Former Cowboys lineman John Niland dies aged 79, brain donated to CTE research
John Niland, a key anchor of the Dallas Cowboys’ historic offensive line, has died at 79. His family announced his passing and the donation of his brain to the Boston University CTE Centre for research into the effects of professional sports.
John Niland, the Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman who anchored the team’s line during their Super Bowl VI victory, has died. He was 79.
Niland passed away at his home in McKinney, Texas, on Saturday, 15 August 2026, at 7:20 am, according to a post on his Facebook page and the social media accounts of his family. The announcement confirmed that his brain has been donated to the Boston University CTE Centre to support research into the effects of professional sports on the human body.
A native of Amityville, New York, and born in Quincy, Massachusetts, Niland was selected fifth overall by the Cowboys in the 1966 NFL Draft out of the University of Iowa. He began his collegiate career as a fullback before switching to guard during his junior season. In Dallas, he secured the starting left guard role in his second year and was named to the Pro Bowl in his third, maintaining that distinction for six consecutive seasons from 1968 to 1973.
Niland played a pivotal role in the Cowboys’ 1972 Super Bowl VI win against the Miami Dolphins. Over a 10-year career, he started 14 of 15 playoff games for the franchise, protecting quarterbacks such as Don Meredith and Roger Staubach. He is one of only four offensive linemen in Cowboys history to earn at least six Pro Bowl selections, alongside Rayfield Wright, Nate Newton, and Larry Allen.
His final NFL season came with the Philadelphia Eagles after he was traded on 14 September 1975. He played 13 games for the Eagles before retiring. Niland’s legacy was further cemented by his induction into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Suffolk County Hall of Fame in 1997.
