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Dallas Cowboys icon and Super Bowl champion Lee Roy Jordan has died at the age of 84.
In 14 years as a linebacker for the Cowboys, he was selected to five Pro Bowls and won the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl against the Dolphins after the 1971 season.
The Cowboys announced Jordan's death on Saturday without saying when he died or giving a cause of death.
A Cowboys statement read: 'It is with a very heavy heart that we share the passing of Lee Roy Jordan. An inspirational leader of the Cowboys first championship teams, Jordan was at the core of the Dallas Cowboys "Doomsday Defense," anchoring the middle linebacker spot for 14 years.
'As a five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro choice, Jordan was the first Dallas Cowboy inducted into the Ring of Honor by Jerry Jones in 1989.
'With fearless instincts, leadership and a relentless work ethic, Jordan was the embodiment of the Cowboys spirit. Off the field, his commitment to his community was the centerpiece of his life after retiring in 1976.
'His legacy lives on as a model of dedication, integrity and toughness. Lee Roy Jordan's impact on the game, and on those who knew him, will live on forever. Our hearts go out to Lee Roy's family, friends and loved ones.'
Dallas Cowboys icon and Super Bowl champion Lee Roy Jordan has died at the age of 84
In 14 years with the Cowboys, he was selected to five Pro Bowls and won Super Bowl VI
Jordan was drafted out of Alabama into both the NFL (by the Cowboys) and American Football League (by the New England Patriots), but chose the former just as it was growing into football's dominant competition.
With the Crimson Tide, he played both ways as an offensive lineman and linebacker.
In 1961, he was part of the Alabama team that went 11-0 and won a national title under head coach Bear Bryant. In the following season, Jordan finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy standings.
Jordan was a big part of the "Doomsday" defense that carried the Cowboys to a Super Bowl title in a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins during the 1971 season. He retired in 1976, the year before Dallas won its second championship.
A five-time Pro Bowler, Jordan was the first player inducted into the team's ring of honor after owner Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989.
Jordan is still second on the team's all-time tackles list with 1,236. Darren Woodson, a safety on the Dallas teams that won three Super Bowls in the 1990s, has 1,350.
