Curvin Richards
Encyclopedia
Curvin Stephen Richards (born December 26, 1968, in Port of Spain
, Trinidad and Tobago
) is a former professional American football
running back
. He played in the National Football League
for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys
and the Detroit Lions
. Played college football
for the University of Pittsburgh
.
, his father moved the family to the United States
when he was 9 years old.
Richards attended La Porte High School
and as a sophomore, he was the leading rusher on the District 24-5A high school football circuit with 1,572 yards. LaPorte
switched to the wishbone offense
when he was a senior, but he still managed 811 yards and earned All-State in football
.
Richards was also a letterman in basketball
and baseball
. He helped the basketball
team win the 1987 State Championship and as a baseball player, he was named to the all district team in 1986.
(1,686 yards in 1973). Because of his moves, he was nicknamed "Swervin" Curvin Richards.
In 1989 he became Pittsburgh's first back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher since Tony Dorsett
and just the second rusher in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
In 1991 he was suspended indefinitely from the team by head coach
Paul Hackett
because of teams rules violations. His problems, motivated him to declare early for the 1991 NFL Draft
.
He finished second in Pittsburgh career rushing with 3,192 yards, trailing only Tony Dorsett
(6,526 yards).
in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
by the Dallas Cowboys
.
During his time with the Cowboys, he was a backup playing behind hall of famer
Emmitt Smith
.
He earned infamy by fumbling twice in the 1992
regular season finale against the Chicago Bears
and thus, was released the next day by head coach
Jimmy Johnson
, even though the team couldn't replace him on the postseason roster, had to pay him full playoff money and even give him a ring after winning Super Bowl XXVII
.
, but ended playing just one game for them.
He played in 12 games during his NFL career, rushing for 181 yards and 1 touchdown
on 55 carries.
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
) is a former professional 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 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 three seasons 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...
and 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...
. Played college football
College 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...
for the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Early years
Growing up in the town of Laventille VillageLaventille
-Etymology:The name Laventille hearkens back to colonial times, especially when the French dominated the cultural traditions of the island. One etymological derivation of the name is due to the fact that the northeast trade winds come to this part of the Island of Trinidad before it reached any...
, his father moved the family to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was 9 years old.
Richards attended La Porte High School
La Porte High School (Texas)
La Porte High School is a High school based in La Porte, Texas, United States. It is part of the La Porte Independent School District.The School serves the cities of La Porte, Morgan's Point, and Shoreacres, a small portion of Pasadena, a small portion of Deer Park.After 1946 the school moved into...
and as a sophomore, he was the leading rusher on the District 24-5A high school football circuit with 1,572 yards. LaPorte
La Porte High School (Texas)
La Porte High School is a High school based in La Porte, Texas, United States. It is part of the La Porte Independent School District.The School serves the cities of La Porte, Morgan's Point, and Shoreacres, a small portion of Pasadena, a small portion of Deer Park.After 1946 the school moved into...
switched to the wishbone offense
Wishbone formation
The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense...
when he was a senior, but he still managed 811 yards and earned All-State in 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...
.
Richards was also a letterman in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He helped the basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team win the 1987 State Championship and as a baseball player, he was named to the all district team in 1986.
College career
He attended Pittsburgh University and became just the second freshman to top 1,000 yards (1,228 yards in 1988), joining Tony DorsettTony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
(1,686 yards in 1973). Because of his moves, he was nicknamed "Swervin" Curvin Richards.
In 1989 he became Pittsburgh's first back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher since Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
and just the second rusher in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
In 1991 he was suspended indefinitely from the team by 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...
Paul Hackett
Paul Hackett
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Lewis Hackett III is a lawyer and veteran of the Iraq War who unsuccessfully sought election to the United States Congress from the Second District of Ohio in the August 2, 2005, special election...
because of teams rules violations. His problems, motivated him to declare early for the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
.
He finished second in Pittsburgh career rushing with 3,192 yards, trailing only Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
(6,526 yards).
Dallas Cowboys
Richards was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
by 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...
.
During his time with the Cowboys, he was a backup playing behind hall of famer
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...
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
.
He earned infamy by fumbling twice in the 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
regular season finale against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and thus, was released the next day by 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...
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
, even though the team couldn't replace him on the postseason roster, had to pay him full playoff money and even give him a ring after winning Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII was a football game played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1992 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference champion...
.
Detroit Lions
After his release, he was signed by the Detroit LionsDetroit 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...
, but ended playing just one game for them.
He played in 12 games during his NFL career, rushing for 181 yards and 1 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:...
on 55 carries.