Timmy Newsome facts for kids

Timothy Arthur Newsome (born May 17, 1958) is a former American football player. He was a fullback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He also played college football at Winston-Salem State University.

Early Life and High School Sports

Timmy Newsome grew up in Ahoskie, North Carolina. He went to Ahoskie High School. There, he played football as a safety and cornerback.

In 1974, when he was a sophomore, his team had a great record of 13 wins and only 1 loss. They even made it to the State 3A Championship game.

As a senior, Timmy was part of a strong defense. His team allowed only 32 points all season, and they had eight games where they didn't let the other team score at all. He was recognized as an All-conference player in football, basketball, and baseball. His high school football teams had an impressive record of 32 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie over three years. In 1976, he was chosen to play in the North-South High School All-Star game.

College Football Career

Timmy Newsome earned a football scholarship to Winston-Salem State University. When he started college, he changed his position to running back.

In 1977, as a sophomore, Timmy ran for 998 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. The next year, in 1978, he ran for an amazing 1,377 yards. This was the second-highest in Division II football that year. He also averaged 7.5 yards per run and scored 14 touchdowns. In his senior year, 1979, he ran for 987 yards and scored nine touchdowns.

The Winston-Salem State teams in 1977 and 1978 were coached by Bill Hayes. These teams were some of the best in the school's history. They went undefeated in both seasons. Timmy, along with other running backs Arrington Jones and Randy Bolton, led these teams using a special "Veer offense."

These teams were very dominant. In 1977, they finished 11–0 but chose to play in the Gold Bowl instead of the Division II playoffs. They lost that game to South Carolina State University 10–7. In 1978, they went 11–0 again. They won their first playoff game 17–0 against California State Poly. However, they lost in the second round to Delaware State 41–0.

In his last three college seasons, Timmy was the top rusher and scorer in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). He finished his college career as the leading rusher in his school's history. He had 3,843 rushing yards, averaging 6.1 yards per run, and scored 38 touchdowns. He was also one of the top all-time rushers in the CIAA. In 1978 and 1979, he was named to the Sheridan All America Black College Football Team. In 1978, he was also named the Black College Football Offensive Player of the Year.

Timmy Newsome has been honored for his amazing college career. In 1993, he was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame. He also joined the Winston-Salem State University Athletic Hall Of Fame that same year. In 2019, he was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Most recently, in 2022, he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Career

The Dallas Cowboys picked Timmy Newsome in the sixth round of the 1980 NFL draft. He was the 162nd player chosen overall. He earned a spot on the team by performing better than another player, Scott Laidlaw. Since the Cowboys already had a star running back named Tony Dorsett, Timmy was moved to play fullback as a rookie. In one game, he scored 2 touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers.

In 1981, Timmy had a tough start. He pulled a hamstring muscle on the first day of training camp. This injury made it harder for him to compete for the starting fullback job against Ron Springs.

By 1982, he was moved back to running back. After some struggles, he briefly left training camp. But he came back strong! In a 24–10 win against the Washington Redskins, he had an 18-yard touchdown run. In another game, a 37–7 win against the Houston Oilers, he made a 43-yard catch and a 46-yard touchdown catch. In a playoff win against the Green Bay Packers, he caught 7 passes for 70 yards and scored a two-yard touchdown run. He shared fullback duties in that game because Ron Springs was injured.

In 1983, Timmy ran for 185 yards and caught passes for 250 yards. He scored 6 touchdowns that season. In a close 27–24 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught a short pass and turned it into a 52-yard touchdown. This play sent the game into overtime with only 47 seconds left! In 1984, he started as fullback in the last 4 games of the season.

In 1985, Timmy became the main starting fullback for 14 games. He missed two games due to injuries. He carried the ball 88 times for 252 yards. He also caught 46 passes for 361 yards and scored 3 touchdowns.

In 1986, he started 12 games at fullback. Later in the year, Herschel Walker started playing alongside Dorsett, and Timmy's role changed. He joined Dorsett and Walker to create a special "full-house backfield" offense designed by coach Tom Landry. Timmy also sometimes played as a third tight end. He finished the season with 48 catches for 421 yards, 34 carries for 110 yards, and 5 touchdowns.

In 1987, he started 8 games at fullback after Herschel Walker took over as the main running back. In a game against the Detroit Lions, he rushed for 2 touchdowns. In another game against the Miami Dolphins, he caught 2 passes for touchdowns.

In 1988, Timmy had a good start to the season. But after the ninth game, he suffered a calf injury in practice that ended his season. Before his injury, he was leading the team in rushing touchdowns with 3. He was also on track to have his best year for receptions. He moved into ninth place on the Cowboys' all-time receiving list with 212 catches.

In 1989, a new head coach, Jimmy Johnson, arrived. Timmy was released from the team on August 30 as part of a plan to bring in younger players. He spent most of his 9 seasons with the Cowboys as a blocker and a receiver. He played behind famous Cowboys players like Dorsett and Walker.

During his career, Timmy Newsome ran for 1,226 yards and scored 19 rushing touchdowns. He also caught passes for 1,966 yards and scored 11 receiving touchdowns. He was a very versatile player, meaning he could do many things on the field. He even played some snaps as a tight end. In 1990, the Dallas Cowboys Weekly Newspaper chose him for the Dallas Cowboys all-decade team.