Dominic Rhodes

Professional football player

What is Dominic Rhodes known for?

Born in Waco, Texas on January 17, 1979, Dominic Dondrell Rhodes is a memorable figure in the world of American football. His passion for the game was ignited during his time at Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas. Later, Rhodes was recruited by big-name college programs like Texas Tech and Texas Christian University, but he opted instead for Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. After two successful years there, he moved on to Midwestern State University where he stood out as a prodigious running back.

Rhodes' career in the National Football League (NFL) began unexpectedly. Despite his college experience, he was skipped over in the 2001 NFL Draft. However, the Indianapolis Colts saw his potential and signed him as an undrafted free agent. Serving initially as a backup, his fortunes took a turn in 2001 when the Colts' starting running back, Edgerrin James, was injured. This saw Rhodes step up into the starting role for the rest of the season. His performance was nothing short of phenomenal, running up 1,104 yards, the most ever by an undrafted rookie in NFL history.

Rhodes' prowess on the field was sidelined in 2002 due to a torn ACL. After recovery, he returned to support James from 2003 to 2005. In 2006, after James transferred to the Arizona Cardinals, Rhodes shared running responsibilities with rookie, Joseph Addai. He ended that season with 641 yards and five touchdowns.

Throughout his career, Rhodes played for the Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills. During his stints outside of the NFL, he was a member of the Virginia Destroyers and the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League (UFL).

By no means was Rhodes' career bereft of highlights. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI and set an NFL record for rushing yards by an undrafted rookie. In 2011, the UFL recognized his offensive contribution by naming him the UFL's Offensive Player of the Year. Rhodes finished his NFL career with an impressive collection of statistics: 3,286 rushing yards, an average of 4.0 yards per run, and 26 rushing touchdowns.

For more detailed career statistics, check out his player stats at NFL.com and CFL.ca.