Just the other day at work, the young men were talking about football running backs. I asked them "Have you ever heard of Earl Cambell?" Then I showed them, they were in awe!
I love Mr. Campbell's reaction after the 80 yd TD against Miami (05:36)--no spiking the ball/no taunting of his opponents-no overzealous celebration-just pure sportsmanship and class
After running for almost 200 yds, I think he was exhausted more than anything. But, nonetheless, he never even spiked the ball, much less show boated. Always acted like he'd been there before. We still had "White Shoes" Johnson at the time so that kinda evened it out. But "White Shoes" was entertaining and it was new and no one had ever seen that before. So Johnson brought entertainment value to Houston football a few years prior. Now, they go overboard. I was listening somewhat recently on Houston SportsRadio, "White Shoes" was a guest and he said jokingly about today's end zone celebrations, "My gosh, what have I created!". Lol. But anyway, back to Earl........
AND THIS WAS IN SOME CRAZY ASS HOT GAME AND PULLS A BURST OF SPEED LIKE THE THAT?!?!?!?!?!? AT THE END OF THE GAME????/ TRUE BEAST MODE........TRUE PLAYER....PLAYED IN A TIME WHEN RUNNING BACKS WERE LIKE CATTLE...............I LOVE SHOWING HIS HIGHLIGHTS TO YOUNG PEOPLE...THERE LIKE WHAT TEAM IS THAT AND WHO IS THAT??????LOL......AMAZING POWER....AND I BELIEVE HE COULD STAND UNDER A Bball net and dunk standing still..........tree trunk legs for sure............
Haven't seen a RB with quite the power and speed, yet finesse as Earl displayed. After he scored, I loved his non celebrating attitude. He let his running do the talking on the field.
What a great person. I remember when I was growing up in the late 70s and 80s, the neighborhood kids in Oklahoma where I lived played football in an empty lot. There was always 2 RBs they would always say or pretend they were.... Earl Campbell and Billy Sims. EC is a great person and role model for kids. I wish more kids now days had people like him to look up to like we did.
In 1977 our family went to see Texas vs SMU. After the game Earl autographed a cap I was wearing. After all these years I still have it. I remember him hitting people so hard his face guard would break off the helmet, or his helmet would fly off his head and he would just keep going! Incredible! So humble, and a class act!
One of the best running back in NFL history. That Monday night football game vs Dolphins will always remember in my mind , 4 touchdowns by Campbell ! Wow , that's POWER
That was the game in which he got the 15 yard personal foul penalty for throwing the defensive back into the Gatorade table while he was running the ball! 🤣
I am from Houston. I love Earl Campbell. Watching this..I smile, laughs and tearing up. I have his Oilers jersey along with the Oilers football helmet. One day I hope I can get it sign by Mr. Earl Campbell. 😁
Bum Phillips ran Earl Campbell into the ground. He way over used him. To have almost 400 carries in one season is crazy. Earl carried the ball over 300 times his first five full seasons. Derrick Henry Has only has one season with 300 carries in his first five years and that was 303. DH first five years his average carries is 200, Earl Campbell over 300 carries. EC was burned out after 6 seasons. His last 2 years he was running on fumes and only rushed for a combined 1,100 yards in the final two seasons. Still the greatest running back of all time.
I love Earl Campbell aka The Tyler Rose. But for me, Jim Brown was the greatest RB ever! I'm sure everyone has their own favorite RB though, whether it be Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Gale Sayers, or even OJ Simpson. But I totally agree, 1000% with everything else you said in that comment, especially how Bum Phillips was a BUM in overusing Earl as he did in his Houston days. He's the main reason Earl's in a wheelchair today. Smh Really sad.
His prime was very short, and that's why he's not listed among the greatest ever like Sanders or Payton or Smith. But at his prime, there may not have been a better running back in NFL history.
His prime was short due to him constantly being overused and battered Had he been on a team that had not only relied on him, he could've played possibly til his mid 30's or so
I really enjoyed watching you run! You are my NFL football idol! Earl you were great! My older brother Armstrong always called me to watch you run as we were young little boys. Thank you Earl Campbell! 🇺🇸 Tyler 🌹
Awesome Video! I remember watching him as a young man. I was 6’2” and 165 lbs. I could run like a deer but I didn’t have the power that 36 inch thighs that gave Campbell such power! What a foot ball player he was!
I had the privilege of watching the Earlers practice in San Angelo and what a CLASS act Earl was and still is. Dog tired after practice but signed autographs for the kids as long as it took. Love ya blue
I saw Earl Campbell from 5 feet away in 1983. We were both 5'11" and 240. My bench press was 420, strict and drug free. I assessed his upper body and could see mine was superior. But when I looked at his thighs, they each looked to be 36" apiece of chiseled black granite and made me feel as if my thick, muscular thighs were sticks. I imagine he could have squatted 600-700 lbs. He was a beast from the waist down, a specimen unique in my observational experience. I'll never forget him.
One of my all time favorite players to ever have had the opportunity to put on a pro football helmet, Earl Campbell, you were awesome to watch and learn from, thank you….
When I remember a lot of late 1970's football. I remember a lot of Steelers, Cowboys, Dolphins, Raiders, and especially the "Luv Ya Blue" Houston Oilers led by none other than the Tyler Rose - Earl Campbell. Great football era!
Many players that never won a ring. Marino, Fouts, Tarkenton etc etc... EC is one that deserved it perhaps more than any other player. The way he put his body on the line every play was and still is the epitome of how he, and only he would play. Quarterbacks can throw the ball away, Campbell would try n run over defenders... Best wishes to you Mr Earl Christian Campbell
I remember when I was a young guy in high school everyone talked about Earl Campbell the size of his legs his low running Style and his ability to plow through the Defenders thank you for this video it's good to look back and remember.
As a 50 year fan of The Miami Dolphins this man was a Nightmare! The guy was like a Tank with two legs. I love the game of football with all my heart and I respect talent. Whether the talent is on my team or torturing my team I still respect talent. This guy used to literally CARRY The Houston Oilers and deserved a Ring. I can still remember him on that Monday Night in 1978! Great Player!
I remember one game, the oilers were playing the LA rams, Earl was running up the middle. With the ball & he hit a player from the rams. N. Crumwell & Earl sent him back about 10 yards or more. But there was a lot more. I got to see him play OH Yeah 👍🏼👍🏼
In modern days, We've had Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch and all, but I still haven't seen a running back like Earl Campbell. Tremendous strength, and power as a running back.
Ehh, agree and disagree. We still have plenty of players like this, the difference is that the douchy, arrogant ones can now voice themselves a lot more because of social media, and are a lot louder than people like Campbell, so we focus on them. I mean, as far as just the Packers go, look at players like Favre and Driver for the 2000’s, Eddie Lacy (while loud, and a bust, he was one of the kindest players we had) in the first half of the 2010’s, Rodgers (though he does have his fair share of problems) for that entire time. Or Jordy Nelson and Cobb, Roders’s right and left hands, who were some of the quietest and in a way, most slept on players in the league.
If only those players could walk and remember lol have you head Joe Green try talking at the daft can’t understand what he’s say and Earl Campbell can’t even walk cause Bum ram him to death.
MY COMMENT IS SIMLPY AND MORE IMPORTANT,IT'S TRUE EARL CAMPBELL PLAYED HIGH SCHOLL BALL AGAINST MY HOMETOWN TEAM,THE MARSHALL MAVERICKS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN MARSHALL TX. JOHN TYLER AND MARSHALL WERE IN THE SAME DISTRICT BACK IN THOSE DAYS AND ARE ONLY 56 MILES APART.HE OF COURSE WAS A MAN THEN IN A MAN'S BODY,PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL.MY HOMETOWN MAVERICKS LOST EVERY YEAR TO JOHN TYLER WHEN EARL PLAYED FOR THEM.HIS WORLD FAMOUS THIGHS WERE WORLD FAMOUS TO US WHO GOT TO SEE HIM PLAY BACK IN THE 1970'S.AND ONE MORE SIMPLE THING,HE IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY FAVORITE RUNNING BACK EVER.THAT'S HIGH SCHOOL,COLLEGE AND NFL RUNNING BACK ALL IN ONE.GOD BLESS YOU EARL.
Yo recuerdo que en mis días de secundaria,jugaba con mis compañeros al fútbol americano, y cuando me tocaba ser corredor yo decía que o me sentía ser como Earl Campbell!..
One of the greatest for sure…..he took and delivered a lot of punishment. Would say one of …or maybe the hardest runner with his speed ( maybe Jim brown)….but doesn’t get his due….like Walter Payton, he was on an average team ..the other team knew he was going to get the ball but he still uplifted his team…great great player.
I’am not much into football like that. Before my grandmother died, she used to talk to me about Earl. She told me that he’s a cousin of mine. My response during that time was, “oh, ok. That’s cool.” Since I’am not into sports like that, I really didn’t care. Years later thinking about it. I just told my son about him. He got SO excited, wondering why I never told him. I said, “buddy, there was nothing to tell. I don’t know him. I never met him.” I was born in the 80’s. I’ve never heard of him until I was grown. Maybe this will give my son the push to keep playing football.
Earl Campbell is a football legend, and will always be remembered as one of the best the NFL ever had. On and off the field he was a great teammate and person. I believe football was much better back then, and the players were a lot tougher, despite players bigger today. The NFL is a joke today with guys posing with selfies with the fans, and kneeling during the National Anthem. Too much money, and these superstars like Cam Newton won't get their jersey dirty going for a loose ball in the Super Bowl.
Earl was often slow to get up after a run.When asked about it, Bum Phillips responded" He goes down slow too." I paraphrased it but that's best of my memory. It was classic Bum talking about a great player.
Earl Campbell was one of best big running back in the NFL football at early 80 Houston oilers team and ran over players from different teams and had good steep for big man size 36 thighs and good man give to committee and help people and college
Straight up, Earl Campbell turned Linebackers into speed bumps and defensive backs into roadkill. I don't care how tough you were or how big of a hit you could deliver, if you were a defensive player that ran head on into Earl Campbell carrying the ball north to south, already headed downfield with a full head steam, it was like getting hit head on by a fully loaded dumptruck.
Yep I follow ole Earl from his Sr yr HS and all his college career. Daryl Royal never coached Earl C. He was drafted by Houston Oilers and they ran this man to football death. I worked at Love Field Airp. and I saw Earl there and basically he could barely walk was in a Wheelchair.
tHE TWO BEST running backs in NFL Football are Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders. I bet Barry watched many films on Earl's running style, I see also of similarities.
"He hurt people! He didn't GET hurt." Tell that to the two knees your constant "Give Earl Campbell the ball!!!" play calling basically destroyed Bum. But at the very least you treated the man with the respect he deserved.
