Lone Star Lookback: Legendary Dat Nguyen thankful for rivalry's return

Welcome to Lone Star Lookback! Each week, a former player or coach will join David Nuño to reminisce on Texas A&M's historic rivalry with the Texas Longhorns as the game makes an emphatic return on Nov. 30 at Kyle Field.

On Episode 9 of our Lone Star Lookback series, Texas A&M’s all-time leader in career tackles with 517 joined us as legendary linebacker Day Nguyen remembered some of his finest moments while playing in the historic rivalry against the Texas Longhorns. During his time in Aggieland, Nguyen put together a Hall of Fame career that included All-American honors and numerous postseason accolades. A barrier breaker as the NFL’s first Vietnamese player, he was a third-round selection in the 1999 NFL Draft and spent six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, earning All-Pro recognition in 2003. His remarkable story was turned into the 2023 12th Man Films documentary “All American | The Dat Nguyen Story.”

Dat Nguyen - Linebacker - 1995-1998

Honors

• 1998 Big 12 Champion
• Second-team All-SWC (1995)
• Second-team All-Big 12 (1996)
• Two-time first-team All-Big 12 (1997, 1998)
• Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (1998)
• Unanimous All-American (1998)
• 1998 Chuck Bednarik Award winner
• 1998 Lombardi Award winner
• 1998 Jack Lambert Trophy winner
• College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017
• Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2004
• Texas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2014
• Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame Class of 2007
• Big 12 10th Anniversary Team (2005)
• AP All-Time Big 12 Team (2010)
• All-Rookie Team (1999)
• Second-team All-Pro (2003)

Career Statistics

Defense

Nguyen’s Statistics vs. Texas