 Dickerson in 2014 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 29 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1960-09-02)September 2, 1960 (age 65) Sealy, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Sealy | ||||||||||||||
| College | SMU (1979–1982) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1983: 1st round,2nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Eric Demetric Dickerson (born September 2, 1960) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back for 11 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theSMU Mustangs, earningunanimous All-American honors in 1982. Dickerson was selectedsecond overall in the1983 NFL draft by theLos Angeles Rams, and later played for theIndianapolis Colts,Los Angeles Raiders, andAtlanta Falcons. During his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL's single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and, in 2019, was named to theNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time.[1][2] He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due tomyopia.
Dickerson committed toTexas A&M University before reconsidering and deciding amongst theUniversity of Oklahoma,University of Southern California andSouthern Methodist University (SMU). His great-grandaunt talked him into staying in the state of Texas to attend SMU because she likedMustangs coachRon Meyer.[3] Dickerson was the subject of recruiting controversy when he started driving a newPontiac Trans Am during his senior year of high school.[4] According to myth, Dickerson began driving the vehicle about the same time he committed to A&M, and, when he signed with SMU, he purportedly stopped driving the vehicle because it "had been destroyed by a vengefulAggie".[5] Ron Meyer called the car the "Trans A&M". At the time, he said his grandmother from Mexico had purchased it for him. Dickerson has refused to answer whether he accepted anything to attend SMU, saying, "Even if I did take something, I still wouldn't tell."[6] He later admitted that SMU paid him $500 or $1000 a month.[7] In 2022, Dickerson admitted that the Trans Am had been paid for by A&M boosters, and that in an attempt to hide the impropriety one of his family members made the purchase and was reimbursed by the boosters. He said he later sold the car to an SMU teammate.[8]
Initially, Dickerson shared carries withCraig James and Charles Waggoner, all three blue-chip recruits in 1979. Waggoner was hurt returning a kickoff their freshman season, leaving Dickerson and James to lead SMU's running attack, called the Pony Express.[3] Dickerson gained 4,450 yards on 790 carries to breakEarl Campbell’sSouthwest Conference record for yards and attempts. His 48 career touchdowns tiedDoak Walker’s SMU total for career scoring. In his senior year, despite splitting time with James, Dickerson finished third in theHeisman Trophy voting, behindHerschel Walker andJohn Elway.[9] He was also a first-team All-American in1982 and a second-team All-American in1981.[10]
| Season | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 1979 | 115 | 477 | 4.3 | 43 | 6 | 6 | 35 | 5.8 | 11 | 0 |
| 1980 | 188 | 928 | 4.9 | 54 | 5 | 6 | 93 | 15.5 | 37 | 1 |
| 1981 | 255 | 1,428 | 5.6 | 62 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 232 | 1,617 | 7.0 | 80 | 17 | 6 | 60 | 10.0 | 35 | 0 |
| Totals | 790 | 4,450 | 5.6 | 80 | 47 | 19 | 190 | 10.0 | 37 | 1 |
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Before the1983 NFL draft,the Houston Oilers said they would draft Dickerson second if they did not make a trade.[11] Dickerson's family opposed him playing for the Oilers — although Dickerson himself was merely cool about doing so — while, likeJohn Elway, Dickerson would have flatly refused to play forthe Baltimore Colts[note 1] had they drafted him.[12] A trade with the Oilers sawthe Los Angeles Rams acquire the second pick, which they used to draft Dickerson.[13] Although he considered going tothe Los Angeles Express in theUnited States Football League, Dickerson ultimately decided to play for the Rams. An immediate success, he established rookie records for most rushing attempts (390), most rushing yards gained (1,808) and most touchdowns rushing (18), including another two receiving touchdowns. His efforts earned him All-Pro,Pro Bowl, Player of the Year andRookie of the Year honors.[10]
In his second season, Dickerson continued his onslaught on the NFL record book becoming a member of the2,000-yard club. Twelve times in 1984 he gained more than 100 yards rushing, breaking the record of 100-yard games in a season held byO. J. Simpson. His 2,105 total yards rushing beat Simpson's 1973 NFL season record of 2,003 yards (Dickerson having reached 2,007 yards after 15 games), but since the NFL expanded the regular season from 14 to 16 games in 1978, Dickerson had the benefit of playing in two additional games. No one has since rushed for more yards in a singleNFL season. Dickerson's 5.6 yards per carry led the Rams to a playoff berth in 1984.
Although he rushed for 1,234 yards in1985 while missing the first two games due to a contract dispute, Dickerson missed thePro Bowl for the first time in his young NFL career. He did go on to rush for a playoff record 248 yards against theDallas Cowboys in post-season play.[10]
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The 1985 season marked the beginning of ongoing contract disputes between Dickerson and the Rams. In 1987, after playing just three games for the Rams during the strike-shortened1987 season, Dickerson was traded to theIndianapolis Colts in one of the NFL's biggest trades ever at that time. In a three-team deal, the Colts traded linebackerCornelius Bennett, whom they drafted but were unable to sign to a contract, to theBuffalo Bills for their first-round pick in 1988, first- and second-round picks in 1989, and running backGreg Bell. The Colts in turn traded Bell and the three draft choices from Buffalo plus their own first- and second-round picks in 1988, their second-round pick in 1989, and running backOwen Gill to the Rams for Dickerson. With the picks the Rams took running backGaston Green, wide receiverAaron Cox, linebackerFred Strickland, running backCleveland Gary, linebackerFrank Stams, and defensive backDarryl Henley.[14] The trade reunited Dickerson withRon Meyer, who had left SMU after Dickerson's junior season to take the head coaching position inNew England and who was hired by the Colts in 1986 followingRod Dowhower's firing.
Although he played in just nine games with the Colts that year, he still managed to gain 1,011 yards to finish the season with 1,288.[10] Also, he spearheaded a late season Colts run that helped the team to their first winning season (and first playoff berth) in 10 years.
In1988, Dickerson, with 1,659 yards rushing, became the first Colt to lead the league in rushing sinceAlan Ameche in 1955. This would mark the apogee of Dickerson's career with the Colts (although he would gain 1,311 yards rushing in1989). Also, 1989 was the year that he passed the 10,000-yard mark, becoming the fastest player ever to do so (91 games), accomplishing the feat faster than greats likeJim Brown (98 games),Barry Sanders (103 games),Emmitt Smith (106 games), andLaDainian Tomlinson (106 games).[15] By 1989, he had set a new NFL record with seven straight seasons of more than 1,000 yards rushing, and led the league for four of those seasons. With the retirement of Tony Dorsett at the end of 1988, he became the leader among active players in career rushing yards, a position he occupied until his own retirement in 1993.
However, injuries, further contract disputes, and suspensions clouded his final two seasons with the Colts. Dickerson, at 29, was the highest-paid running back in the NFL, receiving an annual reported salary of $1.4 million. Following prolonged contract disputes, the Colts placed him on the inactive list before the start of the 1990 season where he stayed for 7 weeks and lost more than $600,000 in salary.[16] In his sixth game back from suspension, he rushed for 143 yards against the Bengals on 22 carries—this effort lifted him pastJim Brown to third place on the NFL career rushing list behindWalter Payton andTony Dorsett. He was again suspended in November 1991,[17] and amidst injuries and age, managed to run for only 536 yards that season. The Colts finished the year bottoming out with a 1–15 record.
Dickerson has described the trade to Indianapolis as the worst moment of his career, and stated that he disliked his time with the Colts.[18]
On April 26,1992, Dickerson was traded by the Colts to theLos Angeles Raiders for their fourth- and eighth-round picks in the 1992 draft. There were occasional flashes of greatness—107 yards against the Broncos, 103 against the Chargers, where he recorded his 63rd and 64th career 100-yard games—but those would be his last. Dickerson also scored on a 40-yard touchdown run, reminiscent of his prime, in front of a nationally televised Monday Night audience in a game againstKansas City. That year, he led the team in rushing attempts and yards. However, he suffered from splitting carries withMarcus Allen by having the latter finish the second half.
The following season, Dickerson was traded to theAtlanta Falcons on July 7, 1993, for a sixth-round draft pick. He played in a backup role, making his final national televised appearance during theMonday Night Football game on September 27, 1993, when the Falcons hosted thePittsburgh Steelers in a losing effort. The Falcons traded Dickerson and third-year cornerbackBruce Pickens to theGreen Bay Packers[19] for running backJohn Stephens on October 13, 1993.
The trade came a week after Dickerson said he had been told that the Falcons were waiving him because CoachJerry Glanville wanted to use younger players. The next day, Falcons officials said that there had been a misunderstanding and that Dickerson had not been placed on waivers. Dickerson retired as the second-leading rusher of all time after failing a physical with the Packers.
On August 29, 2017, Dickerson signed aone-day contract to officially retire as a member of theLos Angeles Rams.[20]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| APNFL Offensive Player of the Year | |
| NFL record | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1983 | LA | 16 | 16 | 390 | 1,808 | 4.6 | 85 | 18 | 51 | 404 | 7.9 | 37 | 2 |
| 1984 | LA | 16 | 16 | 379 | 2,105 | 5.6 | 66 | 14 | 21 | 139 | 6.6 | 19 | 0 |
| 1985 | LA | 14 | 14 | 292 | 1,234 | 4.2 | 43 | 12 | 20 | 126 | 6.3 | 33 | 0 |
| 1986 | LA | 16 | 16 | 404 | 1,821 | 4.5 | 42 | 11 | 26 | 205 | 7.9 | 28 | 0 |
| 1987 | LA | 3 | 2 | 60 | 277 | 4.6 | 57 | 1 | 5 | 38 | 7.6 | 13 | 0 |
| IND | 9 | 8 | 223 | 1,011 | 4.5 | 53 | 5 | 13 | 133 | 10.2 | 28 | 0 | |
| 1988 | IND | 16 | 16 | 388 | 1,659 | 4.3 | 41 | 14 | 36 | 377 | 10.5 | 50 | 1 |
| 1989 | IND | 15 | 14 | 314 | 1,311 | 4.2 | 21 | 7 | 30 | 211 | 7.0 | 22 | 1 |
| 1990 | IND | 11 | 8 | 166 | 677 | 4.1 | 43 | 4 | 18 | 92 | 5.1 | 17 | 0 |
| 1991 | IND | 10 | 9 | 167 | 536 | 3.2 | 28 | 2 | 41 | 269 | 6.6 | 26 | 1 |
| 1992 | LAR | 16 | 15 | 187 | 729 | 3.9 | 40 | 2 | 14 | 85 | 6.1 | 15 | 1 |
| 1993 | ATL | 4 | 2 | 26 | 91 | 3.5 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 58 | 9.7 | 30 | 0 |
| Career | 146 | 136 | 2,996 | 13,259 | 4.4 | 85 | 90 | 281 | 2,137 | 7.6 | 50 | 6 | |
Dickerson became the seventh back to gain more than 10,000 yards and the fastest ever to do so, reaching the milestone in just 91 games. During his 11-year career, Dickerson gained 13,259 yards rushing, which was second all-time at the time of his retirement, and rushed for 90 touchdowns. He gained another 2,137 yards and 6 touchdowns on 281 pass receptions. A six-timePro Bowl selection, Dickerson was All-Pro in1983,1984,1986,1987 and1988. In 1999, his first year of eligibility, Eric Dickerson was selected to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also in 1999, he was ranked number 38 onThe Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.The following year, he provided on-field commentary duringMonday Night Football broadcasts.[10]
The Rams' number 29 has been retired in his honor.[21]
Dickerson was inducted into theIndianapolis Colts Ring of Honor during the week 15 game against theHouston Texans on December 15, 2013, along withMarshall Faulk, another former Colts running back, who, coincidentally, also played for the Rams-albeit in St Louis.[22]
In 1999, he was elected to thePro Football Hall of Fame.[23]
In 2019, he was one of twelve running backs selected to theNFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Dickerson was elected to theCollege Football Hall of Fame in 2020.[24]
Along withMelissa Stark, Dickerson served as a sideline reporter onMonday Night Football broadcasts forABC during the2000 and2001 NFL seasons.
During the2007 football season and2016 football season, Dickerson worked as a broadcaster forKCBS television inLos Angeles, providing commentary for NFL pregame and postgame shows.
He started a sports memorabilia company called Original Mini Jerseys with former Los Angeles Rams teammate LeRoy Irvin. The company received their NFL license in 2006 and sells authentic miniature replica jerseys. He also owns an internet-based sporting goods company, E Champs.[3]
Dickerson made a cameo appearance in the television seriesHawaii Five-0 in 2014.[25] In August 2016, he began hosting a two-hour Monday afternoon program onLos Angeles sports-talk stationKLAC.[26]
In 2017, he competed in thereality television game showThe New Celebrity Apprentice. He was the third contestant "terminated" by hostArnold Schwarzenegger.
In 2019, Dickerson played a role asLAFD Chief Brinkle in the TV SeriesS.W.A.T..
In 2017, he joinedFox Sports'FS1 as an NFL analyst.[27]
In 2023, Dickerson attended the fifth dinner service inHell's Kitchen's22nd season.
At 6-foot-3, Dickerson was not your prototypical running back, but he was one of the most successful backs to ever tote the pigskin. No one in NFL history has rushed for more yards in a single season than Dickerson (2,105 in 1984). Dickerson ranks ninth on the all-time rushing list and won four rushing titles during his Hall of Fame career.
Media related toEric Dickerson at Wikimedia Commons
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