Leon Lett Leon Lett , Jr . ( born October 12 , 1968 ) , nicknamed The Big Cat , is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys ( 1991 – 2000 ) and the Denver Broncos ( 2001 ) , after playing college football at Emporia State University . Lett was a two - time Pro Bowl er , with selections in 1994 and 1998 . He is also remembered for his involvement in two infamous plays during his tenure with the Cowboys . Early life . Lett graduated from Fairhope High School and received an American football scholarship from Auburn University , but after scoring a low ACT , he had to play two seasons at Hinds Community College in Raymond , Mississippi . He was set to move to New Mexico State University , but after having problems with his transfer credits , he accepted a partial scholarship offer from Emporia State University in Kansas . He earned All - NAIA District 10 recognition as a senior , but pro scouts lost interest when he missed his first four games with a right knee injury . He wasn ' t invited to any senior all - star games or the NFL Scouting Combine . Professional career . Dallas Cowboys . Lett was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 7th round of the 1991 NFL Draft as a defensive tackle . He spent much of his rookie season on injured reserve with a lower back problem . After entering the league at 6 ' 6 " and 260 pounds , by the end of his rookie year , he had put on 16 more pounds , eventually playing at 300 . In his second season , he quickly blossomed into a key player in the Cowboys defensive line rotation . His teammates nicknamed him " Big Cat " in deference to his agility . In 1993 , Lett fractured his right ankle in the third game of the season . He was forced to miss five games . In 1994 , he was named to the first of his two Pro Bowl s . From 1995 to 2000 , Lett was suspended three times by the NFL for violating its substance abuse policy , missing a total of 28 games . He served a four - game suspension in the middle of the 1995 season , a full 16 - game suspension ( 3 games in 1996 and 13 games of 1997 ) and an eight - game suspension at the start of the 2000 season . When Lett was playing , he was one of the most feared defensive players in the game . Even though he was constantly double teamed , he dominated at the point of attack affecting both the running and the passing game of teams . He was part of the Cowboys Super Bowl winning teams in 1992 , 1993 and 1995 . In 1998 , he had 51 tackles , four sacks , 20 quarterback pressures , a team - high seven tackles for losses ( 98 ) and was named to his second Pro Bowl . In 2000 , he suffered a season - ending knee injury in practice that forced him to miss the final seven games of the season . Denver Broncos . In 2001 he signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos , where he played his final season before retiring with 22 . 5 career quarterback sacks and seven fumble recoveries in 121 games . Infamous plays . Lett was a talented player and a cornerstone of the Cowboys defense during his tenure , but he is also remembered for being involved in two infamous plays . Two of the top three of ESPN ' s " 25 Biggest Sports Blunders " are attributed to Lett . The fans ranked him # 1 and # 3 , whereas an expert panel placed him at # 2 and # 3 . Super Bowl XXVII . The first play ( ranked # 1 in the ESPN fan list , # 2 in the ESPN expert panel ) occurred in January 1993 , in Super Bowl XXVII . Late in the fourth quarter , Lett recovered a fumble on the Dallas 35 - yard line and ran it back towards the end zone . When he reached the 10 - yard line , Lett slowed and held the ball out as he approached the goal line . However , Lett did not see Bills player Don Beebe chasing him down from behind . Beebe knocked the ball out of Lett ' s outstretched hand just before he crossed the goal line , which sent the ball through the endzone , and resulted in a touchback that cost Lett his touchdown . Lett later said he was watching the Jumbotron , and trying to do a " Michael Irvin " , where he put the ball out across the goal line . The Cowboys had a commanding 52 – 17 lead at the time , and the play did not affect the outcome of the game , but it embarrassed Lett and is still well known today . Lett ' s gaffe also cost the Cowboys the record for most points scored in a Super Bowl ( 55 , by the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV ) . 1993 Thanksgiving Classic . The second play ( ranked # 3 in both ESPN lists ) occurred during the very next season and was more serious as it resulted in a Cowboy defeat . On Thanksgiving Day in 1993 , during a rare snow and sleet storm in Dallas , the Cowboys , who came into the game with a 7 - 3 record , were leading the 8 - 2 Miami Dolphins by a score of 14 – 13 with 15 seconds remaining in the game . The Dolphins attempted a 41 - yard field goal to take the lead but the kick was blocked . While most of his teammates began celebrating , Lett attempted to recover the ball . He slipped on the ice as he tried to pick up the football , and Miami recovered the " muff " on the Dallas one - yard line . Had Lett simply done nothing , the Cowboys would have automatically received possession and could have run out the clock . By touching the ball and then failing to hold onto it , Lett enabled the Dolphins to take possession and then try another field goal with three seconds left on the clock . This second attempt was successful and the Dolphins won the game 16 – 14 as the clock expired . The play did not hurt the Cowboys ' season as they won all of their remaining regular - season games and went on to win the Super Bowl . The Dolphins took over sole possession of the lead in the AFC East with the win , but did not win another game for the rest of the year , dropping their last five games and finishing out of the playoffs . In 2008 , the game was named the third - most memorable in the history of Texas Stadium by ESPN . Post - retirement . On February 21 , 1998 , Leon had a daughter by the name of Princess Leondra in Dallas , Texas . On May 9 , 2009 , Lett graduated from the University of Nevada , Las Vegas with a degree in university studies and a concentration in sociology and history . On December 19 , 2009 , he was appointed defensive tackle coach for the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks . Lett was hired on July 20 , 2011 , by the Cowboys as part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program to assist defensive line coach Brian Baker during training camp . On March 31 , 2011 , Lett was hired as an assistant defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys .