Ottis Anderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ottis Anderson

Anderson in 2023
No. 32, 24
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1957-01-19) January 19, 1957 (age 68) West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:	Forest Hill (West Palm Beach)
College:	Miami (FL) (1975–1978)
NFL Draft:	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
St. Louis Cardinals (1979) New York Giants (1986)
Career highlights and awards
2× Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV) Super Bowl MVP (XXV) NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1979) NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1989) First-team All-Pro (1979) Second-team All-Pro (1980) 2× Pro Bowl (1979, 1980) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1979) New York Giants Ring of Honor
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 10,273 Rushing average: 4.0 Rushing touchdowns: 81 Receptions: 376 Receiving yards: 3,062 Receiving touchdowns: 5
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. The Cardinals picked him eighth overall in the 1979 NFL draft. In his first year, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also made the Pro Bowl and was a first-team All-Pro player.

Later, Anderson joined the Giants in 1986. He helped them win two Super Bowl championships: Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. He was even named the MVP of Super Bowl XXV.

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 played both football and track. He graduated from high school in 1975.

College Football Career

Ottis Anderson playing college football in 1976.

Anderson received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Miami. He studied Physical Education there. During his college career, he broke Chuck Foreman's rushing records. He was the first player at the school to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season.

In his senior year, he rushed for 1,266 yards. He finished his college career in 1979 as the team's all-time leading rusher. He had a total of 3,331 rushing yards. In 1990, Anderson was honored by being inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Journey

Anderson was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft. He was the 8th player picked overall. In his very first NFL game, he rushed for an amazing 193 yards. This was almost a record for a debut game.

His 1,605 rushing yards in 1979 set a Cardinals team record. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in both 1979 and 1980. For five of his first six seasons, Anderson rushed for over 1,000 yards. The only exception was in the 1982 season, which was shorter due to a strike.

The Cardinals made the playoffs in 1982. This was their first playoff appearance since 1975. Anderson rushed for 58 yards in their playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.

Joining the New York Giants

In the middle of the 1986 season, Anderson was traded to the New York Giants. He became a key player in short-yardage situations. He rushed for a 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 that year. He also rushed for 1,023 yards.

Super Bowl XXV MVP

Anderson was the top running back when the Giants won Super Bowl XXV. He was named the MVP of that game. He rushed for 102 yards and scored a touchdown. The Giants controlled the ball for much longer than their opponents, the Buffalo Bills.

Anderson is one of only four running backs in NFL history to score rushing touchdowns in two Super Bowls and win Super Bowl MVP. He retired after the 1992 season. When he retired, he was among the top players in NFL history for rushing touchdowns and rushing yards.

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. He has appeared on various TV and radio shows.

Anderson was also a broadcast analyst for the New York Giants on WFAN. He co-hosted radio shows in St. Louis. He also wrote a weekly column called Ask Ottis for Giants Insider.

As president of Ottis J. Anderson Enterprises, he works on different business projects. He helps with writing benefits for cities, school boards, and private businesses in New Jersey. In 2017, he started working as Vice President of Business Development for Metro Exhibits.

Anderson has supported many community groups. These include the United Way of America and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He also worked with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In 2022, Anderson was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

NFL Career Statistics (Simplified)