Running Back,
Buffalo
Age: 28
7th
season in pro football & with Bills
College: Southern California
Height: 6’1” Weight: 212
Prelude:
Following an
outstanding college career capped by winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy, the
highly-coveted Simpson was drafted by the Bills with the first overall pick in
the combined AFL/NFL draft. His pro career started slowly, as he was used
sparingly and missed time due to injury during his first three seasons, never
carrying more than 182 times or gaining more than 742 yards. However, the
return to Buffalo of Head Coach Lou Saban in 1972 marked a change as Simpson
became the centerpiece of the offense and led the NFL in rushing with 1251
yards, earning 1st-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He followed
that up in 1973 by shattering the single-season rushing record with 2003 yards
and gaining consensus MVP honors. While his rushing total dropped to 1125 yards
in ’74, Simpson still received consensus 1st-team All-NFL and Pro
Bowl honors for the third straight year and the Bills reached the postseason.
1975 Season Summary
Appeared in all
14 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 329
[1]
Most
attempts, game - 34 (for 126 yds.) vs. NY Giants 10/20
Yards – 1817 [1]
Most yards,
game – 227 yards (on 28 carries) at Pittsburgh 9/28
Average gain
– 5.5 [1]
TDs – 16 [1,
tied with Pete Banaszak]
200-yard
rushing games – 1
100-yard
rushing games – 8
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 28
Most
receptions, game – 8 (for 117 yds.) at Miami 12/7
Yards – 426
Most yards,
game - 117 (on 8 catches) at Miami 12/7
Average gain
– 15.2
TDs – 7 [9,
tied with five others]
100-yard
receiving games – 1
All-Purpose
yards – 2243 [2, 1st in AFC]
Scoring
TDs – 23 [1]
Points – 138 [1]
Awards & Honors:
AFC Player of
the Year: Sporting News
1st
team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, NEA, Pro Football Weekly
1st
team All-AFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News
Pro Bowl
Bills went 8-6
to finish third in the AFC East while leading the NFL in total offense (5467
yards), rushing yards (2974), scoring (420 points), and touchdowns (57).
Aftermath:
Simpson led
the NFL in rushing for the fourth time in five years in 1976 with 1503 yards and
received All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition for the fifth and last time (he had
also been chosen to one AFL All-Star Game). Injuries in 1977 limited him to
seven games and he was dealt to the 49ers, where he spent his last two seasons
(1978 and ’79). Upon retirement, he had gained 11,236 rushing yards, the
second-highest total up to that time. Simpson was inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1985.
--
MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or
Player of the Year in the NFL, AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or
USFL (1983-85) by a recognized organization (Associated Press, Pro Football
Writers Association, Newspaper Enterprise Association, United Press
International, The Sporting News, Maxwell Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league
itself).
[Updated 11/29/14]
[Updated 11/29/14]
