Former Cowboys Lineman Retires at 34 to Serve in U.S. Army - The Star Salutes His Sacrifice

He wasn’t the loudest voice in the room. He wasn’t the face of a franchise or the headline after Sunday night. But for those who truly knew the Cowboys — who understood what it meant to wear the star with heart — he was unforgettable. A protector. A teammate. A man who stood for more than the game.

When news broke this week that a beloved former Cowboys lineman had officially joined the U.S. Army Reserve at age 34, the reaction wasn’t loud — it was reverent. Coaches paused. Teammates nodded in quiet respect. And fans across Texas whispered the same word: “Of course he did.”

The name is Joe Looney — the always-smiling, ever-dependable offensive lineman who anchored the trenches in Dallas from 2016 to 2020. He was never a Pro Bowler. He didn’t ask to be. But when the Cowboys needed him — when All-Pro Travis Frederick retired, when chaos hit the depth chart — Looney stepped up without hesitation. No complaints. No excuses. Just effort. Every snap, every practice, every moment.

"Football gave me the tools to serve," Looney said in a heartfelt letter to fans. "But service was always the mission. Whether it was protecting my quarterback or helping my community — I’ve always believed that strength means nothing if you don’t use it for others."

He walked away from the NFL in 2021 when he still had gas in the tank. Not because he couldn’t compete — but because he heard a different call. He spent the next few years mentoring youth, volunteering at veteran events, and quietly preparing for something bigger than football. And this week, he made it official: he’s back in uniform. Just a different one.

Inside the Cowboys locker room, they remember more than his blocks — they remember his joy. The way he’d crack jokes to lift spirits. The way rookies gravitated to him for advice. The way he made everyone feel like family, no matter the scoreboard.

Looney didn’t join the Army Reserve for recognition. He did it because that’s who he is — a man built for service, for sacrifice, for something greater than himself. And in doing so, he’s become the kind of legacy the stat sheet could never capture.

Some chase fame. Others choose to serve. Joe Looney did both — with grace, with grit, and with a heart that still beats for Dallas.