Dorsett, "Tony" (Anthony D.)
Football
b. April 7, 1954, Rochester, PA
Dorsett piled up some incredible numbers as a college and professional running back. He was the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of four seasons at the University of Pittsburgh, where he gained a record 6,082 yards and scored 58 touchdowns in 1,133 attempts. As a junior in 1975, Dorsett gained 303 yards in 23 attempts against Notre Dame.
A consensus All-American in 1975 and 1976 and winner of the 1976 Heisman Trophy as the nation's outstanding college player, Dorsett was the first player chosen in the 1977 NFL draft, by the Dallas Cowboys.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Dorsett was named rookie of the year after gaining 1,007 yards in 208 attempts in 1977. He led all Super Bowl rushers with 66 yards on 15 carries when Dallas beat Denver 27-10.
Ironically, the only time Dorsett led the league in rushing was the first time he failed to gain more than 1,000 yards, in the strike-shortened 1982 season, when he had 745 yards on 177 attempts in just 9 games. In post-season play, he set an NFL record with a 99-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings.
Dorsett became an unhappy backup after Herschel Walker joined the Cowboys in 1987, and the following season he was traded to the Denver Broncos. However, injuries limited his playing time with Denver and he was forced to retire after suffering torn knee ligaments in the team's 1989 training camp.
In his 12 NFL seasons, Dorsett gained 12,379 yards, second only to Walter Payton, on 2,936 attempts, and he scored 77 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He caught 382 passes for 3,432 yards, a 9.0 average, and 14 touchdowns.
An All-Pro in 1981, Dorsett played in four Pro Bowls. In addition to great speed, he had an exceptional ability to cut away from tacklers. Dan Reeves, an assistant coach at Dallas and later Dorsett's head coach at Denver, once said of him, "Very few players have ever had the skill or balance to change direction without loss of speed. . . . Tony does it so smoothly."
