Herschel Walker
Teams
Dallas Cowboys (1986-1989, 1996-1997)
Minnesota Vikings (1989-1991)
Philadelphia Eagles (1992-1994)
New York Giants (1995)
Playoffs
Appearances - 3 (1989,1992,1996)
Conf Champ Games - 0
Super Bowls - 0
Championships - 0
Awards and Honors
All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1987,1988)
Pro Bowl - 2 (1987,1988)
All-Time Ranks
Rushing Yards - #45
Scrimmage Yards - #48
Rushing Touchdowns - #51
Total Touchdowns - #59
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#2-1988, #6-1987)
Rushing Touchdowns (#4-1986, #5-1991, #6-1987, #9-1992, #10-1989)
Yards per Rush (#2-1986,1994, #9-1987,1993)
Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1988, #6-1987)
Receptions (#5-1987, #9-1986)
Total Touchdowns (#4-1986, #8-1987)
Scrimmage Yards (#1-1987, #3-1988, #7-1986,1993)
Yards per Touch (#1-1986, #5-1987,1994)
After rushing for 1616 yards and winning a national title as a freshman in 1980, then 1752 yards, 16 touchdowns, and winning the Heisman as a junior, Herschel Walker left Georgia to sign with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL. He played for the Generals for 3 seasons, punctuated with an MVP in the league's final season, before joining the Dallas Cowboys, who drafted him in the 5th round of the 1985 Draft.
As an NFL rookie, Walker shared the backfield with Tony Dorsett, and he rushed for 737 and 12 touchdowns that year, while catching 76 passes for 837 yards on top of that. He led the entire league in yards per touch, and in one game against the Eagles, he had both an 84-yard rush and an 84-yard catch, both for touchdowns.
In his second season, he led the league in scrimmage yards, picking up 891 on the ground and 715 through the air, and was named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro Second Team. His increased role led Tony Dorsett to demand a trade, which he would get after the season, leaving the backfield to Walker.
The next season, he had the most rushing yards of his career by far, amassing 1514 while starting every game, but scoring only 5 touchdowns along the way. His 2019 scrimmage yards were also the best of his career, and earned him another All-Pro Second Team selection.
Walker struggled to open the 1989 season, averaging only 3 yards per carry through the first 5 games, following which he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for 5 players and 6 draft picks, a trade that set the Cowboys up as a great team for years.
He played 2 full seasons in Minnesota, never reaching his previous heights, but he was still a good back. He had 825 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 1991, but after not living up to the hype in Minnesota, he was not resigned, instead leaving for Philadelphia for the 1992 season.
Walker had 1070 rushing yards in his first season as an Eagle, the second and last time he would eclipse 1000 in his career. Over the next couple of years his role changed, and he played more often as a kick returner than running back. In 1994 he had the distinction of being the first player ever to have a 90 yard rush, a 90 yard reception, and a 90 yard kick return in the same season.
He signed with the New York Giants for the 1995 season, mostly returning kicks again, then left to return to Dallas, where he spent his final 2 seasons in that same role. After 12 seasons in the NFL, and 15 total as a pro, he retired after the 1997 season.
Walker's career got off to a fast start, but went downhill quickly after being traded away from Dallas. He was still at least productive through the rest of his career, but he never made it back to the superstar level he reached early on. He never made it past the divisional round of the playoffs in his career, but he rarely missed a game and played for a long time, and he is definitely one of the best to have played the game.
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