View source for Tony Dorsett

{{Short description|American football player (born 1954)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Tony Dorsett
| image       = Tony Dorsett.jpg
| alt         = 
| caption     = Dorsett in 2009
| number      = 33
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1954|4|7}}
| birth_place = [[Rochester, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 11
| weight_lb   = 192
| high_school = [[Hopewell High School (Pennsylvania)|Hopewell]] {{nowrap|([[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania]])}}
| college     = [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh]] (1973–1976)
| draftyear   = 1977
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = [[List of second overall NFL draft picks|2]]
| pastteams   =
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1977|1987}})
* [[Denver Broncos]] ({{NFL Year|1988}})
| highlights  =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XII|XII]])
* [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] (1977)
* [[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team|PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[Pro Football Writers of America NFL All-Rookie Team#1977|1977]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1981 All-Pro Team|1981]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[1982 All-Pro Team|1982]], [[1983 All-Pro Team|1983]])
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1979 Pro Bowl|1978]], [[1982 Pro Bowl|1981]]–[[1984 Pro Bowl|1983]])
* [[Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor]]
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|1976]])
* [[Heisman Trophy]] (1976)
* [[Maxwell Award]] (1976)
* [[Sporting News College Football Player of the Year|''SN'' Player of the Year]] (1976)
* [[Walter Camp Award]] (1976)
* [[Chic Harley Award]] (1976)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1976 College Football All-America Team|1976]])
* 2× First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1973 College Football All-America Team|1973]], [[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]])
* Second-team All-American ([[1974 College Football All-America Team|1974]])
* 4× First-team All-East ([[1973 All-East football team|1973]]−[[1976 All-East football team|1976]])
* [[Pittsburgh Panthers football#Retired numbers|Pittsburgh Panthers No. 33]] retired
; NFL record
* 99-yard rushing touchdown (tied){{efn|With [[Derrick Henry]]}}
| statlabel1  = Rushing yards
| statvalue1  = 12,739
| statlabel2  = Rushing average
| statvalue2  = 4.3
| statlabel3  = Rushing [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3  = 77
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue4  = 398
| statlabel5  = Receiving yards
| statvalue5  = 3,554
| statlabel6  = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6  = 13
| pfr         = DorsTo00
| HOF         = tony-dorsett
| CollegeHOF  = 1965 
}}

'''Anthony Drew Dorsett Sr.''' (born April 7, 1954) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[running back]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Dallas Cowboys]] and [[Denver Broncos]].

Raised in [[western Pennsylvania]], Dorsett played [[college football]] for the [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh Panthers]], where he led the Panthers to the national championship as a senior in the [[1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|1976 season]] and won the [[Heisman Trophy]]. He was the first-round, [[List of second overall NFL draft picks|second overall]] draft choice of the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in the [[1977 NFL draft]]. Dorsett was the [[NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year]] and played for the team for 11 seasons, through 1987. He won a [[Super Bowl]] title in his rookie season over the Denver Broncos, with whom he spent his [[1988 Denver Broncos season|final season]] before retiring due to injuries. He is a member of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] (1994) and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] (1994).

==Early life==
The son of Wes and Myrtle, Dorsett grew up in [[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania]], northwest of [[Pittsburgh]]. He attended [[Hopewell High School (Pennsylvania)|Hopewell High School]],<ref name=price20110131>{{cite news|last=Price|first=S.L.|title=The Heart Of Football Beats In Aliquippa|url=https://www.si.com/high-school/2014/09/09/heart-football-beats-aliquippa|newspaper=Sports Illustrated|date=September 9, 2014}}</ref> where he played [[American football|football]] and [[basketball]].

As a high school sophomore in 1970, Dorsett started at [[cornerback]], as his coaches did not believe the 147-pound Dorsett was big enough to play running back, the position he played in junior high school. In 1971, a competition between Dorsett and sophomore Michael Kimbrough for the starting [[running back]] position ended after Dorsett took a screen pass 75 yards for a [[touchdown]] against [[Ambridge Area School District|Ambridge]] during the season opener.<ref>{{cite news |author=Finder, Chuck |title=Tony Dorsett's Hopewell High coaches celebrate his Hall of Fame induction |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I1cvAAAAIBAJ&pg=5043,3543345 |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=August 4, 1994 |access-date=December 1, 2011}}</ref>

Dorsett ended the year as an All-State selection after rushing for 1,034 yards and scoring 19 [[touchdown]]s, while leading the Vikings to a 9–1 season. He also remained a starting cornerback on the defensive side. In [[basketball]] Dorsett helped his team reach the [[WPIAL]] quarterfinals.

In 1972, Dorsett was again an All-state Selection, after setting a single-game rushing record with 247 yards against Sharon, a single-season rushing record with 1,238 yards and the career rushing record with 2,272 yards, while leading the Vikings to a 9–1 season. Dorsett was also a key player on the defensive side as one of the starting [[linebacker]]s.

For all the ability he had, Dorsett could never lead his team to the [[WPIAL]] Class AA playoffs, because in those days the teams had to have an undefeated record. The team's only loss in 1971 came against Sharon after Dorsett experienced a concussion and played less than a quarter, and the only loss in 1972 came against [[Butler Senior High School|Butler]] while playing on a muddy field.

At the end of his senior season, he played at the [[Big 33 Football Classic]]. This was the first time that his future coach [[Johnny Majors]] saw him play live.

Later, the school retired his 33 jersey. In 2001, Hopewell's Stadium was renamed Tony Dorsett Stadium.

==College career==
At the [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|University of Pittsburgh]], Dorsett became the first freshman in 29 years to be named [[All-America]]n ([[Doc Blanchard]] of [[United States Military Academy|Army]] was the previous one in 1944). He finished second in the nation in rushing with 1,586 yards in 11 games and led the [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh Panthers]] to its first winning season in 10 years. He was Pittsburgh's first [[All-America]]n selection since the 1963 season, when both [[Paul Martha]] and Ernie Borghetti were named to the first team. His 1,586 rushing yards at the time was the most ever recorded by a freshman, breaking the record set by [[New Mexico State University|New Mexico State's]] [[Po James|Ron "Po" James]] record in 1968.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XkoNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BW0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7269,326462 Pitt's Dorsett All-America Pick]. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – December 4, 1973</ref> James, like Dorsett, hailed from [[Beaver County, Pennsylvania]], specifically [[New Brighton, Pennsylvania|New Brighton]]. Although Dorsett was known as Anthony, the school's athletic department convinced him to go by Tony, to use the marketable initials TD as in touchdown.

At the beginning of Dorsett's freshman year at Pitt, his son [[Anthony Dorsett]] was born on September 14, 1973. Later in the [[1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|1973 season]], Dorsett faced some criticism when it became known that his son was born [[Legitimacy (family law)|out of wedlock]], with some observers contending that he should drop out of school and marry his son's mother and financially support his family. Dorsett believed that the best way to care for his son was to continue to pursue his football career, a tactic that succeeded due to his successful professional career.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=27LFH_LfQZ0C&pg=PT135|title=The Ones Who Hit the Hardest: The Steelers, the Cowboys, the '70s, and the Fight for America's Soul|pages=185–186|first1=Chad|last1=Millman|first2=Shawn|last2=Coyne|publisher=Gotham Books|year=2010|isbn=978-1592406654|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>

Three games into his sophomore season, he became Pitt's all-time leader in career rushing yards, surpassing the old record of 1,957 yards set by [[Marshall Goldberg]], who helped Pitt to a national championship in 1937.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VvlHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AgANAAAAIBAJ&pg=1531,86286 Quick as a hiccup, Panthers Dorsett]. The Morning Record – December 1, 1976</ref>

Against [[1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] in his junior year, Dorsett had 303 yards rushing to break his own school single-game rushing record. As a senior in 1976, he had a total of 290 yards against Notre Dame. He darted 61 yards on his first run of the season and tacked on 120 more by the end of the 31–10 Pitt win.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/heisman/2000/dorsett_0825/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124150600/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/heisman/2000/dorsett_0825/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 24, 2001 | publisher=CNN | title=College Football – Heisman Heroes – Suzuki presents Heisman Heroes: Tony Dorsett|work=sportsillustrated.cnn.com|date= August 25, 2000}}</ref>

As a senior in 1976, he helped lead his school to a [[NCAA Division I-A national football championship|national title]], picking up the [[Heisman Trophy]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Dorsett Is Best in the Land...|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11444090/dorsett_is_best_in_the_land/|access-date=June 3, 2017|work=Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph|agency=Associated Press|date=November 30, 1976|page=19|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> the [[Maxwell Award]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Tony Dorsett Receives Maxwell Club Award|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11444137/tony_dorsett_receives_maxwell_club_award/|access-date=June 3, 2017|work=The Morning Herald|agency=Associated Press|date=January 20, 1977|page=20|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> the [[Walter Camp Award]] for player of the year, and the [[UPI College Football Player of the Year|United Press International (UPI) Player of the Year]] award along the way as he led the nation in rushing with 2,150 yards. He was a three-time first-team [[All-America]]n ([[1973 College Football All-America Team|1973]], [[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]], [[1976 College Football All-America Team|1976]]) and a second-team [[All-America]]n in 1974 by [[UPI]] and [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]] (NEA). Dorsett finished his college career with 6,082 total rushing yards, then an [[NCAA]] record. This would stand as the record until it was surpassed by [[Ricky Williams]] in 1998.

Dorsett was the first Pitt player to have his jersey retired, after being a four-time 1,000-yard rusher and four-time [[All-American]]. He is considered one of the greatest [[running back]]s in [[college football]] history. In 2007, he was ranked #7 on [[ESPN]]'s Top 25 Players in [[College Football]] History list.<ref>[http://www.heisman.com/winners/t-dorsett76.php Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004234718/http://www.heisman.com/winners/t-dorsett76.php |date=October 4, 2013 }}. Heisman.com. Retrieved on January 13, 2014.</ref> In 1994, he was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Professional career==
===Dallas Cowboys===
Ahead of the [[1977 NFL draft]], scouts were skeptical about Dorsett's potential at the professional level, citing his small size as his primary liability in his long-term durability.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19880912&id=iWgaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810,3817438 | title=Dorsett Proves He's Big Enough | access-date=February 19, 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After being passed over by the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] with the first overall pick, the [[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] [[NFL Draft|selected]] him with the second overall pick, which they had acquired from the [[Seattle Seahawks]] in exchange for the 14th overall ([[Steve August]]), 30th overall ([[Tom Lynch (American football)|Tom Lynch]]), 41st overall ([[Terry Beeson]]), and 54th overall ([[Glenn Carano]]) picks; Dorsett had previously told the Seahawks that he would not play for them.<ref name=":0" /> Dorsett signed a five-year contract worth a reported $1.1 million, becoming the first contract in Cowboys history to exceed $1 million; it was the second-largest contract signed for a rookie that season, with first overall pick [[Ricky Bell (running back)|Ricky Bell]] beating Dorsett with a $1.2 million contract.<ref name=":0">{{cite news | url = https://www.si.com/vault/1977/05/16/626722/this-agents-no-secret | title = This agent's no secret | newspaper = Sports Illustrated Vault &#124; Si.com | publisher = Sports Illustrated | access-date = June 7, 2015}}</ref>

From the beginning, Dorsett and head coach [[Tom Landry]] had differing opinions on how he should run the ball. Landry initially designed precise running plays, but was eventually convinced that Dorsett was a different type of running back and instructed the [[offensive line]] to block and hold their man, while Dorsett chose the running lane with his gifted vision and instincts.

In 1977, Dorsett's rookie year, he provided an instant impact, rushing for 1,007 yards (including a 206-yard rushing effort against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]), scoring 12 touchdowns, and earning rookie of the year honors. He set a new Cowboys rookie record and was also the only Cowboy to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his rookie season. He held the record for 39 years, until 2016, when [[Ezekiel Elliott]] surpassed 1,000 yards in his 9th game and broke Dorsett's record in game 10 with 1,102 yards.

He was named the starter in the 10th game of the season, and became the first player to win the college football championship, then win the [[Super Bowl]] the next year, when the Cowboys beat the [[Denver Broncos]] 27–10 in [[Super Bowl XII]].{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} In his second season, Dorsett recorded 1,325 yards and 9 touchdowns, with the Cowboys once again reaching the Super Bowl, although they lost 35–31 to the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in [[Super Bowl XIII]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys - January 21st, 1979 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197901210dal.htm |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

In [[1980 NFL season|1980]], he had one of his best runs. With the ball on the four-yard line against the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]], the right [[defensive end]] and [[linebacker]] had penetration, while the two [[cornerback]]s were blitzing. Dorsett suddenly pivoted on his right foot, turned 360 degrees, and ran wide around the left side, beating the safety and eluding a total of five defenders for a touchdown without being touched.

His most productive season was in [[1981 NFL season|1981]], when he recorded 1,646 yards, breaking the Cowboys' franchise record.

In [[1982 NFL season|1982]], his streak of five straight years with at least 1,000 rushing yards was interrupted by the strike-shortened season. Dallas only played 9 games, with Dorsett registering 745 yards and five touchdowns. In the final regular-season game against the [[Minnesota Vikings]], he set a record that can only be tied, with a 99-yard touchdown run. [[Derrick Henry]] tied his record with a 99-yard touchdown run in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2018120600/2018/REG14/jaguars@titans|title = Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans 2018 REG 14 - Game Center| website=[[NFL.com]] }}</ref>

Prior to the [[1985 NFL season|1985 season]], he held out, demanding that his contract be renegotiated. [[Defensive tackle]] [[Randy White (American football)|Randy White]] had been given a larger contract by the Cowboys.

In [[1986 NFL season|1986]], running back [[Herschel Walker]] was signed by the Cowboys and moved to [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]], so he could share backfield duties with Dorsett, becoming the second Heisman backfield tandem in NFL history, after [[George Rogers (American football)|George Rogers]] and [[Earl Campbell]] were teammates on the [[1984 New Orleans Saints season|1984 New Orleans Saints]]. This move created tension, as it would limit Dorsett's playing time, and because Walker's $5 million five-year contract exceeded his $4.5 million five-year contract. Although Dorsett was slowed by ankle and knee injuries that caused him to miss three games, he still led the Cowboys in rushing for the 10th consecutive season with 748 yards.

In [[1987 NFL season|1987]], Walker complained to Cowboys management that he was being moved around between three different positions ([[running back]], [[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]], [[wide receiver]]) and that Dorsett had more carries. He took over as the team's main running back, with Dorsett playing in 12 games (six starts) and rushing for 456 yards on 130 carries. Dorsett was not played in two games despite being healthy, which made him demand a trade.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19871225&id=nqlJAAAAIBAJ&pg=4233,1875422 | title=No Trade Underneath Tony Dorsett's Tree | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref>

On June 2, [[1988 NFL season|1988]], Dorsett was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a conditional fifth-round draft choice.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19880603&id=pX0cAAAAIBAJ&pg=6725,4085154 | title=Tony Dorsett Is Traded To The Denver Broncos | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref> He left as the franchise's rushing leader (12,036 yards) and second in league history in postseason rushing yards (1,383).

===Denver Broncos===
The [[Denver Broncos]] acquired Dorsett because they were desperate to improve their running game. He reunited with former Cowboys offensive coordinator [[Dan Reeves]] and at the age of 34, he reportedly could still run 40 yards in 4.3 seconds.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.si.com/vault/1988/08/01/118110/goodbye-big-d-hello-denver-the-town-hopes-that-newly-acquired-tony-dorsett-has-enough-left-at-34-to-cure-its-severe-case-of-super-bowl-blues | title=GoodBye Big D, Hello Denver | newspaper=Sports Illustrated Vault &#124; Si.com | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref> With the retirement of [[Walter Payton]] the previous year, he was the career leader in rushing yards among active players. He also had a positive impact on the offense until being limited with injuries late in the season, appearing in 16 games (13 starts), while leading the team with 703 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.  In a November 27, 1988, game against the Los Angeles Rams, Dorsett threw the only touchdown pass of his career (only the second pass completion in eight career attempts, with one interception), for 7 yards to fellow running back Sammy Winder.<ref>https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DorsTo00.htm/<nowiki/> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725083352/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DorsTo00.htm |date=July 25, 2022 }}</ref>

On September 26, 1988, Dorsett moved into second place on the all-time rushing list with 12,306 yards, and finished his career with 12,739 yards, trailing only Walter Payton. He retired after having torn left knee ligaments during [[Training camp (National Football League)|training camp]] the following season.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19890805&id=ULAeAAAAIBAJ&pg=5513,1317896 | title=Broncos Report Knee Injury Threatens Dorsett's Career | access-date=February 19, 2016}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:TonyDorsettDrive.jpg|thumb|right|Tony Dorsett Drive near [[Acrisure Stadium]] in Pittsburgh's [[North Shore (Pittsburgh)|North Shore]] neighborhood]]
Dorsett [[List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders|rushed for 12,739 yards]] and 77 touchdowns in his 12-year career. Dorsett also had 13 receiving scores and even a fumble recovery for a touchdown. On January 3, 1983, during a [[Monday Night Football]] game in Minnesota, Dorsett broke a 99-yard touchdown run against the [[Minnesota Vikings|Vikings]], which is the longest run from scrimmage in NFL history ([[Derrick Henry]] of the [[Tennessee Titans]] would tie this record in 2018). Dorsett broke the previous record of 97 yards, set by [[Andy Uram]] in 1939 and [[Bobby Gage|Bob Gage]] in 1949. The Cowboys only had 10 men on the field at the time, as fullback [[Ron Springs]] was unaware of the play being called.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dallascowboysfanclub.com/history/dorsett.htm |title=Tony Dorsett #33 – Running Back |access-date=September 4, 2009 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805053610/http://www.dallascowboysfanclub.com/history/dorsett.htm |archive-date=August 5, 2007 }}. dallascowboysfanclub.com</ref> Despite the feat, the Cowboys lost the game 31–27.<ref>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198301030min.htm Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – January 3rd, 1983]. Pro-Football-Reference.com (January 3, 1983). Retrieved on January 13, 2014.</ref>

Dorsett made the [[Pro Bowl]] 4 times during his career (1978, 1981–1983) and rushed for over 1,000 yards in 8 of his first 9 seasons. Of his 12 NFL seasons, he surpassed 1,000 yards eight times. During the strike-shortened, 9-game season of 1982, he led the NFC in rushing with 745 yards. He was a First-team All-Pro in [[1981 All-Pro Team|1981]] and a Second-team All-Pro in [[1982 All-Pro Team|1982]] and [[1983 All-Pro Team|1983]].

Dorsett was elected to both the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] and the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1994 and was enshrined in the [[Texas Stadium]] Ring of Honor the same year. In 1999, he was ranked number 53 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He is the first of only two players in history (along with former running back [[Marcus Allen]]) who has won the Heisman Trophy, won the Super Bowl, won the College National Championship, been enshrined in the College Hall of Fame, and been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

The football stadium at [[Hopewell High School (Pennsylvania)|Hopewell High School]] in [[Aliquippa, Pennsylvania]], is named after Dorsett and a street near [[Acrisure Stadium]], the home stadium of the University of Pittsburgh, is named after him.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="7"| Rushing
! colspan="7"| Receiving
! colspan="2"| Fumbles
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! A/G !! Y/G !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! R/G !! Y/G !! Fum !! Lost
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1977 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 14 || 4 || 208 || 1,007 || '''4.8''' || style="background:#cfecec"| 84 || '''12''' || 14.9 || 71.9 || 29 || 273 || 9.4 || 23 || 1 || 2.1 || 19.5 || 7 || 0
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''16''' || 15 || 290 || 1,325 || 4.6 || 63 || 7 || 18.1 || 82.8 || 37 || 378 || 10.2 || '''91''' || 2 || 2.3 || 23.6 || style="background:#cfecec"| '''12''' || 0
|-
! [[1979 NFL season|1979]] !! [[1979 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 14 || 14 || 250 || 1,107 || 4.4 || 41 || 6 || 17.9 || 79.1 || 45 || 375 || 8.3 || 32 || 1 || '''3.2''' || 26.8 || 9 || 0
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 15 || 15 || 278 || 1,185 || 4.3 || 56 || 11 || 18.5 || 79.0 || 34 || 263 || 7.7 || 27 || 0 || 2.3 || 17.5 || 8 || 0
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 342 || '''1,646''' || '''4.8''' || 75 || 4 || '''21.4''' || '''102.9''' || 32 || 325 || 10.2 || 73 || 2 || 2.0 || 20.3 || 10 || 6
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] !! [[1982 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 9 || 9 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 177 || 745 || 4.2 || style="background:#e0cef2;"| '''99''' || 5 || 19.7 || 82.8 || 24 || 179 || 7.5 || 18 || 0 || 2.7 || 19.9 || 6 || 2
|-
! [[1983 NFL season|1983]] !! [[1983 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 289 || 1,321 || 4.6 || 77 || 8 || 18.1 || 82.6 || 40 || 287 || 7.2 || 24 || 1 || 2.5 || 17.9 || 5 || 4
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''302''' || 1,189 || 3.9 || 31 || 6 || 18.9 || 74.3 || '''51''' || '''459''' || 9.0 || 68 || 1 || '''3.2''' || '''28.7''' || '''12''' || '''8'''
|-
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] !! [[1985 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 205 || 1,307 || 4.3 || 60 || 7 || 19.1 || 81.7 || 46 || 449 || 9.8 || 56 || '''3''' || 2.9 || 28.1 || 7 || 4
|-
! [[1986 NFL season|1986]] !! [[1986 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 13 || 12 || 184 || 748 || 4.1 || 33 || 5 || 14.2 || 57.5 || 25 || 267 || '''10.7''' || 36 || 1 || 1.9 || 20.5 || 5 || 3
|-
! [[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 Dallas Cowboys season|DAL]]
| 12 || 6 || 130 || 456 || 3.5 || 24 || 1 || 10.8 || 38.0 || 19 || 177 || 9.3 || 33 || 1 || 1.6 || 14.8 || 3 || 3
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || 13 || 181 || 703 || 3.9 || 26 || 5 || 11.3 || 43.9 || 16 || 122 || 7.6 || 16 || 0 || 1.0 || 7.6 || 6 || 3
|-
! colspan="2"|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DorsTo00.htm Career] !! 173 !! 152 !! 2,836 !! 12,739 !! 4.3 !! style="background:#e0cef2;"| 99 !! 77 !! 17.0 !! 73.6 !! 515 !! 3,224 !! 6.3 !! 91 !! 13 !! 2.3 !! 14.3 !! 61 !! 25
|}

==Personal life==
[[File:Tony Dorsett signs autographs Jan 2014.jpg|thumb|Dorsett signing autographs in Houston in January 2014]]
Dorsett has four children: Anthony, Jazmyn, Madison, and Mia (with current wife Janet).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.texassports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7456|title=Maddie Dorsett - 2017 Soccer Roster - University of Texas Athletics|website=www.texassports.com|language=en|access-date=August 24, 2017}}</ref> His son, [[Anthony Dorsett|Anthony]], also played football at the University of Pittsburgh and played [[defensive back]] in the [[NFL]] from 1996 to 2003, making Super Bowl appearances with the [[Tennessee Titans]] ([[Super Bowl XXXIV]]) and [[Oakland Raiders]] ([[Super Bowl XXXVII]]). He is also the uncle of [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|NFL Hall of Fame]] [[cornerback]] [[Ty Law]], a three-time Super Bowl champion with the [[New England Patriots]] in the late '90s and early 2000s.<ref name="i734">{{cite web | last=Batko | first=Brian | title=Compared to Aliquippa, NFL 'was easy' for Hall of Fame inductee Ty Law | website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2019-07-30 | url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-football/2019/07/30/ty-law-hall-of-fame-patriots-aliquippa-dorsett-mike-ditka-wpial/stories/201907300097 | access-date=2024-08-09}}</ref>

Dorsett hosts the Tony Dorsett Celebrity Golf Classic for McGuire Memorial. This event has raised nearly $5 million in support of McGuire Memorial's mission.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}}

Dorsett has helped improve the health of current and former professional athletes through promoting awareness of [[sleep apnea]] across the United States. He has teamed up with prize-winning orthodontic technician David Gergen and the Pro Player Health Alliance to hold free public-awareness events in local communities all over the nation. Dorsett has helped get over 150 former players successfully treated for sleep apnea.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jacobs|first=Kyle|title=Public Relations|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10861807.htm|work=PRWeb|access-date=June 26, 2013|archive-date=March 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307205022/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10861807.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Health issues==
In November 2013, Dorsett announced he had signs of [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]], a brain disease found in many former football players, boxers, and hockey players.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/5020151-74/dorsett-pitt-espn|title=Report: Ex-Pitt star Dorsett has signs of neurological disorder|first=Jerry|last=DiPaola|newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date=November 6, 2013|access-date=November 7, 2013}}</ref> Specifically, Dorsett referred to [[memory loss]] as the major symptom affecting him in retirement.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/07/brains-of-tony-dorsett-others-show-signs-of-cte/|title=Brains of Tony Dorsett, others show signs of CTE|last=Alper|first=Josh|date=November 7, 2013|publisher=NBC Sports|access-date=November 7, 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FBS players with at least 50 career rushing touchdowns]]
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders]]
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy#Living former players diagnosed with CTE or ALS or reporting symptoms consistent with CTE or ALS|Living former players diagnosed with or reporting symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy]]

{{clear}}

==Notes and references==
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Profootballhof|59}}
* {{College Football HoF|1965}}
* {{Heisman|tony-dorsett}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=tony-dorsett |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=D/DorsTo00 |rotoworld= }}

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