Corey Dillon facts for kids

Corey James Dillon (born October 24, 1974) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots.

Corey played college football for the Washington Huskies. In 1996, he was recognized as an All-American and earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors. The Bengals picked him in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft.

During his seven years with the Bengals, Dillon set many team records. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times in a row. Later, he played for the Patriots for three seasons. There, he made his fourth Pro Bowl and helped them win Super Bowl XXXIX. Corey Dillon retired with over 11,000 rushing yards. This places him 21st on the NFL career rushing yards list. In 2024, he was added to the Bengals Ring of Honor for his great achievements.

Corey Dillon's Early Life

Corey Dillon was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington. He went to Franklin High School. There, he and his cousin, Ed Raiford, were an amazing duo on the football team. Both were recognized as All-Americans by different groups.

Corey and Ed were also great at other sports. Ed was an All-State basketball player. Corey was a talented baseball catcher. He earned All-Metro honors in baseball. The San Diego Padres even picked him in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.

College Football Journey

Corey Dillon started his college football career at Garden City Community College in Kansas. In 1994, he rushed for 1,165 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. The next year, he played for Dixie State College in St. George, Utah. He rushed for 1,899 yards and 20 touchdowns. College Sports magazine named him the JC Offensive Back of the Year.

In 1996, Dillon played one season of college football for the Huskies at the University of Washington. He was known for his strong and powerful running style. That year, he set new team records for rushing yards (1,695 yards) and touchdowns (24).

In a game against San Jose State, Dillon had an incredible first quarter. He rushed for 222 yards and caught an 83-yard touchdown pass. This set NCAA records for rushing yards and all-purpose yards (305) in a single quarter. The Huskies were far ahead, so Dillon did not play the rest of the game.

In the 1996 Holiday Bowl against Colorado, Dillon rushed for 140 yards. He also scored two more touchdowns. He scored five touchdowns in a 41–21 win over UCLA. For this amazing performance, Sports Illustrated named him their National Player of the Week.

Professional Football Career

Playing for the Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Corey Dillon in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft. He was the 43rd player picked overall. In his first season in 1997, Dillon had an amazing game against the Tennessee Oilers. He rushed 39 times for 246 yards and scored 4 touchdowns. This broke Jim Brown's rookie single-game record from 40 years earlier. That game still holds Bengals rookie records for carries, yards, and touchdowns. His 1,129 rushing yards that season is also still a Bengals rookie record.

For six seasons, Dillon was one of the few bright spots on the Bengals team. From 1997 to 2002, he rushed for over 1,000 yards every year. He was selected for the Pro Bowl three times, from 1999 to 2001. On October 22, 2000, Dillon set an NFL record for most rushing yards in one game. He gained 278 yards against the Denver Broncos. This broke Walter Payton's record of 275 yards from 1977. While this record has since been broken by other players, Dillon's mark is still a Bengals team record.

In 2003, Dillon played less due to an injury. He rushed for 541 yards and two touchdowns that year.

Joining the New England Patriots

In 2004, Corey Dillon was traded to the New England Patriots. The Bengals received a second-round draft pick in return.

During the 2004 season, Dillon had his best year. He set new career highs and Patriots team records with 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a key player in the Patriots' playoff win against the Indianapolis Colts. He rushed for 144 yards in that game. The Patriots went on to win their third Super Bowl, thanks in large part to their strong running game with Dillon. In Super Bowl XXXIX, he was the top rusher with 75 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 3 passes for 31 yards. Overall, Dillon rushed for 292 yards and scored 2 touchdowns in the Patriots' three playoff games that season.

In 2005, Dillon faced some injuries. He couldn't quite match his 2004 stats, but he was still important to the team. He rushed for 733 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. The Patriots also used him more often to catch passes. He had 23 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown.

In the 2006 season, Dillon started sharing rushing duties with rookie running back Laurence Maroney. He finished the year with 812 rushing yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. This tied him for third in the league that season.

Retirement from Football

The Patriots released Dillon on March 2, 2007. Later that year, Dillon announced he would retire from the NFL. He considered coming back to play for the Patriots after another player got injured, but he decided to stay retired.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Bengals Team Records

• Most rushing yards in a career – 8,061
• Most carries (times running with the ball) in a career – 1,865
• Most rushing yards per game in a career – 75.3
• Most rushing yards in a single game – 278 (in 2000)
• Most rushing touchdowns in a single game – 4 (in 1997), tied with Joe Mixon

Patriots Team Records

• Most rushing yards in one regular season – 1,635 (in 2004)
• Most rushing yards in playoff games in a career – 508
• Most carries in playoff games in a career – 120

More About Corey Dillon

Corey Dillon has three daughters.

See also

• List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders
• Washington Huskies football statistical leaders