed because his bird had run out of fuel. What a man. A perfect 20th century American man.

[@AZDC99]

Redskins fan FOR LIFE with mad respect for perpetual innovater of the NFL, Mr Cowboy Hat ALWAYS On Sideline... Tom LANDRY! (As much as I always rooted against them all the time.. Legends are legends after the game is over!!)

[@baerhomburg6447]

I’m a lifelong cowboys fan who feels the same about George Allen

[@joseguerra9833]

When I grow up I want to be just like Tom Landry

[@AngelHernandez-vh8vz]

His decision to be a Good Christian man, was greatest accomplishment. HE demonstrated good wisdom here...another great accomplishment was that he was that he flew over 20 missions as a B-17 pilot!! Whm most never made it pass 10 at the time he was in.

[@raymondweaver8526]

Didn't know he was a pilot in WW2. If it is possible, I respect him even more.

[@williampowell3378]

Yes

[@rog9601]

​@@raymondweaver8526There's a video of his service in the war on this channel.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

What a man.

[@jlh4jc]

I've never been a Cowboys fan. But love em or hate em, you have to respect Landry. He was an example of what a leader should be. Time has proven him right as far as what Landry said about straying to far from what made them great. Other than the run in the early to mid 90s, the Cowboys have been average. 2021 notwithstanding at this point, Jerry allowed the franchise to go from America's Team to America's punchline not just because of the mediocrity, but the off the field clown show he's allowed.

[@JHargis68]

Absolute class.

[@tfp0052]

Great man, great coach, great warrior, one in a million!

[@anthonyrenaud5783]

Tom Landry was a man of class!!!

[@Guitarpick1770]

A life well-lived.

[@baymaxc1647]

God Bless your Sweet Soul may you Rest In Peace. You and all your Great Players gave us so very many wonderful memories. Thank You Coach and thank All you wonderful players out there for all the Great years.

[@kaiz3nberg]

THE GOAT. As good as Belichick is I’m glad he didn’t take coach Landry’s record.

[@thesarge4457]

GOD truly Blessed this Man, he comes out Standing Tall at the End of it All. A WWll Pilot/Bomber, Dallas Cowboys Coach for 29 years, and that Steel Gaze that is part of his persona. Thru thick and thin, he seems to Always hold his own. Thanks for the Memories Coach Tom Landry. Thank You Sir.

[@mmcneil777]

He was so stern looking as a coach, but at a personal level he was a very kind man.

[@jbrise7560]

Great coach and great man,Tom Landry.

[@DallasSports-vk6wt]

God's blessed Legendary Coach Tom Landry. and 💯 blessing to my Dallas Cowboys America Team Franchise Historical History Superbowl Champions 🏆 and #20;winning Season, and a true leader created the Flex Defense and Mutiple Shift on Offense and Doomsday Defense and 4-3 defense, We will never forget you , I Love you Coach Landry creator innovative designer of the Flex Defense and Greatest Coach in America Sports World history is the Greatest Franchise Coach ever live. Heavenly blessed Coach Tom Landry One of the reasons I became a fan of my favorite beloved Dallas Cowboys.

[@theearl1477]

You can't find a better gentleman than Tom Landry. His closing remarks in this interview speaks volumes as to how impactful he was as a head coach. He was all class who introduced fashion into the NFL. I wonder if he ever had a men's clothing line.? Kudos to Joe Theismann who did a marvelous job with this interview.

[@chrisragone8785]

Pure class

[@peterdavis8585]

Moved to OK in '67 and found the Cowboys to be the regional home team. Awed by Bob Lily. Mourned over the Ice Bowl loss. Lost my mind over Staubach and Drew Pearson's Hail Mary. And Tony Dorsett. Loved this team and how even when they lost, they made the other team great--like Steelers and 49'ers.

[@rog9601]

Nice recognition Peter. "Even when they lost, they made the other team great--like Steelers and 49'ers". Many teams are recognized when they beat great teams of course, for some lesser status teams, even it is their only win of the year, they stand out for beating a great team.

[@readyfreddy4630]

Great stuff just as coach Landry said in the end there I really enjoy this interview years and years later and joe the old Washington quarterback of all people to interview Landry

[@TheMrdoc26]

Love that man. I loved football when he was there. Saw him first in 1966 in a TV game. Inwas hooked since but what they did to him I was never a cowboy fan again.

[@yongwoo1020]

Absolutely no coaches like Landry today.

[@valtasarrodriguez]

Love him or hate him. Joe Theismann was a great quarterback and my memory of him playing enjoyed watching our Cowboys play against them. There were some close ones and Tom Landry was a big part of them and that’s one thing that always stick in my memory about the Cowboys is how great of a coach he was and a person, and for him to sit there, and say what he said Proves what type of person he was Great man great coach the matter what they have now they’ll never have another Tom Landry

[@wendibernhardt9190]

The best hands down. Never be another one like him. The way he was treated ended my 30 years of support for cowboys unexucusable.

[@williamstalvey6920]

What an outstanding Coach Total professional and now Coaches today, dress like they work at a Car Wash

[@rog9601]

Back then you could tell who was in charge, these days all the coaches blend in with how they dress. Much of it has to do with the NFL promoting their attire, however not many care too much probably about dressing up for a game. A few years back, Mike Nolan, the 49ers coach, wanted to honor his Dad, who was the coach of the 49ers back in the 70's, by wearing a suit and he had to get approval from the league, can you believe that? The league is not as friendly as they used to be.

[@williamstalvey6920]

@@rog9601 yes, I recalled that with Nolan and Jack Del Rio did as well....its a bad look that car wash looking attire they wear....Josh McDaniels I think would look more professional with a Raider Polo...but like you said, they are always promoting gear these days!!

[@gloriabalderrama676]

The greatest coach ever!!!!!!🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@rog9601]

Represented everything well !!

[@lindaharper6233]

The ONLY cowboys coach that I ever thought was the BEST!!!!! A class act all the way!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️😍👍😃 5:44

[@billbates5475]

Of all the coaches the Cowboys have ever had Landry was the best. What he brought not only to the Cowboys but to the NFL was unparalleled in the history of the Cowboys or maybe even the NFL in general. He was an innovative head coach that left his mark on the league. The shotgun formation, the use of computers to design plays, flex defense and a host of other innovations are associated with Coach Landry.

[@DietCokeKillar]

4-3 defense.

[@butta6167]

Love u coach 💙

[@petercondos1018]

As a Pittsburgh Steelers lifelong fan nothing but respect for Coach Landry .

[@tywebb6010]

God’s coach.

[@ExKUKicker]

A truly great man, coach and a servant to The Lord. The Cowboys will not see an icon like this again!🏈

[@denniseverett1904]

Lots of class here. Landry, enough said of course. Theismann has always been classy in his second career. I knew when I was a kid and he was still playing for my team's chief rival that he had a career in football as an analyst and commentator after his playing career. He's really good.

[@rog9601]

I agree, in his playing days I wanted the defense to get after him so bad. I like him as an analyst on TV.

[@samrabito366]

I was a Cowboy's fan until they fired Tom Landry the way they did. Mr. Landry was a class act and a good man.

[@brucedavis3816]

Many are with you!!!

[@Lemopalm]

Jerry Jones had around 6 years of a great team and decades of falling short after. That says it all. You can buy a few good years but you cannot buy class

[@christopherneyfeldt3869]

The way Coach Landry was treated was terrible. I broke all ties with the team. I even lived there 20 years and could not root for them.

[@briandavidson1946]

Nobody really cares.

[@LynyrdSkynyrdFan]

Just incredible footage. Thanks so much for the upload.

[@tooswift5121]

J.T did a good job interviewing

[@tonygarcia3749]

What a Amazing man🤠

[@rog9601]

You don't ever hear coaches think and speak like this any more, if they are out there, it is rare.

[@ealymaysshow]

Landry was a good man.

[@PlasticStrws]

Crazy how a New York giant, built the Dallas cowboys.

[@dollysmith2596]

That’s true!!! Real talk

[@matsugo24]

Great man.

[@tooswift5121]

R.I.P Landry ...Jones could've kept him in the building somewhere. GO COWBOYS

[@ericschminke8233]

I was an avid Cowboys fan from 1967-1993 (Jerry Jones ended it when he fired Johnson in March, 1994.) and during that time the season I will always treasure the most is 1971 when they won their first Super Bowl. (Super Bowl VI when they dominated Miami 24-3.) The most meaningful seasons were the first 9. When they became known as "America's Team" they seemed to lose some of their character and became too commercialized. I hated that "America's Team" label and always will.

[@briandavidson1946]

Jerry egomaniac And a bozo. Can't stay out of his own way.

[@rog9601]

The America's team is based on their popularity nationwide. Love it or hate it. it's true.

[@phelpsmarc]

Landry all class.

[@michael.prescott4016]

what a great American

[@rog9601]

And then some......

[@Mtl3944]

Man is clearly human and empathetic.

[@mindeloman]

I remember getting out of my car on 2/17/2000 and there were a flight F-16s orbiting around Dallas. It was LOUD. I had no idea what was going on. And the my dad told me. It was the honor flight for doing a fly by over the funeral services of 2nd Lt. Thomas Landry United States Army Air Crops. How many NFL heah coaches had the US Air Force do a flyover over their funeral?

[@Lonette]

I wish more NFL coaches today were as classy as Tom was. AND IS THAT DAN PATRICK!!?

[@tomcloss2506]

Great video, thanks!!!!!

[@steverojas9595]

The great lengendary Tom Landry. I think he would have been a great president

[@rog9601]

I believe he was asked to run for governor I actually have a Landry for Governor bumper sticker but he had no interest in politics.

[@user-fn6lt2cn3o]

😊 Class. Coach. Class. Man

[@bayfox1235]

One word legend

[@timsparks1858]

Landry Class....Jones and Johnson Crass

[@ginadrew153]

Greatest coach that ever walked the sidelines

[@rog9601]

And wore a hat !

[@rogersparks34]

Hail Tom Landry. He is the mark of all the coaches behind him on the Cowboys sideline past him. Johnson has to be ranked behind him, prime reason for that is the lack of length of him on the sideline.

[@WorkFromYourLaptop]

That’s nice they were able to do this interview in a restaurant’s kitchen after hours.

[@r.w.7232]

There will always be a stain on Jerry Jones for how he delt with Tom Landry. Jones will never be able to shake that and he knows it. That's why the stadium nor anyting else has ever been named to honor Tom Landrys legacy.

[@ericschminke8233]

The way Jerry treated Tom is just one stain on his "legacy".

[@briandavidson1946]

And how he continues to treat Jimmy. Ring of Honor.....when Jimmy is dead....and he can't be recognized. Jerry's EGO has messed it all up Great business. Terrible owner.

[@naturetrails8357]

First class Christian coach

[@josephpowelliii9169]

There will never be another coach like Landry...never ever. He is the gold standard...as a coach, and as a human being. Football in the upper echelon is more cutthroat today, and probably more dishonest than it has ever been. Now that "game fixing" has become a possibility, I don't enjoy watching football as much. I'm sure there are exceptions(I hope so anyway)...but who knows now what goes on with the team owners behind closed doors before the game...or season....

[@rog9601]

Can you think of any other coach, at least in modern times that spoke that way about his players? Yes, sports is not everything.

[@dollysmith2596]

That’s so true

[@bloqk16]

This interview clears up a lot of projected notions, that's been commented about in other KZbin posts, of what they assumed Landry felt about his dismissal and loyalties in football.

[@jbratt]

A WWII B-17 pilot. An American hero.

[@rog9601]

Just being the World War II pilot makes him a hero.

[@jbratt]

@@rog9601 yes. My dad was also a WWII pilot.

[@cowboysfan782008]

We need more Tom Landry's today. Wonder what he'd say about having to address players by their preferred pronouns. If he was coaching still, he might say well I think it's been a good run, but it's now time to hang up my fidora.

[@rog9601]

This pronoun crap has got to stop.

[@martinalarcon3108]

Joe theisman got cancel cause he is maga , great player , as a long NY giants fan , I love ❤️ these guys they r part of some of great football memories that made me love this sport , thanks for the great memories

[@jrb37300]

In 1989, he was saying how much money there was in pro football. What would he think of today's NFL?

[@outoftheirskulls5676]

As a Lifelong skins fan. (1965) Jones handling of Coach Landry is one of the worst things I ever witnessed in sports. Now. The dumbest thing I ever witnessed, was the firing of Jimmy Johnson after winning two Superbowl's in a row. As a Skins fan. Thank You Jerry Jones for being such a fool.

[@rog9601]

Our loss, your gain !

[@briandavidson1946]

Dallas ain't winning a title till Jerry is dead Cowboy fan since 1975.

[@jeffkong8573]

Yes he was👍

[@edb8177]

ESPN landed the exclusive interview of Tom Landry and decided to conduct it in a building that was under construction smh...

[@rog9601]

Yes, it is weird with the background noise.

[@josephhewison3818]

Because of the great man that Tom Landry is… and the way Jones treated him… I will always despise the Cowboys.

[@thegorn68]

So annoying, all the noise in the background. ESPN couldn't find a better place to interview a legend? Why not just interview him in the middle of Grand Central Station?

[@HeavySixer]

Better man than me.

[@mcndev21]

How ironic that interview was from Joe Theisman

[@ddmarty]

I was thinking the same thing. Like two opposing, retired warriors coming together long after they fought each other and breaking bread. How cool is that. Can you imagine the feeling between the two? "After all those games, trying to beat each other, we can relax and laugh about it."

[@robertjones8771]

YE!🏈

[@gregoryhunt1142]

# 1

[@BT-be8rh]

I can't phantom Landry dealing with all the "Look at me" dancing and celebrating players that are in the game today!!

[@rog9601]

Yeah, they look stupid doing that too. Imagine after their turnover celebration, their team turns it back over. Premature celebration is what that is called. It's amazing what players used to be fined for back in the day are now allowed but likely encouraged to do so.

[@BT-be8rh]

@@rog9601 I can barely watch anymore! It's definitely encouraged, they have cameras there just for it! 🤮

[@KarmicPatina]

Joe Theisman is the last person I would have doing this interview

[@rog9601]

It would have been interesting to hear their discussion that was off camera as well.

[@raymondweaver8526]

I disagree.