The soap opera The Young and the Restless debuted in 1973, the same year Pearson debuted with the Cowboys. He lived a mile from the old practice facility and would go home for lunch each day and watch that soap. Forty-five years later, Pearson is still watching on a regular basis. That makes him a The
Young and the Restless lifer.
Pearson tweeted his affection for the soap a few months back and, after the show was alerted by his Facebook Live co-host Matt Thornton, the management staff of The Young and the Restless promptly invited him to Los Angeles
for a cameo appearance. His taping will be in May.
“They already sent out a release that I would be there, like I’m Denzel Washington or something,” Pearson said. “It’s crazy. It’s a
whole new level of celebrity that you’re experiencing at 67. It’s pretty cool.”
There isn’t much call these days for aging players in any sport. It has been 43 years since Pearson caught that Hail Mary pass from Roger Staubach, 38 years since he was named to the 1970s NFL all-decade team and 35 years since he retired.
“It was pretty much a ride-off-into-the-sunset time for me,” Pearson mused.
But his “whole new level of celebrity” and the invitation from The Young and the Restless came wrapped in a package from one moment in time — a moment that gave young legs to an old career — the 2017 NFL draft.
