His nickname is "", a reference to his hometown of
Tyler, Texas , known as the "Rose Capital of America" for its prominent place in the rose-growing industry.
As a
Collegiate Football player at the
University Of Texas At Austin , he won the
Heisman Trophy in
1977 .
He was the first draft pick overall in the 1978
NFL Draft by the
Houston Oilers and in that year named the
Offensive Rookie Of The Year by the ''
Associated Press '' as well as the
Most Valuable Player .
Campbell was raw power, a yard-eating machine that terrorized NFL defenders from 1978 through 1985. His outstanding single-season performance earned him all-pro, Pro Bowl, and NFL Player of the Year honors. It was also the third consecutive season in which he led the league in rushing. Only the legendary Jim Brown had previously accomplished that feat. Campbell led the NFL in rushing in 1978, 1979, and 1980, played in five
Pro Bowl s and finished his career with 9,407 yards and 74 touchdowns rushing along with 806 yards on 121 receptions. Despite playing against stacked defenses and being gang-tackled nearly every time he carried the ball (a then-record 373 times in 1980), Campbell managed to average 5.2 yards per carry and scored 13 rushing touchdowns. In 1980, Campbell's best year in the NFL, he ran for 1,934 yards including four 200-yard rushing games, including a personal best 206 yards against the Chicago Bears.
In 1984, he was traded to the
New Orleans Saints , reuniting him with his former Oilers coach
O.A.
Bum Phillips . The trade was controversial in New Orleans, as it was widely believed that Campbell's skills had diminished, and the Saints already had the young
George Rogers in the backfield. Campbell stuck it out in a diminished role in 1984 and 1985, and retired during the preseason of 1986, when the beating he had taken during his career had taken too much of a toll.
Campbell is one of only two players (
QB Brett Favre is the other) to receive some form of the
NFL Most Valuable Player Award in three consecutive regular seasons, and he is the only player to do so in his first three seasons as a professional (1978 – 1980).
Campbell is widely acknowledged as one of the best running backs in NFL history. He is still considered a prototype for the bruising, power running back. Described as a "one-man demolition team," Campbell was a punishing runner. His 36-inch thighs, 5-11, 244-pound frame, coupled with 4.6 speed, made him the most feared runner of his time. Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame defensive tackle hastened the end of Campbell's career by overworking him, the consensus is clear that during Campbell's heyday, few running backs were as productive or imposing.
