John Fitzgerald (center)

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John Fitzgerald is a former American football player who played center for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He was born on April 16, 1948, in Southbridge, Massachusetts. He attended Southbridge High School, where he played as a very large fullback and competed in shot put, and later played college football at Boston College as a two-way tackle.

Fitzgerald was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 1970 NFL Draft (101st overall). He started his career as a defensive tackle and then moved to the offensive line. After being waived at the start of the 1970 season, he joined the team’s taxi squad. In 1971 he was a backup offensive guard, and in 1972 he switched to center. He became the Cowboys’ starting center in 1973.

Throughout his career, Fitzgerald dealt with injuries but remained a key part of the offensive line. He was part of a Cowboys offense that used the shotgun formation and was known for snapping the ball reliably from seven yards back. He helped Dallas win two Super Bowls (VI and XII) and reach the playoffs in most seasons of his tenure, though he never made the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald retired in January 1982 after ten NFL seasons. He played 137 games, started 108, and recovered 6 fumbles. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 255 pounds. In 1982, he was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame.