Eric Dickerson

At 63 years old, Eric Dickerson has this physical status:

Eric Demetric Dickerson (born September 2, 1960) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons.

Dickerson played college football for the SMU Mustangs of Southern Methodist University and was recognized as an All-American.

He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

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 the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to myopia.

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College career

Dickerson stayed at Texas A&M before reconsidering and choosing among Oklahoma, Southern California, and Southern Methodist University (SMU). Since she loved SMU coach Ron Meyer, his great-great aunt encouraged him to stay in Texas to attend Southern Methodist University. When he began driving a new Pontiac Trans-Am during his senior year of high school, Dickerson was the subject of a recruiting controversy. Dickerson began driving a new Pontiac Trans-Am vehicle about the same time he committed to A&M, but suddenly stopped driving the Trans-Am because it had been destroyed by a vengeful Aggie. The vehicle was dubbed the "Trans A&M" by Ron Meyer, who recalled it. At the time, he said his grandmother from Mexico bought it for him. Dickerson has continued to refuse to disclose whether or not he accepted anything to attend SMU, saying, "Even if I did take something, I still wouldn't tell."

Dickerson shared carries with Craig James and Charles Waggoner, all three blue-chip recruits who joined in 1979. Waggoner was recovering after a kickoff their freshman season, leaving Dickerson and James to lead SMU's running attack, the Pony Express. Dickerson had 4,450 yards on 790 attempts to defeat Earl Campbell's Southwest Conference record for yards and attempts. He reached a career-high in touchdowns, beating Doak Walker's SMU total for career scoring. Dickerson finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in his senior year, behind Herschel Walker and John Elway. In 1982, he was a first-team All-American and a second-team All-American.

Professional career

Dickerson, who had been considering joining the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League, has chosen to play in the National Football League. The Los Angeles Rams selected him second overall in the 1983 NFL Draft. He set rookie records for most rushing attempts (390), the most rushing yards gained (1,808), and the most touchdowns (18), including two others receiving touchdowns. His efforts earned him All-Pro, Pro Bowl, Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year awards.

Dickerson continued his NFL record of becoming a member of the 2,000-yard club in his second season. He gained more than 100 yards in 1984, breaking the record of 100-yard games in a season dominated by O. J. Simpson. Dickerson's record of 2,003 yards in 1973 stood over Simpson's 1973 NFL season record of 2,003 yards (Dickerson had gone from 14 to 16 games in 1978), but Dickerson had the benefit of playing in two extra games. In a single NFL season, no one has ever rushed for more yards in a single NFL season. The Rams earned their first playoff appearance in 1984 thanks to Dickerson's 5.6 yards per carry.

Despite being rushed for 1,234 yards in 1985, while missing the first two games due to a work dispute, he missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in his young NFL career. In post-season action, he did go on to rush for a playoff record 248 yards against the Dallas Cowboys.

Dickerson and the Rams' 1985 season marked the start of ongoing labor discussions. Dickerson was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 1987, after playing just three games for the Rams during the strike-shortened 1987 season. The Colts traded Cornelius Bennett, whom they drafted but were unable to commit to a contract, to the Buffalo Bills in 1988, first- and second-round picks, and running back Greg Bell in a three-team trade. In 1988, the Colts traded Bell and three draft picks from Buffalo plus their own first- and second-round picks, as well as running back Owen Gill to Dickerson for Dickerson. The Rams selected Gaston Green, wide receiver Aaron Cox, linebacker Fred Strickland, running back Cleveland Gary, linebacker Frank Stams, and defensive back Darryl Henley. Following Rod Dowhower's dismissal, Dickerson and Ron Meyer, who had left SMU after Dickerson's junior season, moved to New England to take the head coaching role.

Despite the fact that he appeared in only nine games with the Colts last year, he still managed to win 1,011 yards to finish the season with 1,288. In addition, he was instrumental in the team's winning season (and first playoff berth) in ten years.

Dickerson, who had 1,659 yards rushing, became the first Colt to lead the league in rushing since Alan Ameche in 1955. Dickerson's career with the Colts would come to an end (although he would have 1,311 yards rushing in 1989). In addition, 1989 was the year that he reached the 10,000-yard mark, becoming the fastest player to do so (91 games), Emmitt Smith (106 games), and LaDainian Tomlinson (106 games). He had set a new NFL record of seven seasons in a row, with more than 1,000 yards per season, and had been in charge of the team for four seasons since 1989. With Tony Dorsett's retirement at the end of 1988, he became the top NFL rush yards in career rushing yards, a position he held until his own retirement in 1993.

However, injuries, new employment controversies, and suspensions dogged his final two seasons with the Colts. Dickerson, 29, was the highest-paid running back in the NFL, earning a $1.4 million annual salary each year. Following prolonged labor controversies, the Colts placed him on the inactive list before the 1990 season, where he stayed for seven weeks and earned more than $600,000. He rushed for 143 yards against the Bengals on 22 carries in his sixth game back from suspension — this effort moved him above Jim Brown to third place on the NFL career rushing list behind Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett. He was banned in November 1991, and despite illness and age, he only passed for 536 yards this season. The Colts came out 1–15 on the year's bottom, finishing with a 1–15 record.

Dickerson has described the move to Indianapolis as the worst point in his career, quoting that he hated his time with the Colts.

Dickerson was traded by the Colts to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1992 for their fourth and eighth picks. While there were occasional moments of greatness, 107 yards against the Broncos, 103 against the Chargers, where he played his 63rd and 64th career 100-yard games, but it will be his last. In a game against Kansas City that was also televised nationally, Dickerson scored on a 40-yard touchdown run, reminiscent of his prime, in front of a nationally broadcast Monday Night crowd. He led the team in rushing attempts and yards that year. However, he suffered from split carries with Marcus Allen, forcing the latter to finish in the second half.

Dickerson was traded to the Atlanta Falcons on July 7, 1993, for a sixth-round draft pick. He appeared in a backup role in the Falcons' final national television broadcast appearance on Monday Night Football, 1993, as the Falcons defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in a losing effort. On October 13, 1993, the Falcons traded Dickerson and third-year cornerback Bruce Pickens to the Green Bay Packers for running back John Stephens.

Dickerson said he had been told that the Falcons were waivering him because coach Jerry Glanville wanted to use younger players. Officials for the Falcons said the two people had misinterpreted their information and that Dickerson had not been placed on waivers. After failing a physical with the Packers, Dickerson became the second leading rusher of all time.

Dickerson officially resigned as a Los Angeles Rams fan on August 29, 2017.

Post-NFL career

Dickerson, joined by Melissa Stark, served as a sideline reporter on ABC's Monday Night Football broadcasts from 2000 to 2001.

Dickerson served as a broadcaster for KCBS television in Los Angeles during the 2007 football season and the 2016 football season, providing analysis for NFL pregame and postgame shows.

With former Los Angeles Rams teammate LeRoy Irvin, he formed Original Mini Jerseys, a sports memorabilia firm. The corporation obtained their NFL license in 2006 and now sells authentic miniature replica jerseys. E Champs, a web-based sporting products firm, also owns one.

Dickerson made his comeo appearance in the television series Hawaii Five-0 in 2014. He began hosting a two-hour Monday afternoon show on Los Angeles' sports-talk station KLAC in August 2016.

He appeared on the reality television game show The New Celebrity Apprentice in 2017. He was the third contestant "terminated" by host Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Dickerson appeared in the LAFD Chief Brinkle in the TV Series S.W.A.T. in 2019.

He joined Fox Sports' FS1 as an NFL analyst in 2017.

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