History UsefulNotes / NFLOffensivePlayers

* '''Ernie Davis''' never actually played a snap in the NFL, but his name and legacy looms large in the league as one of the greatest tragedies in football history. In 1961, Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman as a dominant halfback at Syracuse. "The Elmira Express" was selected #1 overall in the 1962 Draft by Washington, making him the first black player honored with the top pick. However, Washington only drafted Davis because the federal government threatened to revoke their stadium lease if they didn't sign at least one black player, something they had adamantly refused to do for decades. Davis refused to play for such a racist organization and demanded a trade, which he received to the Cleveland Browns, where he would be in a perfect position to play with and perhaps succeed his Syracuse predecessor, the great Jim Brown. Unfortunately, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia and died before ever taking the field. His death was treated as a national tragedy, with both houses of Congress eulogizing Davis and President Kennedy sending a message to be read at his funeral; despite never playing for the team, the Browns retired his #62.

* '''Bobby Mitchell''' started his career as a halfback and return specialist with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him in the seventh round in 1958 out of Illinois. Paired with Jim Brown, the Browns had dominant ground game with Mitchell as a runner. However, Cleveland had a chance to potentially upgrade their offense when Washington drafted Ernie Davis (see above) as the #1 pick in 1962. When Davis refused to become the first African-American player for the last NFL team to racially integrate, Washington traded him to Cleveland in exchange for Mitchell and another player, making Mitchell [[JackieRobinsonStory their first black player]]. Davis tragically passed away before ever playing for the Browns; Mitchell, who played as a flanker in Washington's system, broke out as a major star, leading the league in catches and receiving yards in his first year playing for the team that had traditionally represented the Jim Crow South, a tremendous symbolic victory for the Civil Rights Movement. Mitchell retired from playing after the 1968 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, but he stayed employed by Washington in their front office for decades. When he retired in 2003, he expressed frustration for how many times he had been passed over for promotion, missing the chance to become the league's first black GM. After his death in 2020, which coincided with both the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement and Washington's efforts to reform their organization by changing their name and disowning their racist legacy, the organization retired his #49 (for decades an honor only held by Sammy Baugh).

* '''Larry Csonka'''[[note]]pronounced "Zonka"; [[NamesTheSame not to be confused with the wrestling dirtsheet writer of the same name]][[/note]] was the star fullback of the "perfect" 1972 Dolphins. Drafted #8 overall by the Dolphins in the 1968 Draft out of Syracuse, "Zonk" became greatly feared by opponents for his powerful, bruising playstyle, as he regularly knocked down and even ''knocked out'' opponents during his runs. His physical playstyle gave him a distinctive appearance, with a broad and ''very'' crooked nose set atop an excellent PornStache. He was also known for his close friendship with '''Jim Kiick''', another back drafted in the fifth round the same year out of Wyoming whose speed complemented Zonk on the field and whose fun-loving ways complemented him off of it; their wild partying and other escapades earned them the nickname "Film/ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid" in the media. Csonka won MVP for Super Bowl VIII and was one of several Dolphins stars, including Kiick, to leave the team for a lucrative contract with the WFL's Memphis Southmen in 1975. Csonka returned to the NFL the next year after the WFL folded, signing with the New York Giants before returning to Miami for OneLastJob in 1979 and winning Comeback Player of the Year (Kiick attempted to come back to the NFL, too, but rarely saw play once separated from Csonka). Csonka had his #39 retired by the Dolphins and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

* '''Dwight Clark''' was drafted in the tenth round in 1979 out of Clemson by the San Francisco 49ers. The low drafted pick had several standout seasons early in his career, including leading the league in receptions in the strike-shortened 1982 season, but he is most well known for being the recipient of "The Catch", one of the most famous plays in football history in which he caught the game-winning touchdown from Joe Montana in the 1981 NFC Championship with a high-flying leap in the back of the end zone. This moment is widely celebrated as the turning point in Niners history that led to their '80s dynasty, and while his numbers declined as the team assembled more talented receivers, the team still retired his #87 after he retired in 1987. Clark continued to work in the 49ers front office for many years, eventually becoming their general manager in 1998 before going to serve in the same role for the revived Cleveland Browns from 1999-2001 (a decision he heavily regretted in hindsight). In 2017, Clark was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and he died a year later at 61 years old; the 49ers built a statue of his iconic Catch outside their stadium to honor his passing.

* '''Matt Birk''' was a center who most famously played for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him in the sixth round out of Harvard in 1998. After two seasons as a backup, Birk started every game from 2000-2003, missed the last four games in 2004 and all of 2005 due to injuries, and then never missed a game for the rest of his career. He made the Pro Bowl six times in his career, all with the Vikings. In 2009, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and retired after winning Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.

* '''Matt Birk''' was a center who played most famously for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him out in the sixth round out of Harvard in 1998. His first two seasons seen him play as a backup before becoming a starter, starting every game from 2000-2003. He missed the last four games of the 2004 season and all of the 2005 season due to injuries. Once he got healthy again in 2006, he never missed a game for the rest of his career. He made the Pro Bowl six times in his career, all with the Vikings. In 2009, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and finished his career by winning Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens.

* '''Matt Birk''' was a center who played most famously for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him out in the sixth round out of Harvard in 1998. His first two seasons seen him play as a backup before becoming a starter, and started every game from 2000-2003. He missed the last four games of the 2004 season and all of the 2005 season due to injuries. Once he got healthy again in 2006, he never missed a game for the rest of his career. He made the Pro Bowl six times in 2000-1, 2003-4, and 2006-7, all with the Vikings. In 2009, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and finished his career by winning Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens.

* '''Steven Jackson''' was a halfback most famously played for the St. Louis Rams, who drafted him #24 overall in 2004 out of Oregon State. He didn't see much action his rookie year, as he spent most of the season recovering from an injury suffered in college. In 2005, he was named the starter to replace Marshall Faulk(see above). He rushed for a 1,000 yards every season from 2005-2012, including over 1,500 yards in 2006. He was named to three Pro Bowls in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 2013, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons and had two unimpressive seasons there and finished his career with one more unimpressive season in 2015 with New England. He is a member of the 10,000 rushing yards and holds the Rams franchise record for rushing yards as well as the NFL record for most runs without going over 60+ yards.

* '''Eddie George''' was a [[MadeOfIron workhorse]] back who spent most of his career with the Tennessee Titans, who drafted him #14 overall in 1996 after a Heisman-winning career at Ohio State. He was a four time Pro Bowler from 1997-2000 and a major catalyst in helping Tennessee reach Super Bowl XXXIV. He rushed for 1,000 yards every season he played for Tennessee except for 2001 and carried the ball over 300 times every year. He was let go from Tennessee after struggling with toe and ankle injuries and declining performance in 2004, played one disappointing season for the Cowboys in 2004, and officially retired in 2006. George and Jim Brown are the only running backs to rush for 10,000 yards and never a miss start and his 130 consecutive starts are second only to Walter Payton's 170. His #27 was retired by the Titans and he was inducted into their Ring of Honor.

* '''Priest Holmes''' was a running back who signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted agent out of Texas in 1997. He was unspectacular as a member of the Ravens, only rushing for a 1,000 yards once in his four seasons. He was supplanted by Jamal Lewis as a in 2000 and after getting a ring from Super Bowl XXXV, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001 on an inexpensive contract and proceeded to become one of the NFL's best running backs. He rushed for a 1,000 yards every year from 2001-2003, being named to the Pro Bowl all three seasons. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2001 and was named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. In 2003, he broke Marshall Faulk's single season total [=TDs=] record with 27. [[note]]since broken by Shaun Alexander in 2005 and [=LaDainian=] Tomlinson in 2006[[/note]] In 2004, his career began to decline due to injuries that ultimately led to his retirement in 2007 after a neck injury. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2014.

* '''Priest Holmes''' was a running back who signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted agent out of Texas in 1997. He was unspectacular as a member of the Ravens, only rushing for a 1,000 yards once in his four seasons. He was supplanted by Jamal Lewis as a in 2000 and after getting a ring from Super Bowl XXXV, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001 on an inexpensive contract and proceeded to become one of the NFL's best running backs. He rushed for a 1,000 yards every year from 2001-2003, being named to the Pro Bowl all three seasons. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2001 and was named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. In 2003, he broke Marshall Faulk's single season total [=TDs=] record with 27 [[note]] since broken by Shaun Alexander in 2005 and [=LaDainian=] Tomlinson in 2006[[/note]] In 2004, his career began to decline due to injuries that ultimately led to his retirement in 2007 after a neck injury. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2014.

* '''Priest Holmes''' was a running back who signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted agent out of Texas in 1997. He was unspecactular as a member of the Ravens, only rushing for a 1,000 yards once in his four seasons. He was supplanted by Jamal Lewis as a in 2000 and after getting a ring from Super Bowl XXXV, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001 on an inexpensive contract and proceeded to become one of the NFL's best running backs. He rushed for a 1,000 yards every year from 2001-2003, being named to the Pro Bowl all three seasons. He led the NFL in rushing yards in 2001 and was named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. In 2004, his career began to decline due to injuries that ultimately led to his retirement in 2007 after a neck injury. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2014.

* '''Korey Stringer''' was an offensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him #24 overall in 1995 out of Ohio State. He made one Pro Bowl in 2000. In 2001, he tragically passed away from complications related to heat stroke. His death brought about changes in how NFL teams conduct their practices, as many teams now train in lighter color uniforms with water and shade being made readily avaiable. His death also addressed complications of teams pressuring their players to bulk up to more than 300 lbs. The Vikings retired his #77 in 2001 and he was inducted into Minnesota's Ring of Honor.
* '''Joe Thomas''' is an offensive tackle who spent his entire career with the Cleveland Browns. Drafted #3 overall in 2007 out of Wisconsin, Thomas played every single offensive snap from his first game in 2007 until suffering a season-ending torn triceps during the 2017 season, something that likely had something to do with the team's 0-16 record that year. He then surprised everybody by deciding to retire, leaving behind an immense legacy, most notably as one of only 5 players in NFL history to be named to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls. Despite his immense talent and individual successes, the Browns were the worst team in the league over the span of his career, never making the playoffs once. Thomas nonetheless embraced Cleveland, making the area his full-time home, and he got his often-expressed wish of playing his entire career as a Brown and doing his part in turning the team into a contender (even if the team's management couldn't help him out). He currently serves as an analyst for NFL Network.

* '''Don Hutson''' was the TropeMaker for wide receivers, being credited with inventing the very ''concept'' as well as the fundamentals of the position (such as running pre-planned routes, most of which are still used today). He played for the Green Bay Packers from 1935 to 1945 (leading them to three championships) and was decades ahead of his time, playing in an era where teams relied primarily on running backs and passes were usually only thrown out of desperation; the term "wide receiver" didn't even exist yet (he was called a "split end"). As such, the man was essentially [[GameBreaker a human cheat code]], and it cannot be overstated how unprepared the league was for him. [[ItWillNeverCatchOn Initially thought too scrawny to play at the NFL level]], he silenced all critics on the first play of his first game, in which he caught an 83-yard touchdown pass. [[TheAce He set dominant single-season and career records in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns]], some of which stood for nearly fifty years and might ''still'' stand had the league not lengthened the regular season.[[note]]Upon retiring, his career yardage was well over double that of his runner up, and his [=TDs=] nearly ''triple''.[[/note]] His era also had "single-platoon" teams (before players were assigned to offense, defense, or special teams), so [[JackOfAllTrades he also played as a defensive end (intercepting 23 passes in his final four seasons) and placekicker (where he scored 193 points over his career)]]. His record of scoring 29 points in a single quarter (four touchdowns, five extra-point kicks) might never be broken. His most unbreakable records, however, are his meta-season ones: most seasons leading the league in receiving touchdowns/catches/receiving yards/points scored[[note]]9, 8, 7, and 5, respectively[[/note]] and most consecutive seasons leading the league in those categories[[note]]five in each; even more amazingly, he is ''also the runner-up'' for the touchdown record with another four-season streak, further showing just how baffled opponents were when trying to cover him.[[/note]]. These are all considered virtually unbreakable due to there being too much parity among modern wide receivers to lead the league more than a season or two (kicker Stephen Gostkowski currently ties his record of five seasons leading the league in scoring, but his were non-consecutive). The "Alabama Antelope" remains the only receiver to officially be named MVP, winning it in back-to-back seasons in 1941-2. His #14 is retired by the Packers, and he was a charter member of the Hall of Fame. Hutson passed away in 1997.[[note]]One last cool fact: In college at Alabama, Hutson wasn't the only starting end who went on to a storied post-college career. The man who [[SelfDeprecation called himself "the other end"]] was Bear Bryant, who became a legendary college coach, most notably at Alabama.[[/note]]

* '''Eddie George''' was a workhorse back who spent most of his career the Tennessee Titans, who drafted him #14 overall in 1996 out of Ohio State. He was a four time Pro Bowler from 1997-2000 and was a major catalyst in helping Tennessee reach Super Bowl XXXIV. He rushed for 1,000 yards every season he played for Tennessee except for 2001 and also carried the ball over 300 times every year as well. He was let go from Tennessee after struggling with toe and ankle injuries and declining performance in 2004. He played one disappointing season for the Cowboys in 2004 and retired in 2006. His #27 was retired by Tennessee and he was inducted into Tennessee's Ring of Honor. He and Jim Brown are the only running backs to rush for 10,000 yards and never a miss start and his 130 consecutive starts are second only to Walter Payton's 170.

* '''Tony Dorsett''' was spent nearly his entire career as a star with the Dallas Cowboys. Drafted #2 overall in 1977 following a Heisman and National Championship winning season at Pittsburgh, Dorsett told the expansion Seattle Seahawks (who originally held the pick) that he would not play for them if selected. This prompted Dallas, a perennial playoff team, to trade up for him. The move paid immediate dividends, as Dorsett rushed for over 1,000 yards, scored 13 touchdowns, won Offensive Rookie of Year, and led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl XII victory over the Denver Broncos. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in eight of his first nine seasons, the only exception being the strike-shortened 1982 season where he still led the league in rushing. He is one of only two players (Derrick Henry being the other, see below) to accomplish a 99-yard rush. Dorsett was traded to the Broncos in 1988 after two years of declining performance; he improved slightly in Denver but retired before the next season due to injury problems. He is also one of only two players in league history (along with Marcus Allen, see above) to win a Heisman Trophy, a college national championship, a Super Bowl, and be enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Sadly, Dorsett has struggled with CTE and related memory issues in retirement.

* '''Todd Christensen''' was drafted in 1978 in the 2nd round by the Dallas Cowboys out of BYU, where he was originally a fullback. He was injured in the preseason, missed all of his rookie year, and was cut after he didn't want to become a tight end. He was signed by the Giants in 1979 but only played a single game before being waived. He was then signed with the Oakland Raiders that same season, at first playing mainly on special teams as a long snapper before he finally agreed to play tight end, putting up unspectacular numbers in his first three seasons at the position before he broke out in 1982 and became one of the NFL's most dominant receiving tight ends. (His 95 catches in 1986 stood as the record for most catches by a tight end until 1994, when it was broken by Ben Coates.) He was named to 5 straight Pro Bowls from 1983-7 and won two Super Bowls with the Raiders in 1980 and 1983. He retired after an injury-riddled 1988 season saw his production drop. Off the field, he was known as another [[BunnyEarsLawyer Raider eccentric]]; the son of a college professor, he would often play up the expectations of him being a DumbJock by peppering his speech with SesquipedalianLoquaciousness and allustions to poetry, only to joke that he didn't understand anything he just said. After his playing career, he became a broadcaster for various networks before passing away from complications during liver transplant surgery in 2013.

* '''Troy Brown''' was drafted in the 8th round in 1993 by the New England Patriots out of Marshall. The first seven years of his career were generally unspectacular, mostly spent on special teams, but he was never cut and eventually became a full-time starter in 2000 as a slot receiver. He helped New England win three Super Bowls and made a single Pro Bowl in 2001. He became known as [[FanNickname "Mr. Patriot"]] by fans for his willingness to [[JackOfAllTrades play in any role to help the team]]; besides being a prolific special teamer, he also sometimes played defensive back, usually covering the slot receiver.[[note]]In one preseason game, Bill Belichick put him in as quarterback for a single play "to build his legend".[[/note]] He retired in 2008 after a [[LongRunner 15-year career]] and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by fan vote. He is currently the only player in NFL history to have at least 550 receptions, 250 punt returns, and an interception. He's now serving as the wide receivers and kick returners coach for his former team.

* '''Ben Coates''' was an out of nowhere prospect, drafted by the New England Patriots in the 5th round in 1991 out of HBCU Livingstone. His first two years were marked by unspectacular play, but he started to break out in his third year with the arrival of Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells. From 1993-1998, he had over 50 catches a season, including a record breaking 1994 campaign that seen him catch 96 passes (since broken by Tony Gonzalez) and helped New England make Super Bowl XXXI, putting up a respectable performance. He was named to 5 Pro Bowls from 1994-8. After a disappointing 1999 campaign, he played one last year in Baltimore Ravens, picking up a ring from Super Bowl XXXV. He was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2008.

* '''Troy Brown''' was drafted in the 8th round in 1993 by the New England Patriots out of Marshall. The first seven years of his career were generally unspectacular, mostly spent on special teams, but he was never cut and eventually became a full-time starter in 2000 as a slot receiver. He helped New England win three Super Bowls and made a single Pro Bowl in 2001. He became known as [[FanNickname "Mr. Patriot"]] by fans for his willingness to [[JackOfAllTrades play in any role to help the team]]; besides being a prolific special teamer, he also sometimes played defensive back, usually covering the slot receiver.[[note]]In one preseason game, Bill Belichick put him in as quarterback for a single play "to build his legend".[[/note]] He retired in 2008 after a [[LongRunner 15-year career]] and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame by fan vote. He is currently the only player in NFL history to have at least 550 receptions, 250 punt returns, and an interception.

* Atiim '''"Tiki" Barber"''' was a three-time Pro Bowl running back who played ten seasons with the New York Giants after they drafted him in the second round in 1997 out of Virginia. Barber became a star in the early '00s, setting multiple franchise records and coming very close to breaking Marshall Faulk's single-season yards from scrimmage record in 2005. However, he was likely more famous for his interactions with the media, an entity Barber expressed interest in joining rather than being the subject of. Barber openly criticized his teammates (especially coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning) and blamed them for the Giants' inability to win a Super Bowl. After retiring in his prime following the 2006 season and signing a lucrative deal with both NBC Sports and ''Series/{{Today}}'', Barber earned a press box seat to the next Super Bowl and got to interview its winners... the New York Giants. Tiki lost his ''Today'' gig after a highly-publicized divorce where he [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor left his pregnant wife for a young NBC intern]]; he attempted an NFL comeback afterwards but came up short. His abbreviated career and post-retirement controversies likely cost him a spot in the Hall of Fame (not to mention caused vocal boos from Giants fans when he was added to the team's Ring of Honor). Tiki's [[AlwaysIdenticalTwins identical twin]] Ronde, the [[RedOniBlueOni Blue Oni]] to Tiki's Red, also had a very successful career in the NFL as a defensive back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; see his entry below.

* '''Antonio Gates''' spent his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers and was one of the most dominant tight ends ever. He is also notable as one of the few NFL players (let alone stars) who never played college football; he was an undersized power forward for a Kent State basketball team that made an NCAA regional final in 2002, and was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003.[[labelnote:*]]Gates initially enrolled at Michigan State planning to play both football and basketball. Upon finding out that Spartans head coach Nick Saban—yes, ''that'' Nick Saban—wanted him to play only football, he immediately transferred to Eastern Michigan, playing basketball there for part of a season before moving on to a junior college and finally to Kent State for two years.[[/labelnote]] He was released by the Chargers in 2018, as they had drafted his presumptive successor, wasn't picked up by another team, and appeared ready to slip quietly into retirement to wait for his inevitable Hall of Fame nomination. Then said successor--''and'' said successor's backup--suffered season-ending injuries in training camp, prompting the Chargers to call the 38-year-old Gates back up for OneLastJob. He didn't catch on with another team in 2019 and after that season made his retirement official, signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Charger. Gates made the Pro Bowl eight times and was named All-Pro five times. He and Tony Gonzalez (see below) were the tight ends on the NFL All-Decade Team for the 2000s; Gates broke Gonzalez' record for the most career touchdown catches by a tight end. Gates had the longest NFL career of any player who never played college football.[[note]]While the career of Garo Yepremian (in the "Kickers and Punters" folder) spanned the same number of years, Gates played in more seasons.[[/note]]

* '''Willie Roaf''' was a tackle who spent the majority of his career with the New Orleans Saints, who drafted him #8 in 1993 out of Louisiana Tech. He played with the Saints until his 2001 season was ended early by injuries. He was then traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2002, lasting there until 2005. He made the Pro Bowl an impressive 11 times, from 1994-2000, and again from 2002-5. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2012.