DeMarco Murray facts for kids

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DeMarco Murray

Murray in 2012

Oklahoma Sooners

Position:

Running backs coach

Personal information

Born:

February 12, 1988 (age 37)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Height:

6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

Weight:

220 lb (100 kg)

Career information

High school:

Bishop Gorman
(Las Vegas, Nevada)

College:

Oklahoma (2006–2010)

NFL Draft:

2011 / Round: 3 / Pick: 71

Career history

As player:

Dallas Cowboys (2011–2014)
Philadelphia Eagles (2015)
Tennessee Titans (2016–2017)

As coach:

Arizona (2019)
Running backs coach
Oklahoma (2020–present)
Running backs coach

Career highlights and awards

NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2014)
First-team All-Pro (2014)
3× Pro Bowl (2013, 2014, 2016)
NFL rushing yards leader (2014)
NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader (2014)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2011)
2× First-team All-Big 12 (2008, 2010)
Second-team All-Big 12 (2009)

Career NFL statistics

Rushing yards:	7,174
Rushing average:	4.5
Rushing touchdowns:	49
Receptions:	307
Receiving yards:	2,165
Receiving touchdowns:	6

Player stats at PFR

DeMarco Murray (born February 12, 1988) is an American football coach and former professional player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. Murray was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times. He was also named a first-team All-Pro once. In 2014, he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. That year, he led the NFL in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Murray played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Dallas Cowboys picked him in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. After four seasons with the Cowboys, he played for the Philadelphia Eagles for one year. Then, he joined the Tennessee Titans for two years. Today, Murray is the running backs coach at The University of Oklahoma.

Early Life and High School Football

DeMarco Murray grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He went to Bishop Gorman High School. There, he was a talented athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track. In football, he was an All-Conference player for three years in a row. His team also won the Conference Championship three times.

During his senior year in 2005, Murray ran for 1,947 yards. He scored 27 touchdowns by running. He also caught 22 passes for 624 yards and seven more touchdowns. These amazing stats earned him All-State honors. He was also named the 2005 Sunset Region Offensive Player of the Year. Murray was also a good basketball player. His high school basketball team won a state title in 2005.

College Football Career

DeMarco Murray playing for Oklahoma in 2007

DeMarco Murray played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2006 to 2010.

Starting Strong in 2007

Murray did not play in the 2006 season. In 2007, he began his college career. In his first game, he rushed for 87 yards and scored five touchdowns. This was a school record for a debut game. He also set a Sooner record with a 92-yard touchdown run. This was one of the longest runs in Oklahoma history. He finished his first season with 764 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. This tied a freshman touchdown record.

Big Plays in 2008

In 2008, Murray continued to be a key player. He rushed for over 100 yards in several games. He scored many touchdowns, both running and catching the ball. He had a great game against Kansas State, scoring four touchdowns. He finished the 2008 season with 1,002 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 395 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Unfortunately, he tore his hamstring in the Big 12 Championship. This injury kept him out of the National Championship game.

Consistent Performance in 2009

Murray kept up his strong play in 2009. He rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns against Idaho State. He also showed his skills as a receiver. He had eight catches for 116 yards against Texas. He ended the 2009 season with 705 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. He also added 522 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns.

Record-Breaking Senior Year in 2010

The 2010 season was Murray's best in college. He started with 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Utah State. He continued to score touchdowns in many games. On October 16, 2010, he broke a major record. He passed Steve Owens to become Oklahoma's all-time touchdown leader with 58 touchdowns. He finished his college career with 65 touchdowns. This made him one of only five players in Big 12 history with at least 60 career touchdowns.

Murray ended his college career with 3,685 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns. He also had 157 catches for 1,571 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. He was also good at returning kickoffs, with 1,462 yards and two touchdowns. He earned a degree in communication from Oklahoma.

Oklahoma University Records

All-time leader in touchdowns (65)
All-time leader in all-purpose yards (6,718)
All-time leader in receiving yards for a running back (1,571)
All-time leader in kickoff return average (27.6)

Professional Football Career

DeMarco Murray was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft. He was the 71st player picked overall.

Dallas Cowboys: 2011-2014

Rookie Season Success in 2011

Murray started his first year as the third-string running back. But he got more chances when other players were injured. In Week 7, he had an amazing game against the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 253 yards and scored a touchdown. This broke Emmitt Smith's team record for most rushing yards in a single game. His 91-yard touchdown run was the longest of the 2011 season. It was also the second-longest in Cowboys history. He was named NFL Rookie of the Week for this performance.

Murray continued to play well, rushing for over 100 yards in his next two games. He became the first Cowboys rookie since 2004 to have multiple 100-yard rushing games. He ended his rookie season with 897 rushing yards in just 12 games. He led all NFL rookies in average yards per carry (5.5) and yards per game (69.0).

Overcoming Injuries in 2012 and 2013

In 2012, Murray started strong with 131 rushing yards in the first game. However, he sprained his foot in Week 6 and missed six games. Despite the injury, he finished the season with 663 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

In 2013, Murray had a season-high 175 rushing yards against the Rams. He later sprained his MCL and missed two games. When he returned, he improved greatly in the second half of the season. He scored a career-high three touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders. He also caught a game-winning touchdown pass against the Washington Redskins. Murray finished 2013 with 1,121 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. His 5.2 yards per carry was the best in the league for players with many attempts. He was also chosen for his first Pro Bowl.

Leading the League in 2014

The 2014 season was DeMarco Murray's best. He and the Cowboys' improved offensive line became a powerful team. Murray broke Jim Brown's 1958 NFL record. He started the season with eight straight games of at least 100 rushing yards. He had many strong performances, including 167 yards against the Tennessee Titans and 149 yards and two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints.

Even after breaking his left hand, Murray continued to play. In the final regular season game, he rushed for 100 yards. This helped him pass Emmitt Smith's franchise record for single-season rushing yards. Murray finished the 2014 season with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He led the entire NFL in both categories. The Cowboys won their division with a 12–4 record.

In the playoffs, Murray helped the Cowboys win their first game against the Detroit Lions. He rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Green Bay Packers, he had 123 rushing yards and a touchdown. At the end of the season, Murray was named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year. He was also named a First-team All-Pro and went to his second Pro Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles: 2015

DeMarco Murray playing for the Eagles in 2015

In March 2015, Murray signed a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. He joined his former college teammate, quarterback Sam Bradford. In his first game with the Eagles, he scored two touchdowns. However, he struggled to gain many rushing yards. In Week 2, against his old team, the Cowboys, he rushed for only two yards.

Murray missed Week 3 due to a hamstring injury. When he returned, he had one good game with 112 rushing yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants. But as the season went on, Murray became frustrated. He felt the team's offensive style did not fit his running style. He was even benched in some games. He finished the 2015 season with 702 rushing yards and six touchdowns. This was his lowest rushing total since 2012.

Tennessee Titans: 2016-2017

Comeback Season in 2016

In March 2016, Murray was traded to the Tennessee Titans. This move helped him have a great comeback season. In his first game, he scored two receiving touchdowns. He had several games with over 100 rushing yards. He even threw his first NFL touchdown pass in a game against the Green Bay Packers.

Murray finished 2016 with 1,287 rushing yards. His 12 total touchdowns (nine rushing, three receiving) ranked sixth among NFL running backs. He led the AFC in rushing yards and was third in the entire league. The Titans improved their record significantly, and Murray was chosen for his third Pro Bowl.

Sharing the Load in 2017

In 2017, Murray shared carries with another talented running back, Derrick Henry. He had a big game against the Seattle Seahawks, rushing for 115 yards and a 75-yard touchdown. He also scored two rushing touchdowns and a game-winning receiving touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Murray's season ended early due to a knee injury. He finished 2017 with 659 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

On March 8, 2018, the Titans released Murray.

Retirement

On July 13, 2018, DeMarco Murray announced he was retiring from the NFL.

NFL Career Statistics

Year	Team	Games		Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2011	DAL	13	7	164	897	5.5	91T	2	26	183	7.0	18	0	1	0
2012	DAL	10	10	161	663	4.1	48	4	35	251	7.2	22	0	3	2
2013	DAL	14	14	217	1,121	5.2	43	9	53	350	6.6	22	1	3	1
2014	DAL	16	16	392	1,845	4.7	51	13	57	416	7.3	34	0	5	5
2015	PHI	15	8	193	702	3.6	54T	6	44	322	7.3	44	1	2	2
2016	TEN	16	16	293	1,287	4.4	75T	9	53	377	7.1	35	3	3	1
2017	TEN	15	15	184	659	3.6	75T	6	39	266	6.8	18	1	1	1
Career		99	86	1,604	7,174	4.5	91T	49	307	2,165	7.1	44	6	18	12

Life After Playing

After retiring from playing, DeMarco Murray became a college football commentator for Fox Sports in August 2018.

Coaching Career

In January 2019, Murray joined the Arizona Wildcats football team as their running backs coach. Then, in January 2020, he returned to his old college, the University of Oklahoma. He is now the running backs coach there.

Personal Life

DeMarco Murray married actress Heidi Mueller in 2015. They have two children together.

Murray also started the DeMarco Murray Foundation. This foundation helps families with children who are seriously or chronically ill. It aims to give them encouragement and special experiences. He also works with Wellness in the Schools, a group that teaches kids about healthy eating and fitness.