A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. There are usually one or two running backs on the field for a given play, depending on the offensive formation. A running back may be a halfback, a wingback, or a fullback. A running back will sometimes be called a "feature back" if he is the team's key player/more prominent running back.
Irving Dale Fryar Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Fryar played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected with the first overall pick of the 1984 NFL draft, becoming the second wide receiver to be taken number one overall, the first being Dave Parks in 1964. Fryar played professionally for the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins of the NFL. Known for his longevity, his best seasons statistically came well into his 30s, at a time when many receivers are on the tail end of their careers, and he played for 17 seasons, retiring at the age of 39 holding several NFL longevity records for receivers.
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning first-team All-America honors in 1990.
Eric Demetric Dickerson is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Dickerson played college football for the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected second overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, and later played for the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons. During his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL's single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and, in 2019, was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to myopia.
Kenneth Mason Easley Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons from 1981 to 1987. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was a three-time consensus All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1981 NFL draft, by the Seattle Seahawks, where he played his entire career. Nicknamed "the Enforcer", Easley has been considered to be among the best defensive backs during his era and one of the Seahawks' all-time greatest players.
Mel Kiper Jr. is an analyst covering American football for ESPN. Kiper has appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984. He has been widely credited for establishing mock drafting and is regarded as one of the first draftniks alongside Joel Buchsbaum.
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland, to Indianapolis, Indiana, before the season.
Jeffrey Aloysius Van Note is an American former professional football player who was a center for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. The Falcons selected him in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft.
Anthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisiana State University and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft. McFarland also played for the Indianapolis Colts, and won two Super Bowl rings in his career: one with the Buccaneers and another with the Colts. He was an analyst for Monday Night Football in 2018 and 2019, before joining as a pregame analyst on Monday Night Countdown in 2020.
The 1984 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 1–2, 1984, at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York City, New York. No teams elected to claim any players in the regular supplemental draft that year. The NFL did have a special supplemental draft for college seniors who had already signed with the USFL or CFL on June 5, 1984.
Gregory Leon Bell is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Raiders, from 1984 to 1990.
Raleigh McKenzie is an American former professional football player who was a guard and center in the National Football League (NFL). During a 16-year football career, he played for four different teams. Raleigh played guard for the Washington Redskins from 1985 to 1994. He was drafted in the 11th round of the 1985 NFL draft by Washington. Nicknamed "Rallo", he played primarily as a reserve during his first season before becoming a vital starter due to injury. He started in each game after that at any of the five positions on the offensive line, but his speciality was center. He played on two Super Bowl champion teams in 1987 and 1991. He was named to the UPI All-NFL Team in 1991. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, and Green Bay Packers.
Jay Brian Schroeder is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, after which he was selected in the third round of the 1984 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins, where he played for four seasons. He then played for the Los Angeles Raiders for five seasons and spent one season each with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals.
Theron Joseph Rubley is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), World League of American Football (WLAF), and the Canadian Football League (CFL) during the 1990s. He played for the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and Denver Broncos of the NFL, the Rhein Fire of the WLAF, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL.
Guy Maurice McIntyre is an American former football guard who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1984 NFL draft. McIntyre played in three Super Bowls and five Pro Bowls with the 49ers.
Patrick Lee Ryan is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Jets in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL draft. After his playing career, he became a color analyst on the Vol Radio Network, broadcasting games for his alma mater.
Brian Blados is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard and offensive tackle for nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Bengals in the first round of the 1984 NFL draft. He attended Washington-Lee High School. His high school teammates called him "Mutton Head" because his head was "as big as a lamb and full of wool." Blados was the first 300lb offensive lineman to start in the NFL and played nine seasons, mostly with the Cincinnati Bengals, and was an integral part of the team that reached Super Bowl XXIII. Blados currently resides in the Cincinnati area.
The 1984 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 52nd in the National Football League (NFL). The team improved upon their previous output of 5–11, winning six games. Despite the improvement, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third straight season.
Quintus Alonzo McDonald is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL).
The 1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players was a one-time draft of United States Football League and Canadian Football League players, held in the spring of 1984.
