Cowboys rookie defensive end Dorance Armstrong was born in 1997. Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman’s NFL career ended in 1999. So Armstrong can be forgiven if he doesn’t know much about Doleman.
But Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli told Armstrong to find out.
Armstrong said at rookie minicamp that Marinelli had given him a homework assignment of finding out everything he could about Doleman, because that’s the kind of player Marinelli wants Armstrong to strive to be.
“He was a real good dude, a monster off the edge,” Armstrong said he found out about Doleman, via the Dallas Morning News. “He played real physical at all times. I feel like I can get into that and be like him.”
Doleman was the fourth overall pick in the 1985 draft and played for the Vikings, Falcons and 49ers for 15 seasons. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 1990s All-Decade Team. Marinelli is paying Armstrong a compliment by telling him he can be a player like Doleman some day.