Tony Liscio

Anthony Liscio (born July 2, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League from 1963 through 1971. He played college football at the University of Tulsa. Liscio was present at the infamous Ice Bowl, and often credited with easing tensions between African-American and Caucasian teammates on the Dallas Team.

Early years
Liscio attended Westinghouse High School where he was an All-state end in football, the starting center in basketball and practiced the shot put for the track and field team. He was inducted into the Westinghouse High School Wall of Fame.

He went on to become a two-way starting tackle for the University of Tulsa. As a senior he was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and was invited to play in the College All-Star Game against the NFL. In 2004, he was inducted into the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame.

Green Bay Packers
Liscio was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 3rd round of the 1963 NFL Draft and was tried on the defensive side. He was eventually released the week of the season opener.

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)
Liscio was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Cowboys who switched him to offense, and named him the starter at left tackle at the end of his rookie season. He would go on to become a stalwart on the Cowboys offensive line for almost a decade and only the second player in franchise history to hold this position after replacing Bob Fry.

He lost the 1965 season after suffering complications from an offseason right knee surgery.

Liscio was traded to the San Diego Chargers as part of the “Bambi” trade in May 1971, that brought Hall of Famer Lance Alworth to the Cowboys. During his first 8 seasons with the Cowboys, he helped them reach 2 NFC Championships and 1 Super Bowl, while playing in 89 games, many of them with injuries.

San Diego Chargers
He never played a game for the Chargers because of injuries. He had problems with both of his hamstrings and a flare up the back problems that cost him the second half of the 1970 season. He was quickly traded to the Miami Dolphins along with a draft choice in exchange for center Carl Mauck.

Miami Dolphins
Liscio never played a game for the Dolphins either, because he proceeded to announce his retirement after the trade became official.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)
In mid-November 1971, the Cowboys needed help at left tackle after multiple injuries at that position had hit the team: Ralph Neely fractured his leg in a motorcycle accident; Don Talbert broke a bone in his foot, and Forrest Gregg was injured in the last part of his 16-year Hall of Fame career. Tom Landry called Liscio on Monday November 15, 1971 and he reported to the team on Wednesday to start at left tackle against the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Liscio went into that Redskins game with his right leg taped from the ankle to the hip and both shoulders hurt. With the Cowboys and Redskins battling for first place in the NFC East, “Once the game started, I felt nothing,” he recalled. The Cowboys won, 13-0. Liscio’s opponent that day was defensive end Verlon Biggs, who never reached the quarterback.

He would not allow a sack in the eight starts on his comeback. And the 1971 Cowboys never lost a game with him at left tackle. Not only did they run the table through Super Bowl VI, but he and Alworth ended up as Super Bowl teammates. In that game, Liscio successfully blocked Bill Stanfill throughout the game, leading Duane Thomas and other running backs to 252 rushing yards. For his efforts, Liscio was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, after which he retired.