 Dixon with theSan Francisco 49ers in 2012 | |||||||||||||
| No. 24, 26 | |||||||||||||
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| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1987-09-24)September 24, 1987 (age 38) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 233 lb (106 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Terry (MS) | ||||||||||||
| College | Mississippi State (2006–2009) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2010: 6th round, 173rd overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Anthony Rishard "Boobie"Dixon (born September 24, 1987)[1][2] is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL). He was selected by theSan Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the2010 NFL draft. He playedcollege football for theMississippi State Bulldogs, where he holds multiple schoolrushing records.
As a senior atTerry High School in 2005, he racked up 304 carries for 2,683 yards (8.8 average) and 31 touchdowns in leading Terry to an 11–2 mark. He was named theJackson metro-area player of the year byThe Clarion-Ledger. He was also a first-team All-State honoree by the paper, and was named to its (preseason) "Dandy Dozen" team (of the state's 12 best high school players) and its (postseason) "10 Most Wanted" list (of the state's top 10college football prospects).
Considered a four-star recruit byRivals.com, Dixon was listed as the No. 22 running back prospect in the nation in 2006.[3] Scout.com ranked Dixon a four star prospect and the 30th best running back in the country.[4]
He chose Mississippi State overUniversity of Alabama,Louisiana State University, andSouthern Miss.
In his true freshman season, Dixon played in all 12 games, starting five times, and set MSU true freshman records for rushing attempts, yards gained rushing, and touchdowns rushing. His nine touchdowns on the ground were the most by a Bulldog sinceDicenzo Miller's ten TDs in 2000. He earned his nickname "Boobie" from his college teammates, who compared him toBoobie Miles, the character inFriday Night Lights.[2]
As a sophomore, Dixon played all 13 games and started twelve. He became just the seventh halfback (ninth occurrence) in school history and the first Bulldog sophomore ever to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season and his attempts set a Mississippi State single season record. He scored MSU's game-winning touchdown in the2007 Liberty Bowl game.
During his junior season, Dixon started all 12 games he played in, and rushed for 869 yards, compiling a career-best 4.4 yards per carry.
With 1,391 rushing yards in his senior season, Dixon not only set the Mississippi State single-season rushing record (surpassingJ. J. Johnson's 1998 record of 1,383 yards), he also became the seventh player inSoutheastern Conference history to lead his team in rushing four times. He joinedEddie Price (Tulane, 1946–1949),Sonny Collins (Kentucky, 1972–1975),Dalton Hilliard (LSU, 1982–1985),Carl Woods (Vanderbilt, 1983–1986),Errict Rhett (Florida, 1990–1993), andKevin Faulk (LSU, 1995–1998) on that list. Dixon accumulated 3,994 career rushing yards during his collegiate career.[5]
| Mississippi State Bulldogs | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Rushing | ||||||||||
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Lng | Y/G | |||||
| 2006 | 12 | 5 | 169 | 668 | 4.0 | 9 | 65 | 55.7 | ||||
| 2007 | 13 | 12 | 287 | 1,066 | 3.7 | 14 | 30 | 82.0 | ||||
| 2008 | 12 | 12 | 197 | 869 | 4.4 | 7 | 71 | 72.4 | ||||
| 2009 | 11 | 11 | 257 | 1,391 | 5.4 | 12 | 70 | 126.5 | ||||
| Career | 48 | 40 | 910 | 3,994 | 4.4 | 42 | 71 | 84.1 | ||||
Dixon was considered one of the best "power backs" available in the2010 NFL draft, alongsideToby Gerhart andCharles Scott.[6] Projected as a third- to fourth-round pick, Dixon was thought to possibly be the Bulldogs' highest draftee sinceJerious Norwood was selected by theAtlanta Falcons in the third round (79th overall) of the2006 NFL draft.[7] However, he was selected as the 173rd overall pick in the sixth round by theSan Francisco 49ers.[8]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+3⁄4 in (1.85 m) | 233 lb (106 kg) | 32+5⁄8 in (0.83 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | 4.75 s | 1.71 s | 2.83 s | 4.49 s | 7.09 s | 33 in (0.84 m) | 10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) | 15 reps | 25 |
| All values fromNFL Combine[9][10][11] | ||||||||||||
With the announcement of the sudden retirement ofGlen Coffee on August 13, former head coachMike Singletary stated that Dixon and veteranMichael Robinson would compete for the number 2 running back spot behind Pro BowlerFrank Gore.[12] In the preseason, Dixon posted 74 rushes for 300 yards, averaging 75 yards per game and 4 touchdowns, leading the entire NFL in each of those categories. On September 20, 2010, Dixon rushed for his first career NFL touchdown against theNew Orleans Saints onMonday Night Football. Despite playing well in the preseason, Dixon had only ten rushing attempts until week 12. After Gore suffered a fractured hip during aMonday Night Football game against theArizona Cardinals on November 29, Dixon had 14 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown as a backup toBrian Westbrook, who took over for Gore. Dixon played in all 72 games of his NFL career, primarily onspecial teams. At the end of the 2012 season, Dixon and the 49ers appeared inSuper Bowl XLVII. He contributed on special teams, but the 49ers fell to theBaltimore Ravens by a score of 34–31.[13] His only start as a member of the 49ers came in the 2013 NFC Championship game as afullback, scoring a touchdown that gave San Francisco a 10–0 lead. Coincidentally, that was his last game as a member of the 49ers. He finished his 49er career with 458 regular-season rushing yards and eight touchdowns.[14][15]
On March 15, 2014, Dixon signed a three-year, $3.5 million contract with theBuffalo Bills.[14] Dixon went on to have the most productive year of his career, with career highs in rushing attempts (105), rushing yards (432), average yards per rush (4.1), as well as passes caught and receiving yardage (eight catches for 49 yards). Dixon also scored two rushing touchdowns, the same number he had scored each year since entering the NFL.[16]
In 2015, Dixon's production dropped off significantly. He had only one rushing touchdown, and recorded both 44 yards rushing and 44 yards receiving.[17] On March 1, 2016, Dixon was released by the Bills.[18]
After spending the 2016 season out of football, Dixon played in front of NFL andCanadian Football League scouts as part of the inaugural season for a new instructional and developmental football program,The Spring League, taking part in both the April training camp and games held atThe Greenbrier inWest Virginia, as well as the 2017 Summer Showcase game held inNapa, California.[19] As one of The Spring League's "marquee players"[20] Dixon was one of the more vocal players in the league, and predicted he would amass 100 yards and 2 touchdowns during the California Showcase game. Playing as part of team California, Dixon's teammate included fellow running backGlen Coffee,[21] the player Dixon replaced as a member of the 49ers. Playing predominately as a fullback, Dixon's first carry was a 49-yard touchdown run. Late in the game, Dixon caught a 4-yard touchdown pass fromDavid Ash.[22] Both plays occurred on 4th down, and were the first and last scores of the game, respectively. Dixon's totals were 7 carries for 55 yards, 5 catches for 23 yards, and the two touchdowns. With 78 total yards on 12 touches, Dixon was short of his statistical pregame prediction, but nonetheless he was listed as one of the Stand Out Players of the game during the Summer Showcase broadcast.[23]
Dixon is aChristian. Dixon describes himself on his Twitter account as a "God Fearing Man" and frequently tweets about his faith.[24]
Anthony also has three younger brothers Antwon, Rashun, and Deshun (from oldest to youngest). Antwon and Rashun both committed to play football at Mississippi State, although neither played at MSU. Antwon instead went toHinds Community College before transferring toMidwestern State University. Rashun was selected in the 10th round (304th overall) in the2008 Major League Baseball draft by theOakland As and chose to play professional baseball. Deshun was also drafted by in theMLB Draft, taken in the 10th round by the Tampa Bay Rays in the2010 Major League Baseball draft.[25]