receptions for 630 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. In 1995, he posted his second-highest single-season total for receptions (62) and touchdowns (5), to go along with a career-high in receiving yards (705). He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to repair a partial tear of his medial meniscus before the last game of the season, but still helped beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. In 1996, although he missed the regular season because of a degenerative disc in his back, the Cowboys decided not to put him on injured reserve, in the hope he could be ready for the playoffs. On January 3, 1997, he was placed on the injured reserve list. On July 15, he officially retired from the NFL after his chronic lower-back problems cut short his career. In his 11 seasons, Novacek recorded 422 receptions for 4,630 yards (ninth in team history) and 30 touchdowns, with most of his production coming from 1990 to 1995. He also came up big in the post-season, ranking third in franchise playoff history in receptions (62), receiving yards (645) and touchdown receptions (6). References External links Dallas Cowboys Top 50 players Wyoming Athletics College Football Hall of Fame story University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame - inducted 1993 Tight End Jay Novacek was a Cowboy long before he went to Wyoming or Dallas 1962 births Living people All-American college football players American football tight ends American people of Czech descent College Football Hall of Fame inductees Dallas Cowboys players National Conference Pro Bowl players People from Bennett County, South Dakota People from Lincoln County, Nebraska Phoenix Cardinals players Players of American football from Nebraska St. Louis Cardinals (football) players Wyoming Cowboys football players