Eric Dickerson

During the April 1983 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Dickerson. He was the second player selected in the draft, behind quarterback John Elway.

Eric Dickerson

Dickerson's start in the pros, however, was not nearly as smooth as his stride. His first game, a scrimmage game against the Dallas Cowboys, was a near disaster. "I was so jittery my mind went completely blank," he recalled in Nielsen's book. "I couldn't remember a thing—not a play, not a formation, not anything."

Dickerson's jitters plagued him at the start of his rookie year. In his first three pro game appearances, Dickerson fumbled the ball six times. One of the fumbles led to a game-winning field goal by the opponent. Dickerson soon calmed down and in his fourth game, he made an 85-yard touchdown run against the New York Jets. Later, he rushed for 199 yards against the Detroit Lions. Despite his shaky start, Dickerson ended up rewriting the NFL rookie record book. He ended the season as the NFL's top rusher with 1,808 yards, beating out all of the other veteran players. He scored eighteen touchdowns rushing and gained 100 or more yards in nine games. That season, he set rookie records for rushing yards (1,808), rushing attempts (390), and rushing touchdowns (18) to earn NFL Rookie of the Year honors.