Warrick Dunn was one of the most successful Running Backs at Florida State, where he had over 5,000 Yards From Scrimmage, 49 Touchdowns, a National Championship in 1993, and an All-American in 1996. Dunn was the first RB taken off the board in the 1997 Draft, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as his landing spot. Dunn’s career was not exclusive to Tampa but to the NFC South.
Dunn transitioned into the professional ranks with ease, winning the Rookie of the Year and a trip to the Pro Bowl with a dual-threat attack of 1,440 Yards From Scrimmage. Blessed with great field vision and a powerful frame, Dunn rarely was in the rushing yards leadership, but mostly because he was an above-average accumulator from the air. Dunn added a second Pro Bowl off of a 1,555 YFS year, but a banged-up Dunn had his lowest production, 1,004 YFS with only 447 Rushing Yards, brought him to free agency, where he signed with the Atlanta Falcons, a team he is equally synonymous with.
A Falcon for six seasons, Dunn had three straight years with over 1,000 Yards (2004-06) with a Pro Bowl in 2005. That year, Dunn had career-highs in Rushing Yards (1,416) and YFS (1,636), with him rushing for 9 TDs (his best) the year before. Dunn requested his release when Michael Carter was signed, and he returned to Tampa for one final season in 2008.
A write-up about Dunn is never complete without mentioning his philanthropy. The winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2004 and the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award in 2007, Dunn’s efforts in home building and ownership for single-parent families helped so many people. If character was the only prerequisite for Canton, Dunn would already be there.
On the field, Dunn compiled an impressive 15,306 Yards From Scrimmage with 64 Touchdowns.
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