Greg Pruitt

For the American football player (born 1983), see Greg Pruitt, Jr..

Greg Pruitt

Pruitt in 1975
Running Back/Return specialist
Personal information
Date of birth: (1951-08-18) August 18, 1951
Place of birth: Houston, Texas
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Weight: 190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College: Oklahoma
Debuted in 1973 for the Cleveland Browns
Last played in 1984 for the Los Angeles Raiders
Career history
Cleveland Browns (1973-1981) Los Angeles Raiders (1982-1984)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XVIII) 5× Pro Bowl selection (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1983)
Career NFL statistics
Stats at NFL.com
College Football Hall of Fame

Gregory Donald Pruitt (born August 18, 1951) is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner. He was also part of the Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII winning team.

Pruitt was an All-American at the University of Oklahoma in 1971 and 1972, Greg was All-Big 8 as well in '71 and '72. He ranks third among Sooners in career all-purpose yards. Pruitt gained 3,122 rushing yards, 491 receiving yards, 139 yards on punt returns and 679 yards returning kickoffs. Pruitt scored 41 career touchdowns as a Sooner. He came in second in Heisman Trophy voting in 1972, and third in 1971.

In 1999 he was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Greg Pruitt rule established tear-away jerseys as illegal. Pruitt purposely wore flimsy jerseys that ripped apart in the hands of would-be tacklers.

In 1979, Pruitt won ABC's Superstars, an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon.

References

Great grandfather of one child