NFL Trade History
TradeVerdicts connects Tony Dorsett to 4 exact public NFL transactions involving Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos.
Player Transaction Context
This profile follows Tony Dorsett across 4 recorded transactions from July 22, 1975 through June 3, 1988. Each connection below comes from the database relationship for that transaction rather than a name-only search.
Trade 1
Dallas Cowboys received 1977 second round pick (#30) [later traded with 1977 first round pick (#14-Steve August), 1977 second round pick (#41-Terry Beeson) and Duke Fergerson to Seattle Seahawks for 1977 first round pick (#2-Tony Dorsett)].
Trade 2
Dallas Cowboys received 1977 first round pick (#14; later sent with picks #30, #41 and #54 to Seattle for pick #2-Tony Dorsett; Seattle used #14 on Steve August).
Dallas Cowboys received 1977 second round pick (#41; later sent with picks #14, #30 and #54 to Seattle for pick #2-Tony Dorsett; Seattle used #41 on Terry Beeson).
Trade 3
Dallas Cowboys received 1977 first round pick (#2-Tony Dorsett).
Trade 4
Denver Broncos received Tony Dorsett.
Across this profile, the recorded verdicts are Dallas Cowboys Win; Denver Broncos Win. The timeline spans 1975–1988 and 5 represented teams.
How to Read This Profile
Every transaction below comes from an explicit player-to-trade relationship in the TradeVerdicts database. Name-only substring matching is not used.
The cards summarize the date, teams, assets, grades, and verdict. Open the full trade page for the complete analysis and sourcing context. Grading standards are explained in the TradeVerdicts methodology.
Chronological Timeline
Trade 1 of 4
Buffalo's signing of Pat Toomay produced immediate value: the defensive lineman became the Bills' defensive MVP in 1975. Dallas received a 1977 second-round choice as free-agent compensation. The Cowboys later folded that No. 30 pick into the package used to trade up for Tony Dorsett. Buffalo got an excellent short-term player, but Dallas turned the compensation into part of a franchise-changing acquisition.
Trade 2 of 4
Dallas sent Clint Longley and the 1977 first-round pick that became Bob Rush to San Diego for 1977 selections No. 14 and No. 41. The Cowboys later packaged both choices with No. 30 and No. 54 to Seattle to move up for Tony Dorsett. That downstream use turned the deal into a major Dallas success.
Trade 3 of 4
Dallas moved up from No. 14 to No. 2 in the 1977 draft and selected Tony Dorsett, a future Hall of Fame running back who immediately helped a championship team. The Cowboys paid four selections, including two second-rounders, but Dorsett’s star-level production and longevity made the aggressive move an A+ outcome.
Trade 4 of 4
Denver acquired Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett from Dallas for a conditional 1989 fifth-round pick that became No. 125, Jeff Roth. Dorsett was near the end of his career but still rushed for 703 yards and five touchdowns in 1988, starting 13 games. Dallas gained a useful mid-round asset, yet Denver received immediate production from a proven veteran at a modest price. The Broncos earn a narrow hindsight edge.