Thomas Rawls facts for kids
Rawls with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015
|
|||||||||||||
| No. 34, 31 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 3, 1993 Flint, Michigan, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Flint Northern (Flint) | ||||||||||||
| College: |
|
||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2015 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Thomas Tyrell Rawls (born August 3, 1993) is a former American football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Thomas Rawls joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. He was not chosen in the NFL draft but signed as a free agent.
Rawls played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and Central Michigan Chippewas. He holds several records for the Seahawks. These include most rushing yards by a rookie in one game (209 yards). He also has the most rushing yards by an undrafted rookie in his first six games (711 yards). Rawls also holds the Seahawks' record for most yards in a playoff game (161 yards). This happened in 2017 against the Detroit Lions.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Thomas Rawls grew up in Flint, Michigan. He went to Flint Northern High School. His coaches gave him the nickname "The Train" because of how he played.
As a running back, he was very good at carrying the ball. In his senior year, he gained 1,585 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. He averaged more than 10 yards every time he carried the ball.
Rawls set a new record for Flint by rushing for 458 yards and eight touchdowns in one game. This broke a record previously held by Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram II. He was chosen for the All-State team. He also won Most Valuable Player in his league.
Besides football, Rawls also ran track & field. In 2010, he finished second in the 100-meter dash. His best time was 10.7 seconds.
College Football Journey
Playing for Michigan
Rawls decided to play for the University of Michigan in 2011. He hoped to break the rushing records set by his favorite player, Mike Hart. He wanted to make a big impact as a freshman.
.jpg)
In his first year (2011), he played in 10 games. He had his best game against Minnesota, rushing for 73 yards. Experts thought he would do even better in 2012.
However, Rawls did not play as much in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he only carried the ball three times all season.
Transfer to Central Michigan
In 2014, Rawls moved to Central Michigan University. He played his senior year for the Chippewas. On September 6, 2014, he rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns. This helped Central Michigan win against Purdue.
Rawls felt the team depended on him. He said this pressure made him run even harder. The coaches trusted him to perform well.
He missed one game for unknown reasons. But when he returned, he had amazing games. He rushed for 229 yards against Ohio and 270 yards against Northern Illinois. He carried the ball 40 times in each of those games.
Rawls finished the season with 1,103 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He played in seven of the team's 13 games. He was seen as a player who might be picked late in the 2015 NFL draft.
Professional NFL Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
215 lb (98 kg) |
30+3⁄4 in (0.78 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
4.46 s | 1.63 s | 2.62 s | 4.37 s | 7.10 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) |
9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
15 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine and Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Joining the Seattle Seahawks
After the 2015 NFL draft, Thomas Rawls signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He was an undrafted free agent, meaning no team picked him in the draft. He started as a backup player.
Two other running backs, Robert Turbin and Christine Michael, left the team. This gave Rawls a chance to play more. He became a backup to starter Marshawn Lynch.
Rookie Season: 2015
Rawls played his first game in the season opener against the St. Louis Rams. On September 27, 2015, he got more playing time. He rushed for 104 yards when Lynch was injured. This was the first time a Seahawks running back other than Lynch gained 100 yards since 2012.
On October 11, 2015, Rawls rushed for 169 yards. This included a 69-yard touchdown run against the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals. The Seahawks lost that game in overtime.
On November 22, 2015, Rawls started his third game. He played against the San Francisco 49ers. He rushed for 209 yards on 30 carries. He had 255 total yards and two touchdowns. This was the first time a Seahawk had over 200 rushing yards since Shaun Alexander in 2006.
Rawls broke the Seahawks' rookie record for rushing yards in a single game (209). He also made NFL history. He was the first player with over 250 total yards, a rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown in the same game. He continued to play well, scoring touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. He was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Vikings.
His successful rookie season ended early on December 13, 2015. He broke his ankle in a game against the Baltimore Ravens. He had 44 yards on 6 carries before his injury. Rawls finished his rookie season with 830 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. He also had 1 receiving touchdown. He was chosen for the PFWA All-Rookie Team for 2015.
2016 Season Highlights
In Week 2 of the 2016 season, Rawls got another injury. He fractured his fibula against the Los Angeles Rams. He returned later in the season.
On December 4, he helped the Seahawks win against the Carolina Panthers 40–7. He finished the 2016 regular season with 349 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. On January 7, 2017, he set a Seahawks record for most yards in a playoff game (161). This was against the Detroit Lions in a 26–6 victory.
2017 Season Challenges
Rawls' performance went down in 2017. The Seahawks' offensive line had a tough season. He finished the year with 157 rushing yards on 58 carries. He also had nine catches for 94 receiving yards.
Other NFL Teams
On March 30, 2018, Rawls signed with the New York Jets. He was released from the team on September 1, 2018.
Later that year, on September 19, 2018, Rawls signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in one game for them. He was released on October 9, 2018.
On January 9, 2019, Rawls signed a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was released by the team on August 30, 2019, before the season started.
Personal Life
Thomas Rawls is married and has a son. He shared this information in 2023.
