Jay McKinley Novacek (born October 24, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals (1985–1989) and the Dallas Cowboys (1990–1995). Novacek was a five-time Pro Bowler, who was selected to play each year from 1991 through 1995. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Early years Born in Martin, South Dakota, Novacek attended Gothenburg High School in central Nebraska, where he was a two-year starter at quarterback and a three-sport athlete. In 1980, he set the state record in the pole vault at and also won the state titles in that event and hurdles. He was an All-state football and basketball player. His jersey is the only one retired in school history. Novacek was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. College career Novacek accepted a scholarship from the University of Wyoming in Laramie and started his college football career as a split end. The next year, he was moved to tight end. He had few opportunities to prove his true worth in head coach Al Kincaid's run-oriented wishbone offense, where the team usually threw around 18 passes per game. In 1984, Novacek posted 33 receptions for 745 yards, 4 touchdowns and set an NCAA single-season record for average per reception (22.6 yards) by a tight end. He was selected to the honorable-mention All-American football team and to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) first-team. He finished his college career with 83 career receptions for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns. Novacek also competed in track and field for the Cowboys. He won the WAC decathlon championship and placed fourth in the NCAA championships, earning All-American honors in track. He set the school record for decathlon points (7,615) and in the pole vault jump (). He competed in the 1984 Olympic trials as a decathlete. In 2008, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1993, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Professional career St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals Novacek was selected in the sixth round (158th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was also selected by the Houston Gamblers in the fifth round (69th overall) of the