Flashback Friday: Chuck Foreman Is an All-Time Great
When Chuck Foreman played running back for the Minnesota Vikings in the ’70s no one could have predicted that he would help spark a change in the way backs were utilized. Foreman not only changed the game of football forever, but he also helped to reinvigorate a slumping Vikings offense and led the team to 3 (would have been 4 without a Hail Mary pass by Dallas) Super Bowls.
The Making of a Viking
Foreman was raised in Frederick, MD, between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD. He was a stand-out athlete in basketball, football, and track. He loved watching his hometown pro sports teams and often tried to emulate the moves of the famous players. Most notably, he took a spin made famous by Baltimore Bullet guard, Earl Monroe, and applied it to the gridiron. This famous move earned him the nickname “Spin Doctor” and he used it to frustrate defenders everywhere during his career.
Foreman received several scholarship offers for basketball but football was his true passion. He accepted an offer from the University of Miami and headed south. He initially played both ways, but his junior year new coach, Fred Curci, moved him to running back. He paired up with fellow teammate Tom Sullivan for an incredible season and they became known as the “Gold Dust Twins.” His junior year he rushed 191 times for 951 yards and caught 7 passes for 72 yards. His senior year he was moved yet again, this time to wide receiver, and had 37 receptions for 557 yards and 104 rushes for 484 yards. While the position change frustrated him – he wanted to play RB – it helped to create one of his most valuable skills: a RB that can catch the ball.
What Do We Do With This Guy?
Foreman was drafted in 1973 by the Vikings with the 12th pick in the first round. He said he was initially unsure about heading to the frozen tundra of Minnesota. He had seen nightmarish images of the field being defrosted with flamethrowers. Likewise, Minnesota was a bit unsure of what to do with Foreman, he did not fit a traditional mold and initially, he was listed as a fullback. He insisted on playing RB, his old coach Curci had told him he would never play running back in the pros and he felt he had something to prove.
Head Coach Bud Grant quickly realized what a tremendous talent he had acquired and Foreman rapidly became the premier back. He was joining a tremendously talented Vikings team – the “Purple People Eaters” defense was shutting down the opposition and quarterback Fran Tarkenton was becoming a legend. Foreman would make his own impression and was among the first RBs to catch passes out of the backfield. He put his spin move and lateral sidestep into action and left confused defenders in his wake. In his rookie year, he had a tremendous impact, 801 rushing yards on 182 carries with 4 TDs and 37 receptions for 362 yards and 2 TDs. The Vikings made it all the way to the Super Bowl that year against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins won that game and the key to their success was stopping Foreman. He was held to only 18 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards.
No Sophomore Slump
Foreman came back in 1974 and proved that he was not a one-hit-wonder. The coaches were thrilled with their new weapon and began to draw up additional ways to get the ball into his hands. He ran that year for 777 yards on 199 attempts with 9 TDs and had 53 receptions for 586 yards and 6 TDs. His combined 15 TDs led the league. Once again Minnesota made it to the Super Bowl, this time against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers took a page from the Dolphins and won the game 16-6. They were also able to shut Foreman down – 18 yards on 12 carries and 50 yards on 5 receptions.
His remarkable feats did not end there, in 1975 he led the league in receptions (73) despite being a RB and set a league record at that time. He helped the Vikings stay serious contenders each season and in 1977 they returned to the Super Bowl. This time against the Oakland Raiders. Once again the Vikings were defeated, 32-14.
A Viking Legend
Foreman continued on to play in Minnesota until a knee injury in 1978 slowed him down. He was traded to the New England Patriots in 1980 and played one season for them before retiring. Foreman has never been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some say, in looking purely at statistics, that he does not have the numbers of the modern-day RBs. However, RBs before him did not have his numbers. Many would argue he deserves the honor, as his significant contributions forever changed the game of football. His career was not long, only 8 seasons, and in those 8 he went to 5 Pro-Bowls and was a 4-time All-Pro. He was also inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor and was named to the 50th-anniversary team.
Chuck Foreman caught, ran, spun, and sidestepped the running back of old into a modern dual threat.
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