Manny Hendrix

Manuel Hendrix (born October 20, 1964) is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college basketball at the University of Utah.

Hendrix attended South Mountain High School where he was named all-state in basketball and football.

He was a four-year starter and two-time captain for the University of Utah basketball team under the coaching of Lynn Archibald, finishing his career ranked eighth in scoring with 1,493 points and fifth in assists with 409.

Hendrix helped the Utes to the NCAA Tournament in 1983 where they eliminated UCLA reaching the Sweet 16, and again in 1986 where they lost to North Carolina in the First round.

During his senior year, he was named team MVP and second-team All-WAC. He is perhaps best remembered for hitting the winning shots in back-to-back games in the 1985 WAC Tournament, specially the one against Wyoming University.]].

Hendrix possessed elite speed and put it on display during halftime of the intrasquad spring game in 1986, when tired of the taunts from football player Del Rodgers (a 1982 third-round draft pick), accepted his challenge to a 30-yard run and beat him barefoot. They would then run a 40-yard race where he won running the last 5 yards backwards.

In 2005, he was inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

Dallas Cowboys

Although he never played a down of college football, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1986, following on the foot steps of Cornell Green, Peter Gent, Percy Howard, Ken Johnson and Ron Howard, as basketball players that were converted by the Cowboys to play professional football. He was released for three weeks before being re-signed on September 23.

In 1990, he became a starter at left cornerback. The next year, he lost his starting job to rookie Larry Brown.

San Francisco 49ers

At the end of the 1991 season, he was left unprotected in Plan B free agency and signed with the San Francisco 49ers, but was cut during training camp in 1992.

Buffalo Bills

After being released in 1992, he signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills and was waived on August 31.

Hendrix worked as the director of athletic relations and senior associate athletics director for development at the University of Utah. He also owned Manny's Auto Detailing and was a manager and part owner of Matthews Restaurant in Dallas.

His son Manny Hendrix Jr., plays semi-professional basketball in Australia's Big V basketball league.