| No. 24 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1950-11-15)November 15, 1950 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | October 13, 2021(2021-10-13) (aged 70) Englewood, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 196 lb (89 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Farragut Career Academy (Chicago, Illinois) | ||||||||
| College | Purdue | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1973: 1st round, 9th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Otis D. Armstrong (November 15, 1950 – October 13, 2021) was an American professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL). He was selected in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the1973 NFL draft. He played for theDenver Broncos for his entire career from 1973 to 1980.
Armstrong attendedChicago'sFarragut High School and was inducted into theChicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.
Before his NFL career, Armstrong played forPurdue University, becoming the school's all-time leading rusher and leader in all-purpose yards. Armstrong was selected to Purdue's All-Time team in 1987 as part of a celebration of 100 years of football at Purdue. He was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
| Year | Rushing Yards | Rushing TD | Receiving Yards | Receiving TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,006 | 2 | 148 | 1 |
| 1971 | 945 | 6 | 186 | 4 |
| 1972 | 1,361 | 9 | 55 | 0 |
| Total | 3,312 | 17 | 389 | 5 |
Armstrong finished his three college seasons with 4,601 All-purpose yards (3,315 rushing yards, 897 yards from kickoff returns and 389 passing yards). He also scored 24 touchdowns (17 rushing and seven on returns). Armstrong was selected theBig Ten MVP in 1972, leading the league in rushing and total offense, while being selected 1st team All-Conference. He participated in four All-Star games; theHula Bowl, theEast-West Shrine Game, the Coaches' All-American Game, and the Chicago College All-Star game.
Over the course of his Purdue career, Armstrong became the all-time leading rusher in Big Ten Conference and Purdue history and ranked sixth inNCAA history at the time. His total of 3,315 yards in three years bettered the previous mark of 3,212 yards byAlan Ameche of Wisconsin - established in four years.[2] He still holds the Purdue single game rushing record (276 yds vs. arch-rival Indiana.) Armstrong finished as the all-time leader in All-Purpose yards at Purdue (4,601 yds), he is currently fourth all-time.
On May 16, 2012; Armstrong was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.[3] Armstrong became the 13th Boilermaker (nine players, four coaches) inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame.[4]
Armstrong was selected by theDenver Broncos with the ninth pick in the1973 NFL draft. In 1974, his second NFL season, Armstrong led the league in rushing yards (1,407) and yards per carry (5.3). In the 1977 season, he assisted theDenver Broncos to an appearance inSuper Bowl XII, which they lost to theDallas Cowboys 27–10.
Armstrong finished his eight NFL seasons with 4,453 rushing yards, 123 receptions for 1,302 receiving yards, and 879 yards from kickoff returns. He also scored 32 touchdowns (25 rushing and seven receiving).
Otis Armstrong died on October 13, 2021, surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was 70.[5]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1973 | DEN | 14 | 1 | 26 | 90 | 3.5 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 21.5 | 36 | 1 |
| 1974 | DEN | 14 | 14 | 263 | 1,407 | 5.3 | 43 | 9 | 38 | 405 | 10.7 | 48 | 3 |
| 1975 | DEN | 4 | 3 | 31 | 155 | 5.0 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | 0 |
| 1976 | DEN | 14 | 14 | 247 | 1,008 | 4.1 | 31 | 5 | 39 | 457 | 11.7 | 36 | 1 |
| 1977 | DEN | 10 | 10 | 130 | 489 | 3.8 | 35 | 4 | 18 | 128 | 7.1 | 20 | 0 |
| 1978 | DEN | 16 | 9 | 112 | 381 | 3.4 | 20 | 1 | 12 | 98 | 8.2 | 19 | 1 |
| 1979 | DEN | 15 | 1 | 108 | 453 | 4.2 | 26 | 2 | 14 | 138 | 9.9 | 17 | 1 |
| 1980 | DEN | 9 | 6 | 106 | 470 | 4.4 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 3.3 | 8 | 0 |
| Career[6] | 96 | 58 | 1,023 | 4,453 | 4.4 | 43 | 25 | 131 | 1,302 | 9.9 | 48 | 7 | |