Butch Woolfolk
Encyclopedia
Harold E. "Butch" Woolfolk (born March 1, 1960) is a former American football
running back
and kick returner
who played in college for the University of Michigan
(1978–1981) and in the National Football League
(NFL) for the New York Giants
(1982–1984), Houston Oilers
(1985–1986) and Detroit Lions
(1987–1988). Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School
in . Woolfolk led Michigan in rushing
three straight years and set the school record with 3,850 rushing yards while playing for the Wolverines from 1978
to 1981
. As a sophomore in 1979, he was the Big Ten Conference
scoring champion, and he went on to become a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection. He had his best season as a senior at Michigan, winning the 1981 Big Ten rushing title and falling just 10 yards short of Rob Lytle
's single-season rushing yards record. He was also selected in 1981 as the Most Valuable Player
of both the Rose Bowl played January 1, 1981, and the Bluebonnet Bowl
played December 31, 1981, as well as the Wolverines' team MVP for the season.
Woolfolk also excelled in track
. He was named an All-American in 1980 and won nine Big Ten track and field championships both as an individual and relay race
team member. He continues to hold the Michigan outdoor 200-meter record. He was also a member of relay teams that hold numerous U-M and Ferry Field
all-time records.
Woolfolk played seven seasons in the NFL. As a rookie in 1982, he finished third in the NFL in all-purpose yards. And in 1983, he set an NFL record with 43 rushing attempts in a single game. He was also fifth in the NFL in receptions in 1985. Woolfolk was plagued with injuries during his NFL career and was able to play in 16 games only twice—in 1983 and 1985. In both of those years, he accumulated at least 1200 yards from scrimmage
. He also had seven 100-yard games—five receiving and two rushing.
, Woolfolk attended Eastridge High School in Kankakee, Illinois
in the 1976–1977 school year. He moved with his family to Westfield, New Jersey
, where he was a multi-sport star at Westfield High School
. In 1977, Woolfolk was first-team All-State in American football
and set Westfield High School season records with 1,637 yards rushing
, 34 touchdown
s and 206 points. He also excelled in track and field
, winning the State All-Group and International Prep Invitational 100 meter and 200 meter races. He also ran the fastest boy's high school times in the nation in 1978.
at the University of Michigan
(1978–1981) where he led the Wolverines in rushing
three straight years, 1979, 1980, and 1981. He finished his career as the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,861 yards, a record that was eclipsed six years later by Jamie Morris
. Woolfolk still holds the U-M record for the longest and third longest runs from scrimmage
, a 92-yard run against Wisconsin
in 1979, and an 89–yard gain against Wisconsin in 1981.
Woolfolk now ranks fifth in career rushing
at U-M, as shown in the following chart:
. The Wolverines beat the Spartans, 38-20, and Woolfolk rushed for 253 yards in 39 carries. After the game, Coach Bo Schembechler
said: "I wondered what a kid like that would do if he ran as much as the guy on the West Coast (Marcus Allen
). I didn't plan on this, but he proved he can do it. Butch is going to be our all-time leading ground gainer. There isn't any way they're going to stop him now. And so be it." His 1981 rushing performance against the Spartans still stands as the fifth best single-game performance by a Wolverine running back.
Woolfolk was named the Most Valuable Player in both of Michigan's two bowl game appearances in 1981. During the January 1981 Rose Bowl, he gained 182 yards against Washington
, and during the December 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl
, in which he gained 186 yards against UCLA
. The hotel where the Wolverines team was staying was evacuated the night before the 1981 Rose Bowl game when a fire alarm was triggered at 2:30 a.m., and Woolfolk only had three hours of sleep that night. He won the MVP
award despite the lack of sleep, and after the game Woolfolk called the game his "greatest thrill in football." Commenting on the MVP trophy, Woolfolk said: "If I could, I'd break this trophy into 95 pieces and hand it out to all the guys on the squad." After winning his second MVP trophy in 1981's Bluebonnet Bowl, Woolfolk said: "I might look back in later years and notice that, but right now all I can think about is that I've worn a Michigan uniform for the last time."
. Woolfolk noted at the time Schembechler is a "tough coach," and it was "not easy at all" playing for him. Schembechler was often angered by Woolfolk's tendency to try to run around defenders rather than banging through them, resulting in Woolfolk being benched more than once. But Schembechler said Woolfolk "came of age" in the November 1980 Ohio State game. After Woolfolk's MVP performance in the 1981 Rose Bowl helped Schembechler to his first bowl game
victory, Bo complimented Woolfolk's powerful performance, noting: "Butch can be a real load." By the 1981 season, Schembechler was a true believer in Woolfolk, saying: "Today, I can say without reservation, that I'd rather go into a big game with Woolfolk at tailback than any other back in the country." Woolfolk, too, concluded in the end that Schembechler was "key" to his success: "He kept after me. He kept saying I was getting too fancy. He kept saying, 'You're a big back, a fast back, and you ought to be running over people -- not trying to dance around them.'"
track champion in the outdoor 200 meter and indoor 300 meter events. He also competed in the 200 meter event in the 1980 Olympic Trials. Through the 2007 season his 1980 outdoor 200 meter time of 20.59 seconds remains the all-time University of Michigan record. His 1980 outdoor 100 meter time of 10.36, which is now the fourth fastest in Michigan history was once the school record, and his indoor 300 meter (event retired) time of 30.38, which is now the second fastest in Michigan history was also once a school record. The 100m record and 300m record were broken by 4 x 100 meter relay race
teammate Andrew Bruce in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The men's track and field team won the Big Ten indoor title in 1982, and they won the outdoor titles in 1980, 1981, 1982. The 4 x 100 meter relay team won the Big Ten Conference championships in 1981 and 1982, and their 1980 and 1982 times of 3:06.95 and 3:07.34 with Woolfolk running second and Bruce running anchor are the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in Michigan team history. The 1980 relay time continues to be a Ferry Field
stadium record. Bruce and Woolfolk also are members of the Michigan team sprint medley
record holding team (1982, 3:17.84).
(1982–1984), two years with the Houston Oilers
(1985–1987), and two years with the Detroit Lions
(1987–1988). He was a versatile player who accumulated nearly 5,000 all-purpose yards and had seven 100-yard games, five as a receiver out of the backfield and two as a rusher. Three of his 100-yard games came as a Giant and four as an Oiler.
in 1982 of receiving offers of representation from some 50 agents while he was still in college. Woolfolk noted that he was offered under-the-table payments by agents while he was still in school, as well as cars, and even a job for his stepfather, William Johnson, a Newark
dockworker. Woolfolk turned down those offers and signed with Jerry Argovitz.
. Woolfolk, who had graduated from high school in New Jersey and was a Giants fan, recalled watching the draft at his apartment in Ann Arbor: "When there were only four or five choices left before the Giants picked, I was hoping I'd last."
In 1982, Woolfolk was named the NFC's Offensive Rookie of the Year, after appearing in nine games in which he rushed for 439 yards, caught 23 passes for 224 yards receiving and scored four touchdowns. In a December 1982 game against the Oilers, Woolfolk scored his first two NFL touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, to help the Giants win, 17–14. With the Giants trailing and less than two minutes remaining in the game, Woolfolk scored on a 40–yard gain after making a leaping, one-handed catch. The next day, The New York Times published an article headlined, "The Catch By Woolfolk." The article concluded that with Woolfolk and Rob Carpenter, the Giants "have their best backfield combination since the glory years of Frank Gifford
and Alex Webster a quarter of a century ago." Over the course of the season his 1,091 all-purpose yards was third to only James Brooks (1,383) and Marcus Allen
(1,098).
In 1983, Bill Parcells
' first year as head coach
, Woolfolk gained 1,225 yards from scrimmage for the Giants (857 yards rushing and 368 yards receiving) -- more yards than any Giants running back in the previous ten years. He also set the NFL record for most rushing attempts in a game with 43 carries (for 159 yards) on November 20, 1983. Woolfolk gained 115 yards on 26 carries in the first half alone and said after the game: "I'm not as tired as I thought I would be when somebody told me how many carries I had." Ironically, Woolfolk's 43-carry record was broken in 1988 by Jamie Morris
, the same player who also broke Woolfolk's career rushing record at the University of Michigan
.
In 1984, Woolfolk was relegated to back-up status as Joe Morris (brother of Jamie Morris
) took over the starting job at tailback midway through the season. The 1984 Giants made the playoffs
, but Woolfolk did not touch the ball. In March 1985, the Giants traded Woolfolk to the Oilers. In reporting on the trade, The New York Times said: "The mystery of Butch Woolfolk, who in his three seasons with the Giants went from star running back to benchwarmer may be solved next fall, but not with Giants." Woolfolk said at the time he was "not bitter" about the trade, and Coach Bill Parcells
said: "Maybe a new place will be good for Butch. I don't think he was satisfied with what transpired last year."
, Woolfolk was fifth in the conference with 80 receptions for 814 yards. He also rushed for 392 yards and had 1,206 yards from scrimmage
. Woolfolk played three more seasons in the NFL with the Oilers and Lions from 1986-1988 but rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of those years. With the Oilers, Mike Rozier
was the leading rusher and Drew Hill
was the leading receiver, but Woolfolk led the team's running backs in receiving yards in both 1985 and 1986
. In 1986, he switched from tailback
to fullback
, but he only played in 10 games due to a fractured and dislocated shoulder in the second half of the season. The Oilers drafted Alonzo Highsmith
with the third selection overall in the 1987 NFL Draft
after trading up in the draft because their top three running backs Rozier, Ray Wallace and Woolfolk had finished the season on injured reserve
. At Houston, Woolfolk was reunited with former Michigan teammate Stan Edwards. The sons of both Woolfolk and Edwards (Braylon Edwards
) would later follow in their fathers' footsteps by playing at Michigan.
and signed with the Lions. Woolfolk appeared in 12 games for the 1987 Lions and contributed 549 yards of total offense—248 yards receiving, 219 yards on kick returns, and 82 yards rushing. Woolfolk appeared in only three games for the Lions in 1988 and was limited to four yards rushing, four yards receiving and 99 yards on four kick returns. He injured his knee in the season's third game, was out for the season, and did not make it back into an NFL lineup after the injury.
, a suburban county outside of Houston
. Woolfolk procured the largest HUD
grant given at that time by Fort Bend County for affordable housing assistance. Starting in approximately 1995, Woolfolk worked for Intrepid Holdings, Inc. in Houston. At Intrepid, he developed residential lots for several large builders including US Home, Gateway Homes, Texas Colonial, and KB Home.
In June 2007, Forward Edge, Inc. announced that Woolfolk had joined the company as its new business developer. The company stated at the time that Woolfolk would help the company's development and implementation of steroid
testing for Texas high school athletes. At the time, Woolfolk said: "There's a lot more to this than just passing a law. Kids are using steroids and they are doing so at dangerous levels. ... I've been there. I've watched it. Once you've watched it, you have more of a commitment to get the kids off of the steroids. It's not just a business for me. It's a passion of mine." Woolfolk remains active in the Houston football community as a Houston Texans
ambassador. Various ambassadors sign autographs at locations throughout Reliant Stadium
during games.
who committed to Michigan in 2006. Troy played at Dulles High School
in Sugar Land, Texas
. When his son was issued a Michigan jersey with the Woolfolk name on the back, Butch Woolfolk said: "It's a big day, no doubt. I'm proud of him and excited for him. But the biggest thing for me is, I know he's at a place where I don't have to worry about him." Troy appeared in two games for Michigan in 2007, making three tackles in games against Eastern Michigan
and Purdue
.
100-Yard Games
N.B.: Home team is in bold.
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...
and kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
who played in college for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1978–1981) and 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...
(NFL) for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1982–1984), Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
(1985–1986) and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1987–1988). Woolfolk attended Westfield Senior High School
Westfield High School (New Jersey)
Westfield Senior High School, or simply, Westfield High School is the only public high school located in Westfield, in Union County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Westfield Public Schools. It was established in the early 1900s at its original location on Elm Street until 1951 when it was...
in . Woolfolk led Michigan in rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
three straight years and set the school record with 3,850 rushing yards while playing for the Wolverines from 1978
1978 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first season of Division I-A football; Division I-A was created in 1978 from the splitting of Division I for football only. The season came down to a rare #1 vs. #2 post-season meeting as #1 Penn State and #2 Alabama met in the New Year's Day Sugar...
to 1981
1981 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, taking the national championship after a victory over traditional power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied...
. As a sophomore in 1979, he was the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
scoring champion, and he went on to become a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection. He had his best season as a senior at Michigan, winning the 1981 Big Ten rushing title and falling just 10 yards short of Rob Lytle
Rob Lytle
Rob Lytle was an American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of NFL. He attended the University of Michigan . Lytle was drafted in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft by Denver with the 45th overall pick.Lytle was born in Fremont, Ohio...
's single-season rushing yards record. He was also selected in 1981 as the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of both the Rose Bowl played January 1, 1981, and the Bluebonnet Bowl
Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
played December 31, 1981, as well as the Wolverines' team MVP for the season.
Woolfolk also excelled in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He was named an All-American in 1980 and won nine Big Ten track and field championships both as an individual and relay race
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
team member. He continues to hold the Michigan outdoor 200-meter record. He was also a member of relay teams that hold numerous U-M and Ferry Field
Ferry Field
Ferry Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It opened in 1906 and was home to the Michigan Wolverines football team prior to the Michigan Stadium opening in 1927. It had a capacity of 46,000....
all-time records.
Woolfolk played seven seasons in the NFL. As a rookie in 1982, he finished third in the NFL in all-purpose yards. And in 1983, he set an NFL record with 43 rushing attempts in a single game. He was also fifth in the NFL in receptions in 1985. Woolfolk was plagued with injuries during his NFL career and was able to play in 16 games only twice—in 1983 and 1985. In both of those years, he accumulated at least 1200 yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive team by advancing the ball from the its point of...
. He also had seven 100-yard games—five receiving and two rushing.
High school
Born in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Woolfolk attended Eastridge High School in Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
in the 1976–1977 school year. He moved with his family to Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
, where he was a multi-sport star at Westfield High School
Westfield High School (New Jersey)
Westfield Senior High School, or simply, Westfield High School is the only public high school located in Westfield, in Union County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Westfield Public Schools. It was established in the early 1900s at its original location on Elm Street until 1951 when it was...
. In 1977, Woolfolk was first-team All-State in 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...
and set Westfield High School season records with 1,637 yards rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
, 34 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and 206 points. He also excelled in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, winning the State All-Group and International Prep Invitational 100 meter and 200 meter races. He also ran the fastest boy's high school times in the nation in 1978.
All-time Michigan rushing record
He played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1978–1981) where he led the Wolverines in rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
three straight years, 1979, 1980, and 1981. He finished his career as the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,861 yards, a record that was eclipsed six years later by Jamie Morris
Jamie Morris
James Walter "Jamie" Morris is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and a record-setting running back in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
. Woolfolk still holds the U-M record for the longest and third longest runs from scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
, a 92-yard run against Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
in 1979, and an 89–yard gain against Wisconsin in 1981.
Woolfolk now ranks fifth in career rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
at U-M, as shown in the following chart:
| Rank | Name | Attempts | Net Yds | Yds/Att | Touchdowns | Long | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Hart | 983 | 4911 | 5.0 | 39 | 64 | 2004 | 2007 |
| 2 | Anthony Thomas Anthony Thomas (American football) Anthony Jermaine Thomas is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the running backs coach at at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft... |
924 | 4472 | 4.8 | 55 | 80 | 1997 | 2000 |
| 3 | Jamie Morris Jamie Morris James Walter "Jamie" Morris is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and a record-setting running back in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines... |
806 | 4392 | 5.5 | 25 | 68 | 1984 | 1987 |
| 4 | Tyrone Wheatley Tyrone Wheatley Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history... |
688 | 4178 | 6.1 | 47 | 88 | 1991 | 1994 |
| 5 | Butch Woolfolk | 717 | 3850 | 5.4 | 29 | 92 | 1978 | 1981 |
253 yards rushing against Michigan State
He began the 1981 season with five consecutive 100-yard games including a 253-yard effort. Woolfolk's best game as a Wolverine was the October 10, 1981 contest against Michigan StateMichigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. The Wolverines beat the Spartans, 38-20, and Woolfolk rushed for 253 yards in 39 carries. After the game, Coach Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
said: "I wondered what a kid like that would do if he ran as much as the guy on the West Coast (Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
). I didn't plan on this, but he proved he can do it. Butch is going to be our all-time leading ground gainer. There isn't any way they're going to stop him now. And so be it." His 1981 rushing performance against the Spartans still stands as the fifth best single-game performance by a Wolverine running back.
MVP of the 1981 Rose and Bluebonnet Bowls
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
, and during the December 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl
Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
, in which he gained 186 yards against UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
. The hotel where the Wolverines team was staying was evacuated the night before the 1981 Rose Bowl game when a fire alarm was triggered at 2:30 a.m., and Woolfolk only had three hours of sleep that night. He won the MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award despite the lack of sleep, and after the game Woolfolk called the game his "greatest thrill in football." Commenting on the MVP trophy, Woolfolk said: "If I could, I'd break this trophy into 95 pieces and hand it out to all the guys on the squad." After winning his second MVP trophy in 1981's Bluebonnet Bowl, Woolfolk said: "I might look back in later years and notice that, but right now all I can think about is that I've worn a Michigan uniform for the last time."
Woolfolk's top ten games at Michigan
Woolfolk's top ten games in a Michigan uniform are as follows:| Rank | Date | Opponent | Attempts | Net Yards | Yds/Att | TDs Touchdown A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:... |
Long | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981-10-10 | Michigan State Michigan State Spartans football The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level... |
39 | 253 | 6.5 | 0 | 27 | 38-20 |
| 2 | 1979-10-13 | Minnesota Minnesota Golden Gophers football The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as... |
24 | 194 | 8.1 | 2 | 58 | 31-21 |
| 3 | 1979-11-03 | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers football The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football... |
19 | 190 | 10.0 | 3 | 92 | 54-0 |
| 4 | 1981-12-31 | UCLA UCLA Bruins Football The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll... |
27 | 186 | 6.9 | 1 | 52 | 33-14 |
| 5 | 1981-01-01 | Washington Washington Huskies football College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by... |
26 | 182 | 7.0 | 1 | 35 | 23-6 |
| 6 | 1981-10-03 | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers football The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:... |
26 | 176 | 6.8 | 2 | 24 | 38-17 |
| 7 | 1980-11-01 | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers football The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:... |
16 | 152 | 9.5 | 1 | 64 | 35-0 |
| 8 | 1980-11-22 | Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
31 | 141 | 4.5 | 0 | 15 | 9-3 |
| 9 | 1981-09-19 | Notre Dame Notre Dame Fighting Irish football Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an... |
23 | 139 | 6.0 | 0 | 21 | 25-7 |
| 10 | 1980-10-11 | Michigan State Michigan State Spartans football The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level... |
29 | 136 | 4.7 | 0 | 15 | 27-23 |
Relationship with Bo Schembechler
During his four years at Michigan, Woolfolk had what one reporter described as "a strange love-hate relationship" with Coach Bo SchembechlerBo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
. Woolfolk noted at the time Schembechler is a "tough coach," and it was "not easy at all" playing for him. Schembechler was often angered by Woolfolk's tendency to try to run around defenders rather than banging through them, resulting in Woolfolk being benched more than once. But Schembechler said Woolfolk "came of age" in the November 1980 Ohio State game. After Woolfolk's MVP performance in the 1981 Rose Bowl helped Schembechler to his first bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
victory, Bo complimented Woolfolk's powerful performance, noting: "Butch can be a real load." By the 1981 season, Schembechler was a true believer in Woolfolk, saying: "Today, I can say without reservation, that I'd rather go into a big game with Woolfolk at tailback than any other back in the country." Woolfolk, too, concluded in the end that Schembechler was "key" to his success: "He kept after me. He kept saying I was getting too fancy. He kept saying, 'You're a big back, a fast back, and you ought to be running over people -- not trying to dance around them.'"
Track and field
While at Michigan, Woolfolk was also the 1980 Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
track champion in the outdoor 200 meter and indoor 300 meter events. He also competed in the 200 meter event in the 1980 Olympic Trials. Through the 2007 season his 1980 outdoor 200 meter time of 20.59 seconds remains the all-time University of Michigan record. His 1980 outdoor 100 meter time of 10.36, which is now the fourth fastest in Michigan history was once the school record, and his indoor 300 meter (event retired) time of 30.38, which is now the second fastest in Michigan history was also once a school record. The 100m record and 300m record were broken by 4 x 100 meter relay race
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
teammate Andrew Bruce in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The men's track and field team won the Big Ten indoor title in 1982, and they won the outdoor titles in 1980, 1981, 1982. The 4 x 100 meter relay team won the Big Ten Conference championships in 1981 and 1982, and their 1980 and 1982 times of 3:06.95 and 3:07.34 with Woolfolk running second and Bruce running anchor are the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in Michigan team history. The 1980 relay time continues to be a Ferry Field
Ferry Field
Ferry Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It opened in 1906 and was home to the Michigan Wolverines football team prior to the Michigan Stadium opening in 1927. It had a capacity of 46,000....
stadium record. Bruce and Woolfolk also are members of the Michigan team sprint medley
Sprint Medley Relay
The sprint medley relay, often abbreviated SMR, is a track and field event in which teams of four athletes compete over sprinting distances as part of a relay race. Unlike most track relays, each member of the team runs a different distance...
record holding team (1982, 3:17.84).
NFL career
Woolfolk played three years in the NFL for the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1982–1984), two years with the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
(1985–1987), and two years with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1987–1988). He was a versatile player who accumulated nearly 5,000 all-purpose yards and had seven 100-yard games, five as a receiver out of the backfield and two as a rusher. Three of his 100-yard games came as a Giant and four as an Oiler.
Offers from agents
Woolfolk told the APAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in 1982 of receiving offers of representation from some 50 agents while he was still in college. Woolfolk noted that he was offered under-the-table payments by agents while he was still in school, as well as cars, and even a job for his stepfather, William Johnson, a Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
dockworker. Woolfolk turned down those offers and signed with Jerry Argovitz.
New York Giants
Woolfolk was drafted by the Giants in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft1982 NFL Draft
The 1982 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 27–28, 1982...
. Woolfolk, who had graduated from high school in New Jersey and was a Giants fan, recalled watching the draft at his apartment in Ann Arbor: "When there were only four or five choices left before the Giants picked, I was hoping I'd last."
In 1982, Woolfolk was named the NFC's Offensive Rookie of the Year, after appearing in nine games in which he rushed for 439 yards, caught 23 passes for 224 yards receiving and scored four touchdowns. In a December 1982 game against the Oilers, Woolfolk scored his first two NFL touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, to help the Giants win, 17–14. With the Giants trailing and less than two minutes remaining in the game, Woolfolk scored on a 40–yard gain after making a leaping, one-handed catch. The next day, The New York Times published an article headlined, "The Catch By Woolfolk." The article concluded that with Woolfolk and Rob Carpenter, the Giants "have their best backfield combination since the glory years of Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
and Alex Webster a quarter of a century ago." Over the course of the season his 1,091 all-purpose yards was third to only James Brooks (1,383) and Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
(1,098).
In 1983, Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
' first year as head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
, Woolfolk gained 1,225 yards from scrimmage for the Giants (857 yards rushing and 368 yards receiving) -- more yards than any Giants running back in the previous ten years. He also set the NFL record for most rushing attempts in a game with 43 carries (for 159 yards) on November 20, 1983. Woolfolk gained 115 yards on 26 carries in the first half alone and said after the game: "I'm not as tired as I thought I would be when somebody told me how many carries I had." Ironically, Woolfolk's 43-carry record was broken in 1988 by Jamie Morris
Jamie Morris
James Walter "Jamie" Morris is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and a record-setting running back in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
, the same player who also broke Woolfolk's career rushing record at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
In 1984, Woolfolk was relegated to back-up status as Joe Morris (brother of Jamie Morris
Jamie Morris
James Walter "Jamie" Morris is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and a record-setting running back in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
) took over the starting job at tailback midway through the season. The 1984 Giants made the playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1984-85
The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The NFL did not schedule prime time playoff games on the east coast until 2002. Normally, playoff games started at...
, but Woolfolk did not touch the ball. In March 1985, the Giants traded Woolfolk to the Oilers. In reporting on the trade, The New York Times said: "The mystery of Butch Woolfolk, who in his three seasons with the Giants went from star running back to benchwarmer may be solved next fall, but not with Giants." Woolfolk said at the time he was "not bitter" about the trade, and Coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
said: "Maybe a new place will be good for Butch. I don't think he was satisfied with what transpired last year."
Houston Oilers
Playing for the Oilers during the 1985 NFL season1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
, Woolfolk was fifth in the conference with 80 receptions for 814 yards. He also rushed for 392 yards and had 1,206 yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive team by advancing the ball from the its point of...
. Woolfolk played three more seasons in the NFL with the Oilers and Lions from 1986-1988 but rushed for fewer than 100 yards in each of those years. With the Oilers, Mike Rozier
Mike Rozier
Michael Rozier is a former American collegiate and professional football running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1983. He was born in Camden, New Jersey. Mike and his wife, Rochelle, an attorney, reside in South Jersey and together they have one son. Mike has two other children who reside in...
was the leading rusher and Drew Hill
Drew Hill
Andrew Hill was a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft....
was the leading receiver, but Woolfolk led the team's running backs in receiving yards in both 1985 and 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
. In 1986, he switched from tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, but he only played in 10 games due to a fractured and dislocated shoulder in the second half of the season. The Oilers drafted Alonzo Highsmith
Alonzo Highsmith
Alonzo Walter Highsmith is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Houston Oilers, Dallas Cowboys, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
with the third selection overall in the 1987 NFL Draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1987...
after trading up in the draft because their top three running backs Rozier, Ray Wallace and Woolfolk had finished the season on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. At Houston, Woolfolk was reunited with former Michigan teammate Stan Edwards. The sons of both Woolfolk and Edwards (Braylon Edwards
Braylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
) would later follow in their fathers' footsteps by playing at Michigan.
Detroit Lions
Woolfolk was released by the Oilers at the beginning of training camp in 19871987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
and signed with the Lions. Woolfolk appeared in 12 games for the 1987 Lions and contributed 549 yards of total offense—248 yards receiving, 219 yards on kick returns, and 82 yards rushing. Woolfolk appeared in only three games for the Lions in 1988 and was limited to four yards rushing, four yards receiving and 99 yards on four kick returns. He injured his knee in the season's third game, was out for the season, and did not make it back into an NFL lineup after the injury.
Career after football
Woolfolk worked for over 20 years in various real estate ventures. His real estate experience began in 1985 as an independent owner and operator of rental properties in Houston, while he was still playing for the Oilers. In 1992, as co-owner of New Choice Builders, Woolfolk began building affordable single-family housing in Houston's revitalized communities. In 1994, Woolfolk worked with Home Ownership Partners, Inc., to build affordable housing for residents of Fort Bend County, TexasFort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
, a suburban county outside of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. Woolfolk procured the largest HUD
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
grant given at that time by Fort Bend County for affordable housing assistance. Starting in approximately 1995, Woolfolk worked for Intrepid Holdings, Inc. in Houston. At Intrepid, he developed residential lots for several large builders including US Home, Gateway Homes, Texas Colonial, and KB Home.
In June 2007, Forward Edge, Inc. announced that Woolfolk had joined the company as its new business developer. The company stated at the time that Woolfolk would help the company's development and implementation of steroid
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
testing for Texas high school athletes. At the time, Woolfolk said: "There's a lot more to this than just passing a law. Kids are using steroids and they are doing so at dangerous levels. ... I've been there. I've watched it. Once you've watched it, you have more of a commitment to get the kids off of the steroids. It's not just a business for me. It's a passion of mine." Woolfolk remains active in the Houston football community as a Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
ambassador. Various ambassadors sign autographs at locations throughout Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
during games.
Family
Woolfolk and his wife, Regina, have a son. Their son Troy Woolfolk is a defensive backDefensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
who committed to Michigan in 2006. Troy played at Dulles High School
Dulles High School (Sugar Land, Texas)
John Foster Dulles High School is a high school in Sugar Land, Texas. It was the first site purchase and new build, in the 1950s, of the newly formed Fort Bend Independent School District, which held its first graduation in 1960. The first class to graduate from Dulles itself was 1962...
in Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
. When his son was issued a Michigan jersey with the Woolfolk name on the back, Butch Woolfolk said: "It's a big day, no doubt. I'm proud of him and excited for him. But the biggest thing for me is, I know he's at a place where I don't have to worry about him." Troy appeared in two games for Michigan in 2007, making three tackles in games against Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
and Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
.
Statistics
Career| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | Games | Starts | Rushes Rush (American football) Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass... |
Yards | TDs Touchdown A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:... |
Avg. | Rec. Reception (American football) In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving... |
Yards | TDs | Avg. | KR | Yards | TDs | Avg. |
| 1978 | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
7 | 77 | 359 | 2 | 4.7 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1979 | Michigan | 11 | 191 | 990 | 13 | 5.2 | 18 | 128 | 0 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1980 | Michigan | 12 | 196 | 1042 | 8 | 5.3 | 10 | 68 | 0 | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1981 | Michigan | 12 | 253 | 1459 | 6 | 5.8 | 9 | 55 | 0 | 6.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | 42 | 717 | 3850 | 29 | 5.4 | 38 | 265 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1982 | NYG New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
9 | 8 | 112 | 439 | 2 | 3.9 | 23 | 224 | 2 | 9.7 | 20 | 428 | 0 | 21.4 |
| 1983 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 246 | 857 | 4 | 3.5 | 28 | 368 | 0 | 13.1 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 6.5 |
| 1984 | NYG | 15 | 8 | 40 | 92 | 1 | 2.3 | 9 | 53 | 0 | 5.9 | 14 | 232 | 0 | 16.6 |
| 1985 | HOU | 16 | 14 | 103 | 392 | 1 | 3.8 | 80 | 814 | 4 | 10.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | HOU | 10 | 5 | 23 | 57 | 0 | 2.5 | 28 | 314 | 2 | 11.2 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 19 |
| 1987 | DET Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
12 | 0 | 12 | 82 | 0 | 6.8 | 19 | 166 | 0 | 8.7 | 11 | 219 | 0 | 19.9 |
| 1988 | DET | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 99 | 0 | 24.8 |
| Career | 81 | 51 | 537 | 1923 | 8 | 3.6 | 187 | 1939 | 8 | 10.4 | 53 | 1029 | 0 | 19.4 | |
| 3 yrs | NYG | 40 | 32 | 398 | 1388 | 7 | 3.5 | 60 | 645 | 2 | 10.8 | 36 | 673 | 0 | 18.7 |
| 2 yrs | DET | 15 | 0 | 13 | 86 | 0 | 6.6 | 19 | 166 | 0 | 8.7 | 15 | 318 | 0 | 21.2 |
| 2 yrs | HOU | 26 | 19 | 126 | 449 | 1 | 3.6 | 108 | 1128 | 6 | 10.4 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 19 |
100-Yard Games
| Week | Day | Date | Result | Team | Opponent | Score | Rushes Rush (American football) Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass... |
Yards | TDs Touchdown A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:... |
Avg. | Rec. Reception (American football) In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving... |
Yards | TDs | Avg. |
| 5 | Sun | 1982-12-05 | W | NYG New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
HOU | 17–14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 102 | 1 | 17 |
| 9 | Sun | 1983-10-30 | L | NYG | DAL 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... |
20–38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 135 | 0 | 33.8 |
| 12 | Sun | 1983-11-20 | W | NYG | PHI Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
23–0 | 43 | 159 | 1 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Sun | 1985-09-08 | W | HOU | MIA Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
26–23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 120 | 1 | 40 |
| 5 | Sun | 1985-10-06 | L | HOU | DEN Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
20–31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 124 | 1 | 15.5 |
| 9 | Sun | 1985-11-03 | W | HOU | KAN Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
23–20 | 14 | 101 | 1 | 7.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Sun | 1985-12-01 | L | HOU | CIN Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
27–45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 130 | 1 | 14.4 |
N.B.: Home team is in bold.