David Fulcher
Encyclopedia
David Dwayne Fulcher is a former American Football
safety
who played for the Cincinnati Bengals
(1986-1992), and the Los Angeles Raiders (1993) in the National Football League
. At 6'3" and 238 pounds, Fulcher was extremely large and strong for a defensive back, but still had enough speed to cover and chase down wide receiver
s.
Fulcher played college football
at Arizona State University
. While playing for the Sun Devils, Fulcher was known for his cover skills and punishing tackles. He earned the nickname "Fo-Rock" after tackling an opposing wide receiver in a game against New Mexico State University
. "The guy laid there for a while, then got up and was dizzy. Then he said 'Man, I feel like I ran into a rock' Fulcher explained. "My teammates started calling me 'Rock'. A lot of people, when they pronounce my last name, say 'Fo-cher. So I just put the 'Fo' in front of Rock."
(1)
After his junior season was over in 1986, Fulcher declared himself eligible for the NFL draft
. He was selected by the Bengals in the third round. After just two NFL seasons, Fulcher was viewed as one of the top defensive backs in the NFL. In 1988 he recorded five interceptions and 1 touchdown
, and made his first trip to the Pro Bowl
. The Bengals finished the season with a 12-4 record and went on to face the San Francisco 49ers
in Super Bowl XXIII
, where they ended up losing narrowly to the 49ers 20-16, after quarterback Joe Montana
threw the game winning touchdown pass with 34 seconds left. In the game Fulcher recorded several key tackles, a sack, and forced a fumble
that the Bengals recovered. Fulcher later said this game was his most memorable NFL moment. "It was the time they called my name during the introductions at the Super Bowl." He said. "Walking out of the tunnel at Joe Robbie Stadium, making sure I did not trip on the turf and fall down"(2).
In 1989 Fulcher recorded 8 interceptions, which was at the time the second highest total ever by a Bengals player in a single season. He also tied a Bengals record by recording three interceptions in one game, a feat he accomplished twice. Fulcher once again was selected to play in the Pro Bowl, but the Bengals finished the year with an 8-8 record and failed to make the playoffs.
In 1990 Fulcher made the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row. He intercepted four passes, forced three fumbles, and recorded 53 solo tackles. The Bengals finished the season with a 9-7 record, and made it to the divisional playoffs. This would be the last winning season Fulcher would have playing for the Bengals, as they would not record a winning record again until 2005. In 1991 he led the team with 68 solo tackles, four forced fumbles (recovering three of them), and intercepted four passes, returning them for 51 yards and a touchdown. In his final season in Cincinnati in
1992, he intercepted three passes and recovered five fumbles.
Fulcher joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1993, but due to injuries he only played three games, and retired after the season. In his eight NFL seasons, Fulcher recorded ten forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 12 fumble-return yards, 31 interceptions, 246 interception return yards, and two touchdowns. His 31 interceptions currently are the third most in Bengals history (behind Ken Riley
and Louis Breeden
).
Fulcher believes he lives on in the minds of Bengals fans through the popular video game, Tecmo Super Bowl
, in which his speed and incredible hitting power continue to devastate unsuspecting wide receivers.
Fulcher has an annual youth football camp in Mason, Ohio, in July of each year. http://www.fulchersallprosports.com
Ludwig, page 207(2)
In Excellent: A Tecmo Companion
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...
safety
Defensive 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 played for the Cincinnati Bengals
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...
(1986-1992), and the Los Angeles Raiders (1993) 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...
. At 6'3" and 238 pounds, Fulcher was extremely large and strong for a defensive back, but still had enough speed to cover and chase down wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s.
Fulcher 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...
at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. While playing for the Sun Devils, Fulcher was known for his cover skills and punishing tackles. He earned the nickname "Fo-Rock" after tackling an opposing wide receiver in a game against New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
. "The guy laid there for a while, then got up and was dizzy. Then he said 'Man, I feel like I ran into a rock' Fulcher explained. "My teammates started calling me 'Rock'. A lot of people, when they pronounce my last name, say 'Fo-cher. So I just put the 'Fo' in front of Rock."
(1)
After his junior season was over in 1986, Fulcher declared himself eligible for the NFL draft
NFL 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...
. He was selected by the Bengals in the third round. After just two NFL seasons, Fulcher was viewed as one of the top defensive backs in the NFL. In 1988 he recorded five interceptions 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:...
, and made his first trip to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
. The Bengals finished the season with a 12-4 record and went on to face the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
, where they ended up losing narrowly to the 49ers 20-16, after quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
threw the game winning touchdown pass with 34 seconds left. In the game Fulcher recorded several key tackles, a sack, and forced a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
that the Bengals recovered. Fulcher later said this game was his most memorable NFL moment. "It was the time they called my name during the introductions at the Super Bowl." He said. "Walking out of the tunnel at Joe Robbie Stadium, making sure I did not trip on the turf and fall down"(2).
In 1989 Fulcher recorded 8 interceptions, which was at the time the second highest total ever by a Bengals player in a single season. He also tied a Bengals record by recording three interceptions in one game, a feat he accomplished twice. Fulcher once again was selected to play in the Pro Bowl, but the Bengals finished the year with an 8-8 record and failed to make the playoffs.
In 1990 Fulcher made the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row. He intercepted four passes, forced three fumbles, and recorded 53 solo tackles. The Bengals finished the season with a 9-7 record, and made it to the divisional playoffs. This would be the last winning season Fulcher would have playing for the Bengals, as they would not record a winning record again until 2005. In 1991 he led the team with 68 solo tackles, four forced fumbles (recovering three of them), and intercepted four passes, returning them for 51 yards and a touchdown. In his final season in Cincinnati in
1992, he intercepted three passes and recovered five fumbles.
Fulcher joined the Raiders as a free agent in 1993, but due to injuries he only played three games, and retired after the season. In his eight NFL seasons, Fulcher recorded ten forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 12 fumble-return yards, 31 interceptions, 246 interception return yards, and two touchdowns. His 31 interceptions currently are the third most in Bengals history (behind Ken Riley
Ken Riley
Kenneth Jerome Riley is a former professional American Football defensive back who played his entire career for the Cincinnati Bengals, in the American Football League in 1969 and in the NFL from 1970 through 1983...
and Louis Breeden
Louis Breeden
Louis Breeden is a former professional American Football player who played defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League.-Career:...
).
Fulcher believes he lives on in the minds of Bengals fans through the popular video game, Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl , is an American football video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that was released in 1991...
, in which his speed and incredible hitting power continue to devastate unsuspecting wide receivers.
Fulcher has an annual youth football camp in Mason, Ohio, in July of each year. http://www.fulchersallprosports.com
Sources
Ludwig, Chick. Cincinnati Bengals, The Legends. Willmington, OH: Orange Frazer P, 2004. ISBN 1-882203-38-0 page 202.(1)Ludwig, page 207(2)
In Excellent: A Tecmo Companion
External links
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/FulcDa00.htm
- http://www.bengals.com/team/History.asp
- http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=FULCHDAV01
- http://www.davidfulcher.com/