View source for Eric Dickerson

{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Eric Dickerson
| image       = Eric Dickerson.jpg
| caption     = Dickerson in 2014
| number      = 29
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1960|9|2|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sealy, Texas]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lb   = 220
| high_school = [[Sealy High School|Sealy]]
| college     = [[SMU Mustangs football|SMU]] (1979–1982)
| draftyear   = 1983
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 2
| teams       =
* [[Los Angeles Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1983|1987}})
* [[Indianapolis Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1987|1991}})
* [[Los Angeles Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|1992}})
* [[Atlanta Falcons]] ({{NFL Year|1993}})
<!-- Do not add anything regarding 1 day contract with the Rams. This was a unofficial ceremonial contract-->
| highlights  =
* [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]] (1986)
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (1983)
* 3× [[UPI NFC Player of the Year|UPI NFC Offensive Player of the Year]] (1983, 1984, 1986)
* 5× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1983 All-Pro Team|1983]], [[1984 All-Pro Team|1984]], [[1986 All-Pro Team|1986]]–[[1988 All-Pro Team|1988]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1984 Pro Bowl|1983]], [[1985 Pro Bowl|1984]], [[1987 Pro Bowl|1986]]–[[1990 Pro Bowl|1989]])
* 4× [[List of NFL rushing champions|NFL rushing yards leader]] (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988)
* [[List of National Football League season rushing touchdowns leaders|NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader]] (1984)
* [[NFL 1980s All-Decade Team]]
* [[NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#1983|1983]])
* [[Los Angeles Rams awards#St. Louis Football Ring of Fame|St. Louis Football Ring of Fame]]
* [[Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor]]
* [[Los Angeles Rams#Retired numbers|Los Angeles Rams No. 29]] retired
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1982 College Football All-America Team|1982]])
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1981 College Football All-America Team|1981]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] (1981, [[1982 All-Southwest Conference football team|1982]])
* 2× [[Southwest Conference|SWC]] Offensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982)
* [[SMU Mustangs football#Honored jerseys|SMU Mustangs Jersey No. 19]] honored
;NFL records
* Most rushing yards in a season: [[2,000-yard club|2,105]]
* Most rushing yards in a season by a rookie: 1,808
* Most rushing yards in a playoff game: 248
| statlabel1  = [[Rushing yards]]
| statvalue1  = 13,259
| statlabel2  = [[Average|Rushing average]]
| statvalue2  = 4.4
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Rushing touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 90
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (American football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue4  = 281
| statlabel5  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue5  = 2,137
| statlabel6  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue6  = 6
| pfr         = D/DickEr00
| HOF         = eric-dickerson
| CollegeHOF  = 2451
}}

'''Eric Demetric Dickerson''' (born September 2, 1960) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[running back]] for 11 seasons in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[SMU Mustangs football|SMU Mustangs]], earning [[unanimous All-American]] honors in 1982.  Dickerson was selected [[List of second overall NFL draft picks|second overall]] in the [[1983 NFL draft]] by the [[Los Angeles Rams]], and later played for the [[Indianapolis Colts]], [[Los Angeles Raiders]], and [[Atlanta Falcons]]. During his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL's single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1999 and, in 2019, was named to the [[National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McVey |first1=Rob |date=April 16, 2022 |title=25 Greatest Running Backs in NFL History |url=https://athlonsports.com/nfl/25-greatest-running-backs-nfl-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810013604/https://athlonsports.com/nfl/25-greatest-running-backs-nfl-history |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |access-date=August 10, 2022 |website=Athlon Sports |quote=At 6-foot-3, Dickerson was not your prototypical running back, but he was one of the most successful backs to ever tote the pigskin. No one in NFL history has rushed for more yards in a single season than Dickerson (2,105 in 1984). Dickerson ranks ninth on the all-time rushing list and won four rushing titles during his Hall of Fame career.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kenyon |first1=David |title=The Top 10 NFL Running Backs of All Time |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2797764-the-top-10-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time |website=Bleacher Report |access-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810013606/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2797764-the-top-10-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |date=October 3, 2018}}</ref> He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to [[Near-sightedness|myopia]].

==Recruitment and college career==
Dickerson committed to [[Texas A&M University]] before reconsidering and deciding amongst the [[University of Oklahoma]], [[University of Southern California]] and [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU). His great-grandaunt talked him into staying in the state of Texas to attend SMU because she liked [[SMU Mustangs football|Mustangs]] coach [[Ron Meyer]].<ref name=knack>{{cite web| url= http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/27-03-1076.pdf| title= Eric Dickerson: Well-Traveled Runner Had a Knack for Eluding Tacklers| first= Roger |last= Gordon | publisher= The Free Press, Canton, Ohio, August 1, 1999; republished online at The Coffin Corner vol. 27, no. 3 (2005)| website= ProFootballResearchers.org | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101126230500/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/27-03-1076.pdf| archive-date= November 26, 2010| access-date= July 30, 2015}}</ref> Dickerson was the subject of recruiting controversy when he started driving a new [[Pontiac Firebird#Firebird Trans Am|Pontiac Trans Am]] during his senior year of high school.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/harvey/article/By-steering-Seals-Jones-to-A-M-Dickerson-make-4258207.php| title= After 34 years, Eric Dickerson repaid a debt to A&M | first= Randy |last= Harvey| work= [[Houston Chronicle]] |date= February 6, 2013 | access-date= July 30, 2015}}</ref> According to myth, Dickerson began driving the vehicle about the same time he committed to A&M, and, when he signed with SMU, he purportedly stopped driving the vehicle because it "had been destroyed by a vengeful [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Aggie]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Sealy Gridder Reneges On Pledge To Ink Aggie Pact| url=http://www.newspaperarchive.com/LandingPage.aspx?type=glpnews&img=45216308 |newspaper=The Galveston Daily News |date=February 15, 1979 |access-date=February 11, 2008 }}</ref> Ron Meyer called the car the "Trans A&M". At the time, he said his grandmother from Mexico had purchased it for him. Dickerson has refused to answer whether he accepted anything to attend SMU, saying, "Even if I did take something, I still wouldn't tell."<ref>{{Cite episode
| title        = Pony Exce$$
| url          = http://30for30.espn.com/film/pony-excess.html
| series       = 30 for 30
| network      = ESPN
| airdate      = April 10, 2009
| number       = 30
}}
</ref> He later admitted that SMU paid him $500 or $1000 a month.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Eric Dickerson knows irony of talking NIL at his alma mater since SMU got so-called 'death penalty' |url=https://apnews.com/article/dickerson-smu-nil-death-penalty-3227f8b5218da4989f51458fcab5828a |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, Dickerson admitted that the Trans Am had been paid for by A&M boosters, and that in an attempt to hide the impropriety one of his family members made the purchase and was reimbursed by the boosters. He said he later sold the car to an SMU teammate.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Coleman |first=Madeline |title=Eric Dickerson Admits Origin of Legendary Gold Trans Am |url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2022/01/19/eric-dickerson-origin-legendary-gold-trans-am |access-date=2023-07-01 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=January 19, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Initially, Dickerson shared carries with [[Craig James (running back)|Craig James]] and Charles Waggoner, all three blue-chip recruits in 1979. Waggoner was hurt returning a kickoff their freshman season, leaving Dickerson and James to lead SMU's running attack, called the Pony Express.<ref name=knack /> Dickerson gained 4,450 yards on 790 carries to break [[Earl Campbell]]’s [[Southwest Conference]] record for yards and attempts. His 48 career touchdowns tied [[Doak Walker]]’s SMU total for career scoring. In his senior year, despite splitting time with James, Dickerson finished third in the [[Heisman Trophy]] voting, behind [[Herschel Walker]] and [[John Elway]].<ref>{{cite web| title=Eric's College Days at SMU|url= http://www.ericdickerson29.com/college.htm| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030604082837/http://ericdickerson29.com/college.htm | archive-date= June 4, 2003| website=EricDickerson29.com| publisher= Eric Dickerson| url-status= dead| access-date= July 30, 2015}}</ref> He was also a first-team All-American in [[1982 College Football All-America Team|1982]] and a second-team All-American in [[1981 College Football All-America Team|1981]].<ref name=PHOF>{{cite web|title= Eric Dickerson| publisher= Pro Football Hall of Fame| url= http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=55}}</ref>

===Statistics===
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1979 SMU Mustangs football team|1979]]
| 115 || 477 || 4.3 || 43 || 6 || 6 || 35 || 5.8 || 11 || 0
|-
! [[1980 SMU Mustangs football team|1980]]
| 188 || 928 || 4.9 || 54 || 5 || 6 || 93 || 15.5 || 37 || 1
|-
! [[1981 SMU Mustangs football team|1981]]
| 255 || 1,428 || 5.6 || 62 || 19 || 1 || 2 || 2.0 || 2 || 0
|-
! [[1982 SMU Mustangs football team|1982]]
| 232 || 1,617 || 7.0 || 80 || 17 || 6 || 60 || 10.0 || 35 || 0
|-
! Totals !! 790 !! 4,450 !! 5.6 !! 80 !! 47 !! 19 !! 190 !! 10.0 !! 37 !! 1
|}

==Professional career==
===1983–1987: L.A. Rams===
[[File:1985 Police Raiders-Rams - 20 Eric Dickerson (crop).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Dickerson set the NFL rushing record in 1984 while earning many awards]]
[[File:1986 Jeno's Pizza - 23 - Eric Dickerson and Barry Redden.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Dickerson (#29) rushing the ball through the [[Dallas Cowboys|Cowboys]]' defense in the [[1985–86 NFL playoffs|1985-86 NFC Divisional Playoffs Game]]]]

Before the [[1983 NFL draft]], [[1983 Houston Oilers season|the Houston Oilers]] said they would draft Dickerson second if they did not make a trade.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dickerson Not Eager To Be Oiler|work=[[Austin American-Statesman]]|date=April 23, 1983|page=C2}}</ref> Dickerson's family opposed him playing for the Oilers — although Dickerson himself was merely cool about doing so — while, like [[John Elway]], Dickerson would have flatly refused to play for [[1983 Baltimore Colts season|the Baltimore Colts]]<ref group="note">The Colts had the first choice in the draft, but were considering trading it because Elway, unanimously regarded as the best prospect in the draft, said publicly he would not play for the Colts and preferred to play baseball in [[1982 New York Yankees season|the New York Yankees]]’ [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] farm system.</ref> had they drafted him.<ref>{{cite news|title=SMU's Dickerson Cool to Prospect of Oilers|work=[[The San Francisco Examiner]]|date=April 22, 1983|page=F6}}</ref> A trade with the Oilers saw [[1983 Los Angeles Rams season|the Los Angeles Rams]] acquire the second pick, which they used to draft Dickerson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rams, Oilers Trade Drafts|work=[[The Sacramento Bee]]|date=April 24, 1983|page=C4}}</ref> Although he considered going to [[Los Angeles Express (USFL)|the Los Angeles Express]] in the [[United States Football League]], Dickerson ultimately decided to play for the Rams. An immediate success, he established rookie records for most rushing attempts (390), most rushing yards gained (1,808) and most touchdowns rushing (18), including another two receiving touchdowns. His efforts earned him All-Pro, [[Pro Bowl]], Player of the Year and [[National Football League Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] honors.<ref name=PHOF />

In his second season, Dickerson continued his onslaught on the NFL record book becoming a member of the [[2,000-yard club]]. Twelve times in 1984 he gained more than 100 yards rushing, breaking the record of 100-yard games in a season held by [[O. J. Simpson]]. His 2,105 total yards rushing beat Simpson's 1973 NFL season record of 2,003 yards (Dickerson having reached 2,007 yards after 15 games), but since the NFL expanded the regular season from 14 to 16 games in 1978, Dickerson had the benefit of playing in two additional games. No one has since rushed for more yards in a single [[National Football League|NFL]] season. Dickerson's 5.6 yards per carry led the Rams to a playoff berth in 1984.

Although he rushed for 1,234 yards in [[1985 Los Angeles Rams season|1985]] while missing the first two games due to a contract dispute, Dickerson missed the [[Pro Bowl]] for the first time in his young NFL career. He did go on to rush for a playoff record 248 yards against the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in post-season play.<ref name=PHOF />

===1987–1991: Indianapolis Colts===
[[File:Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns 1988-09-19 (ticket) (crop).jpg|thumb|right|170px|Dickerson rushing the ball during his first year with the [[Indianapolis Colts|Colts]] in 1987]]
The 1985 season marked the beginning of ongoing contract disputes between Dickerson and the Rams. In 1987, after playing just three games for the Rams during the strike-shortened [[1987 NFL season|1987 season]], Dickerson was traded to the [[Indianapolis Colts]] in one of the NFL's biggest trades ever at that time. In a three-team deal, the Colts traded linebacker [[Cornelius Bennett]], whom they drafted but were unable to sign to a contract, to the [[Buffalo Bills]] for their first-round pick in 1988, first- and second-round picks in 1989, and running back [[Greg Bell (running back, born 1962)|Greg Bell]]. The Colts in turn traded Bell and the three draft choices from Buffalo plus their own first- and second-round picks in 1988, their second-round pick in 1989, and running back [[Owen Gill]] to the Rams for Dickerson. With the picks the Rams took running back [[Gaston Green]], wide receiver [[Aaron Cox]], linebacker [[Fred Strickland]], running back [[Cleveland Gary]], linebacker [[Frank Stams]], and defensive back [[Darryl Henley]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1980s/eric_dickerson.aspx |title=History: Eric Dickerson Trade| website=ProFootballHOF.com |access-date=July 30, 2015}}</ref> The trade reunited Dickerson with [[Ron Meyer]], who had left SMU after Dickerson's junior season to take the head coaching position in [[New England Patriots|New England]] and who was hired by the Colts in 1986 following [[Rod Dowhower]]'s firing.

Although he played in just nine games with the Colts that year, he still managed to gain 1,011 yards to finish the season with 1,288.<ref name=PHOF /> Also, he spearheaded a late season Colts run that helped the team to their first winning season (and first playoff berth) in 10 years.

In [[1988 NFL season|1988]], Dickerson, with 1,659 yards rushing, became the first Colt to lead the league in rushing since [[Alan Ameche]] in 1955. This would mark the apogee of Dickerson's career with the Colts (although he would gain 1,311 yards rushing in [[1989 NFL season|1989]]). Also, 1989 was the year that he passed the 10,000-yard mark, becoming the fastest player ever to do so (91 games), accomplishing the feat faster than greats like [[Jim Brown]] (98 games), [[Barry Sanders]] (103 games), [[Emmitt Smith]] (106 games), and [[LaDainian Tomlinson]] (106 games).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/recap;jsessionid=0233BFC34DCA01BED4C2B939F540E3AC?game_id=29368&displayPage=tab_recap&season=2007&week=REG12 |title=NFL Game Center: Game Recap - Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers - 2007 12 |website=NFL.com |publisher= National Football League}}</ref> By 1989, he had set a new NFL record with seven straight seasons of more than 1,000 yards rushing, and led the league for four of those seasons. With the retirement of Tony Dorsett at the end of 1988, he became the leader among active players in career rushing yards, a position he occupied until his own retirement in 1993.

However, injuries, further contract disputes, and suspensions clouded his final two seasons with the Colts. Dickerson, at 29, was the highest-paid running back in the NFL, receiving an annual reported salary of $1.4 million. Following prolonged contract disputes, the Colts placed him on the inactive list before the start of the 1990 season where he stayed for 7 weeks and lost more than $600,000 in salary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Colts Suspend Dickerson|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-30-sp-516-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 30, 1990|access-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref> In his sixth game back from suspension, he rushed for 143 yards against the Bengals on 22 carries—this effort lifted him past [[Jim Brown]] to third place on the NFL career rushing list behind [[Walter Payton]] and [[Tony Dorsett]]. He was again suspended in November 1991,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harvin |first1=Al |title=Colts Suspend Dickerson, Citing His 'Insubordination' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/sports/football-colts-suspend-dickerson-citing-his-insubordination.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 8, 1991 |access-date=February 27, 2015}}</ref> and amidst injuries and age, managed to run for only 536 yards that season. The Colts finished the year bottoming out with a 1–15 record.

Dickerson has described the trade to Indianapolis as the worst moment of his career, and stated that he disliked his time with the Colts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eric Dickerson on Learning to Love the Rams Again (Almost) |website=si.com |date=February 10, 2022 |publisher= Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/02/11/eric-dickerson-on-his-complicated-relationship-with-the-rams }}</ref>

===1992–1993: Final years===
On April 26, [[1992 NFL season|1992]], Dickerson was traded by the Colts to the [[Los Angeles Raiders]] for their fourth- and eighth-round picks in the 1992 draft. There were occasional flashes of greatness—107 yards against the Broncos, 103 against the Chargers, where he recorded his 63rd and 64th career 100-yard games—but those would be his last. Dickerson also scored on a 40-yard touchdown run, reminiscent of his prime, in front of a nationally televised Monday Night audience in a game against [[Kansas City Chiefs|Kansas City]]. That year, he led the team in rushing attempts and yards. However, he suffered from splitting carries with [[Marcus Allen]] by having the latter finish the second half.

The following season, Dickerson was traded to the [[Atlanta Falcons]] on July 7, 1993, for a sixth-round draft pick. He played in a backup role, making his final national televised appearance during the ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' game on September 27, 1993, when the Falcons hosted the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in a losing effort. The Falcons traded Dickerson and third-year cornerback [[Bruce Pickens]] to the [[Green Bay Packers]]<ref name="1993nfloctobertrades">{{Cite news|url= https://www.nfl.com/transactions/league/trades/1993/10|title= 1993 NFL Transactions. Trades - October|work= National Football League|access-date=December 3, 2020|language=en}}</ref> for running back [[John Stephens (American football)|John Stephens]] on October 13, 1993.

The trade came a week after Dickerson said he had been told that the Falcons were waiving him because Coach [[Jerry Glanville]] wanted to use younger players. The next day, Falcons officials said that there had been a misunderstanding and that Dickerson had not been placed on waivers. Dickerson retired as the second-leading rusher of all time after failing a physical with the Packers.

On August 29, 2017, Dickerson signed a [[one-day contract]] to officially retire as a member of the [[Los Angeles Rams]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Eric Dickerson to sign one-day contract, retire as a Ram|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/eric-dickerson-to-sign-one-day-contract-retire-as-a-ram-0ap3000000836505|website=NFL.com|date=August 29, 2017|access-date=December 21, 2019}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#ffd700; width:3em;"|
| AP [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]]
|-
| style="background:#e0cef2; width:3em;"|
| NFL record
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1983 NFL season|1983]] !! [[1983 Los Angeles Rams season|LA]]
| 16 || 16 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 390 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 1,808 || 4.6 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''85''' || '''18''' || '''51''' || '''404''' || 7.9 || 37 || '''2'''
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 Los Angeles Rams season|LA]]
| 16 || 16 || 379 || style="background:#e0cef2; width:3em;"| '''2,105''' || '''5.6''' || 66 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 14 || 21 || 139 || 6.6 || 19 || 0
|-
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] !! [[1985 Los Angeles Rams season|LA]]
| 14 || 14 || 292 || 1,234 || 4.2 || 43 || 12 || 20 || 126 || 6.3 || 33 || 0
|-
! style="background:#ffd700; width:3em;"|[[1986 NFL season|1986]] !! [[1986 Los Angeles Rams season|LA]]
| 16 || 16 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| '''404''' || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 1,821 || 4.5 || 42 || 11 || 26 || 205 || 7.9 || 28 || 0
|-
! rowspan="2"|[[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 Los Angeles Rams season|LA]]
| 3 || 2 || 60 || 277 || 4.6 || 57 || 1 || 5 || 38 || 7.6 || 13 || 0
|-
! [[1987 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 9 || 8 || 223 || 1,011 || 4.5 || 53 || 5 || 13 || 133 || 10.2 || 28 || 0
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 16 || 16 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 388 || style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"| 1,659 || 4.3 || 41 || 14 || 36 || 377 || '''10.5''' || '''50''' || 1
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 15 || 14 || 314 || 1,311 || 4.2 || 21 || 7 || 30 || 211 || 7.0 || 22 || 1
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 11 || 8 || 166 || 677 || 4.1 || 43 || 4 || 18 || 92 || 5.1 || 17 || 0
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 Indianapolis Colts season|IND]]
| 10 || 9 || 167 || 536 || 3.2 || 28 || 2 || 41 || 269 || 6.6 || 26 || 1
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 Los Angeles Raiders season|LAR]]
| 16 || 15 || 187 || 729 || 3.9 || 40 || 2 || 14 || 85 || 6.1 || 15 || 1
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Atlanta Falcons season|ATL]]
| 4 || 2 || 26 || 91 || 3.5 || 10 || 0 || 6 || 58 || 9.7 || 30 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career !! 146 !! 136 !! 2,996 !! 13,259 !! 4.4 !! 85 !! 90 !! 281 !! 2,137 !! 7.6 !! 50 !! 6
|}

==Honors==
[[File:Dickerson HOF jersey.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Eric Dickerson jersey shown at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio]]
Dickerson became the seventh back to gain more than 10,000 yards and the fastest ever to do so, reaching the milestone in just 91 games. During his 11-year career, Dickerson gained 13,259 yards rushing, which was second all-time at the time of his retirement, and rushed for 90 touchdowns. He gained another 2,137 yards and 6 touchdowns on 281 pass receptions. A six-time [[Pro Bowl]] selection, Dickerson was All-Pro in [[1983 NFL season|1983]], [[1984 NFL season|1984]], [[1986 NFL season|1986]], [[1987 NFL season|1987]] and [[1988 NFL season|1988]]. In 1999, his first year of eligibility, Eric Dickerson was selected to become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also in 1999, he was ranked number 38 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. [[2000 NFL season|The following year]], he provided on-field commentary during ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' broadcasts.<ref name=PHOF />

The Rams' number 29 has been retired in his honor.<ref>[http://www.footballperspective.com/nfl-retired-numbers-player-deaths-and-the-stories-behind-them/ NFL Retired Numbers, Player Deaths, and the Stories Behind Them] by Chase Stuart, February 7, 2013</ref>

Dickerson was inducted into the [[Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor]] during the week 15 game against the [[Houston Texans]] on December 15, 2013, along with [[Marshall Faulk]], another former Colts running back, who, coincidentally, also played for the Rams-albeit in St Louis.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.stampedeblue.com/2013/10/8/4817282/colts-to-add-hall-of-famers-marshall-faulk-eric-dickerson-to-ring-of | title= Colts to Add Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson to Ring of Honor| first= Josh |last= Wilson |date= October 8, 2013| website= StampedeBlue.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131010085515/http://www.stampedeblue.com/2013/10/8/4817282/colts-to-add-hall-of-famers-marshall-faulk-eric-dickerson-to-ring-of| archive-date= October 10, 2013| access-date= July 30, 2015| url-status= live}}</ref>

In 1999, he was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=55 | title = Eric Dickerson | publisher = Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date = May 28, 2013 | archive-date = May 27, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100527050444/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=55 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In 2019, he was one of twelve running backs selected to the [[National Football League 100th Anniversary All-Time Team|NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]].

Dickerson was elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFF Announces Storied 2020 College Football Hall of Fame Class Presented by ETT |url=https://footballfoundation.org/news/2020/3/11/nff-announces-storied-2020-college-football-hall-of-fame-class.aspx |website=National Football Foundation |date=March 11, 2020 |access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>

==Post-NFL career==
Along with [[Melissa Stark]], Dickerson served as a sideline reporter on ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' broadcasts for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] during the [[2000 NFL season|2000]] and [[2001 NFL season|2001]] NFL seasons.

During the [[2007 NFL season|2007 football season]] and [[2016 NFL season|2016 football season]], Dickerson worked as a broadcaster for [[KCBS-TV|KCBS]] television in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], providing commentary for NFL pregame and postgame shows.

He started a sports memorabilia company called Original Mini Jerseys with former Los Angeles Rams teammate [[LeRoy Irvin]]. The company received their NFL license in 2006 and sells authentic miniature replica jerseys. He also owns an internet-based sporting goods company, E Champs.<ref name=knack />

Dickerson made a cameo appearance in the television series ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'' in 2014.<ref name=imdb>{{IMDb name|id=1111562}}</ref> In August 2016, he began hosting a two-hour Monday afternoon program on [[Los Angeles]] sports-talk station [[KLAC]].<ref>http://laradio.com September 13, 2016</ref>

In 2017, he competed in the [[reality television]] game show ''[[The New Celebrity Apprentice]]''. He was the third contestant "terminated" by host [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]].

In 2019, Dickerson played a role as [[Los Angeles Fire Department|LAFD]] Chief Brinkle in the TV Series ''[[S.W.A.T. (2017 TV series)|S.W.A.T.]]''.

In 2017, he joined [[Fox Sports]]' [[Fox Sports 1|FS1]] as an NFL analyst.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2017 |title=Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson Joins FOX Sports |url=https://www.foxsports.com/presspass/latest-news/2017/08/21/pro-football-hall-famer-eric-dickerson-joins-fox-sports |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822123647/https://www.foxsports.com/presspass/latest-news/2017/08/21/pro-football-hall-famer-eric-dickerson-joins-fox-sports |archive-date=August 22, 2017 |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=[[Fox Sports]]}}</ref>

In 2023, Dickerson attended the fifth dinner service in ''[[Hell's Kitchen (American TV series)|Hell's Kitchen]]'''s [[Hell's Kitchen (American season 22)|22nd season]].

==See also==
* [[List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders|List of National Football League rushing yards leaders]]
* [[List of National Football League rushing champions]]
* [[List of NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy#Living former players diagnosed with CTE or ALS or reporting symptoms consistent with CTE or ALS|Living former players diagnosed with or reporting symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group="note"}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.ericdickerson29.com}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=Eric-Dickerson|espn=6418 |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=D/DickEr00 |rotoworld=}}
* {{Profootballhof|id=55}}
* {{IMDb name}}
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{Wikiquoteinline}}

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