Billy Truax, the former NFL tight end who played a key role in the Dallas Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI championship run, has died. He was 82.
Truax enjoyed a decade-long professional football career and reached the pinnacle of the sport in 1972, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins 24–3 in Super Bowl VI.
A native of Gulfport, Louisiana, Truax starred at Louisiana State University, where he earned first-team All-American honors and established himself as one of the nation’s top tight ends. In recognition of his impact on the game, he was inducted into the Sugar Bowl’s Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Truax entered the NFL as a second-round pick in the 1964 draft by the Cleveland Browns, but injuries sidelined him for his entire rookie season. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Rams, where his career truly took off.
From 1964 to 1970, Truax became a cornerstone of the Rams’ offense, known for his toughness as a blocker and reliability as a receiver. Under head coach George Allen, he became a full-time starter in 1967 and posted career highs with 37 receptions for 487 yards and four touchdowns. That Rams team finished 11–1 before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the playoffs.
Even while battling injuries, Truax continued to produce. He led the Rams in receptions in 1968 despite missing time with a broken wrist, and in 1969 he caught a career-high five touchdown passes. That same season, he added five more catches in a playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
In May 1971, Truax was traded to Dallas, a move that finally brought him to football’s biggest stage. During his lone season with the Cowboys, he recorded 15 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown, helping the team secure its first Super Bowl title.
“Super Bowl VI meant even more to me because it was in Tulane Stadium in New Orleans in front of friends and family,” Truax later said. “I had played every game that season with an injury, and I wasn’t going to miss the Super Bowl in my New Orleans.”
Ongoing injuries forced Truax to retire in 1973. He finished his NFL career with 199 receptions for 2,458 yards and 17 touchdowns — impressive numbers for an era when tight ends were used far differently than today.
Beyond the NFL, Truax was honored with induction into the Holy Cross School Hall of Fame and the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of Louisiana’s standout football talents.