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Mike Rozier
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Michael M. Rozier (born March 1, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the United States Football League (USFL) for two seasons and the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons from 1985 to 1991. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1983. Afterward, he played for the Pittsburgh Maulers and the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL, then played for the Houston Oilers and the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Rozier was born in Camden, New Jersey. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, where he was a standout high school football player. Today, the football field bears his name.
College career
[edit]Rozier went largely unnoticed by most of the major college programs. His recruitment to Nebraska was a complete accident. Former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich, at the time an assistant to head coach Tom Osborne, had been a keen observer of high school game films. While watching film of Pennsauken's game against nearby Woodrow Wilson High School, one player on the opposing team (Rozier) continually caught Solich's eye.
Rozier spent his freshman season at Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas, in order to get his grades up. In his one season with the Coffeyville Ravens, he led them to a 9–0 season in 1980, gaining 1157 yards with a gaudy 7.4 yards-per-carry average, and scored ten touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 1981, Rozier first dazzled Husker fans with a 93-yard touchdown run against Kansas State. As the season progressed, Rozier began challenging Roger Craig for the starting position, a job he would eventually win in the fall of 1982 prior to his junior year. Rozier's progress was so pronounced that the talented and established Craig moved to fullback.
During his junior season, Rozier broke Bobby Reynolds's long-standing school record for rushing yards in a single season, with 1,689 yards, and led Nebraska to a second consecutive outright Big 8 title and a 12–1 record, losing only in controversial fashion to eventual national champion Penn State. In a performance against Missouri, Rozier came off the bench in the second half to rush for 139 yards on 17 carries to lead Nebraska to a comeback victory despite suffering from a painful hip-pointer injury. Rozier finished the 1982 season a consensus All-American and finished 10th in the Heisman voting.
As a senior, Nebraska's high-octane offense was often unstoppable, averaging 52 points and 401 rushing yards per game. Rozier had a nation's best 2,486 total yards with 2,148 of those coming on the ground and twenty-nine touchdowns scored. His 7.8 yards-per-carry mark on the season stands as the third-highest mark for players with more than 214 carries in a season. Against Kansas, Rozier rushed for 230 yards in the first half and finished with 285 rushing yards total, at that time a school record. Rozier went over 200 yards in each of his last four regular-season games of the 1983 season. His senior season was capped when he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, given to the best individual player in college football and was again an All-American.
His college career would end in disappointment, losing the 1984 Orange Bowl in which Miami defeated Nebraska 31-30 for the national championship. Rozier had 138 yards on 21 carries at halftime against a Miami Hurricanes team with the second-ranked defense in football, but he had to leave in the third quarter following an ankle injury. Rozier finished the game with 147 yards on 26 carries.
College statistics
[edit]| Season | Team | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1980 | Attended Coffeyville Junior College | ||||||||||
| 1981 | Nebraska | 166 | 1,018 | 6.1 | 93 | 5 | 4 | 64 | 16.0 | 32 | 0 |
| 1982 | Nebraska | 268 | 1,807 | 6.7 | 62 | 15 | 6 | 46 | 7.7 | 14 | 2 |
| 1983 | Nebraska | 300 | 2,295 | 7.7 | 71 | 29 | 10 | 106 | 10.6 | 26 | 0 |
| Career | 734 | 5,120 | 6.9 | 93 | 49 | 20 | 216 | 10.8 | 32 | 2 | |
Professional career
[edit]Rozier was selected by the Pittsburgh Maulers first overall in the 1984 USFL draft. He played his first two professional seasons in the United States Football League, in 1984, with the Pittsburgh Maulers, and 1985, with the Jacksonville Bulls. In 1985 Rozier played for the Jacksonville Bulls in the spring and the Houston Oilers in the fall.
He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the 1st round (2nd pick overall) of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players, joining them in the fall of 1985.[1] Rozier played six seasons for the Oilers, amassing a total of 900 carries for 3171 yards, including a 1,002-yard rushing season in 1988. While playing for the Oilers, Rozier was elected to the AFC Pro Bowl squad in both 1987 and 1988.
In 1990, Rozier only played three games for the Oilers, rushing 10 times for a total of 42 yards, before being released after they found no suitable trade partners.[2] He was quickly picked up by the NFC's Atlanta Falcons, where he finished the year with 153 carries for 675 yards. His final season in the NFL came the next year with the Falcons. He completed the 1991 season with 361 yards on 96 carries, announcing his retirement during the off-season.
Rozier finished his career with a total of 1159 carries for 4462 yards, having averaged 3.8 yards per carry, and scoring 30 touchdowns.
As of the end of the 2020 season, Rozier is ranked 172nd on the NFL All-Time Rushing Yards list.
Career statistics
[edit]USFL career
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 1984 | Pittsburgh Maulers | 14 | 223 | 792 | 3.6 | 3 | 32 | 259 | 8.1 | 0 |
| 1985 | Jacksonville Bulls | 18 | 320 | 1,361 | 4.3 | 12 | 50 | 366 | 7.3 | 3 |
| Total | 32 | 543 | 2,153 | 4.0 | 15 | 82 | 625 | 7.6 | 3 | |
NFL career
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |||
| 1985 | HOU | 14 | 133 | 462 | 3.5 | 30 | 8 | 9 | 96 | 10.7 | 52 | 0 |
| 1986 | HOU | 13 | 199 | 662 | 3.3 | 19 | 4 | 24 | 180 | 7.5 | 23 | 0 |
| 1987 | HOU | 11 | 229 | 957 | 4.2 | 41 | 3 | 27 | 192 | 7.1 | 27 | 0 |
| 1988 | HOU | 15 | 251 | 1,002 | 4.0 | 28 | 10 | 11 | 99 | 9.0 | 18 | 1 |
| 1989 | HOU | 12 | 88 | 301 | 3.4 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1990 | HOU | 3 | 10 | 42 | 4.2 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 46 | 9.2 | 24 | 0 |
| ATL | 13 | 153 | 675 | 4.4 | 67 | 3 | 8 | 59 | 7.4 | 24 | 0 | |
| 1991 | ATL | 11 | 96 | 361 | 3.8 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 20 | 0 |
| Total | 92 | 1,159 | 4,462 | 3.8 | 67 | 30 | 90 | 715 | 7.5 | 52 | 1 | |
Personal life
[edit]Mike has been married to his wife Rochelle, an attorney, since 2005. They reside in the Sicklerville section of Winslow Township, New Jersey and together they have one son, Michael Guy Pacheco Rozier.[3] He has two other children, Amber and JaMichael Rozier, who reside in Houston, Texas.
In 1996, he was shot in his hometown of Camden, New Jersey.[4][5]
Rozier, along with his wife and three other family members, appeared on the October 22, 2013 episode of Family Feud as the anchor to his team.[6]
Rozier was called one of the most stylish dressers in the history of the Heisman Trophy by SBNation.[7]
On April 9, 2024, Rozier was honored in his hometown of Camden, New Jersey, with a street dedication. Additionally, a sign was erected in the city proclaiming it the home of the renowned former Nebraska, USFL, and NFL running back.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "1984 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Luna, Richard (October 2, 1990). "Oilers waive Mike Rozier". UPI. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
- ^ Anastasia, Phil. "Former Woodrow Wilson football star Mike Rozier: Old school as ever", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 9, 2018. Accessed December 8, 2023. "Rozier lives in Sicklerville with his wife, Rochelle, an attorney, and their teenage son, Michael."
- ^ Herbert Lowe", Rozier, Wounds Healing, Glad To Join The Heisman Scene", The Philadelphia Inquirer (December 15, 1996). Retrieved September 24, 2011. "As Mike Rozier readily autographed footballs and miniature helmets in the lobby of the Downtown Athletic Club yesterday, a woman looked at the bandage on his right hand and asked, 'What happened to you?' 'I got shot,' the 1983 Heisman Trophy winner—who set rushing records at the University of Nebraska and at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden—said matter-of-factly."
- ^ "Report: Man who allegedly shot Nebraska Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier released from prison after serving 20 years". May 7, 2020.
- ^ Biancolli, Amy (October 21, 2013). "Albany couple to appear Tuesday on 'Family Feud'". Albany Times-Union. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ^ "Mike Rozier's amazing Heisman suit". December 13, 2014.
- ^ "Nebraska Football legend gets new hometown honor". April 12, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Heisman Trophy profile
- Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
Mike Rozier
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Education
Childhood in Camden
Mike Rozier was born on March 1, 1961, in Camden, New Jersey.[9] He grew up in a working-class family in one of Camden's tough urban neighborhoods, which he later described as a "ghetto" environment that shaped his resilience.[10] As the second youngest of six brothers, Rozier was raised on South 27th Street, where he and his siblings spent much of their time playing games outdoors in the street.[11][12] From an early age, Rozier showed a natural affinity for athletics, participating in little league football and other youth sports programs in Camden.[10] Known for his small but speedy and sturdy build, he honed his skills as a sprinter and running back in these local activities.[9][11] This early involvement laid the groundwork for his athletic development, leading him to enroll at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden for his secondary education.[9]High School Football Career
Mike Rozier played football as a wishbone fullback for the Woodrow Wilson High School Mighty Tigers in Camden, New Jersey, during the late 1970s.[13] Standing at 5 feet 10 inches and known for his speed and sturdiness despite his size, he emerged as a standout running back, drawing attention for his explosive plays in a challenging urban environment that fueled his determination.[9] Rozier shattered numerous school records during his tenure, establishing himself as one of South Jersey's premier prospects with a career total of 4,167 rushing yards.[9][14] One of his most memorable performances came in the 1979 Thanksgiving Day rivalry game against crosstown rival Camden High School, where he helped keep Woodrow Wilson competitive until the contest was infamously suspended in the third quarter due to a gang-related shooting, with Camden leading 14-6.[15] His efforts contributed to the team's competitive seasons, showcasing the raw talent that would later propel him to national acclaim. Despite his on-field dominance, Rozier faced limited recruitment interest upon graduating in 1980, largely due to subpar academic grades that deterred major programs.[2] The University of Nebraska extended his best scholarship offer after an assistant coach spotted him during a game against Pennsauken High School, but Rozier opted instead to enroll at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas to bolster his academics and eligibility.[9][2] In recognition of his high school legacy, Woodrow Wilson High School renamed its football stadium Mike Rozier Field, honoring the Camden native's foundational impact on the program.[16][17]College Career
Junior College at Coffeyville
Following his standout high school career in New Jersey, where his speed and elusiveness as a running back drew interest from junior college programs, Mike Rozier enrolled at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas for the 1980 season.[18] As a freshman running back for the Coffeyville Red Ravens, Rozier adapted swiftly to the physical and fast-paced junior college competition, emerging as a central figure in the team's revitalized ground game under coach Dick Foster.[19] His explosive style complemented a balanced offense, allowing him to exploit defenses effectively in the Jayhawk Conference.[19] Rozier's on-field impact was immediate and dominant; he rushed for 1,157 yards over nine games, powering the Red Ravens to an undefeated 9-0 regular season record and a No. 2 national ranking in the NJCAA poll.[18][19] Notable performances included 176 yards on 28 carries against Fort Scott Community College and a career-high 295 yards on 32 carries in a 63-21 rout of Dodge City Community College, which clinched the conference title.[19] The season culminated in a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Arizona Western College in the Beef Empire Bowl, where Rozier played a key role in the game-winning drive despite the low-scoring affair.[19] His contributions earned him First Team All-American recognition from both J.C. Gridwire and the NJCAA.[19] Buoyed by his academic progress—maintaining a 2.5 GPA—and on-field success, Rozier decided to transfer to the University of Nebraska after the season to pursue Division I football.[18]University of Nebraska Seasons
Rozier transferred to the University of Nebraska in 1981 following a standout performance at Coffeyville Junior College, which prepared him for the physical demands of Big Eight Conference competition. Head coach Tom Osborne recruited him specifically for the Huskers' wishbone offense, a run-oriented scheme emphasizing option plays and multiple backs, where Rozier slotted in as the I-back alongside incumbent Roger Craig.[20][21] In his sophomore season of 1981, Rozier shared the backfield workload but quickly demonstrated his potential, rushing for 943 yards while adapting to the nuances of Osborne's system. He burst onto the national scene with explosive runs, including a 93-yard touchdown against Kansas State that highlighted his speed and vision.[22] Rozier's junior year in 1982 marked his emergence as the primary tailback, as he rushed for a then-school-record 1,689 yards and earned consensus All-American honors for his contributions to Nebraska's 12-1 campaign. Taking full command of the I-back role, he showcased improved burst and power, helping the Huskers maintain their offensive dominance through the wishbone's triple-option framework.[6] During his senior season in 1983, Rozier elevated his game to historic levels, rushing for 2,148 yards—the second-highest single-season total in NCAA history at the time and only the second instance of a player surpassing 2,000 yards. His performance powered Nebraska's high-octane wishbone attack under Osborne, fueling a 12-1 record and the team's contention for the national championship as the top-ranked squad entering the Orange Bowl. Rozier capped the year as a unanimous All-American, solidifying his growth into one of college football's premier rushers.[23][24]College Statistics and Awards
Mike Rozier's college rushing statistics highlight his explosive productivity, particularly during his three seasons at the University of Nebraska from 1981 to 1983, where he totaled 4,780 yards on 668 carries for an average of 7.2 yards per carry and 49 rushing touchdowns.[24] Including his junior college performance at Coffeyville Community College in 1980, Rozier gained 1,157 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on approximately 156 carries averaging 7.4 yards per carry over nine games.[18] He also contributed modestly as a receiver at Nebraska, catching 20 passes for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns across his career there.[25] The table below provides a year-by-year breakdown of Rozier's primary rushing statistics, with receiving and total touchdowns noted where applicable:| Year | School | Games | Rush Att | Rush Yds | YPC | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | Total TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Coffeyville | 9 | 156 | 1,157 | 7.4 | 10 | — | — | — | 10 |
| 1981 | Nebraska | 11 | 151 | 943 | 6.2 | 5 | 4 | 64 | 0 | 5 |
| 1982 | Nebraska | 12 | 242 | 1,689 | 7.0 | 15 | 6 | 46 | 2 | 17 |
| 1983 | Nebraska | 12 | 275 | 2,148 | 7.8 | 29 | 10 | 106 | 0 | 29 |
| Nebraska Career | 35 | 668 | 4,780 | 7.2 | 49 | 20 | 216 | 2 | 51 |
