Darren Woodson Darren Ray Woodson ( born April 25 , 1969 ) is a former American football safety in the National Football League . He played his entire career for the Dallas Cowboys from 1992 to 2004 . He was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round ( 37th overall ) of the 1992 NFL Draft out of Arizona State University . High School . Woodson was raised by his mother , Freddie Luke , in Maryvale , a West Phoenix neighborhood plagued by violent crime and gang activity . A running back and linebacker at Maryvale High School , he earned All - Metro Division AAA and All - City honors as a senior , once scoring six touchdown s in a single game . He was a teammate of Phillippi Sparks , who would go on to play nine seasons in the NFL . In August 2009 , ESPNRISE . com named Woodson as one of the best high school players to ever come out of Arizona . College . According to a January 23 , 1996 , article in the New York Times , because Woodson failed to meet NCAA academic qualifications for a scholarship , he walked on at Arizona State University . According to the article , " Woodson built a reputation as a ferocious hitter with a keen eye for football . " An undersized linebacker who wore # 6 in college , Woodson was coached by ASU linebacker s coach Lovie Smith , who would go on to serve as head coach of the Chicago Bears . As a sophomore in 1989 , he was voted the team ' s " Most Improved " player , after leading it in total tackles ( 122 ) and tackles for loss ( 5 ) , including a 16 tackle game against Stanford University . During his senior year , he showed his great athleticism by lining up during 2 games as a defensive end and playing on several occasions as an inside linebacker . Woodson finished his college career with 803 tackles and was invited to play on the Blue – Gray Football Classic . A three - year starter at outside linebacker for the Sun Devils , Woodson earned honorable mention All - Pac - 10 honors in 1989 and 1990 , honorable mention All - America as a junior and All - Pac - 10 second team as a senior . He served as team captain as a senior in 1991 and earned a degree in criminal justice . In 2005 he was inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame . In 2009 he was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame . Professional . The Dallas Cowboys selected Woodson in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft , assigning him jersey # 28 . According to a March 16 , 2010 , article by Gerry Fraley in the " Dallas Morning News " , while on a scouting trip to Arizona State University before the draft , Cowboys defensive coordinator Dave Campo " spotted a linebacker who looked like a safety in waiting . Based on Campo ' s input , the Cowboys selected Woodson . " The change allowed him to go from being considered small to becoming an oversized safety . Woodson spent his rookie season on special teams , then moved into the starting lineup at strong safety in 1993 , replacing James Washington . In just his second season , he set a Cowboys franchise record for tackles for a defensive back , with 155 . As described by Fraley , " Woodson had the run - stopping skills of a strong safety and the pass - coverage ability of a free safety . His ability to cover slot receiver s made a significant difference for the defense " . On third downs he played the slot - role in the nickel defense , which is normally done by cornerback s . By having him close to the line of scrimmage , it allowed the team to also use him to stop the run and pressure the quarterback . Woodson quickly became one of the best safeties in the NFL , being selected to five Pro Bowl s and three All - Pro teams by the AP . He also was the first Cowboys safety since Cliff Harris , to be chosen to consecutive Pro Bowl s . He was a member of all three Cowboys Super Bowl champion teams of the 1990s and was described in " Sports Illustrated " as " one of the hardest hitters in the NFL . " In 2002 he broke the Cowboys career tackling record playing against the Seattle Seahawks , but was overshadowed after Emmitt Smith set the NFLs career rushing record during the same game . Woodson sat out all of the 2004 season due to a herniated disc , that forced him to retire at the end of the year . Besides being the leading career tackler with 1350 , he is arguably the franchise ' s best safety and one of its best defensive and special teams players . He was also the last remaining player on the active roster from the Cowboys ' Super Bowl teams . Since Woodson retired , the Cowboys have seen their safety position become a problem for several years . Style of play . The only Cowboys player to suit up for both Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells , Woodson had a rare ability to play both the run and the pass . According to an article from July 3 , 2009 , on DallasCowboys . com , " While Woodson delivered his share of big - time hits from the safety position , he was always the team ' s slot cornerback , covering receivers inside , which is considered to be the toughest spot on the field . In today ' s game , most teams put their best cover corner in the slot , but Woodson did that for years from the safety position . With that , it helped the Cowboys stop the run as well , having a safety that close to the line of scrimmage without being a liability in coverage . " In a Dec . 30 , 2004 , article published in Knight Ridder newspapers , Clarence Hill described Woodson as “ the most versatile safety in the league and arguably the best in ( Dallas Cowboys ) history . " An October 31 , 1994 , article in Sports Illustrated described Woodson as “ a masher who doubles as an outside linebacker in passing situations ” and “ the most productive player on the best defense in the NFL . ” According to the author , “ A combination of strength , brute - force hitting and speed — 4 . 35 seconds in the 40 — makes Woodson the most versatile player on the Super Bowl champions . ” Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson described Woodson as " a player who could hit , tackle and take charge of a secondary . He did all those things with authority . He made his presence known on the football field , but played within the scheme and played smart . " Retirement from football . After missing the 2004 season due to a herniated disc , he officially announced his retirement in December 2004 as the team ' s all - time leading tackler with 1 , 350 career tackles . At the press conference to announce Woodson ' s retirement , Bill Parcells , then head coach of the Cowboys , said : " [ Woodson is ] the kind of guy that makes this profession something that you like to engage in . He ' s the epitome of a professional . He does epitomize that in every sense . What he did in playing and his approach to the game . " Cowboys owner Jerry Jones added : " For 13 years , [ Woodson ] was everything you could ask for - - unselfish , reliable , dependable , a team player first and a team leader always . He ' s a living , breathing example of the saying that character does matter . " During his retirement press conference , Woodson said , " When I put that helmet on , I laid it on the line . Not just for this team , but for everyone here . I laid it on the line every time I put that helmet on . I wanted to win so bad , that nothing else really mattered . The most important thing was giving everything I had each time I stepped out on the field . And I think I did that . " Career after football . Since his retirement , Woodson has worked as a football analyst for ESPN , appearing on programs such as " NFL Live " and " SportsCenter " . In April 2009 , Woodson was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame . In October 2011 Woodson became a founder of GuideHop , an online marketplace for guided tours and activities . Hall of Fame consideration . In October 2008 , Woodson became a first - time candidate on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ' s preliminary list . In September 2011 , Woodson was included on the preliminary list of nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 . In February 2011 , ESPN . com writer Tim MacMahon wrote that Woodson “ deserves serious Hall of Fame consideration and should join the Triplets on the modern side of the [ Dallas Cowboys ] Ring of Honor . ” Personal . Woodson , who has two sons and a daughter from a previous marriage , resides in Dallas where he serves as a Board Member of Make a Wish Foundation ( North Texas ) .