Greg Pruitt

Gregory Donald Pruitt, born on August 18, 1951, in Houston, TX, established a distinguished career in Football spanning college and professional leagues. He first gained recognition during his college years at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a unanimous All-American in both 1971 and 1972, and also earned All-Big 8 honors in those same years. Pruitt’s college career highlighted his versatility and offensive prowess, accumulating 3,122 rushing yards, 491 receiving yards, 139 punt return yards, and 679 kickoff return yards, totaling 41 career touchdowns. His impact was particularly noted in expanding the integration of Black players in college football, with strong performances against top Southeastern Conference teams like Alabama and Auburn, contributing to their subsequent recruitment of Black athletes. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1971 and second in 1972.

Pruitt was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 2nd round (30th overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft. Despite initial concerns about his size (5’10”, 190 lbs), he quickly became a key player for the Browns, leading the team in rushing five times and achieving three 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his nine years with the franchise (1973-1981). His professional career saw him earn four Pro Bowl selections with the Cleveland Browns. In 1979, he showcased his athletic diversity by winning ABC’s Superstars competition. Towards the end of his career, in 1982, Pruitt was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders. He played three seasons with the Raiders (1982-1984), primarily as a return specialist.

In 1983, Pruitt had a career-defining year as a return specialist for the Los Angeles Raiders. He led the league with 58 punt returns for 666 yards, setting an NFL record for punt return yards in a season, and also recorded one punt return touchdown and a 97-yard long punt return. That same year, he earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection, this time as a kick returner, and was a crucial part of the Raiders team that won Super Bowl XVIII against the Washington Redskins. He retired from the NFL in 1984, concluding his career with 5,672 rushing yards, 3,069 receiving yards, 47 total touchdowns, and 13,262 all-purpose yards. In 1999, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The “Greg Pruitt rule” made tear-away jerseys illegal due to his frequent use of them.