John “Golden” Richards, a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys and a member of the team that won Super Bowl XII, died Friday at his home in Utah of congestive heart failure. He was 73 years old.
Richards was an all-state honoree in football, basketball and track and field at Utah, where he was honored as a high school athlete. During his time at BYU, he was the team's top receiver and a dangerous return man on punts and kickoffs.
After his senior season at the University of Hawaii, Richards was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 1973 NFL Draft. He played primarily as a special teams player during his rookie year, but made an impact in the NFC Championship Game that season by returning a punt for a 63-yard touchdown.
Richards became a regular starter in his second NFL season and became the Cowboys' primary deep threat. He had 26 receptions during the 1974 season, four of which were for 43 yards or more.
Richards' most memorable professional moment came in 1978, during Super Bowl XII against the Denver Broncos.
With the Cowboys leading 20-10 with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Roger Staubach threw the ball to running back Robert Newhouse. After running a few yards, Newhouse turned and threw a pass downfield to Richards for a 29-yard touchdown that sealed the game.
The Cowboys held on to their lead and won their second Super Bowl victory.
The following season, Richards lost his starting spot and was traded to the Chicago Bears. He set a career high in receptions (28) in 1978, but injuries plagued him for the next two years, leading to his retirement in 1980. He finished his NFL career with 122 catches, 2,136 yards, and 17 touchdowns.
Doug Richards told the Deseret News that his brother struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction during his retirement and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011. Ten years later, his older brother fractured his hip, requiring four surgeries and adding to his health problems.
“The 175-pound wide receiver was worn out on the football field for seven or eight years and had multiple concussions,” Doug said. “It obviously took its toll.”
