View source for Darrell Thompson

{{Short description|American football player (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       = [[File:DarrellThompsonCropped.jpg|250px]]
| alt         =
| caption     = 
| number      = 39, 26
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1967|11|23}}
| birth_place = [[St. Louis, Missouri]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 0
| weight_lbs  = 215
| high_school = [[John Marshall High School (Minnesota)|John Marshall]] {{nowrap|([[Rochester, Minnesota]])}}
| college     = [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]]
| draftyear   = 1990
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 19
| pastteams   =
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{nfly|1990}}–{{nfly|1994}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{nfly|1995}})*<ref>{{cite web |title=Transactions |url=https://www.nfl.com/transactions/league/signings/1995/3 |website=NFL.com |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>
| highlights  =
* First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1986 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1986]])
* 2× Second-team All-Big Ten ([[1987 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1987]], [[1989 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1989]])
* [[Big Ten Freshman of the Year]] (1986)
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 60
| statlabel2  = Games [[Starting lineup|started]]
| statvalue2  = 28
| statlabel3  = Rushing attempts-yards
| statvalue3  = 464-1,641
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (American football)|Receptions]]-yards
| statvalue4  = 41-330
| statlabel5  = [[Touchdown]]s
| statvalue5  = 9 
}}
'''Darrell Alexander Thompson''' (born November 23, 1967) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] for five seasons with the [[Green Bay Packers]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota Golden Gophers]] and was selected by Green Bay in the first round of the [[1990 NFL draft]] with the 19th overall pick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1990/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Thompson was born in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] to George and Morsie Thompson and is the oldest of three children. Thompson comes from an athletic family; both his siblings, George Jr. and Jennifer, played collegiate volleyball, and George Thompson is the nephew of [[Alice Coachman]], the first black woman to win an [[Olympic gold medal]]. When Darrell was one year old, the family relocated to [[Rochester, Minnesota]].

At [[John Marshall High School (Minnesota)|John Marshall High School]] Thompson was a three sport standout where he was all-state in track & field, a McDonald's [[all-America]]n in basketball and a Gatorade all-American in football. As a three-year player, Thompson became one of the most decorated and sought after running backs in the nation. {{Citation needed|reason=dubious claim|date=July 2019}} After graduating from high school he decided to play [[college football]] for the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota Golden Gophers]] over [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]], [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]], [[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]], [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]], [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]] and [[Oklahoma State Cowboys football|Oklahoma State]].

==College career==
While at [[University of Minnesota|Minnesota]], he was the starting running back for all four years and became the first [[Big Ten]] running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman and as a sophomore. He finished his career as the university's all-time leader in career rushing yards, attempts, all-purpose yards, touchdowns and holds the record for longest run from scrimmage at 98 yards. He was then selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the [[1990 NFL draft]] in April 1990.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=3| !! colspan=4| Rushing statistics !! colspan =4| Receiving statistics
|-
! Year !! Team !! G !! Att !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Rec !! Yards !! Avg !! TD
|-
| '''1986'''{{asterisk}} || [[1986 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] || 11 || 217 || 1240 || 5.7 || 8 || 21 || 198 || 9.4 || 3
|-
| '''1987'''{{asterisk}} || [[1987 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] || 11 || 224 || 1229 || 5.5 || 13 || 6 || 39 || 6.5 || 0
|-
| '''1988'''{{asterisk}} || [[1988 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] || 11 || 210 || 910 || 4.3 || 9 || 10 || 49 || 4.9 || 0
|-
| '''1989''' || [[1989 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] || 11 || 260 || 1139 || 4.4 || 10 || 10 || 51 || 5.1 || 0
|- style="background:#555555;font-weight:bold;color:white;"
| colspan=2 | College Totals || 44 || 911 || 4518 || 5.0 || 40 || 47 || 337 || 7.2 || 3
|-
|}*indicates bowl stats included

==Professional career==
During his NFL career, Thompson played in 60 games as a [[fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] and [[Halfback (American football)|tailback]] for the [[Green Bay Packers]]. During his five seasons he gained 1,640 yards rushing, 330 yards receiving, and scored 8 [[touchdowns]]. Thompson played alongside [[Brett Favre]], [[Reggie White]], [[LeRoy Butler]] and [[Sterling Sharpe]].

===NFL statistics===

<big><big>Rushing</big></big>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! G !! Att !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Long !! 1st downs !! Fum 
|-
| '''1990''' || [[1990 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 76 || 264 || 3.5 || 1 || 37 || 0 || 0 
|-
| '''1991''' || [[1991 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 13 || 141 || 471 || 3.3 || 1 || 40 || 24 || 0 
|-
| '''1992''' || [[1992 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 7 || 76 || 254 || 3.3 || 2 || 33 || 17 || 2 
|-
| '''1993''' || [[1993 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 169 || 654 || 3.9 || 3 || 60 || 30 || 2 
|-
| '''1994''' || [[1994 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 8 || 2 || -2 || -1.0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 
|- style="background:#555555;font-weight:bold;color:white;"
| colspan=2 | Career || 60 || 464 || 1641 || 3.5 || 7 || 60 || 71 || 4
|-
|}

<big><big>Receiving</big></big>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! G !! Rec !! Yards !! Avg !! TD !! Long !! 1st downs !! Fum 
|-
| '''1990''' || [[1990 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 3 || 1 || 0.3 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 
|-
| '''1991''' || [[1991 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 13 || 7 || 71 || 10.1 || 0 || 18 || 2 || 0 
|-
| '''1992''' || [[1992 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 7 || 13 || 129 || 9.9 || 1 || 43 || 7 || 0 
|-
| '''1993''' || [[1993 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 18 || 129 || 7.1 || 0 || 34 || 6 || 0 
|- style="background:#555555;font-weight:bold;color:white;"
| colspan=2 | Career || 60 || 41 || 330 || 8.0 || 1 || 43 || 15 || 0
|-
|}

<big><big>Kickoff Returns</big></big>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Year !! Team !! G !! Att !! Yards !! TD !! Long
|-
| '''1990''' || [[1990 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 3 || 103 || 1 || 76 
|-
| '''1991''' || [[1991 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 13 || 7 || 127 || 0 ||30
|-
| '''1993''' || [[1993 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 16 || 9 || 171 || 0 || 42
|-
| '''1994''' || [[1994 Green Bay Packers football team|GB]] || 8 || 4 || 67 || 0 || 19
|- style="background:#555555;font-weight:bold;color:white;"
| colspan=2 | Career || 60 || 23 || 468 || 1 || 76
|-
|}

==Post NFL career==
[[File:Darrell Thompson and supporters of Bolder Options.jpg|thumb|Darrell Thompson speaks with supporters of Bolder Options in June 2019]]
Thompson is the President and CEO of Bolder Options, a youth mentoring [[nonprofit organization]] that serves youth in [[Minneapolis]], [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] and [[Rochester, Minnesota|Rochester]].<ref name=StarTribune>{{cite web|title=Nonprofit Profile: Bolder Options|url=http://www.startribune.com/nonprofit-profile-bolder-options/230701261/|publisher=StarTribune|access-date=April 4, 2019}}</ref><ref name=CBSLocal>{{cite web|title=Minnesotan To Meet: Darrell Thompson Of Bolder Options|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/02/03/minnesotan-to-meet-darrell-thompson-of-bolder-options/|publisher=CBSLocal|access-date=April 4, 2019|date=2015-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rajkumar |first1=Roshini |title=Former NFL player and Bolder Options CEO Darrell Thompson on marrying well and re-setting the norm for black men |url=https://www.audacy.com/wccoradio/articles/former-nfl-player-and-bolder-options-ceo-darrell-thompson-marrying-well-and-re-setting-norm |work=[[WCCO (AM)|WCCO]] |date=May 4, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Both Thompson and Bolder Options were featured on [[The Today Show]] with [[Al Roker]] in 2006 as part of Roker's charity tour.<ref name=Today>{{cite web|title=Al visits Minneapolis on his charity tour|url= https://www.today.com/video/al-visits-minneapolis-on-his-charity-tour-460326467727 |access-date=April 4, 2019}}</ref>

In 1997 Thompson was selected into the Gophers Hall of Fame, and later became a [[sideline reporter]] for the Gophers. He has served as the Minnesota Gopher football radio [[color commentator]] since 1998.

==Personal life==

Thompson married Stephanie Smith in 1995. The couple currently resides in [[Plymouth, Minnesota]] and have four children. Their oldest daughter, Dominique, played collegiate volleyball at [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] and then professionally in Denmark for the 2015–2016 season. Their other daughter, Indigo, played collegiate volleyball at [[San Diego State University]]. Their oldest son, True, played football collegiately at the [[University of Minnesota]] and their youngest son, Race, played basketball at [[Indiana University]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Big Ten Conference Football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{1990 NFL Draft}}
{{Green Bay Packers 1990 NFL draft picks}}
{{Green Bay Packers first-round draft picks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Darrell}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Rochester, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Minnesota]]