Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, 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 ...
executive and former
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
and
return specialist
A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position ...
who is a personnel consultant for the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Kansas State
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
, where he is the
all-time leading rusher, and was drafted by the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
in the fourth round of the
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 NFL draft, draft was held April 23–24, 2005 NFL seaso ...
. He also played for the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
and the Eagles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Sproles was named as a kick returner on the
Chargers 50th Anniversary Team. He joined the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
before the 2011 season, and broke the NFL record for most single-season
all-purpose yardage
All-purpose yards or all-purpose yardage is a gridiron football statistical measure. It is virtually the same as the statistic that some football leagues refer to as combined net yards. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing ...
the same year, with 2,696 yards. During that season, he set career highs with 603 yards rushing (6.9 yards per carry) and 710 yards receiving and a combined total of 9 touchdowns. Sproles is the first player in NFL history with 2,200+ all purpose yards in 4 different seasons (2008–2011). Sproles is ranked 5th in career all-purpose yards in NFL history (19,696 yards).
Early years
Sproles attended
Olathe North High School
Olathe North High School is a public high school located in Olathe, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is one of five high schools in the Olathe USD 233 school district. The school colors are red and royal blue an ...
in
Olathe, Kansas
Olathe ( ) is the county seat of Johnson County, Kansas, United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in both the Kansas City metropolitan area and the state of Kansas, with a 2020 population of 141,290.
History 19th century
Olathe was ...
. He has been conquering a
speech impediment
Speech disorders or speech impairments are a type of communication disorder in which normal speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute. Speech skills are ...
he has had since childhood. Sproles was a star in
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, earning the name "Tank", after having been born at . For two consecutive years, he was an All-Sunflower League honoree, All-Metro honoree, and an All-State selection. Additionally, he was twice named ''
The Kansas City Star
''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and as ...
'' Player of the Year. As a senior, he was named the Kansas Hall of Fame Player of the Year and the ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' Kansas Player of the Year. Throughout his high school career, Sproles rushed for 5,230 yards, averaging nearly 8.4 yards per carry and 79 touchdowns.
Sproles was a high school All-American as selected by Student Sports Magazine. He was also the winner of Thomas A. Simone Trophy, given to the top big-class football player in Kansas City metro area. In 1999, he rushed for 2,031 yards in nine games as a junior. In 2000, during his senior year, Sproles rushed for 2,485 yards, scoring 49 touchdowns. He led his Olathe North Eagles to a 12–0 record and their fourth Kansas 6A state title in five years.
Track and field
In addition to football, Sproles was a track star at Olathe North. He finished 2nd in the state in the
200 meters
The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...
as a junior, with a time of 21.6 seconds. He also placed 4th at Class 6A States in
100 meters
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
, with a time of 10.93 seconds, and 3rd in the
200 meters
The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...
, with a time of 22.04 seconds.
Sproles has achieved personal bests of 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.6 seconds in the 200 meters.
College career
Sproles played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
from 2001 to 2004,
starting all games in his last two seasons and setting 23
school records. In the 2001 season, he made his collegiate debut against New Mexico State and had four carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 28 carries for 210 rushing yards and one touchdown in six games.
In the 2002 season, Sproles's role in the offense expanded. In the season opener against Western Kentucky, he had 135 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. On October 5, in the game at Colorado, he had 121 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. On November 2, against Kansas, he had 110 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He followed that up with 103 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against Iowa State. In the next game, against Nebraska, he had 159 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Overall, in the 2002 season, he finished with 1,465 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
In the 2003 season, Sproles continued to produce greatly for the Wildcats. In the season opener against California, he had 175 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. On September 13, against Massachusetts, he had 152 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to help get the Wildcats to a 4–0 start. On November 8, in a game at Iowa State, he had 201 rushing yard and three rushing touchdowns. On November 22, against Missouri, he had 43 carries for 273 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
championship in 2003, a 35–7 win over #1 ranked
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, he had 235 rushing yards and 88 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. Overall, he finished the 2003 season with 1,986 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. That same year, he finished fifth in the
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
voting. He graduated with a degree in
speech pathology
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
. He led all
FBS teams in rushing yards in 2003 with 1,986.
Sproles started the 2004 season off strong with 42 carries for 221 yards and a touchdown in a victory over Western Kentucky. On September 18, against Louisiana–Lafayette, he had 292 rushing yards and a touchdown. On October 23, against Nebraska, he had 135 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On November 6, against Missouri, he had 160 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the final game of his collegiate career, against Iowa State, he had 167 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Overall, he finished the 2004 season with 1,318 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sproles finished 11th on the all-time college rushing yards list, with the 6th most all-purpose yards in
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
history.
Sproles was inducted to the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame, leading the class of 2021.
Collegiate statistics
Professional career
San Diego Chargers
Sproles was drafted by the Chargers in the fourth round of the
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 NFL draft, draft was held April 23–24, 2005 NFL seaso ...
with the 130th overall pick.
2005/2006 seasons
Sproles spent the
2005 season as the third string running back, behind
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
and
Michael Turner, returning kicks and punts. He then spent the entire 2006 season on
injured reserve list
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
after breaking his ankle during the preseason.
2007 season
On November 11, 2007, in the
Chargers' 23–21 upset over the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, Sproles made history by returning a kickoff and a punt for his first two NFL touchdowns—the first player in league history ever to do so. He returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for the game's first score. After
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
's field goal increased the Chargers' lead to 10–0, Sproles returned a
Hunter Smith
Hunter Dwight Smith (born August 9, 1977) is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Smith earned a Super Bowl ring ...
punt 46 yards for another touchdown for a 16–0 lead. Sproles became the first player to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game since
Dante Hall
Damieon Dante Hall (born September 20, 1978) is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is nicknamed the "Human Joystick" and the "X-Factor". Hall was a ...
did so in 2003.
On December 16, 2007, Sproles ran one yard for his first career rushing touchdown against the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
. This was followed by an 11-yard run for his second rushing touchdown, capping off his first career 100+ yard rushing game. Overall, he finished the 2007 regular season with 164 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 10 receptions for 31 yards. On special teams, he had 37 kick returns for 1,008 net yards and a touchdown to go along with 24 punt returns for 229 net yards and a touchdown. The Chargers made the playoffs in 2007. In the Divisional Round against the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, he had a 56-yard receiving touchdown in the 28–24 victory. He had 34 rushing yards in the AFC Championship loss to the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in the next round.
2008 season
On September 14, 2008, Sproles became just the second player in NFL history with 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and 100 return yards in one game (the other being
Gale Sayers
Gale Eugene Sayers (May 30, 1943September 23, 2020) was an American professional football player who was both a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a relatively brief but highly productive NFL career, Saye ...
with the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
). His statistics for the game included: 53 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards, and 192 return yards. Sproles logged 317 all-purpose yards in a 39–38 loss to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. He also had a 103-yard touchdown return. On December 4, he had three receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns in a 34–7 victory over the Oakland Raiders. In the regular season finale, in the second divisional game against the Denver Broncos, he had 115 rushing yards and his lone rushing touchdown of the regular season. Overall, he finished the 2008 season with 330 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 29 receptions for 342 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he had 53 kick returns for 1,376 net yards and a touchdown to go along with 22 punt returns for 249 net yards.
On January 3, 2009, during an AFC
Wild Card Round game against the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, Sproles ran for two touchdowns in place of the injured
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime to beat the Colts 23–17. With 105 yards rushing, 45 yards receiving and 178 return yards, Sproles finished the game with 328 all-purpose yards in the Chargers victory over the Colts, the third most all-purpose yards by a player in a single NFL post-season game in NFL history. He was named the
NBC Sunday Night Football
''NBC Sunday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''SNF'') is an American weekly television broadcast of National Football League (NFL) games on NBC and Peacock in the United States. It began airing on August 6, 2006, with the Pro Football Hall of Fa ...
"Horse Trailer Player of the Game" for the second consecutive week. The week following however, Sproles was stopped by the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. He managed only 15 yards on 11 carries, but did have 5 receptions for 91 yards including a 62-yard touchdown.
2009 season
On February 18, 2009, the Chargers placed their
franchise tag
In the National Football League (NFL), the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has on ...
on Sproles. He signed the tender on April 28, 2009, which was worth $6.621 million. In Week 2, against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, he had seven receptions for 124 yards in the 31–26 loss. On October 19, he had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 34–23 loss to the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. On Christmas Day, he had 38 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 42–17 victory over the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
. Overall, in the 2009 regular season, he finished with 343 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 45 receptions, 497 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he had 54 kick returns for 1,300 net yards and 26 punt returns for 183 net yards and a touchdown.
2010 season
On March 4, 2010, it was reported that the Chargers would tender Sproles a contract, which was worth approximately $7.3 million. Another team would have had to give the Chargers first- and third-round draft picks if they signed Sproles. He appeared in all 16 games and recorded 59 receptions for 520 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 50 carries for 267 rushing yards. On special teams, he had 51 kick returns for 1,257 net yards and 24 punt returns for 166 net yards.
New Orleans Saints
2011 season
On July 29, 2011, Sproles signed a four-year contract worth $14 million with the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. The contract included $6 million in guaranteed money.
On September 8, 2011, during a game against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
, Sproles returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter, and returned a second punt for 20 yards; he also had 2 kick-off returns for 83 yards, including a 57-yard return. That gave Sproles 175 yards of returning on special teams, and on offense, he had seven receptions for 75 yards, along with just two carries for seven yards, and that gave him 257 all-purpose yards.
On September 25, 2011, during a game against the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
, Sproles had 193 all-purpose yards (108 special teams yards and 85 offensive yards), with six receptions for 50 yards, two carries for 35 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run, and on special teams, had four kick-off returns for 103 yards.
On October 23, 2011, during a game against the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, Darren Sproles had 190 all-purpose yards with two touchdowns. On special teams, he had six returns for 83 yards. On offense, he had 12 carries for 88 yards with a 16-yard touchdown run, and six receptions for 19 yards with a six-yard touchdown pass. During this game, Sproles broke over 1,000 all-purpose yards mark.
On December 26, 2011, during a game against the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
, Sproles had 236 all-purpose yards. On special teams, he had four kick-off returns for 147 yards, including a 92-yard return in which he almost returned the football to the house, and on offense, he had just 89 yards of total offense, with five carries for 67 yards, two receptions for 22 yards but with a nine-yard touchdown pass from
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
. This last-play touchdown pass in the fourth quarter helped Drew Brees break the single season record for passing yards (5,084), held by
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (born September 15, 1961) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. After a successful college career at Pittsburgh and be ...
since 1984. That pass gave Brees 5,087 yards for the 2011 regular season with one game remaining.
On January 1, 2012, in the last regular season game, a 45–17 blowout of the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, Sproles had 168 all-purpose yards, in which he had five returns for 99 yards on special teams, and broke the NFL record for all-purpose yards in a season (2,696). Sproles played in both of the Saints' playoff games, scoring three touchdowns, including a 44-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter of a celebrated back-and-forth contest against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
that the Saints ultimately lost 36–32.
Sproles broke over 1,000 all-purpose yards in only his seventh game as a Saint. Maintaining an average of 168.5 all purpose yards per game Sproles finished the 2011 season with 2,696 all-purpose yards, breaking the NFL single-season record, previously set in 2000 by
Derrick Mason
Derrick James Mason (born January 17, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the ...
(2,690 yards). He was ranked 86th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2012
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2012 was the second season of the series. It ended with reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers being ranked #1, while Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football ...
.
2012 season
In Week 2, a 35–27 loss to the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, Sproles had 13 receptions for 128 yards. On November 2, 2012, Saints interim head coach
Joe Vitt
Joe Vitt (born August 23, 1954) is an American football coach who last coached for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was previously the assistant head coach and linebackers coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Fo ...
announced that Sproles would be out indefinitely due to a fractured hand. Sproles returned in Week 12 and played in the Saints' remaining games, finishing the season with 48 rushes for 244 yards and one touchdown, 75 catches for 667 yards and seven touchdowns, 18 kickoff returns for 483 yards, and 23 punt returns for 183 yards.
2013 season
In 2013, Sproles played in 15 regular season games, running for 220 yards and two touchdowns on 53 carries, making 71 catches for 604 yards and two touchdowns, 12 kickoff returns for 225 yards, and 29 punt returns for 194 yards. He played in both of the Saints' playoff games, with seven runs for 31 yards and nine catches for 63 yards.
Philadelphia Eagles
2014 season
On March 13, 2014, Sproles was acquired by the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
in exchange for a
2014 5th-round draft pick.
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is the NFL leader in ...
was quoted after the trade: "You only see a Darren Sproles type of player come around once in your career".
In his first regular season game with the Eagles, against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, he had 11 carries for a total of 71 yards and had one rushing touchdown (49 yards, which was the longest run of his career).He won NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, rushing for 26 yards and a touchdown on four carries and catching seven receptions for 152 yards, two of which were over 50 yards. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for performances in Week 4 and Week 10.
In 2014, Sproles played in 15 regular season games, running for 329 yards and six touchdowns on 57 carries, making 40 catches for 387 yards, one kickoff return for 15 yards, and 39 punt returns for 506 yards and two touchdowns, good for second place on the Eagles' all-time single-season punt return yards, and the most in the NFL in 2014. For his efforts, he was elected to his first career
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
. He was named
second team All-Pro as a return specialist, his first time on an All-Pro team. He was ranked 81st by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.
2015 season
Starting the 2015 season, much hype surrounded the Eagles signing reigning rushing champion
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray (born February 12, 1988) is an American football coach and former running back who played 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 Off ...
and San Diego starter
Ryan Mathews, leading to speculation that Sproles would get less playing time. In the season opener against the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
, Sproles rushed for 50 yards on five attempts and caught seven passes for 76 yards, as well as returning 3 punts for 25 yards. Meanwhile, Murray and Mathews rushed for a combined 11 carries and 13 yards, although they each scored a touchdown rushing while Sproles did not.
In Week 3, DeMarco Murray did not play due to injury, but the Eagles running game prospered under Mathews and Sproles. Sproles was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for returning a punt 89 yards for the touchdown. He also rushed for 17 yards and one touchdown, helping the Eagles win their first game of the season against the 2-0
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, 24–17.
Sproles was given his largest workload since the 2009 season in a Week 13 game against the 10-1
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
, due to the ineffectiveness of Murray and Mathews being hurt. Sproles had 15 carries for 66 yards, four catches for 34 yards, and five punt returns for 115 yards and a touchdown in the 35–28 upset win. Sproles followed it up with a solid game against the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
, with seven carries for 41 yards and a touchdown in the 23–20 win.
Sproles finished the regular season with three rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, and two punt return touchdowns, leading the NFL for the second consecutive year. Sproles was selected to his second straight
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
, and was named
First Team All-Pro, his second straight year as an All-Pro and his first first-team selection.
2016 season
On July 29, 2016, Sproles signed a one-year $4.5 million contract extension with the Eagles through 2017. Sproles was an immediate weapon out of the backfield, catching 10 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown in the first three games of the season, however he was also held to only 51 yards on 19 carries rushing in that same timespan. In a Week 8 loss to the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, Sproles took over as the lead back, carrying the ball 15 times for 86 yards and catching 5 passes for 17 yards. Sproles would retain the lead back role the following week against the New York Giants, rushing 13 times for 57 yards, catching three passes for 14 yards, and gaining 76 yards on two punt returns. On November 7, the day after the Giants game, head coach
Doug Pederson
Douglas Irvin Pederson (born January 31, 1968) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Pederson spent most of his 13-season playing career as ...
officially named Sproles as the starting back. Overall, he finished the 2016 season with 438 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 52 receptions, 427 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. He earned a third consecutive Pro Bowl nomination.
2017 season
On September 25, 2017, it was revealed that Sproles suffered a broken arm and a torn ACL on the same play in a game against the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
in Week 3. He was officially placed on injured reserve that day, prematurely ending his season. In three games, he rushed 15 times for 61 yards with seven receptions for 73 yards. The Eagles went on to win
Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...
. After the season ended, Sproles stated his interest to return to the Eagles for one more season.
2018 season
On April 28, 2018, Sproles re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year contract. On July 15, 2018, Sproles announced that 2018 will be his last NFL season. He returned from his injury to play in the season-opening 18–12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. His return from injury was short-lived as he injured his hamstring in practice before the Week 2 game against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
. He returned in Week 13 to face the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
and scored a rushing touchdown. In the following game, against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, he scored a receiving touchdown. He added another receiving touchdown against the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
in Week 16. Overall, he finished the 2018 season with 120 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 160 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns. In the Wild Card round against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
, he had 21 rushing yards and 14 receiving yards in the 16–15 victory. In the Divisional Round loss to the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, he had four rushing yards and 21 receiving yards.
2019 season
Sproles re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year contract on July 19, 2019. In Week 5, against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, he moved into 5th all-time on the all-purpose yards list, passing
Tim Brown Timothy, Timmy, or Tim Brown may refer to:
Music
* Timothy Brown (bassist) (born 1969), bassist for the band The Boo Radleys
* Timothy Brown (conductor) (born 1946), English choral conductor
* Timothy Brown (hornist), English hornist
Sports Gridir ...
. However Sproles suffered a partially torn right hip flexor muscle and missed the next three games. He returned in Week 9, but further aggravated the injury. He was later revealed that he fully tore the muscle and was ruled out the rest of the season. He was placed on injured reserve on November 15. On December 21, 2019, Sproles announced that he would retire from the NFL following the 2019 season. Sproles was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team.
Records
NFL records
* Most combined total return yards in a two-game playoff span (2008): 602
* Most All-purpose yards in a single season (2011): 2,696
* Most receiving touchdowns by a person shorter than : 32
Chargers franchise records
* Most career kickoff return yards: 6,469
Eagles franchise records
* Most career punt return touchdowns: 4 (Tied with
DeSean Jackson
DeSean William Jackson (born December 1, 1986) is an American football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a con ...
)
Post-playing career
On February 7, 2020, Sproles was hired as a personnel consultant in the Eagles' football operations department, alongside former teammate
Brent Celek
Brent Steven Celek (; born January 25, 1985) is an American football executive and former tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Cincinnati and was drafted by the Eagles in the ...
.
Personal life
Sproles's father, Larry, played running back at
MidAmerica Nazarene University
MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) is a private Nazarene (evangelical Christian) university in Olathe, Kansas in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It was established in 1966.
History
Mid-America Nazarene College (MANC) was founded in 1966. ...
. Larry was tall.
His mother Annette died of cancer in April 2004.
Sproles maintains his off-season home near
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
in
Poway, California
Poway () is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. The unincorporated community became a city on December 1, 1980. Poway's rural roots influenced its motto "The City in the Country". The city has a population of 49,701 as of 2 ...
.
NFL career statistics
See also
*
List of college football yearly rushing leaders
The list of college football yearly rushing leaders identifies the major college rushing leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in three statistical categories: (1) rushing yardage; (2) yards per carry; and (3 ...
*
List of National Football League annual punt return yards leaders
*
Notes
References
External links
*
Kansas State Wildcats bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sproles, Darren
1983 births
Living people
African-American players of American football
American football return specialists
American football running backs
Kansas State Wildcats football players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
New Orleans Saints players
Sportspeople from Olathe, Kansas
Philadelphia Eagles players
Players of American football from Iowa
San Diego Chargers players
Sportspeople from Waterloo, Iowa
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
Philadelphia Eagles executives
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people
Ed Block Courage Award recipients