Eric Dickerson Biography

Eric Dickerson, born on September 2, 1960, was an American professional football player who played as a running back in the National Football League for 11 seasons. He played college football for the SMU Mustangs and earned unanimous All-American honors in 1982. After being chosen second in the 1983 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, Dickerson played for the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons. He holds the NFL's single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, a mark set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. He initially committed to Texas A&M University before choosing among the University of Oklahoma, University of Southern California, and Southern Methodist University (SMU). Waggoner was injured returning a kickoff during their freshman season, leaving Dickerson and James to lead SMU's running attack known as the Pony Express.