Golden Richards, former Cowboys deep threat, dies at age 73

MURRAY, Utah — Golden Richards, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver known for his flowing blond hair who threw a touchdown pass on a gimmick play during the 1978 Super Bowl, died Friday of heart failure congestive at his home in Murray. He was 73 years old.

Richards' nephew, Lance Richards, confirmed the death in a Facebook post.

“My Uncle Golden passed away peacefully this morning,” Lance Richards wrote. I will always remember going hunting and talking about Dallas Cowboys football. He was a kind, gentle soul and I am so happy he is no longer in pain.”

The former BYU star spent seven seasons in the NFL with Dallas, Chicago and Denver, and is best known for his five-plus seasons as a deep play threat with the Cowboys. He twice averaged over 21 yards per catch, finishing his time in Dallas with a career mark of 18.3.

This was especially evident in the 1978 Super Bowl against Denver. With the Cowboys leading 20-10 in the fourth quarter, fullback Robert Newhouse threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Richards, who got behind the defense to secure the Cowboys their second championship.

Richards finished his career with 122 receptions for 2,136 yards and 17 touchdowns before injuries prompted his retirement in 1980.

A native of Salt Lake City, he played at Granite High School and then at nearby BYU, where he was a receiver and punt returner, leading the nation as a junior with four returns for touchdowns.

Richards played his final college season at Hawaii, catching 23 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns. This caught the attention of the Cowboys, who drafted him in the second round in 1973.

The Deseret News said Richards struggled with health and substance abuse issues after retirement, but remained sober during his final 10 years.

“Seven or eight years of wear and tear on the football field for a 175-pound wide receiver who also suffered several concussions,” his brother Doug Richards, a former BYU basketball player, told the newspaper. “This obviously had detrimental consequences.”

Richards was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011 and lived with his adult sons Goldie Jr. and Jordan during his final years. Doug Richards said his brother broke his hip on Christmas 2022 and had four hip surgeries.

“He left us and went to a better place,” Doug Richards said. “He fought pretty well there until the end, until it was his time.”