Thomas Landry

Thomas Wade Landry (September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000) was a professional football coach, player, and World War II bomber pilot. He served as the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, holding the position for 29 consecutive seasons from 1960 to 1988 — an NFL record. During his tenure he developed the 4–3 defense and the "flex defense" system that defined his Cowboys squads. Landry won two Super Bowl titles (VI and XII), five NFC titles, and 13 divisional titles. His 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985 stand as another NFL record. He finished with a career coaching record of 270–178–6.