It has been more than two decades since Darren Woodson hung up his cleats. Yet, the Dallas Cowboys legend continues to endure one of the longest waits for a golden jacket. After being repeatedly snubbed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters over his 18 years of eligibility, frustration is beginning to mount among his supporters. This time, the former Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett, has raised his voice. 

“Let’s get [Darren Woodson] to Canton!” Garrett wrote via his Instagram Story that featured a clip from the Pro Football Talk section about the Hall of Fame choices. 

“I’m saving my Golden Ticket for Darren Woodson,” the former coach said. “12 years a safety, three Super Bowl champion, First Team All-Pro, all of that stuff. But the one that sticks out for me is 1,350 tackles. The number one tackler in the history of the Dallas Cowboys.” 

Woodson’s statistical footprint across his 12-year career solidifies his legendary status. Playing in 178 regular-season games, he racked up 23 interceptions for 271 return yards and logged 967 defensive tackles. He elevated his game even further in the postseason, adding another 60 tackles, three interceptions, and 24 return yards in the playoffs while anchoring a dynasty defense. 

Meanwhile, Garrett’s endorsement has added more weight to Woodson’s case. After all, the duo has shared the locker room during the 1990s, and he also understands the modern NFL landscape through his tenure as the Cowboys’ head coach. Garrett knows exactly what elite, Hall of Fame-caliber defense looks like. And Woodson is one of them. 

Of course, Garrett isn’t the only one who believes that Woodson belongs in Canton. Earlier this February, when Woodson got snubbed, Emmitt Smith lashed out at the Hall of Fame voting panel. He asked for the identities of everyone who voted for Bill Belichick instead of Woodson. But even he missed out and the golden jacket went to Sterling Sharpe, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, and Eric Allen. Across social media and NFL broadcast networks, numerous former teammates, analysts, and defensive peers have continuously voiced their frustration over his prolonged wait. 

However, Woodson has remained graceful despite the snubs. 

Darren Woodson weighs in on missing out on the Hall of Fame entry

“Whoever does get in, they should be honored,” Woodson said in February 2026. “It should be their day. It’s not the guys not going in. If you don’t get in, it sucks, but you still honor the guys who did make it. We should be celebrating those guys.” 

Speaking about a potential induction, Woodson believed that he deserves to be in it. Unfortunately, it’s not up to him. It’s the voting process that will decide his fate. Nevertheless, he stayed true to his stance. He has played multiple positions during his professional run. He was a safety, a tackler, and even played on the special teams. 

“I feel like I should be recognized for that,” Woodson argued. “Sometimes you don’t get recognized and that’s where it hurts. I think that the pain point is where you say, ‘I’ve done so much and didn’t you see that?’ And a lot of times they don’t.” 

As the debate moves toward the next voting cycle, the push to immortalize Darren Woodson is only growing louder. While the voting committee holds the ultimate power, the overwhelming backing from figures like Jason Garrett and the broader NFL community suggests that it is only a matter of time before the greatest tackler in Dallas Cowboys history finally takes his rightful place in Canton.