By Darin Hayes Few players bridge the gap between college dominance and professional championship success as completely as Tony Casillas. As a powerhouse defensive tackle for the Oklahoma Sooners, he anchored a National Championship defense and earned the nation’s highest honor for a lineman. Drafted second overall in 1986, he transitioned his elite run-stopping skills to the NFL, where he would become a vital two-time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys, carving out a 13-season professional career defined by timely plays and unyielding grit.
Bio of Tony Casillas
Tony Casillas, born on October 26, 1963, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, cemented his reputation as one of the most dominant defensive linemen of his era through sheer force and unyielding tenacity. From his roots at the University of Oklahoma to his integral role in an NFL dynasty, Casillas consistently defined defensive excellence.
Tony was a big part of the Sooners’ 1985 National Championship team. The NFF’s website states that Tony was a two-time consensus First Team All-America selection, and that Casillas became only the second Sooner ever to win the Lombardi Award after the 1985 season, given to the nation’s top lineman.
In 2004, the National Football Foundation selected Tony Casillas to enter the exclusive club of the College Football Hall of Fame. The Atlanta Falcons drafted Tony in the 1986 NFL Draft.
Twice named an All-Pro, he played 13 seasons in the NFL with three different teams and won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.
Accolades and Accomplishments
College Career (Oklahoma Sooners):
- 1985 NCAA National Champion (Oklahoma).
- 1985 Lombardi Award Winner (Nation’s top lineman).
- 1985 UPI Lineman of the Year.
- 2x Consensus First-team All-American (1984, 1985).
- 2x First-team All-Big Eight (1984, 1985), including Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year (1985).
- Ended his collegiate career with 18 sacks and 213 tackles.
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (2004).
- Named College Defensive Player of the Decade for the 1980s by the National Football Foundation.
Professional Career (NFL):
- 1986 NFL Draft: 1st Round, 2nd overall pick (Atlanta Falcons).
- 2x Super Bowl Champion (XXVII and XXVIII) with the Dallas Cowboys.
- Second-team All-Pro selection (1989).
- PFWA All-Rookie Team selection (1986).
- Played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons (1986–1990), Dallas Cowboys (1991–1993, 1996–1997), and New York Jets (1994–1995).