Ottis Anderson facts for kids
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Anderson in 2023
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| No. 32, 24 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 19, 1957 West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Forest Hill (West Palm Beach, Florida) |
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| College: | Miami (FL) (1975–1978) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Ottis Jerome Anderson, born on January 19, 1957, is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Giants.
Anderson played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He set a school record for rushing yards there. In 1979, the Cardinals picked him eighth overall in the 1979 NFL draft.
In his first NFL season, Anderson was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He set a new record for rushing yards with the Cardinals. Later, he joined the Giants in 1986. With the Giants, he helped them win two Super Bowl titles: Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. He was even named the MVP for Super Bowl XXV.
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Early Life and High School Football
Ottis Jerome Anderson grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was a talented athlete at Forest Hill High School. He excelled in both football and track. He graduated from high school in 1975.
College Football Career
Anderson received a special athletic scholarship to attend the University of Miami. He studied Physical Education there. During his college career, Anderson broke previous rushing records. He became the first player at the University of Miami to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. He gained 1,266 yards in his senior year.
He was recognized as a First Team All-American by The Sporting News and the American Football Coaches. He also received honorable mentions from other major sports news groups. When he graduated in 1979, he was the team's all-time leading rusher. He had a total of 3,331 yards.
In 1990, Ottis Anderson was honored by being inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
College Statistics
| Season | Rushing | Receiving | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | |
| 1975 | 67 | 365 | 0 | 11 | 128 | 1 |
| 1976 | 213 | 918 | 6 | 10 | 121 | 0 |
| 1977 | 187 | 782 | 1 | 20 | 243 | 3 |
| 1978 | 224 | 1,266 | 8 | 14 | 47 | 0 |
| Career | 691 | 3,331 | 15 | 55 | 539 | 4 |
Professional Football Career
The St. Louis Cardinals chose Anderson as the 8th overall pick in the 1979 NFL draft. He had an amazing first game in the NFL. He rushed for 193 yards, almost breaking the all-time record for a debut game. His 1,605 rushing yards in 1979 were a highlight for the Cardinals. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons.
In his first six seasons, Anderson rushed for over 1,000 yards in five of them. The only exception was the 1982 season, which was shorter due to a player strike. Even then, he was on pace for over 1,000 yards. The Cardinals made the playoffs in 1982, their first time since 1975.
Later in his career, injuries affected Anderson's playing time. He was traded to the New York Giants during the 1986 season. With the Giants, he became a specialist in short-yardage and goal line situations. He scored a rushing touchdown in the Giants' win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.
In 1989, Anderson became the main running back for the Giants. He was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He scored a career-high 14 rushing touchdowns and gained 1,023 yards. The next year, he helped the Giants win Super Bowl XXV. He was named the Super Bowl MVP for his 102 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Giants used a "ball-control" strategy, which meant they kept the ball for a long time. This helped them win the Super Bowl. Anderson is one of only four running backs in NFL history to score rushing touchdowns in two Super Bowls and win Super Bowl MVP.
Anderson's last season was in 1992. He was known for rarely fumbling the ball. When he retired, he was among the top players in NFL history for rushing touchdowns and rushing yards. He is one of only 31 running backs to rush for over 10,000 yards in their career.
Life After Football
After his 14-year football career ended in 1993, Ottis Anderson started new ventures. He became an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker.
Anderson has appeared on many TV and radio shows. He was on The David Letterman Show and Good Morning America. He also appeared on Comedy Central's Tosh.0. Chris Cuomo interviewed him for a special about singer Whitney Houston. Anderson shared his memories of Houston's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV.
He also worked as a broadcast analyst for the New York Giants on WFAN. He co-hosted radio shows in St. Louis with former teammates. He also wrote a weekly column called Ask Ottis for Giants Insider.
As president of Ottis J. Anderson Enterprises, he is involved in various businesses. He helps with writing benefits for cities, school boards, and private companies in New Jersey. In 2017, he started working as Vice President of Business Development for Metro Exhibits. He also supports Global Syn-Turf, Inc. synthetic turf for sports fields.
Anderson has supported many community groups. These include the United Way of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the Deborah Hospital Foundation.
On May 2, 2022, Ottis Anderson was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)
