Jamal Anderson

This article is about the former running back. For the defensive end, see Jamaal Anderson.

Jamal Anderson
refer to caption
Anderson in August 2007
No. 32
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1972-09-30) September 30, 1972 (age 52)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:237 lb (108 kg)
Career information
High school:El Camino Real (Los Angeles, California)
College:Utah
NFL draft:1994 / round: 7 / pick: 201
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:5,336
Average:4.0
Rushing Touchdowns:34
Receptions:156
Receiving yards:1,645
Receiving Touchdowns:7
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Jamal Sharif Anderson (born September 30, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL draft.[1] He played high school football at El Camino Real High School, where he was named to the CIF Los Angeles City Section 4-A All-City first-team in 1989.[2] He went on to play college football at Moorpark College for the Moorpark College Raiders before playing for the Utah Utes.

Anderson earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1998, leading the NFC in rushing and helping the Falcons to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII. He suffered a career-ending knee injury in 2001 while finishing his eight-year career with 41 touchdowns and nearly 7,000 yards of offense.

Professional career

Atlanta Falcons

Anderson played eight seasons with the Falcons, amassing 5,336 rushing yards, 156 receptions for 1,645 yards, and 41 touchdowns before he suffered what became a career-ending tear of his ACL in 2001. He broke the 1,000-yard barrier in four different seasons between 1996 and 2000. His best season was 1998, when he set an NFL record with 410 carries, and finished with 1,846 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, both totals second in the league that year behind Terrell Davis.

Anderson was well known for his "Dirty Bird" touchdown celebration, in which he flapped his arms as if they were wings and rhythmically bouncing side to side. The dance has been widely copied; in a press conference Anderson stated, “people break out and do the Dirty Bird in the strangest places.”[3]

NFL statistics

Rushing Stats[4]

Year Team Games Carries Yards Yards per Carry Longest Carry Touchdowns First Downs Fumbles Fumbles Lost
1994 ATL 3 2 -1 -0.5 0 0 0 0 0
1995 ATL 16 39 161 4.1 13 1 10 0 0
1996 ATL 16 232 1,055 4.5 32 5 46 3 3
1997 ATL 16 290 1,002 3.5 39 7 54 3 1
1998 ATL 16 410 1,846 4.5 48 14 90 5 2
1999 ATL 2 19 59 3.1 20 0 1 0 0
2000 ATL 16 282 1,024 3.6 42 6 53 6 4
2001 ATL 3 55 190 3.5 14 1 8 1 1
Career 88 1,329 5,336 4.0 48 34 262 18 11

Receiving Stats[4]

Year Team Games Receptions Yards Yards per Reception Longest Receptions Touchdowns First Downs Fumbles Fumbles Lost
1995 ATL 16 4 42 10.5 17 0 2 0 0
1996 ATL 16 49 473 9.7 34 1 19 1 1
1997 ATL 16 29 284 9.8 47 3 15 1 1
1998 ATL 16 27 319 11.8 27 2 13 0 0
1999 ATL 2 2 34 17.0 32 0 1 0 0
2000 ATL 16 42 382 9.1 55 0 14 0 0
2001 ATL 3 3 111 37.0 94 1 1 0 0
Career 88 156 1,645 10.5 94 7 65 2 2

Sports broadcasting career

Anderson appeared as an analyst on ESPN/ABC, often promoting his alma mater the University of Utah, and the Mountain West Conference. He is a big proponent of the BCS non-AQ conference schools gaining more access to the same opportunities as BCS AQ conference schools.

From mid-August to late-October 2009, Anderson appeared as a regular phone-in guest on "Morency" on Hardcore Sports Radio (HSR) to recap/discuss the week that was and the week that was coming up in the NFL with Gabriel Morency and Cam Stewart. After two-week period from late-October to early-November 2009, where HSR dropped Morency (the person and the show) from their programming line-up, Anderson returned as a regular weekly guest again on HSR's replacement show "Red Heat" hosted by Cam Stewart.

In October 2010, Anderson began appearing as an analyst for CNN Newsroom, providing insight on current NFL issues as well as news and highlights from the major sports leagues.

Personal life

Anderson was arrested in February 2009 on suspicion of cocaine possession. Atlanta police said that Anderson and another man were snorting cocaine off the toilet bowl in the restroom of the Peachtree Tavern nightclub.[5]

Anderson was arrested for DUI on June 24, 2012. He was arrested in DeKalb county, just northeast of Atlanta.[6]

Anderson was banned from a QuikTrip store in Suwanee, Georgia on December 14, 2016, after allegedly exposing himself and appearing intoxicated. He was not arrested, but was issued a warning for criminal trespass, effectively a warning that he will be arrested if he returns to that QuikTrip location.[7]

Anderson was arrested on December 23, 2018, after refusing to pay his limo driver $50. He was arrested by Gwinnett County Police where he was released on $213 bail. The limo driver did not press charges. Anderson was intoxicated.[8][9]

He resides in Braselton, Georgia.

His son, Jamal, is a linebacker for the Clemson Tigers.[10]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jamal Anderson.
  1. ^ "1994 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ CIF Football 1989.PDF
  3. ^ Kamb, Susie (January 26, 1998). "Jamal leaves a lasting image". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "Jamal Anderson Stats". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  5. ^ "Police: Ex-Falcon was snorting cocaine off toilet bowl". WSBTV.com. February 9, 2009. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  6. ^ Feed, AP. "Former Atlanta Falcons RB Jamal Anderson charged with DUI".
  7. ^ Burns, Steve. "Former Falcons star Jamal Anderson banned from QuikTrip in Gwinnett". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  8. ^ Gwinnett Daily Post, December 26, 2018, pg 2A
  9. ^ "Lawrenceville police arrest ex-Atlanta Falcon Jamal Anderson for public drunkenness". December 24, 2018.
  10. ^ "Jamal Anderson, Mill Creek, Linebacker".