Kansas City Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire on pace to break rookie record
By Cullen Jekel
Olandis Gary
Then, on the flip side, there’s the current record-holder, Olandis Gary, a running back drafted in the fourth round out of Georgia by the two-time Super Bowl defending champion Denver Broncos in 1999. Gary, unlike Rice, was taken by a team trending downward.
The Broncos had just lost leader and starting quarterback John Elway to retirement. In 1998, the Broncos starting running back, Terrell Davis, had just rushed for over 2,000 yards while scoring a total of 23 touchdowns to win the MVP award.
Suffice it to say, Gary was not supposed to be the focal point of the team’s offense. Davis was returning at age 27, and while the team had a new quarterback in Brian Griese, the team also brought back receiving weapons like Ed McCaffrey, Rod Smith, and tight end Shannon Sharpe.
But Davis went down in the team’s fourth game with an injury that all but stalled his career (though he still wound up making the Hall of Fame), and the team turned to Gary, who performed admirably.
That season, while the Broncos dropped to 6-10, Gary rushed for 1,159 yards and seven touchdowns while adding another 159 yards receiving for a total of 1,318 yards from scrimmage. He did that all in 12 games for an average of 109.9 yards per game. Offensive Rookie of the Year went to Colts running back Edgerrin James, but Gary still outperformed what had been expected of him.
Gary’s career didn’t take off like Rice’s, though. He played another three seasons in Denver, all hampered by injuries, and never rushed for more than 228 yards in a given season. He only scored two more touchdowns as a Bronco.
In 2003, Gary wrapped his career with one forgettable 5-11 season with the Detroit Lions, a team that had Joey Harrington under center. (So instead of getting Montana and Young, Gary was stuck with offenses led by Griese and Harrington. Woof.) Gary played in 13 games that season, a career-high, but rushed for only 384 yards with two touchdowns before exiting stage left.