Former Cowboys lineman Tom Rafferty died Thursday, the team announced .

He was 70.

Rafferty had been hospitalized since May after suffering a stroke, and he died in Windsor, Colo., his daughter, Rachel Powers, confirmed.

Rafferty played on the Dallas offensive line for an impressive 14 seasons, protecting the likes of legendary quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman and clearing runways for running backs such as Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker.

Tom Rafferty spent 14 seasons with the Cowboys and is among

the top players in the franchise’s history for starts and

games played. Getty Images

He became a Super Bowl champion in 1978 when the Cowboys took down the Broncos for Super Bowl XII in what was their second title in franchise history.

Rafferty started at right guard in the

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