Age: 26
4th
season in pro football & with Oilers
College: Texas
Height: 5’11” Weight: 237
Prelude:
Following an
outstanding college career that was capped by rushing for 1744 yards and winning
the Heisman Trophy, Campbell was the first overall pick by the Oilers in the
1978 NFL draft (Houston traded with Tampa Bay for the top choice). He moved
directly into the starting lineup with outstanding results, leading the league
in rushing (1450 yards), gaining consensus first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl
honors, as well as Rookie of the Year and MVP recognition (Pro Football
Writers, NEA). Campbell followed up in 1979 by again topping the NFL in rushing
(1697 yards) and touchdowns (19) to again receive consensus MVP, first-team
All-Pro, and Pro Bowl honors. It was more of the same in ’80 as the
power-running Campbell rushed for a career-high 1934 yards that included a
record four 200-yard performances.
1981 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 361
[2]
Most
attempts, game – 39 (for 186 yds.) vs. Seattle 10/11
Yards – 1376 [5,
tied with Ottis Anderson, 1st in AFC]
Most yards,
game – 186 yards (on 39 carries) vs. Seattle 10/11
Average gain
– 3.8
TDs – 10 [7,
tied with William Andrews, Ron Springs & Billy Jackson]
100-yard
rushing games – 3
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 36
Most
receptions, game – 6 (for 25 yds.) vs. Atlanta 11/29
Yards – 156
Most yards,
game – 40 (on 4 catches) vs. Oakland 11/8
Average gain
– 4.3
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 10 [12,
tied with five others]
Points – 60
Awards & Honors:
2nd
team All-AFC: UPI
Pro Bowl
Oilers went 7-9
to finish third in the AFC Central.
Aftermath:
Campbell ran
for 538 yards in the strike-shortened 1982 season, in which the team crashed to
1-8, and after one more 1000-yard rushing season in 1983 (1301 yards), his
heavy workload and physically-punishing running style caused his performance to
drop significantly. Campbell was traded to New Orleans during the ’84 season
and he finished his career in 1985, rushing for 643 yards and a 4.1-yard
average for the Saints. He retired with 9407 rushing yards, which ranked
seventh in NFL history at the time, on 2187 carries and 81 touchdowns. Campbell
received at least some MVP recognition and was a consensus first-team All-NFL
selection three times and was named to four Pro Bowls. His #34 was retired by
the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and he was inducted into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, Class of 1991.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
