Curvin Richards
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|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth: | December 26, 1968 | ||
| Place of birth: | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | ||
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | La Porte (TX) | ||
| College: | Pittsburgh | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1991 / Round: 4 / Pick: 97 | ||
| Career history | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Curvin Richards (born December 26, 1968) is a former professional American football running back who played for three seasons in the National Football League. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He spent two seasons with the Cowboys (1991–1992) and one season with the Detroit Lions in 1993. He is distinguished as being the first Trinidadian to play in the National Football League.
Early years
Richards was born in Trinidad and Tobago, before his family moved to La Porte, Texas, when he was 10 years old. He attended LaPorte High School where he became a starter as a sophomore and produced 1,577 rushing yards. The next year he finished with 1,106 rushing yards. As a senior a new wishbone offense was implemented, which in turn impacted his carries and production (811 rushing yards).[1]
College career
When his freshman season started at the University of Pittsburgh, he was a third-team running back. After Adam Walker was injured in the first quarter of the fourth game of the season against Boston College, Richards replaced him and rushed for 202 yards.[2] Not only did he keep the starting job but also became a media sensation, earning the nickname "Swervin" and being compared to Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker.[3] He finished the season as the Division I-A leading freshman rusher (1,228 rushing yards) and the second freshman in school history to have a 1,000 yard season (after Dorsett).
The next year he registered 1,282 rushing yards, becoming only second player in school history to achieve multiple and back-to-back 1,000 yards rushing seasons (after Dorsett).
As a junior, he lost three games to a severe sprained ankle and started only three of the last five games of the season, which made his statistics drop to 682 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. The following season he was suspended indefinitely by new head coach Paul Hackett for missing team meetings and study hall time.[4] News later surfaced that even though he didn't inform the team, he left to be with his sister who was in a coma with a brain tumor and eventually died. [5] This situation made him decide to declare as an early entry into the NFL Draft.
Even though he only played for three years, he left as the school's second career rusher with 3,192 yards (behind Dorsett).
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Richards was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, after he dropped because of a poor junior season. He made the team as the backup to Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith and was placed on the injured reserve list after the second game of the season.
During the last game of the 1992 regular season, when the Cowboys were playing the Chicago Bears, the team rested most of its regular players (including Smith in the fourth quarter), to prepare for the upcoming playoffs. Richards saw extensive playing time in this game and scored a touchdown, but also committed two costly fumbles in a 27-14 win.[6] The next day, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson released him, citing the fact that he could not tolerate a running back with a fumbling problem going into the playoffs, even though he would not be able to replace his roster spot by signing a new player, that he would have to pay him in full for all of the remaining games and eventually would have to give him a Super Bowl ring. Thus, Richards missed the entire 1992 postseason, including the Cowboys' 52-17 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII.[7]
Detroit Lions
In 1993, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. He was released on August 30 and recalled off waivers the next day.[8] He was cut on September 7, after playing in one game.[9]
Sacramento Gold Miners
On May 19, 1994, he signed with the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League.[10]
References
- ↑ "Eyes make a whiz out of Pitt's Curvin Richards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1988-10-31. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "East Roundup : Freshman Quarterback Leads Penn State". Los Angeles Times. 1988-10-02. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Naturally, Richards on the run". Pittsburgh Press. 1988-11-19. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Richards suspended, may return to Pitt in April". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1991-01-28. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Time for students to weigh pros and cons". The Prescott Courier. 1991-02-01. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Richards released". The Victoria Advocate. 1992-12-29. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ Pearlman, Jeff (September 19, 2008). "Beware of the wrath of Jimmy Johnson". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- ↑ "Transactions". The Baltimore Sun. 1993-09-01. Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Transactions". The Baltimore Sun. 1993-09-08. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
- ↑ "Transactions". The Baltimore Sun. 1994-05-20. Retrieved 2015-05-23.