Chuck Foreman

Walter Eugene "Chuck" Foreman (born October 26, 1950) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL).

Considered one of the best passing-catching backs in NFL history, Foreman started in three Super Bowls with the Vikings and was the premiere back for the team for most of the 1970s.

Although he received more scholarship offers for basketball than football, Foreman accepted a football scholarship from the University of Miami in 1970, as he enjoyed playing the sport more than basketball.

As a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team, Foreman played multiple positions in his college career.

He was limited on offense during his 1970 sophomore campaign due to injuries in the team's defensive backfield, which necessitated that he change his position to cornerback.

Fran Curci took over as head coach for the 1971 season and switched Foreman back to running back.

That season, he combined with teammate Tom Sullivan to form a running back tandem nicknamed "The Gold Dust Twins" due to their running abilities.

This was Foreman's finest statistical season as a ball-carrier, as he rushed 191 times for 951 yards.

He also caught 7 passes for 72 yards that season and was named a first-team All American by the publication Sporting News.

Foreman transitioned to wide receiver for his senior season, and although his production on the ground dipped to 484 yards on 107 carries, his receiving production increased to 557 yards on 37 receptions.

Foreman finished his college career having never played in a bowl game.

Foreman had a noted issue with fumbling during his college career, which he attributed to holding the ball too loosely, resulting in it being knocked out of his hands by his knees while running.

After rushing for 801 yards on 182 carries and catching 37 passes for 362 yards during the regular season, Foreman won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and was voted to the Pro Bowl, helping the Vikings improve from a 7–7 record in 1972 to a 12–2 record and a NFC Central division championship in 1973.

In the playoffs, the Vikings defeated the Washington Redskins in the divisional round and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game en route to a Super Bowl appearance against the Miami Dolphins.

The Vikings lost Super Bowl VIII 24–7; Foreman was held to only 18 yards rushing and 27 yards receiving in the game.

He later said that the Dolphins were the best team that the Vikings faced in the Super Bowl that decade.

Upon entering the league in 1973, he was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first five seasons of his career.

During this time, he was also named once first-team All-Pro team and three second-team All-Pro teams.

Nicknamed "The Spin Doctor" for his elusive running abilities, Foreman held the Vikings franchise record for rushing yards from scrimmage upon his retirement.

After attending the University of Miami, he was drafted 12th overall in the 1973 NFL draft by the Vikings.

Foreman was instructed on proper ball-carrying technique by New York Jets coach Weeb Ewbank during the 1973 Senior Bowl, which helped to alleviate the issue in preparation for his professional career.

Foreman was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 12th pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft.

He learned that he was drafted while sitting in his apartment at the University of Miami and at first felt consternation toward playing in Minnesota due to the cold, recalling a time in which flamethrowers were used to thaw the field of Metropolitan Stadium before a game.

The Vikings were initially unsure how to utilize Foreman due to his experience playing multiple positions in college.

He insisted on playing running back to prove wrong coach Curci, who had told him that he would never be able to play the position in the NFL.

During his rookie season, Foreman was inserted into the Vikings' offense as their premiere back, often catching passes out of the backfield in an offensive scheme that was a precursor to the West Coast offense.

In 1974, Foreman was again voted to the Pro Bowl and was selected as a second-team All-Pro by the Pro Football Writers Association, the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and the Associated Press.

He ran for 777 yards on 199 attempts while adding 586 yards on 53 receptions and also led the league in combined rushing and receiving touchdowns with 15.

Foreman suffered a knee injury during the 1978 season, after which his skills declined, and he officially retired from professional football in 1980.

Following his football career, Foreman was involved with numerous business ventures in the Twin Cities area.

In 2000, he was arrested for his part in a mail fraud scheme, for which he was sentenced to probation.

After sentencing, he began public speaking at schools and became a substitute teacher in Bloomington.

In recent years, there have been efforts by fans and former Vikings players for Foreman to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Foreman was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland where he attended Frederick High School, competing in basketball, football, and track and field.

Growing up, he was a fan of the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Colts of the NFL as well as the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA.

Playing the end position on the football team, he began incorporating the spin move into his running style after watching Bullets player Earl Monroe use the same maneuver while playing basketball, a move which inspired Foreman's nickname during his professional career.

During his high school career, Foreman caught four touchdown passes in a single game against Bel Air High School.

As part of the team's 50th anniversary celebration, Foreman was named as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings in 2010.

The Professional Football Researchers Association named Foreman to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2010

Foreman was raised in Frederick, Maryland and was a standout athlete in football, basketball and track at Frederick High School.