Anthony Anderson (football player)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Eugene Anderson (born September 27, 1956 in Wilmington, Delaware
) is a retired professional
American football
running back
. He played for two seasons in the National Football League
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and the Atlanta Falcons
. As a rookie
, he won a Super Bowl ring
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV
. Also played for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League
in the 1983 season.
he was a two-time All-Stater, two-time leading scorer, two-time first team All-America
n (out of 100 players). At the end of the high school years he rushed for 3,806 yards along with 49 touchdowns. He also excelled in track where he recorded a time of 9.8 100 yard dash and 22.2 200 meters
. He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Today he still holds several Delaware track records.
In 1994, Anderson was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
. That same year, he was also inducted into Temple University Hall of Fame.
He is Temple University second all-time leading rusher with 2,610 career yards. Due to penalties
, Anderson had many good runs called back. The pace he was on he would have broken the NCAA record by the end of his collegiate career at that time. He was 10th in the nation for all-purpose yardage
in 1977. Anderson has earned numerous awards at Temple as All-East, All-American. Anthony was nominated for the precious Hiesman Trophy. For 10 years he held the rushing record, until Paul Palmer
broke it. Palmer also had twice as many carries as Anderson. During the 1979 season he signed the hood
of an automobile for an event. The reward was whatever part of the car was signed will go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. The hood was the one picked, so signature of Anthony Anderson on the car hood is in Canton, Ohio
inside the Hall of Fame. He has been inducted into 6 Hall of Fames.
who played for the Dallas Cowboys
. Does motivational speaking engagements. Played in a Hollywood
made movie named Fighting Backa story about Rocky Bleier's hardships in the military when recovering from a major injury to his leg, to return back to the NFL. After the NFL he once owned a semi-pro football team in Wilmington, Delaware named the Diamond Backs. Anthony Anderson has a son named Anthony Brown who also is a running back that plays football for Wesley College in Dover, Delaware
. Anthony played high school football at Delcastle High School
in Wilmington, Delaware class of 2006. Also was a team captain and third on the team in scoring for the track team where he was shot put
ter. Throw a best of 45 ft 7in and also placed 11th at the Morgan State Invitational during his senior year. His son has been contacted to play Division I football for Temple University same as where his father attend. He has announced that he will make the transfer from Wesley to Temple starting the fall of 2009.
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
) is a retired professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He played for two seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. As a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, he won a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Also played for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
in the 1983 season.
Awards
At Thomas McKean High SchoolThomas McKean High School
Thomas McKean High School is a comprehensive public high school located on 301 McKennan's Church Road in Wilmington, Delaware. The school opened in December, 1966, and graduated its first class in June 1967.- Traditions :...
he was a two-time All-Stater, two-time leading scorer, two-time first team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (out of 100 players). At the end of the high school years he rushed for 3,806 yards along with 49 touchdowns. He also excelled in track where he recorded a time of 9.8 100 yard dash and 22.2 200 meters
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
. He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Today he still holds several Delaware track records.
In 1994, Anderson was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
. That same year, he was also inducted into Temple University Hall of Fame.
He is Temple University second all-time leading rusher with 2,610 career yards. Due to penalties
Penalty (American football)
In American football and Canadian football, a penalty is a sanction called against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow or orange colored "penalty flag" onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul...
, Anderson had many good runs called back. The pace he was on he would have broken the NCAA record by the end of his collegiate career at that time. He was 10th in the nation for all-purpose yardage
All-purpose yardage
All-purpose yards or All-purpose yardage is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure. It is virtually the same as the statistic that some football leagues refer to as combined net yards. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the...
in 1977. Anderson has earned numerous awards at Temple as All-East, All-American. Anthony was nominated for the precious Hiesman Trophy. For 10 years he held the rushing record, until Paul Palmer
Paul Palmer (American football)
Paul Woodrow Palmer is a former professional American football running back. He played in the National Football League for three seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Detroit Lions, and the Dallas Cowboys. He was the runner-up to Vinny Testaverde for the 1986 Heisman Trophy and holds rushing...
broke it. Palmer also had twice as many carries as Anderson. During the 1979 season he signed the hood
Hood (vehicle)
The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
of an automobile for an event. The reward was whatever part of the car was signed will go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. The hood was the one picked, so signature of Anthony Anderson on the car hood is in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
inside the Hall of Fame. He has been inducted into 6 Hall of Fames.
Personal
He now owns a construction company in Delaware. He attended the same high school (McKean) as the great Randy WhiteRandy White (American football)
Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
who played for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Does motivational speaking engagements. Played in a Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
made movie named Fighting Backa story about Rocky Bleier's hardships in the military when recovering from a major injury to his leg, to return back to the NFL. After the NFL he once owned a semi-pro football team in Wilmington, Delaware named the Diamond Backs. Anthony Anderson has a son named Anthony Brown who also is a running back that plays football for Wesley College in Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
. Anthony played high school football at Delcastle High School
Delcastle Technical High School
Delcastle Technical High School is a vocational-technical high school in Wilmington, Delaware and is the largest of four high schools within the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, which includes Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington, Hodgson Vo-Tech High School in...
in Wilmington, Delaware class of 2006. Also was a team captain and third on the team in scoring for the track team where he was shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
ter. Throw a best of 45 ft 7in and also placed 11th at the Morgan State Invitational during his senior year. His son has been contacted to play Division I football for Temple University same as where his father attend. He has announced that he will make the transfer from Wesley to Temple starting the fall of 2009.