It’s been over 30 years since the Cowboys pulled off one of the most infamous and impactful trades in NFL history by trading running back Herschel Walker, and the deal‘s legacy endures to this day. As it turns out, though, the move nearly had a drastically different outcome.
Speaking for an episode of EPIX’s NFL Icons, former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson explained that he had almost completed a trade agreement that would have sent Walker not to Minnesota, but instead to Cleveland. As Johnson tells the story, the potential trade to the Browns came down to Cleveland owner Art Modell signing off.
“[Former Browns general manager] Ernie [Accorsi], of course, he was with the Cleveland Browns at that time. He called, and we worked out a trade and—and [it] sounded pretty good,” Johnson said, according to WKYC’s Ben Axelrod. “And he said, well, the only thing is, you know, he’d have to get [Browns owner] Art Modell to sign off on it that night.”
Instead, the Vikings came in with an even better offer, one that still gets pointed to as one of the most lopsided trades of all time. In the end, the Cowboys sent Walker, two third-round picks, a fifth-round pick and a 10th-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for eight draft picks, including three firsts and three second-round selections. Dallas would use those picks to bring in key pieces for their eventual dynasty of the 1990s—Emmit Smith, Russell Maryland, Darren Woodson and Kevin Smith, among others—which resulted in three Super Bowl titles.
Walker ended up playing just two seasons with the Vikings, totaling 1,595 rushing yards in 31 games. He spent six more years in the NFL for three different teams—including the Cowboys, where he finished his career.
Sometimes, the best trades are the ones you don’t make. It’s unclear what Cleveland was proposing for Walker, but it’s safe to say the Browns likely didn’t regret not being able to make the deal happen.
