Corey Dillon
Encyclopedia
Corey James Dillon is a former American football
running back
. He played his ten-season career for the Cincinnati Bengals
and the New England Patriots
, wearing jersey number 28 for both teams. Dillon played college football
the University of Washington
where he wore the number 4.
. Dillon at Franklin teamed with his cousin, Ed Raiford, to form one of the state's all-time twosomes. Dillon and Raiford garnered Parade, USA, Best In The West and Tom Flemming All-American awards. Both were two-sport standouts, Raiford also starred as an All-State basketball player while Dillon starred in football
and baseball
. Dillon was also an excellent baseball catcher, and garnered All-Metro honors, and was drafted by the San Diego Padres
in the 1993 Major League Baseball
draft
.
in St. George, Utah
, in 1995, and was chosen JC Offensive Back of the Year by College Sports magazine after rushing 279 times for 1999 yards and 20 TDs. In 1994, he rushed for 1165 yards and 16 TDs at Garden City Community College
in Kansas
.
At the University of Washington
, Dillon set the team all-time single-season records for rushing yards (1,695 yards) and touchdown
s scored (24) in 1996. In the first quarter against San Jose State University
, Dillon rushed for 222 yards and caught an 83 yard touchdown pass, setting NCAA
records for both rushing yards and all-purpose yards (305) in one quarter. Dillon did not re-enter the game as the Washington Huskies
were comfortably ahead 36-0 by the end of the first quarter.
In the 1996 Holiday Bowl
vs. Colorado
, he rushed for 140 yards and added 2 more touchdowns to his regular-season total of 23. He scored 5 TDs in 41-21 conquest of UCLA, earning Sports Illustrated
National Player of the Week honors as he rushed for 145 yards and added 53 yards in receptions.
drafted Dillon in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft
. During his first season, Dillon set the then-NFL rookie rushing record for yards in a single game (246) in a 41-14 win over the Tennessee Oilers. For six seasons, Dillon was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise horrible Bengals team. After a 2001 game Dillon said “we will never win with the Brown family in Cincinnati." From 1997 to 2002 he rushed for over 1000 yards each year, and made the Pro Bowl
3 times (1999–2001). On October 22, 2000, Dillon set an NFL record for most yards rushed in one game (278 yards) against the Denver Broncos
, breaking Walter Payton
’s single-game mark of 275 yards set on November 20, 1977. The record has since been broken by Jamal Lewis
(295 yards) on September 14, 2003, and Adrian Peterson (296 yards) on November 4, 2007.
In 2003, Dillon only rushed for 541 yards due to injury, which, along with the emergence of Rudi Johnson
, precipitated the trade of Corey Dillon to the New England Patriots
for a second-round pick. The Oakland Raiders
appeared to be the first team to express interest, but the Raiders were unwilling to sacrifice an early-round draft choice for the aging running back. Dillon left the Bengals as the team's all-time leading rusher with 8,016 yards, surpassing James Brooks
's 6,447 yards.
In the 2004 season, Dillon proved himself to be a mature and dedicated team player, putting to rest the negative reputation he acquired before arriving in New England. He set career highs and franchise records with 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a major factor in the Patriots win over the Indianapolis Colts
in New England's first playoff game, rushing for 144 yards and catching 5 passes for 17 yards. New England won its third Super Bowl
, due in no small part to the running game built around Dillon. He was the top rusher of Super Bowl XXXIX
with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also catching 3 passes for 31 yards, for 106 total yards. Overall, Dillon rushed for a total of 292 yards, caught 9 passes for 53 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns in New England's 3 postseason games.
In 2005, injury problems plagued Dillon and he was not able to duplicate his stats from 2004. He remained a major contributor to the team, rushing for 733 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. The Patriots used Dillon more frequently as a pass receiver, with 23 receptions for 193 yards and a touchdown, which was more receiving yards than he had gained in his past 2 seasons combined.
In the 2006 season, Dillon began sharing the team's rushing duties with rookie running back Laurence Maroney
. He finished the year with 812 rushing yards and a career high 13 touchdowns; the latter tied him for third in the league that season.
On March 2, 2007 the Patriots released Dillon.
In mid-August of the 2007 NFL preseason there were rumors that Dillon might rejoin the Cincinnati Bengals, due to the loss of backup RB Kenny Irons
to season-ending knee surgery. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis
struck down the rumor.
On August 5, 2007, Dillon told the Boston Globe that he will retire from the NFL.
On October 1, 2007, the press reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
expressed interest in Dillon returning to the NFL; Dillon stated he was not interested.
On November 2, 2007 Dillon admitted to considering a comeback with the Patriots with the season-ending injury to RB Sammy Morris
.
in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
. In April 2010, his wife filed for divorce. In early May 2010, he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife at their Calabasas home.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He played his ten-season career for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, wearing jersey number 28 for both teams. Dillon played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
where he wore the number 4.
High school career
Dillon attended Franklin High SchoolBenjamin Franklin High School (Seattle)
Franklin High School is an inner-city public high school in Seattle, USA, administered by Seattle Public Schools.-Mission statement:To graduate students who have achieved academic excellence and who look forward to sharing their expertise, understanding, and compassion to create an increasingly...
. Dillon at Franklin teamed with his cousin, Ed Raiford, to form one of the state's all-time twosomes. Dillon and Raiford garnered Parade, USA, Best In The West and Tom Flemming All-American awards. Both were two-sport standouts, Raiford also starred as an All-State basketball player while Dillon starred in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Dillon was also an excellent baseball catcher, and garnered All-Metro honors, and was drafted by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in the 1993 Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
draft
Draft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
.
College career
Dillon played JC ball at Dixie State College of UtahDixie State College of Utah
Dixie State College of Utah is a college located in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
in St. George, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, in 1995, and was chosen JC Offensive Back of the Year by College Sports magazine after rushing 279 times for 1999 yards and 20 TDs. In 1994, he rushed for 1165 yards and 16 TDs at Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College
Garden City Community College is a fully accredited community college located in Garden City, Kansas, USA. GCCC has regional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
At the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, Dillon set the team all-time single-season records for rushing yards (1,695 yards) and touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s scored (24) in 1996. In the first quarter against San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
, Dillon rushed for 222 yards and caught an 83 yard touchdown pass, setting NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
records for both rushing yards and all-purpose yards (305) in one quarter. Dillon did not re-enter the game as the Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The school is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The athletic program is made up of 9 men's sports and 10 women's sports Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The...
were comfortably ahead 36-0 by the end of the first quarter.
In the 1996 Holiday Bowl
1996 Holiday Bowl
The 1996 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1996 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the , and the Washington Huskies.-1st half:...
vs. Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
, he rushed for 140 yards and added 2 more touchdowns to his regular-season total of 23. He scored 5 TDs in 41-21 conquest of UCLA, earning Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
National Player of the Week honors as he rushed for 145 yards and added 53 yards in receptions.
Professional career
The Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
drafted Dillon in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
. During his first season, Dillon set the then-NFL rookie rushing record for yards in a single game (246) in a 41-14 win over the Tennessee Oilers. For six seasons, Dillon was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise horrible Bengals team. After a 2001 game Dillon said “we will never win with the Brown family in Cincinnati." From 1997 to 2002 he rushed for over 1000 yards each year, and made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
3 times (1999–2001). On October 22, 2000, Dillon set an NFL record for most yards rushed in one game (278 yards) against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, breaking Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
’s single-game mark of 275 yards set on November 20, 1977. The record has since been broken by Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
(295 yards) on September 14, 2003, and Adrian Peterson (296 yards) on November 4, 2007.
In 2003, Dillon only rushed for 541 yards due to injury, which, along with the emergence of Rudi Johnson
Rudi Johnson
Burudi Ali "Rudi" Johnson is a former American football running back who played professionally from 2001 - 2008. Rudi was born in Petersburg, Virginia approximately 30 miles south of Richmond. His first name "Burudi" is Swahili and means "cool'" and his middle name "Ali" represented his family's...
, precipitated the trade of Corey Dillon to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
for a second-round pick. The Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
appeared to be the first team to express interest, but the Raiders were unwilling to sacrifice an early-round draft choice for the aging running back. Dillon left the Bengals as the team's all-time leading rusher with 8,016 yards, surpassing James Brooks
James Brooks (American football player)
James Brooks is a retired NFL football running back.-High school and college career:His young career started with success in elementary school. He led the Warner Robins High School Demons to a State championship and a National Championship ranking in 1976...
's 6,447 yards.
In the 2004 season, Dillon proved himself to be a mature and dedicated team player, putting to rest the negative reputation he acquired before arriving in New England. He set career highs and franchise records with 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a major factor in the Patriots win over the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in New England's first playoff game, rushing for 144 yards and catching 5 passes for 17 yards. New England won its third Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, due in no small part to the running game built around Dillon. He was the top rusher of Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also catching 3 passes for 31 yards, for 106 total yards. Overall, Dillon rushed for a total of 292 yards, caught 9 passes for 53 yards, and scored 2 touchdowns in New England's 3 postseason games.
In 2005, injury problems plagued Dillon and he was not able to duplicate his stats from 2004. He remained a major contributor to the team, rushing for 733 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. The Patriots used Dillon more frequently as a pass receiver, with 23 receptions for 193 yards and a touchdown, which was more receiving yards than he had gained in his past 2 seasons combined.
In the 2006 season, Dillon began sharing the team's rushing duties with rookie running back Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
. He finished the year with 812 rushing yards and a career high 13 touchdowns; the latter tied him for third in the league that season.
On March 2, 2007 the Patriots released Dillon.
In mid-August of the 2007 NFL preseason there were rumors that Dillon might rejoin the Cincinnati Bengals, due to the loss of backup RB Kenny Irons
Kenny Irons
Kenny Irons is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
to season-ending knee surgery. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Ronald Lewis is the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, a position he has held since January 14, 2003...
struck down the rumor.
On August 5, 2007, Dillon told the Boston Globe that he will retire from the NFL.
On October 1, 2007, the press reported that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
expressed interest in Dillon returning to the NFL; Dillon stated he was not interested.
On November 2, 2007 Dillon admitted to considering a comeback with the Patriots with the season-ending injury to RB Sammy Morris
Sammy Morris
Samuel "Sammy" Morris III is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
.
Personal
Dillon and his wife, Desiree, have three daughters: Cameron, Carly and Deavan. They reside in CalabasasCalabasas, California
Calabasas is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California in the western United States. It is located in the hills in the southwestern San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains between Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, West Hills, and Malibu, California. As of the 2010 census, the city...
in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
The Los Angeles metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan Los Angeles or the Southland, is the 13th largest metropolitan area in the world and the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States....
. In April 2010, his wife filed for divorce. In early May 2010, he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife at their Calabasas home.
External links
- New England Patriots profile
- NFL's all time rushing leaders http://profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1266
- Dillon's stats http://pro-football-reference.com/players/DillCo00.htm
- More Current Stats
- Corey Dillon's Official Home Page
- Corey Dillon High School Stats
- http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/wash/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/FB_Record_Book.pdf