Danny White

Wilford Daniel White was born on February 9, 1952, in Mesa, Arizona. His athletic career began at Westwood High School, where he was recognized more for his baseball skills than football. However, Arizona State University’s football coach, Frank Kush, saw potential in White as a quarterback and punter, securing him a scholarship. White’s collegiate football career at Arizona State was marked by significant achievements, including quarterbacking the team to a 32–4 record, three Western Athletic Conference championships, and three Fiesta Bowl victories between 1971 and 1973. During this period, he compiled 6,717 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, and maintained an average of 41.7 yards per punt, earning All-American honors in 1973. His jersey number 11 was retired by Arizona State, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the State of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, and the Arizona State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

White was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 1974 NFL Draft. However, he initially chose to play for the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League from 1974 to 1975, where he accumulated 2,635 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. Upon the World Football League’s dissolution, White signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 1976. For four seasons, he served as the team’s punter and backup quarterback to Roger Staubach. Following Staubach’s retirement in 1979, White became the Cowboys’ starting quarterback in 1980, continuing to punt for the team until 1984. He led the Cowboys to five playoff appearances, including three consecutive NFC Championship Games from 1980 to 1982. White earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 1982. Over his NFL playing career, which concluded in 1988, he recorded 1,761 completions on 2,950 attempts for 21,959 yards, 155 touchdowns, and 132 interceptions, alongside 610 punts for 24,509 yards.

After retiring from playing, White transitioned to a coaching career in the Arena Football League (AFL). He led the Arizona Rattlers as head coach from 1992 to 2004, guiding them to two ArenaBowl championships in 1994 and 1997. Following his tenure with the Rattlers, he became the head coach for the expansion Utah Blaze from 2006 to 2008. White’s coaching career in the AFL was highly successful, with a combined record of 162–95, including 10 playoff appearances in 11 seasons. In recognition of his coaching achievements, he was inducted into the Arena Football League Hall of Fame in 2002. Currently, he serves as a color commentator for Cowboys games on Compass Media Networks’ America’s Team Radio Network.