Players who played for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions
55 NFL players have suited up for both franchises. Here they all are, ranked the way The Chains ranks them, most recognizable first.
55
Players
5
Easy to name
Legendary
Best link
Chains matchup: Tough. Compared with the other 495 team pairs, based on how many of these players are easy to name.
How this plays in The Chains
Every link in a puzzle is scored by how unlikely it was that a fan would name it. Connect a Cowboys player to a Lions player through Drew Henson and the link is rated Legendary (+250 bonus points). The obvious answers score little. The deep cuts are where the big points are.
Play today's puzzleEasy to name
Common and Uncommon. The easiest answers between these two teams.
- Common
Roy Williams
WR · 2004–2011 · DAL 2008–2010, DET 2004–2008
- Uncommon
Everson Griffen
DE · 2010–2021 · DAL 2020, DET 2020
- Uncommon
Ernie Sims
OLB · 2006–2013 · DAL 2012–2013, DET 2006–2009
- Uncommon
Justin Durant
OLB · 2007–2017 · DAL 2013–2014, 2016–2017, DET 2011–2012
- Uncommon
Anthony Henry
DB · 2001–2009 · DAL 2005–2008, DET 2009
In the middle
Real answers, but not the first ones people think of.
- Rare
Dan Campbell
TE · 1999–2008 · DAL 2003–2005, DET 2006–2008
- Rare
Jon Kitna
QB · 1997–2013 · DAL 2009–2011, 2013, DET 2006–2008
- Rare
Daryl Worley
DB · 2016–2024 · DAL 2020, DET 2021
- Rare
Matt Cassel
QB · 2005–2018 · DAL 2015, DET 2018
- Rare
Ryan McNeil
DB · 1993–2003 · DAL 2000, DET 1993–1996
- Rare
Brock Marion
DB · 1993–2004 · DAL 1993–1997, DET 2004
- Rare
Bobby Carpenter
ILB · 2006–2012 · DAL 2006–2009, DET 2010–2011
- Rare
Bryant Westbrook
DB · 1997–2002 · DAL 2002, DET 1997–2001
- Rare
Amani Oruwariye
DB · 2019–2025 · DAL 2024, DET 2019–2022
- Rare
Jayron Kearse
DB · 2016–2023 · DAL 2021–2023, DET 2020
- Rare
Datone Jones
DE · 2013–2020 · DAL 2017–2018, DET 2017
- Rare
Alonzo Spellman
DL · 1992–2001 · DAL 1999–2000, DET 2001
- Rare
Broderick Thomas
LB · 1990–1998 · DAL 1996–1998, DET 1994
- Rare
Robert Bailey
DB · 1991–2001 · DAL 1995, DET 1997–1999, 2001
- Rare
Leonard Davis
OL · 2001–2012 · DAL 2007–2010, DET 2011
- Rare
Rodney Peete
QB · 1990–2004 · DAL 1994, DET 1990–1993
- Rare
James Houston
LB · 2022–2026 · DAL 2025–2026, DET 2022–2024
- Rare
Kerry Hyder
DT · 2015–2023 · DAL 2019, DET 2015–2016, 2018
- Rare
Curvin Richards
RB · 1991–1993 · DAL 1991–1992, DET 1993
- Rare
Corey Ballentine
DB · 2019–2025 · DAL 2025, DET 2021
- Rare
Kevin Ogletree
WR · 2009–2014 · DAL 2009–2012, DET 2013–2014
- Rare
Aveion Cason
RB · 2001–2008 · DAL 2003, DET 2001–2002, 2006–2008
- Rare
Aaron Gibson
OL · 1999–2004 · DAL 2001–2002, DET 1999–2001
- Rare
Eric Frampton
SS · 2007–2013 · DAL 2012, DET 2007
- Rare
Reggie Swinton
WR · 2001–2005 · DAL 2001–2003, DET 2003–2004
- Rare
Caraun Reid
DT · 2014–2021 · DAL 2018, DET 2014–2015, 2017
- Rare
Micheal Spurlock
KR · 2006–2014 · DAL 2013, DET 2013
- Rare
Marvin White
FS · 2007–2010 · DAL 2009, DET 2009
- Rare
Stephen Peterman
G · 2005–2012 · DAL 2005, DET 2006–2012
- Rare
Tyrus Wheat
DL · 2023–2026 · DAL 2023–2024, 2026, DET 2025
- Rare
John Jett
SPEC · 1993–2003 · DAL 1993–1996, DET 1997–2003
- Rare
Josh Thomas
CB · 2011–2015 · DAL 2015, DET 2014
- Rare
Jake McQuaide
LS · 2011–2025 · DAL 2021–2022, DET 2023
- Rare
Kellen Moore
QB · 2012–2017 · DAL 2015, 2017, DET 2012–2014
- Rare
Christian Ringo
DL · 2016–2022 · DAL 2018, DET 2017
- Rare
Kyle Kosier
T · 2002–2011 · DAL 2006–2011, DET 2005
- Rare
Quinton Bohanna
DL · 2021–2025 · DAL 2021–2022, DET 2023
- Rare
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
SS · 2010–2013 · DAL 2010–2011, DET 2013
- Epic
Landon Cohen
DT · 2008–2013 · DAL 2013, DET 2008–2009
- Epic
Darian Barnes
FB · 2002–2008 · DAL 2004, DET 2008
- Epic
Derek Tennell
TE · 1991–1993 · DAL 1992, DET 1991
- Epic
Saivion Smith
DB · 2020–2022 · DAL 2020, DET 2021–2022
The rarest links
The players almost nobody names first, and the biggest bonus in a puzzle.
- Epic
Emmett Cleary
T · 2015–2017 · DAL 2016, DET 2017
- Epic
Rolan Milligan
DB · 2016–2019 · DAL 2016, DET 2017
- Epic
Eddie Murray
SPEC · 1990–2000 · DAL 1993, 1999, DET 1990–1991
- Epic
Chris Greenwood
DB · 2013–2014 · DAL 2013, DET 2013
- Epic
Andy Jones
WR · 2016–2018 · DAL 2016, DET 2017–2018
- Epic
Shaun Chapas
RB · 2011–2012 · DAL 2011, DET 2012
- Legendary
Rodney Coe
DL · 2016–2017 · DAL 2016, DET 2017
- Legendary
Drew Henson
QB · 2004–2008 · DAL 2004–2005, DET 2008
Teams are counted as franchises, so earlier cities and names are included (the Raiders in Oakland, the Rams in St. Louis, the Titans as the Oilers). Rarity tiers come from the same scoring The Chains uses in its daily puzzles. A small set of one-season 2002 entries that couldn't be verified is left out.
More Cowboys matchups
Cowboys and 49ers · Cowboys and Bears · Cowboys and Bengals · Cowboys and Bills · Cowboys and Broncos · Cowboys and Browns · Cowboys and Buccaneers · Cowboys and Cardinals · Cowboys and Chargers · Cowboys and Chiefs · Cowboys and Colts · Cowboys and Commanders · Cowboys and Dolphins · Cowboys and Eagles · Cowboys and Falcons · Cowboys and Giants · Cowboys and Jaguars · Cowboys and Jets · Cowboys and Packers · Cowboys and Panthers · Cowboys and Patriots · Cowboys and Raiders · Cowboys and Rams · Cowboys and Ravens · Cowboys and Saints · Cowboys and Seahawks · Cowboys and Steelers · Cowboys and Texans · Cowboys and Titans · Cowboys and Vikings
More Lions matchups
Lions and 49ers · Lions and Bears · Lions and Bengals · Lions and Bills · Lions and Broncos · Lions and Browns · Lions and Buccaneers · Lions and Cardinals · Lions and Chargers · Lions and Chiefs · Lions and Colts · Lions and Commanders · Lions and Dolphins · Lions and Eagles · Lions and Falcons · Lions and Giants · Lions and Jaguars · Lions and Jets · Lions and Packers · Lions and Panthers · Lions and Patriots · Lions and Raiders · Lions and Rams · Lions and Ravens · Lions and Saints · Lions and Seahawks · Lions and Steelers · Lions and Texans · Lions and Titans · Lions and Vikings