Tony Pollard (American football)

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Tony Pollard
refer to caption
Pollard in 2019
No. 20 – Dallas Cowboys
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1997-04-30) April 30, 1997 (age 24)
Memphis, Tennessee
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:212 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:Melrose High School
College:Memphis (2016–2018)
NFL Draft:2019 / Round: 4 / Pick: 128
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2021
Rushing yards:1,609
Rushing average:5.1
Rushing touchdowns:8
Receptions:82
Receiving yards:637
Receiving touchdowns:2
Return yards:1,500
Return touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Tony Randall Pollard (born April 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Memphis, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Early years[]

Pollard attended Melrose High School, where he played high school football. As a senior, he was a two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback on the high school football team.[1] He helped the team reach the playoffs, while making over 1,200 receiving yards, 20 touchdowns and being named All-District 16-AAA.[2]

College career[]

Pollard accepted a football scholarship from the University of Memphis. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 13 games, of which he started seven. He registered 29 receptions for 298 yards (10.3-yard avg.), 31 carries for 159 yards (5.1-yard avg.) and three touchdowns.[3] He finished among the national leaders in kickoff return average (28.1 yards). He had two returns for touchdown and was named the American Athletic Conference's Special Teams Player of the Year.[4]

As a sophomore, he posted 36 receptions for 536 yards (14.9-yard avg.) and 30 carries for 230 yards (7.7-yard avg.) and six touchdowns.[5] He led the nation with a school-record 40-yard average per kickoff return (22 for 881 yards) and four returns for touchdowns. He repeated as the American Athletic Conference's Special Teams Player of the Year.[6]

As a junior, even though he shared the backfield with Darrell Henderson, he totaled 78 receptions for 552 yards (7.1-yard avg.), 39 carries for 458 yards (11.7-yard avg.), ten touchdowns with one kickoff return for a touchdown.[7] In the 2018 Birmingham Bowl against Wake Forest, he recorded 318 all-purpose yards (209 on kickoff returns) and one rushing touchdown.[8]

Pollard was considered one of the best kickoff return specialists in college football, tying a FBS record with seven career kick-return touchdowns, 87 kickoff returns (second in school history), 2,616 kickoff return yards (second in school history), 30.1 kick-return average (school record) and 4,680 all-purpose yards (second in school history).[9]

On January 11, 2019, Pollard declared for the 2019 NFL Draft.[10] Just six days later, on January 17, 2019, Pollard was added to the 2019 North Senior Bowl roster.[11]

Statistics[]

Year School Pos G Rushing Receiving Scrimmage
Att Yds Avg TD Rec Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD
2016 Memphis WR 13 31 159 5.1 1 29 298 10.3 2 60 457 7.6 3
2017 Memphis RB 13 36 536 14.9 2 30 230 7.7 4 66 766 11.6 6
2018 Memphis WR 14 39 458 11.7 3 78 552 7.1 6 117 1,010 8.6 9
Career 40 106 1,153 10.8 6 137 1,080 7.9 12 243 2,233 9.2 18

Professional career[]

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 11+5⁄8 in
(1.82 m) 		210 lb
(95 kg) 		30 in
(0.76 m) 		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		 4.52 s 1.58 s 2.63 s 35 in
(0.89 m)		 10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		 13 reps
All values from NFL Combine[12][13]

Pollard was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (128th overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft.[14]

2019 season[]

He had 13 carries for 24 yards in his NFL debut in Week 1 against the New York Giants in the 35–17 victory.[15] During Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins, Pollard posted his first career 100+-yard game as he finished with 103 rushing yards on 13 carries and a touchdown as the Cowboys won 31–6.[16] During Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams, Pollard finished with 131 rushing yards on 12 attempts, including a 44-yard touchdown as the Cowboys won 44–21.[17] Overall, in his rookie season, he finished with 86 carries for 455 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 15 receptions for 107 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[18]

2020 season[]

Pollard continued his role as a backup to Ezekiel Elliott to go along with some kickoff return duties in the 2020 season.[19] In Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, Pollard recorded 132 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns during the 41–33 win.[20] Overall, he appeared in all 16 games, of which he started two, in the 2020 season. He finished with 101 carries for 435 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 28 receptions for 193 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[21]

2021 season[]

Pollard playing against the Washington Football Team in 2021.

In Week 2, against the Los Angeles Chargers, Pollard totaled 137 scrimmage yards in the 20–17 victory.[22] In Week 5, against the New York Giants, Pollard totaled 103 scrimmage yards in the 44–20 victory.[23]

NFL statistics[]

Legend
Bold Career High
Year Team Games Rushing Kickoff return Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Ret Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
2019 DAL 15 0 86 455 5.3 44 2 14 245 17.5 30 0 15 107 7.1 21 1 1 1
2020 DAL 16 2 101 435 4.3 42 4 32 766 23.9 67 0 28 192 6.9 30 1 0 0
2021 DAL 15 0 130 719 5.5 58 2 17 489 28.8 100 1 39 337 8.6 32 0 2 0
Career 46 2 317 1,609 5.1 44 8 63 1,500 23.8 100 1 82 637 7.8 32 2 3 1

References[]

  1. ^ "Tony Pollard, Melrose , All Purpose Back". 247Sports.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Prep insider: All-district 16-AAA football teams". www.commercialappeal.com. November 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Tony Pollard 2016 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  4. ^ Schad, Tom (November 30, 2016). "Tony Pollard is AAC special teams player of the year; Five other Tigers earn all-conference honors". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "Tony Pollard 2017 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "2017 American Athletic Conference Football Postseason Honors". theamerican.org. November 29, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Tony Pollard 2018 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "Birmingham Bowl - Memphis vs Wake Forest Box Score, December 22, 2018". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Tony Pollard – 2018 – University of Memphis". gotigersgo.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  10. ^ Barnes, Evan (January 12, 2019). "Memphis football's Tony Pollard declares for the NFL Draft". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved February 20, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Kuhn, Gabe (January 17, 2019). "Memphis' Tony Pollard added to Senior Bowl Roster". underdogdynasty.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Tony Pollard Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  13. ^ "Tony Pollard, Memphis, WR, 2019 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "2019 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  15. ^ "New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys – September 8th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  16. ^ "Prescott, Cowboys get out of funk, ease past Dolphins 31–6". www.espn.com. Associated Press. September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Cowboys render coin toss mix-up moot, throttle Rams 44–21". www.espn.com. Associated Press. December 15, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Tony Pollard 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  19. ^ "2020 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  20. ^ "San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys – December 20th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  21. ^ "Tony Pollard 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  22. ^ "Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers - September 19th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  23. ^ "New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys - October 10th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.

External links[]

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