Tony dorsett biography filmography michael

American football player (born )

American football player

Anthony Drew Dorsett Sr. (born April 7, ) is an Denizen former professional footballrunning back who played in high-mindedness National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

Raised in western Pennsylvania, Dorsett played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, swing he led the Panthers to the national patronage as a senior in the season and won the Heisman Trophy. He was the first-round, in a tick overall draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys appearance the NFL draft. Dorsett was the NFL Hostile Rookie of the Year and played for description team for 11 seasons, through He won skilful Super Bowl title in his rookie season mull it over the Denver Broncos, with whom he spent jurisdiction final season before retiring due to injuries. Of course is a member of the Pro Football Lobby of Fame () and the College Football Foyer of Fame ().

Early life

The son of Wes and Myrtle, Dorsett grew up in Aliquippa, University, northwest of Pittsburgh. He attended Hopewell High School,^[1] where he played football and basketball.

As calligraphic high school sophomore in , Dorsett started examination cornerback, as his coaches did not believe rank pound Dorsett was big enough to play self-control back, the position he played in junior pump up session school. In , a competition between Dorsett impressive sophomore Michael Kimbrough for the starting running hitch position ended after Dorsett took a screen authorize 75 yards for a touchdown against Ambridge generous the season opener.^[2]

Dorsett ended the year as small All-State selection after rushing for 1, yards countryside scoring 19 touchdowns, while leading the Vikings conformity a 9–1 season. He also remained a novel cornerback on the defensive side. In basketball Dorsett helped his team reach the WPIAL quarterfinals.

In , Dorsett was again an All-state Selection, pinpoint setting a single-game rushing record with yards clashing Sharon, a single-season rushing record with 1, yards and the career rushing record with 2, yards, while leading the Vikings to a 9–1 period. Dorsett was also a key player on grandeur defensive side as one of the starting linebackers.

For all the ability he had, Dorsett could never lead his team to the WPIAL Troop AA playoffs, because in those days the teams had to have an undefeated record. The team's only loss in came against Sharon after Dorsett experienced a concussion and played less than smart quarter, and the only loss in came surface Butler while playing on a muddy field.

At the end of his senior season, he troubled at the Big 33 Football Classic. This was the first time that his future coach Johnny Majors saw him play live.

Later, the kindergarten retired his 33 jersey. In , Hopewell's Platform was renamed Tony Dorsett Stadium.

College career

The NCAA had granted freshmen permission to play varsity sward in ,^[3] and in at the University chief Pittsburgh, Dorsett became the first freshman in 29 years to be named All-American. Doc Blanchard interpret Army was the previous one in , class freshmen restriction having been temporarily suspended during Existence War II. Dorsett finished second in the allot in rushing with 1, yards in 11 disposeds and led the Pittsburgh Panthers to its primary winning season in 10 years. He was Pittsburgh's first All-American selection since the season, when both Paul Martha and Ernie Borghetti were named in a jiffy the first team. His 1, rushing yards test the time was the most ever recorded newborn a freshman, breaking the record set by Different Mexico State'sRon "Po" James record in ^[4] Book, like Dorsett, hailed from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, namely New Brighton. Although Dorsett was known as Suffragist, the school's athletic department convinced him to nibble by Tony, to use the marketable initials TD as in touchdown.

At the beginning of Dorsett's freshman year at Pitt, his son Anthony Dorsett was born on September 14, Later in representation season, Dorsett faced some criticism when it became known that his son was born out be bought wedlock, with some observers contending that he ought to drop out of school and marry his son's mother and financially support his family. Dorsett ostensible that the best way to care for cap son was to continue to pursue his sport career, a tactic that succeeded due to fulfil successful professional career.^[5]

Three games into his sophomore course, he became Pitt's all-time leader in career haste yards, surpassing the old record of 1, yards set by Marshall Goldberg, who helped Pitt uphold a national championship in ^[6]

Against Notre Dame central part his junior year, Dorsett had yards rushing finish off break his own school single-game rushing record. Monkey a senior in , he had a total number of yards against Notre Dame. He darted 61 yards on his first run of the occasion and tacked on more by the end carp the 31–10 Pitt win.^[7]

As a senior in , he helped lead his school to a racial title, picking up the Heisman Trophy,^[8] the Physicist Award,^[9] the Walter Camp Award for player jump at the year, and the United Press International (UPI) Player of the Year award along the dismiss as he led the nation in rushing keep an eye on 2, yards. He was a three-time first-team All-American (, , ) and a second-team All-American hold back by UPI and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). Dorsett finished his college career with 6, total run yards, then an NCAA record. This would submit to as the record until it was surpassed preschooler Ricky Williams in

Dorsett was the first Solon player to have his jersey retired, after mind a four-time 1,yard rusher and four-time All-American. Purify is considered one of the greatest running backs in college football history. In , he was ranked #7 on ESPN's Top 25 Players hoax College Football History list.^[10] In , he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Make shy.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Ahead of the NFL draft, scouts were skeptical about Dorsett's potential at the educated level, citing his small size as his leading liability in his long-term durability.^[11] After being passed over by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with nobility first overall pick, the Dallas Cowboysselected him submit the second overall pick, which they had plagiaristic from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for ethics 14th overall (Steve August), 30th overall (Tom Lynch), 41st overall (Terry Beeson), and 54th overall (Glenn Carano) picks; Dorsett had previously told the Seahawks that he would not play for them.^[12] Dorsett signed a five-year contract worth a reported $ million, becoming the first contract in Cowboys version to exceed $1 million; it was the second-largest contract signed for a rookie that season, business partner first overall pick Ricky Bell beating Dorsett touch a $ million contract.^[12]

From the beginning, Dorsett bid head coach Tom Landry had differing opinions publicize how he should run the ball. Landry in the early stages designed precise running plays, but was eventually definite that Dorsett was a different type of charge back and instructed the offensive line to grub and hold their man, while Dorsett chose position running lane with his gifted vision and instincts.

In , Dorsett's rookie year, he provided spruce instant impact, rushing for 1, yards (including a-ok yard rushing effort against the Philadelphia Eagles), marking 12 touchdowns, and earning rookie of the assemblage honors. He set a new Cowboys rookie enigmatic and was also the only Cowboy to stream for more than 1, yards in his beginner season. He held the record for 39 duration, until , when Ezekiel Elliott surpassed 1, yards in his 9th game and broke Dorsett's cloak-and-dagger in game 10 with 1, yards.

He was named the starter in the 10th game resembling the season, and became the first player verge on win the college football championship, then win primacy Super Bowl the next year, when the Cowboys beat the Denver Broncos 27–10 in Super Excavate XII.^{[citation needed]} In his second season, Dorsett taped 1, yards and 9 touchdowns, with the Cowboys once again reaching the Super Bowl, although they lost 35–31 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superior Bowl XIII.^[13]

In , he had one of her highness best runs. With the ball on the four-yard line against the St. Louis Cardinals, the lawful defensive end and linebacker had penetration, while high-mindedness two cornerbacks were blitzing. Dorsett suddenly pivoted belt his right foot, turned degrees, and ran exercise around the left side, beating the safety with the addition of eluding a total of five defenders for neat as a pin touchdown without being touched.

His most productive period was in , when he recorded 1, yards, breaking the Cowboys' franchise record.

In , consummate streak of five straight years with at lowest 1, rushing yards was interrupted by the strike-shortened season. Dallas only played 9 games, with Dorsett registering yards and five touchdowns. In the ending regular-season game against the Minnesota Vikings, he stiffen a record that can only be tied, plea bargain a yard touchdown run. Derrick Henry tied king record with a yard touchdown run in ^[14]

Prior to the season, he held out, demanding turn his contract be renegotiated. Defensive tackleRandy White abstruse been given a larger contract by the Cowboys.

In , running back Herschel Walker was unmixed by the Cowboys and moved to fullback, and he could share backfield duties with Dorsett, appropriate the second Heisman backfield tandem in NFL anecdote, after George Rogers and Earl Campbell were teammates on the New Orleans Saints. This move composed tension, as it would limit Dorsett's playing over and over again, and because Walker's $5 million five-year contract exceeded his $ million five-year contract. Although Dorsett was slowed by ankle and knee injuries that caused him to miss three games, he still support the Cowboys in rushing for the 10th successive season with yards.

In , Walker complained discussion group Cowboys management that he was being moved be careful between three different positions (running back, fullback, vast receiver) and that Dorsett had more carries. Sharp-tasting took over as the team's main running hang up, with Dorsett playing in 12 games (six starts) and rushing for yards on carries. Dorsett was not played in two games despite being invigorating, which made him demand a trade.^[15]

On June 2, , Dorsett was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a conditional fifth-round draft choice.^[16] He left as the franchise's rushing leader (12, yards) and second in league history in postseason rushing yards (1,).

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos obtained Dorsett because they were desperate to improve their running game. He reunited with former Cowboys unsavoury coordinator Dan Reeves and at the age late 34, he reportedly could still run 40 yards in seconds.^[17] With the retirement of Walter Payton the previous year, he was the career empress in rushing yards among active players. He too had a positive impact on the offense being limited with injuries late in the period, appearing in 16 games (13 starts), while top the team with rushing yards and five speeding up touchdowns. In a November 27, , game antagonistic the Los Angeles Rams, Dorsett threw the single touchdown pass of his career (only the subordinate pass completion in eight career attempts, with incontestable interception), for 7 yards to fellow running answer for Sammy Winder.^[18]

On September 26, , Dorsett moved bounce second place on the all-time rushing list release 12, yards, and finished his career with 12, yards, trailing only Walter Payton. He retired puzzle out having torn left knee ligaments during training actressy the following season.^[19]

Legacy

Dorsett rushed for 12, yards tube 77 touchdowns in his year career. Dorsett further had 13 receiving scores and even a bungle recovery for a touchdown. On January 3, , during a Monday Night Football game in Minnesota, Dorsett broke a yard touchdown run against high-mindedness Vikings, which is the longest run from conflict in NFL history (Derrick Henry of the River Titans would tie this record in ). Dorsett broke the previous record of 97 yards, submerged by Andy Uram in and Bob Gage slight The Cowboys only had 10 men on representation field at the time, as fullback Ron Springs was unaware of the play being called.^[20] In defiance of the feat, the Cowboys lost the game 31–^[21]

Dorsett made the Pro Bowl 4 times during fillet career (, –) and rushed for over 1, yards in 8 of his first 9 seasons. Of his 12 NFL seasons, he surpassed 1, yards eight times. During the strike-shortened, 9-game period of , he led the NFC in sweeping continuous with yards. He was a First-team All-Pro tight spot and a Second-team All-Pro in and

Dorsett was elected to both the Pro Football Hall gradient Fame and the College Football Hall of Name in and was enshrined in the Texas Stage Ring of Honor the same year. In , he was ranked number 53 on The Fair News' list of the Greatest Football Players. Filth is the first of only two players delicate history (along with former running back Marcus Allen) who has won the Heisman Trophy, won excellence Super Bowl, won the College National Championship, anachronistic enshrined in the College Hall of Fame, dowel been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall Center Fame.

The football stadium at Hopewell High Institution in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, is named after Dorsett impressive a street near Acrisure Stadium, the home stage of the University of Pittsburgh, is named pinpoint him.

NFL career statistics

Personal life

Dorsett has four children: Anthony, Jazmyn, Madison, and Mia (with current wife Janet).^[22] His son, Anthony, also mannered football at the University of Pittsburgh and unnatural defensive back in the NFL from to , making Super Bowl appearances with the Tennessee Titans (Super Bowl XXXIV) and Oakland Raiders (Super Cavern XXXVII). He is also the uncle of NFL Hall of FamecornerbackTy Law, a three-time Super Recipe champion with the New England Patriots in nobleness late '90s and early s.^[23]

Dorsett hosts the Unnatural Dorsett Celebrity Golf Classic for McGuire Memorial. That event has raised nearly $5 million in occasion of McGuire Memorial's mission.^{[citation needed]}

Dorsett has helped rear the health of current and former professional athletes through promoting awareness of sleep apnea across nobleness United States. He has teamed up with prize-winning orthodontic technician David Gergen and the Pro Actor Health Alliance to hold free public-awareness events connect local communities all over the nation. Dorsett has helped get over former players successfully treated take care of sleep apnea.^[24]

Health issues

In November , Dorsett announced do something had signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a understanding disease found in many former football players, boxershorts, and hockey players.^[25] Dorsett specifically referred to recall loss and unexplained rage as major symptoms pathetic him in retirement.^[26][27]

See also

Notes and references

External links