 Hampton in 2011 | |||||||||
| No. 27 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1969-04-03)April 3, 1969 (age 55) Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Kashmere (Houston) | ||||||||
| College: | Georgia | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1990: 1st round, 24th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Rodney Craig Hampton (born April 3, 1969)[1][2] is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back for theNew York Giants of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theGeorgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Giants in the first round of the1990 NFL draft.[3] He was a starting running back for the 1990 New York Giants who finished the year at 13–3 during the regular season while winningSuper Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991.
A 5'11", 215 lbs.running back from theUniversity of Georgia by way ofKashmere High School inHouston, Texas, Rodney Hampton played his entire career with the Giants from 1990 to 1997.[2][4] A two-timePro Bowl selection in 1992 and 1993, his 6,897 career rushing yards stood as the most in Giants history untilTiki Barber surpassed that mark in the2004 NFL season. Hampton was a member ofthe Giants team that wonSuper Bowl XXV.
After hisrookie season was cut short due to injury, Hampton emerged as the team's most consistent offensive weapon over the next five seasons. He broke the 1,000 yard mark each year from 1991 to 1995.[2][4] Following the 1995 season, Hampton was signed to a free agent offer sheet by theSan Francisco 49ers, but the Giants quickly matched, and he remained in New York.[5] Hampton rushed for over 800 yards in the 1996 season[6] sharing carries withTyrone Wheatley, but in 1997, Hampton underwent preseason arthroscopic surgery for a knee injury sustained in late in the 1996 season, and was only able to return to the team to see action in 2 late-season games, plus the Giants' lone playoff game.[7] The Giants released Hampton prior to the 1998 season, and though he announced his intention to continue playing and a couple of teams reportedly enquired with his agent, having received no offers once the season began, Hampton opted to retire.[7]
| Season | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 1987 | 126 | 890 | 7.1 | 50 | 4 | 10 | 133 | 13.3 | 36 | 2 |
| 1988 | 128 | 719 | 5.6 | 56 | 6 | 10 | 86 | 8.6 | 13 | 1 |
| 1989 | 218 | 1,059 | 4.9 | 36 | 12 | 26 | 219 | 8.4 | 29 | 0 |
| Totals | 472 | 2,668 | 5.7 | 50 | 22 | 46 | 438 | 9.5 | 36 | 3 |
| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 1990 | NYG | 15 | 109 | 455 | 4.2 | 41 | 2 | 32 | 274 | 8.6 | 27 | 2 |
| 1991 | NYG | 14 | 256 | 1,059 | 4.1 | 44 | 10 | 43 | 283 | 6.6 | 19 | 0 |
| 1992 | NYG | 16 | 257 | 1,141 | 4.4 | 63 | 14 | 28 | 215 | 7.7 | 31 | 0 |
| 1993 | NYG | 12 | 292 | 1,077 | 3.7 | 20 | 5 | 18 | 210 | 11.7 | 62 | 0 |
| 1994 | NYG | 14 | 327 | 1,075 | 3.3 | 27 | 6 | 14 | 103 | 7.4 | 17 | 0 |
| 1995 | NYG | 16 | 306 | 1,182 | 3.9 | 32 | 10 | 24 | 142 | 5.9 | 18 | 0 |
| 1996 | NYG | 15 | 254 | 827 | 3.3 | 25 | 1 | 15 | 82 | 5.5 | 16 | 0 |
| 1997 | NYG | 2 | 23 | 81 | 3.5 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 104 | 1,824 | 6,897 | 3.8 | 63 | 49 | 174 | 1,309 | 7.5 | 62 | 2 | |