144-676: DeMarco Murray (born February 12, 1988) is an American college football coach and former professional player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. A three-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time first-team All-Pro , he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 after leading the NFL in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns . Murray played college football for
288-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage
432-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
576-777: A 10-yard halfback pass to Delanie Walker . The Titans finished with a 9–7 record from a league-worst 3–13 record the season before, with Murray leading the AFC in rushing yards and finishing third in the league. He was named to his third career Pro Bowl on December 20, 2016, as a result of his successful season with the Titans. Murray was ranked 33rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 . Murray split carries with Heisman Trophy -winning second-year running back Derrick Henry and run-oriented quarterback Marcus Mariota , reaching 15 rushing attempts just once through Week 10. Despite
720-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
864-483: A 2005 state title. Murray was considered a top-30 basketball recruit in the state as well. In track & field , he ran the 100-meter dash and was a member of the 4×100-meter relay squad. Considered one of the top running backs of his class, Murray drew offers from Miami (FL) , Penn State , and Texas A&M , among several others. He chose Oklahoma over Southern California at the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl . Murray attended and played college football for
1008-538: A 24–17 road victory over the New York Giants . Over the next three games, he had 41 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown to go along with 14 receptions for 105 yards. During a Week 6 31–29 road loss to the Baltimore Ravens , Murray had 14 carries for 93 yards before suffering a sprained foot. He missed six games as a result of the injury. After returning from his injury, Murray rushed for 83 yards and
1152-461: A 54-yard touchdown on his first carry and finished the 35–30 victory with 5.8 yards per carry average, his highest of the year. Murray finished the 2015 season with 193 carries for 702 yards, and had only two games with over 20 carries, his lowest output since 2012. Murray's contract with the Eagles is frequently regarded as one of the worst free agent contracts in NFL history. On March 9, 2016, Murray
1296-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
1440-609: A Week 3 31–7 victory over the St. Louis Rams , Murray recorded a season-high 175 yards on 26 carries and three receptions for 28 yards. This marked the second time in as many games that he ran for over 175 yards against the Rams. During Week 6 game against the Washington Redskins , Murray suffered a sprained MCL and missed the next two games. Rookie Joseph Randle took Murray's place because second-string running back Lance Dunbar
1584-479: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained
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#17328015993071728-497: A conversation with owner Jeffrey Lurie over his role in the offense during the flight back to Philadelphia. Murray struggled to get touches after the return of Ryan Mathews , who started the remaining four games. Murray finished third on the team in rushing in the next two games, behind Sproles and Mathews, posting only eight snaps with two rushing attempts in a 40–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals for three yards. He led
1872-598: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as
2016-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
2160-557: A first-quarter 91-yard touchdown run that was the longest rush of the 2011 season and was second-longest in Cowboys history, after an NFL-record 99-yard run by Tony Dorsett in January 1983. Among the other records Murray set during this game were a rookie rushing record for a game in franchise history, previously held by Dorsett with 206 yards in 1977. Murray’s 10.1 yards-per-carry is the highest rushing average with 20-or-more attempts for
2304-537: A five-yard reception, in a narrow 26–24 road loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football . The team received criticism due to his sparse usage. In the next game against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys , Murray was held up again, rushing for only two yards on 13 carries and catching five passes for 53 yards in a 20–10 loss. Murray's Week 2 performance marked the fewest rushing yards through
2448-596: A fractured right ankle and high ankle sprain that ended his rookie season. Murray was named NFL Rookie of the Month for the month of November. At the end of the 2011 season, Murray led all NFL rookie players (with 40 or more carries) in average per carry (5.5 per carry), yards per game (69.0 yards) and rushing yards (897 yards) on 164 carries (second-most among rookie players, Daniel Thomas had 165 carries). Murray tied for third among rookie players for rushing touchdowns with two; Carolina Panthers ' quarterback and 2011 Rookie of
2592-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed
2736-598: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,
2880-413: A game in club history, previously held by Dorsett with 8.96 in 1977, the tenth most rushing yards in a game in league history, the second-most rushing yards in a game by a rookie in league history, the second-longest touchdown run on a player's first career rushing touchdown in league history, and the most rushing yards by a running back in one game ever allowed by the Rams in franchise history. Murray earned
3024-481: A good fit in the team's offensive system, which always ran in the shotgun. During a Week 13 35–28 road victory over the New England Patriots , Murray was demoted because the team decided the smaller, quicker Darren Sproles would be more effective. Murray registered eight carries for 24 yards in the game, while Sproles recorded 66 yards on 15 carries, and 34 yards on four catches. Murray reportedly had
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#17328015993073168-493: A half in his debut. On September 15, 2007, in the 54–3 victory over Utah State , Murray set a Sooner record when he had a touchdown run of 92 yards, which is the third longest in Oklahoma football history. In a game against Tulsa , he added two more rushing touchdowns and a kick return touchdown in the 62–21 victory. In the annual rivalry game against #19 Texas , Murray finished with 128 rushing yards, of which 65 yards came on
3312-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
3456-564: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to
3600-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
3744-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
3888-704: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on
4032-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
4176-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
4320-521: A rookie. With 466 rushing yards over the last three games, Murray tied Eric Dickerson for the fifth-highest total all-time by an NFL rookie during a three-game span. The record is 577 set by Mike Anderson of the Denver Broncos in 2000. The 466 rushing yards in the three game span is the most ever by any Cowboys player, surpassing 446 yards by Emmitt Smith during his MVP season of 1993. From Weeks 10 to 13, Murray had 79 carries for 333 yards and
4464-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create
DeMarco Murray - Misplaced Pages Continue
4608-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble
4752-483: A season. Given his previous injury history, the team considered limiting some of his workloads, but he was such an integral part of the offense success, that the Cowboys could not cut back on his playing time. Murray had 22 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown during the season-opening 28–17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers . He followed that up 29 carries for 167 yards and a touchdown in a 26–10 road victory over
4896-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
5040-555: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Mossis Madu Mossis Madu Jr. (born November 4, 1987)
5184-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
5328-621: A shoulder injury. Following an injury to starting running back William Powell the Ottawa Redblacks signed Mossis Madu. When Travon Van also went down with injuries Mossis Madu became the new starting running back for the Redblacks. Madu played in 6 regular season games during the season, carrying the ball for 490 yards on 92 carries with 3 touchdowns. Madu suffered an injury during the East Division Final and missed
5472-456: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for
5616-431: A touchdown and three receptions for 11 yards before leaving the eventual 27–23 loss with a knee injury that kept him out of the regular-season finale and the playoffs. Murray finished the 2017 season with a career-low 659 rushing yards and six touchdowns to go along with 39 receptions for 266 yards and a touchdown. On March 8, 2018, Murray was released by the Titans. On July 13, 2018, Murray announced his retirement from
5760-469: A touchdown for a 4.21 average and added 16 receptions for 109 yards as the Cowboys went 3–1 during this stretch. In Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills , he fumbled the ball for the first time in his NFL career, although the fumble was recovered by Murray himself. In Week 14 against the New York Giants , Murray carried the ball five times for 25 yards and added a reception for six yards before suffering
5904-432: A touchdown in the 42–30 victory over Kansas State . On November 14, against Texas A&M , Murray had a stellar performance with 80 rushing yards to go along with five receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the 65–10 victory. On November 28, against #11 Oklahoma State , he rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–0 victory. In the 2009 Sun Bowl against #19 Stanford , Murray had 20 carries for 27 yards and
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6048-466: A touchdown in the 53–24 victory. In his final collegiate game, Murray had 93 rushing yards and a touchdown against #25 Connecticut in the 48–20 victory in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl . Murray finished his last season with the Sooners with 282 carries for 1,214 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 71 receptions for 594 yards and five touchdowns. He ended his college career with 65 touchdowns, becoming only
6192-712: A touchdown on 23 carries during a Week 13 38–33 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles . In the next game against the Cincinnati Bengals , he recorded his third touchdown of the year while rushing for 53 yards on 21 attempts in the 20–19 road victory. This marked the eighth straight game where the Cowboys have won with Murray rushing the ball 20 or more times as the starting running back. Despite missing six games, Murray finished his second professional season with 161 carries for 663 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 35 receptions for 251 yards. During
6336-401: A touchdown run in the third quarter of the 28–21 victory. On November 10, against Baylor , he ran for 95 yards, and three touchdowns along with a kick return touchdown in the 52–21 victory. Overall, Murray finished the 2007 season with 127 carries for 764 yards and tied Adrian Peterson 's freshman touchdown record with 15. He logged a 4.40 (team best) 40 time and a 36.5-inch vertical jump during
6480-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine
6624-675: Is a former gridiron football running back . He most recently played for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. Mossis played high school football at Norman High School in Norman, where he was raised. After high school, Mossis went on to play college football at Oklahoma . Madu was signed by
6768-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
6912-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
7056-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
7200-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
7344-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
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#17328015993077488-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
7632-543: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become
7776-733: The NFC East with a 12–4 record. In the Wild Card Round against the Detroit Lions , Murray had 19 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown to go along with three receptions for 22 yards in the 24–20 victory. During the Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers , he had 25 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown in the controversial 26–21 road loss. Murray earned the NFL's Offensive Player of The Year award at
7920-611: The New York Jets on August 4, 2013. He was released on August 31, 2013. Madu signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in time for the 2014 CFL season . In his first season in the CFL Madu was dressed for 15 games, carrying the ball 75 times for 348 yards with 2 touchdowns. He also contributed 44 receptions for 512 yards in the passing game. Madu missed the entire 2015 season with
8064-640: The Oklahoma Sooners and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft . After four seasons with the Cowboys, he played for the Philadelphia Eagles for one year and then the Tennessee Titans for two years. Murray currently serves as running backs coach at The University of Oklahoma . Murray attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada , where he played football, basketball, and ran track for
8208-531: The Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. In Weeks 8 and 9, Murray totaled 30 carries for 213 yards for a 7.1 average and five receptions for 45 yards in a 34–7 road loss to the Eagles and a 23–13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks . With his second game with at least 100 rushing yards of the season, Murray became the first Cowboy since Julius Jones in 2004 to post multiple games with at least 100 rushing yards as
8352-568: The Tennessee Titans in the next game. The following week against the St. Louis Rams , Murray rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in the 34–31 road victory. During a Week 4 38–17 victory over the New Orleans Saints , he rushed 24 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns for his fourth straight game finding the endzone. In the next game against the Houston Texans , Murray had a season-high 31 carries for 136 yards in
8496-585: The Washington Redskins defeated them 20–17. In the loss, Murray had 19 carries for 141 yards and four receptions for 80 yards. In the following game, a 28–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals , he had 19 carries for 79 yards and was held to under 100 rushing yards for the first time in the 2014 season. In the next three games, Murray bounced back with 100 yards in the 31–17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London, 121 yards in
8640-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
8784-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
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#17328015993078928-471: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in
9072-520: The "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of
9216-505: The 2007 winter testing. In the 2008 season, Murray continued to share the backfield with Chris Brown while newcomer Mossis Madu got some carries as well. Murray started off the 2008 season with 124 yards and two touchdowns in the 57–2 victory over the Chattanooga Mocs . On September 12, against Washington , he rushed for 100 yards in the 55–14 victory. On October 4, against Baylor , Murray ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns in
9360-459: The 20–17 victory. The following week against the defending Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks , he ran for 115 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in the 30–23 road victory. During a Week 7 31–21 victory over the NFC East divisional rival New York Giants , Murray rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in the 31–21 victory. In the next game, the Cowboys' win streak ended as
9504-411: The 31–24 victory. In the next game against #17 Florida State , he rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns in the 47–17 victory. The following week against Air Force , Murray ran for 110 yards and his third consecutive game with two rushing touchdowns in the 27–24 victory. In addition, he had five receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. After posting 67 rushing yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati in
9648-523: The 31–28 road victory over the Giants, and 73 yards and a touchdown in the 33–10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles . During a Week 14 41–28 road victory over the Chicago Bears , he had a season-high 32 carries for 179 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Eagles, Murray suffered a broken left hand that required surgery the following day. Heavily bandaged, he did not miss any time and played
9792-504: The 31–29 win, Murray had 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the 28–20 victory over #21 Texas . On October 16, 2010, with 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Iowa State in the 52–0 victory, Murray passed running back Steve Owens as the all-time touchdown leader at the University of Oklahoma with 58 touchdowns. On November 20, against Baylor , Murray ran for 62 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 120 yards and
9936-431: The 49–17 victory. Two weeks later against #16 Kansas , he ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns in the 45–31 victory. In the next game against Kansas State , Murray had 17 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions for 63 yards and two touchdowns in the 58–35 victory. The following week against Nebraska , he added two more rushing touchdowns and another receiving touchdown to his season total in
10080-526: The 61–41 victory. However, Murray tore his hamstring in the Big 12 Championship on the opening kickoff against Missouri , which left him out of the National Championship against Florida . Murray finished the 2008 season with 179 carries for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns to go along with 31 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns. In the 2009 season, the backfield was largely dominated by
10224-408: The 62–28 victory. In the 66–28 victory over Texas A&M , Murray had seven carries for 123 yards along with seven receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. On November 22, he rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 65–21 victory over #2 Texas Tech . In the annual rivalry game against #11 Oklahoma State , Murray rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown and had seven kick returns for 196 net yards in
10368-542: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for
10512-413: The Cowboys traveled to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Patriots . Felix Jones went down with a high-ankle sprain, which increased the amount of opportunities for Murray. Murray finished the day with 11 carries for 34 yards and added one reception for seven yards in the 20–16 loss. With the Cowboys owning a record of 2–3, they faced the St. Louis Rams in Week 7. Felix Jones was declared out for
10656-473: The Dolphins game, Murray had six straight games with a touchdown and went over 100 rushing yards in three of them. Murray posted 1,287 rushing yards on 293 carries in his first year with the Titans. His 12 total touchdowns, nine rushing and three receiving, ranked sixth among NFL running backs in 2016. Additionally, in a Week 10 47–25 victory over the Green Bay Packers , Murray threw his first NFL touchdown on
10800-582: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to
10944-576: The Gaels athletic teams. In football , Murray was an All-Conference pick three consecutive years. During his time at Gorman, his team was three-time Conference Champions. As a senior in 2005, Murray rushed for 1,947 yards and 27 touchdowns and also caught 22 passes for 624 yards and seven more touchdowns, earning him All-State honors and the 2005 Sunset Region Offensive Player of the Year award. He also played basketball at Gorman, averaging 6.9 points per game and his high school basketball team went on to win
11088-477: The NFC. The Cowboys went 5–0 for the season when Murray received 20+ touches in the game and 2–5 when he did not. In the five games where Murray got 20 or more touches, starting quarterback Tony Romo averaged a passer rating of 112.10, 246.6 yards per game, along with 12 combined touchdown passes with 2 interceptions and a 66.99% pass completion rate. Murray started the season off strong with 20 carries for 131 yards in
11232-570: The NFL. In August 2018, a month after his retirement, Murray was added as a college football commentator for Fox Sports . On January 2, 2019, Murray joined Kevin Sumlin 's staff at the Arizona Wildcats football team as the running backs coach. On January 27, 2020, Murray returned to his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma , as running backs coach. American football American football , referred to simply as football in
11376-565: The Oklahoma Sooners from 2006–2010. Murray redshirted the 2006 NCAA football season . In the 2007 season, Murray shared the backfield with Allen Patrick and Chris Brown. In his first game for the Oklahoma Sooners on September 1, 2007, against the North Texas Mean Green , Murray rushed for 87 yards and five touchdowns in the 79–10 victory. He became the first player in school history to score four touchdowns in
11520-533: The Rookie of the Week award and FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week for his game against the Rams. After the Rams game, Tashard Choice was released leaving the team with only two healthy running backs, rookie Phillip Tanner and Murray, with Felix Jones still sidelined with an injury. Murray's historic day ended up being the most rushing yards by a single player in any game in the 2011 season. Murray followed his record-breaking game by getting his first NFL start against
11664-456: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on
11808-549: The Titans narrowly won on the road by a score of 16–15. The following week against the Oakland Raiders , Murray had 16 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown during the 17–10 loss. During Week 4 against the Houston Texans , he had 25 carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the 27–20 road loss. In the next game against the Miami Dolphins , Murray had 121 yards on 27 carries during the 30–17 road victory. Following
11952-586: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used
12096-468: The United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop
12240-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in
12384-554: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when
12528-634: The Year Cam Newton led all rookie players with 14 rushing touchdowns. Murray also was 14th in receptions among all rookie players and second among rookie running backs with 26 receptions. He finished fourth in receiving yards among rookie running backs with 183. Among all NFL running backs, Murray with seven starts in 12 games, tied for the second-highest average per carry for a running back with 80 or more carries trailing only Darren Sproles ' 6.9 yards per carry on 63 attempts. Murray's 897 rushing yards ranked 22nd among all NFL running backs and ninth in
12672-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
12816-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
12960-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
13104-467: The ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp ,
13248-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
13392-424: The crown-of-the-helmet rule on a collision with Philadelphia Eagles ' defensive lineman Damion Square . Murray finished the 2013 season ranked 11th in total yards from scrimmage with 1,471 while missing two games due to injury. He had 217 carries for 1,121 yards and nine touchdowns, all career highs and ranking tied for 17th, tenth, and tied for sixth, respectively among running backs. Murray's 5.2 yards per attempt
13536-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
13680-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
13824-473: The duo of Murray and Chris Brown. In the second game of the Sooners' 2009 season, Murray rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns in the 64–0 victory over Idaho State . On October 10, against Baylor , he had 24 carries for 107 yards in the 33–7 victory. In the next game against #3 Texas , Murray had eight receptions for 116 yards in the 16–13 loss. The following week, he had 15 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns to go along with four receptions for 28 yards and
13968-524: The end of the season. Murray also finished tied with his quarterback Tony Romo for third place in MVP voting. Murray set the franchise single season rushing record with 12 games rushing for at least 100 yards and passed Walt Garrison for seventh on the Cowboys all-time rushing yards list. Murray finished the season as the league's top rusher and was named as a First-team All-Pro and to his second Pro Bowl , while having his second straight 1,000 yard season. Murray
14112-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
14256-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
14400-418: The eventual game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard reception from quarterback Alex Smith to give Team Rice the 22–21 victory. Murray was ranked 87th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 . In 2014, Murray and an improved offensive line helped the team find a new identity. In the first eight games, Murray broke Jim Brown 's 1958 NFL rushing record for most consecutive 100-yard games to start
14544-561: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play
14688-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in
14832-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play
14976-447: The fifth player in Big 12 conference history to score at least 60 career touchdowns. Murray had 3,685 career rushing yards (4.86 average) with 50 touchdowns, 157 career catches with 13 touchdowns, and 1,462 kickoff return yards with two touchdowns. He was a four-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree during his career and graduated from Oklahoma with a degree in communication and a double minor in business and African American studies. Murray
15120-400: The final go-ahead touchdown in the 31–27 victory. Murray finished the 2009 season with 171 carries for 705 yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 41 receptions for 522 yards and four touchdowns. Murray dominated the Sooners' backfield in his final year with the program. Murray started the season off with a strong performance of 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Utah State in
15264-477: The first quarter, but finished the 23–20 road loss with eight carries for 36 yards. During a Week 6 27–7 victory over the New York Giants , Murray rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, which turned out to be his only 100-yard game of the season. As the weeks progressed, Murray grew increasingly frustrated, with the offensive line not generating the running lanes needed, being required to frequently run laterally instead of downhill and not being seen as
15408-473: The first two games for a defending rushing champion since Doug Russell of the Chicago Cardinals in 1936 . Murray missed Week 3 against the New York Jets due to a hamstring injury, while Mathews ran for 108 yards and Darren Sproles scored two touchdowns. Despite Mathews' success, Murray was named the starter for a Week 4 divisional matchup with the Washington Redskins . He had a 30-yard run in
15552-596: The following week against the Indianapolis Colts and had 22 carries for 58 yards in the 42–7 victory. In the regular-season finale with his hand still bandaged, Murray rushed 20 times for 100 yards in the 44–17 road victory over the Redskins to pass Emmitt Smith's Cowboys franchise single-season rushing record. Murray finished the 2014 season with 392 carries for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 57 receptions for 416 yards. The Cowboys finished atop
15696-629: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included
15840-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
15984-488: The game due to the high ankle sprain injury sustained the week before. The team declared Tashard Choice as the starter for the game and Murray as the second-string running back. Murray had 25 carries for 253 yards and a touchdown during the 34–7 victory, breaking Emmitt Smith 's single-game rushing record for a Cowboys running back of 237 yards set at Philadelphia against the Eagles on October 31, 1993. The record total included
16128-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that
16272-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
16416-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
16560-491: The limited touches, Murray had 14 carries for 115 yards, including a 75-yard rushing touchdown, during a Week 3 33–27 victory over the Seattle Seahawks , and two rushing touchdowns along with the game-winning receiving touchdown during a Week 10 24–20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals . Murray made his final appearance of the regular season in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams . He had 15 carries for 48 yards and
16704-506: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in
16848-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
16992-410: The offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking
17136-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until
17280-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
17424-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
17568-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
17712-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
17856-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,
18000-461: The remainder of the contest. Following the game it was announced he would miss the Grey Cup final with a fractured scapula. In 2017 Madu mostly played as the Redblacks backup running back behind William Powell ; playing in only seven games, rushing 71 times for 317 yards with 2 touchdowns. In January 2018 Madu and the Redblacks agreed to a one-year contract extension. Madu was limited by injury to
18144-542: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as
18288-416: The season. During Week 13 against the Oakland Raiders , he ran for 63 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in the 31–24 victory. Three weeks later against the Redskins, Murray scored a ten-yard receiving touchdown from Tony Romo late in the fourth quarter to help give the Cowboys the game-winning points in the narrow 24–23 victory. After the final game of the season, Murray was fined $ 21,000 for violating
18432-457: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,
18576-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
18720-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands
18864-531: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in
19008-430: The team in carries and rushes during the Week 16 38–24 loss to the Redskins with five carries for 27 yards and a touchdown. Murray fumbled a pitch that was returned by DeAngelo Hall for a touchdown just when the Eagles were within six points. Going into the final game of the season against the Giants, head coach Chip Kelly was fired and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur became the interim head coach. Murray rushed for
19152-458: The team reached an agreement with Ryan Mathews for a three-year deal. However, the Eagles quickly turned their attention into signing Murray, who was still available in free agency . On March 12, Murray agreed to a five-year, $ 42 million contract, joining his former college teammate, quarterback Sam Bradford . In his first game with the Eagles, Murray had just eight carries for nine yards. However, he scored two touchdowns, an eight-yard run and
19296-499: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following
19440-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
19584-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
19728-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in
19872-555: Was selected in the third round with the 71st overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys . He was the sixth running back chosen in the 2011 draft. On July 29, 2011, Murray signed a four-year contract worth $ 2.97 million including a signing bonus worth $ 622,000. Murray started his rookie year as the third string running back behind starter Felix Jones and second string running back Tashard Choice . From Week 1 to Week 4, Murray had 14 carries for 39 yards (2.78 average) and added three receptions for 16 yards. On October 16,
20016-527: Was also battling an injury of his own. Returning from injury in Week 9, Murray was limited with four carries for 31 yards as the Dallas coaching staff abandoned the running game with 51 passing plays to 10 rushing plays in a 27–23 victory over the Minnesota Vikings . Although he did not have many opportunities in this game, Murray would improve as 61% of his rushing yards came from the second half of
20160-520: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in
20304-535: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at
20448-422: Was ranked fourth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list. On March 9, 2015, it was reported in the media that Frank Gore had agreed in principle to a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to replace LeSean McCoy , who was recently traded to the Buffalo Bills . However, the following day, Gore had second thoughts and signed instead with the Indianapolis Colts . Following this setback,
20592-526: Was the most in the league among players with 150 or more attempts. He also recorded 53 catches for 350 yards and a touchdown, ranking 11th, 14th, and tied for 16th among running backs. Murray replaced Frank Gore in the 2014 Pro Bowl after Gore got injured during the NFC Championship against the Seattle Seahawks . This marked Murray's first Pro Bowl nomination. He had four rushes for 25 yards and caught four passes for another 37 yards as he scored
20736-403: Was traded to the Tennessee Titans along with the Eagles' 2016 fourth round draft pick , in exchange for the Titans' 2016 fourth round draft pick . During the season-opening 25–16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings , Murray had 42 rushing yards, 35 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. In the next game against the Detroit Lions , he had a 67-yard rush as part of a 89-yard performance as
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