Dominic Rhodes facts for kids

Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979) is a former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Midwestern State Mustangs. The Indianapolis Colts signed him in 2001.

Rhodes also played for the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in Super Bowl XLI. They defeated the Chicago Bears in that game. He also set an NFL record for rushing yards by a rookie who was not drafted. He gained 1,104 yards that year. Rhodes also played in the United Football League (UFL). He played for the Virginia Destroyers and the Florida Tuskers.

College Football Journey

After attending Abilene Cooper High School, Dominic Rhodes was a talented player. Many big college football programs wanted him to join their teams. These included Texas Tech and Texas Christian University.

He chose to sign with Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Rhodes played for two years at Tyler Junior College. There, he earned All-American honors. He was also named an all-conference player twice. After that, Rhodes went to Midwestern State University. He was a great running back there too.

Professional Football Career

First Time with the Indianapolis Colts

After playing two years at Midwestern State University, Rhodes wanted to join the NFL. Even with his college experience, no team picked him in the 2001 NFL draft. However, the Indianapolis Colts signed him as a player who was not drafted.

In a 2001 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rhodes returned a kickoff for a touchdown. In that same game, the Colts' main running back, Edgerrin James, got hurt. This injury ended James's season. Because of this, Rhodes became the starting running back for the rest of the Colts' 2001 season.

That year, Rhodes ran for the most rushing yards ever by a rookie who was not drafted. He gained 1,104 yards. He did this even though he only started in the last nine games of the season. Rhodes could not play in the entire 2002 season. This was because of a knee injury. After he got better, he played as a backup to James from 2003 to 2005.

During the 2006 NFL season, Rhodes shared playing time with a new running back, Joseph Addai. This happened because James had left to play for the Arizona Cardinals. Rhodes finished the year with 641 yards and five touchdowns. On February 4, 2007, in Super Bowl XLI, he scored a one-yard touchdown. He also rushed for over 100 yards. This helped the Colts win the game 29–17.

Time with the Oakland Raiders

Rhodes became a player who could sign with any team in 2007. On March 9, he signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders. The contract was worth $7.5 million.

The Raiders released Rhodes on April 28. This was two days after they picked another running back, Darren McFadden, in the 2008 NFL draft.

Second Time with the Indianapolis Colts

On May 7, 2008, Rhodes came back to the Colts. He signed a one-year contract for $605,000. During the 2008–09 season, Rhodes shared playing time with Joseph Addai. He ran for 538 yards and scored six rushing touchdowns. This was the most rushing touchdowns on the team. He also helped in the passing game. He gained 302 yards and scored three receiving touchdowns.

During the time when teams were not playing, on April 19, 2009, Rhodes signed with the Buffalo Bills. This was a two-year deal. However, the Bills released Rhodes before the regular season started. He did not play any games for them.

Playing for the Florida Tuskers

The UFL's Florida Tuskers signed Rhodes for their 2010 season. During that season, Rhodes set new UFL records. He had the most touchdowns in a season (10). He also had the most rushing yards (547) and all-purpose yards (918).

Rhodes was also third in the UFL for yards from scrimmage (652). He was second in kickoff return average (21.7). Rhodes scored at least one touchdown in the first seven games of the eight-game season. Rhodes and the Tuskers made it to the 2010 UFL Championship Game. However, they lost to the Las Vegas Locomotives 23–20.

Third Time with the Indianapolis Colts

On December 7, 2010, the Indianapolis Colts announced they had signed Dominic Rhodes again. This was for the rest of the 2010 season and the playoffs. Rhodes played in their last three games that year. He finished the season with 37 carries for 172 yards. He did not score any touchdowns. He also played in their playoff loss to the New York Jets. He was not signed for the 2011 season and became a free agent.

Playing for the Virginia Destroyers

The Virginia Destroyers, who used to be the Florida Tuskers, announced on September 8 that they had signed Dominic Rhodes again for the 2011 season. This was their first season playing in Virginia. In a game they won against the Sacramento Mountain Lions, Rhodes ran for 217 yards. He also scored three touchdowns. Both of these were UFL single-game records. Rhodes was named the UFL's offensive player of the year for 2011.

The Destroyers had a great season, winning four games and losing only one. Rhodes and the Destroyers then beat the Las Vegas Locos 17–3 in the 2011 UFL Championship Game. This game was played in front of a large crowd. Rhodes ran for 90 yards and scored a touchdown in the game.

Rhodes is one of four former NFL players to win both a Super Bowl and a UFL Championship. His teammates on the 2011 Virginia Destroyers who also achieved this were Diyral Briggs, Jay Alford, and John Standeford.

Time with the Montreal Alouettes

On March 27, 2013, when he was 34 years old, Rhodes signed with the Montreal Alouettes. This team plays in the Canadian Football League. He was released from the team on June 16, 2013.

NFL Career Statistics