Earl Campbell
Career information High school: Tyler (TX) John Tyler College: Texas NFL Draft: 1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 Debuted in 1978 for the Houston Oilers Last played in 1985 for the New Orleans Saints Career history Houston Oilers (1978–1984) New Orleans Saints (1984–1985) Career highlights and awards College 2× All-American (1975, 1977) Heisman Trophy (1977) UPI Player of the Year (1977) TSN Player of the Year (1977) Harley Award Winner (1977) Texas Longhorns #20 retired College Football Hall of Fame inductee (1990) NFL 5× Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) 3× AP First-Team All-Pro (1978, 1979, 1980) 1978 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (AP, PFWA, UPI, NEA, SN, PW) 1978 NFL MVP (PFWA, NEA) 1979 NFL MVP (AP, PFWA, NEA, MX) 1980 NFL MVP (NEA) 1978 NFL Offensive Player of the Year (AP, PW, UPI) 1978 AFC Offensive Player of the Year (UPI) 1979 NFL Offensive Player of the Year (AP, PW) 1980 NFL Offensive Player of the Year (AP) 3× NFL Rushing champion (1978, 1979, 1980) Tennessee Titans #34 retired Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (1991) Rated #55 NFL Player of all-time by NFL.com Career NFL statistics Rushing yards 9,407 Rushing Average 4.3 Touchdowns 74 Stats at NFL.com Pro Football Hall of Fame College Football Hall of Fame Earl Christian Campbell (born March 29, 1955), nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American football running back. He, Paul Hornung, and O. J. Simpson are the only Heisman Trophy winners to have also been first overall National Football League draft picks and members of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. He was born in Tyler, Texas, the sixth of eleven children. His father died when Campbell was 11 years old. He began playing football in fifth grade as a kicker, but moved to linebacker and then to running back in sixth grade. In 1973, he led the Corky Nelson-coached John Tyler High School to the Texas 4A State Championship (4A then was the largest classification in the state). Then-Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer, who unsuccessfully recruited Campbell, said in his 1989 book that Campbell was the only player he ever saw who could have gone straight from high school to the NFL and immediately become a star.