Parnell Dickinson facts for kids

Parnell Dickinson (born March 14, 1953) is a former American football player. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). During his career, he played in eight games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He completed 15 of 39 passes for 210 yards. He also threw one touchdown pass and five interceptions.

Dickinson was a starting quarterback for four years at Mississippi Valley State University. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked him in the 1976 NFL draft. He was the first quarterback ever drafted by the Buccaneers team. In his first year, he was the backup quarterback for Steve Spurrier. He played in eight games, including one start against the Miami Dolphins. In that game, Dickinson threw the first touchdown pass in Buccaneers history. His season ended early due to an injury. After football, he became a high school offensive coordinator.

College Football Days

Parnell Dickinson played college football for the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils. He became the team's quarterback in his first year, 1972. In one game against the Southern Jaguars, he completed 15 passes for 180 yards. He also ran for two touchdowns, helping his team win 23–13. At the end of that season, Dickinson was named to the NAIA all-star team.

In his second year, Dickinson received the team's top sportsman award. This award was for the player with the best attitude. In 1974, his third year, Dickinson threw for 1,667 yards. He also scored 21 touchdowns that season. For his first three seasons, he led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in total offense. In his final year, he led a great comeback win against Prairie View A&M. He threw a touchdown pass with just over a minute left. This helped his team win 27–26 after being far behind. After this season, he was named to the Black College All-American football team again.

Playing in the NFL

After college, the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers team chose Dickinson in the 1976 NFL draft. He was the 183rd player picked overall. The Buccaneers' coach, John McKay, thought Dickinson was a very good player. Steve Spurrier was the main quarterback for the team. Dickinson worked hard to earn a backup spot.

He showed strong passes during training camp. He became the second-string quarterback during the preseason games. In a game against the Green Bay Packers, he led the Buccaneers to their first team touchdown. By the end of preseason, he had secured his spot on the team.

Dickinson played in his first professional game against the Houston Oilers. He completed one pass for 15 yards. The next week, against the San Diego Chargers, he ran for 54 yards. He also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. He did not play the following week. However, the main quarterback, Spurrier, got injured. This meant Dickinson might start against the Baltimore Colts. Spurrier ended up starting, but Dickinson still played. He completed one pass for 12 yards and threw another interception.

Two weeks later, Dickinson got his first NFL start against the Miami Dolphins. He became the team's first African-American starting quarterback. In that game, he completed all four of his passes for 51 yards. He also led a 71-yard touchdown drive. However, he hurt his foot and ankle during the game. This injury kept him off the field for a while.

Dickinson returned two weeks later. He did not complete a pass against the Denver Broncos. He also threw another interception that was returned for a touchdown. The next week, he had his best game. He completed 7 of 13 passes for 103 yards against the New York Jets. His last game of the season was against the Cleveland Browns. He completed two passes for 29 yards in the fourth quarter. After his second pass, he was hit late. This caused torn ligaments in his left knee, ending his season. Even with the injury, people were hopeful about his future.

Dickinson had knee surgery after the season. He worked hard to recover. By July 1977, he was doing well. The Buccaneers' quarterbacks changed a lot that offseason. Dickinson was the only one who stayed. He had to fight for a backup spot again. He started the final preseason game against the Bills. He completed 2 of 12 passes for -2 yards. He was also sacked three times. A week later, the Buccaneers released him. They re-signed him later when another quarterback got hurt. But he was released again a few weeks after that.

In 1978, Dickinson joined the New England Patriots. He tried to make the team as a wide receiver. He was released a month later. He then ended his career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

Life After Football

After retiring from football, Parnell Dickinson became an insurance salesman. He also opened two daycare centers. In the 1980s, he became an offensive coordinator at Tampa Catholic High School. This happened after his former teammate, Dave Lewis, asked him to join. In 1992, Dickinson was honored. He became one of the first members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.

See also

• Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks