Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #24: Wendell Tyler

Wendell Tyler

Teams

Los Angeles Rams (1977-1982)

San Francisco 49ers (1983-1986)

Playoffs

Appearances - 8 (1977,1978,1979,1980,1983,1984,1985,1986)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1978,1979,1983,1984)

Super Bowls - 2 (1979,1984)

Championships - 1 (1984)

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 1 (1984)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #24

Rushing Yards - #83

Rushing Touchdowns - #85

Rushing Yards per Game - #94

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#5-1984, #10-1979)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1982, #5-1981, #9-1979)

Yards per Rush (#1-1979, #3-1983, #4-1984,1985)

Rushing Yards per Game (#8-1984)

Receiving Touchdowns (#10-1982)

Total Touchdowns (#2-1981,1982)

Scrimmage Yards (#6-1982, #9-1984)

Yards per Touch (#7-1979)

After averaging 6 yards per carry in his college career at UCLA, Wendell Tyler was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft.

Tyler did not get much playing time in his first 2 seasons with the Rams, getting only 75 carries through 2 combined years, but he took over as the team's starter early in 1979, and went on to lead the league with 5.1 yards per carry on the season, totaling 1109 yards and 9 touchdowns. He helped lead the Rams all the way to the Super Bowl that year, but his 60 yards weren't enough as the Rams fell to the Steelers 31-19.

Tyler missed most of the next season with injuries, but was able to come back strong in 1981, gaining 1074 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns for the Rams. He had 564 yards and 9 touchdowns in the strike-shortened 1982 season, finishing 6th in the league in scrimmage yards, then left town to head north to San Francisco before the 1983 season.

He continued to play well upon arriving in San Francisco, and in 1984 he had the best season of his career. He had 1262 yards, a career high, along with 7 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. He finished with 1492 scrimmage yards, just short of a career best, and was voted to his first and only Pro Bowl. That team made it all the way to the Super Bowl, and though Roger Craig was the star of the Super Bowl with 3 touchdowns, Tyler led the team with 65 rushing yards and 135 scrimmage yards as the 49ers beat the Dolphins 38-16.

Tyler had one more really good year with the 49ers, surpassing 5 yards per carry for the 5th time in his career, but after being slowed by injury in 1986, he retired from the NFL. Tyler was frequently among the league leaders in yards per carry, and is #24 on the all-time list in that category, and he was the first player ever to lead 2 different teams in rushing in the Super Bowl. He may not be a household name today, but he was one of the greatest to play the game.