I'm from Tyler Texas where Earl is from. He's such a legend everywhere but especially here. We have streets named after him and our highschool football stadium is named after him and the house he grew up in is a historical landmark now and is kind of like a museum. I've got the oppurtunity to meet him a couple of times. He can barely get around now and uses a walker because football messed him up pretty bad but he's a great guy.
People in Houston still talk about seeing that hit live.. And every time I tell them the game was blacked out locally because the Dome didn’t sell out in time.. I heard it on the radio..
My favorite quote about Earl came from the Oilers’ head coach, Bum Phillips who once said, “Earl may not be in a class by himself but it sure doesn’t take long to call the roll. “
Earl is one of my best choices for a running back if not the best. His power on those legs of his was astonishing. He was built like a freight train and had the speed and athleticism like a tiger. One not to mess with for real. He cut cut and out juke almost any defender and use stutter steps to make defensive linemen miss tackling him. Legendary football player.
At 8:38 the guy from the Raiders they were talking about was "The Assasin" Jack Tatum who was known to be one of the hardest hitters in history. He even paralyzed a guy in a pre season game. So they kinda made a big deal out the 2 meeting each other at the goal line like it was The Unstoppable Force meets The Immovable Object kinda deal. Somebody said if you was there that day it sounded like a car crash in the stadium Legendary moment indeed Jack Tatum was also the guy responsible for knocking out the reciever on the infamous "Immaculate Reception" play And made a notorious hit on a Viking WR in the Superbowl knocking his helmet off
Thank you for showing my man Earl. As an Oiler fan he was a joy to watch, very exciting. Another thing is he was the nicest most humble man. He didn't even celebrate in the end zone after he scored. He didn't need to, he let his play speak for itself.
I had the pleasure of living in Houston and having season tickets when Earl Campbell played for the Oilers. The man is a huge monster. At the time, the Astrodome was one of the few enclosed stadiums, so sound was phenomenal. When EC would make a big play, they would play "Big Bad Earl," a modification to the old song "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean. Man, brings back fun times!
His son didn't even know that his dad was a football legend until he was in his teens and he learned it from his friends' parents. That's just the kind of guy that Earl Campbell is, a classy country boy. Even at the height of a success, he attributed all of his great work to his blockers, particularly his blocking back, Tim Wilson (#45). "I run through the holes that Tim opens up," he'd say. I grew up in Houston during that Luv Ya Blu era. Earl Campbell could knock on any door in Houston and be welcome in. He made us proud.
Glad you finally did a reaction to Earl Campbell!! One of the all time greats without a doubt. As a side note, I played rugby in Canada and the US for much of my life. If you want to see where American football is most similar to rugby (my opinion only) check out college wishbone option play, particularly Oklahoma of the 70s and 80s. I always loved Nebraska option too. But option play offloads are reminiscent of rugby offloads.
I met Earl at the Hoffbrau steak house in Austin when he was at UT. A polite, humble young man to me and everybody who approached him. He sat down by me, the Viet Nan vet biker guy, at an outside table and ate the biggest porterhouse steak I have ever seen in my life like it was a freaking filet mignon. Way better than #3 in my eyes.
I lived around Houston when Earl was playing. I was not an Oiler's fan, but had to watch the games just to see what Earl would do. Houston had little imagination and no offensive coordinator. It was Earl right, Earl left and Earl up the middle. The defense and everybody else knew who was getting the ball on most plays, yet he still produced incredible numbers. About the same time, there was another running back up the road in Dallas. Dallas actually had an offensive scheme. His name was Tony Dorsett. Rookies generally rode the bench in Dallas their first year, but then Coach Landry put Tony in one game when the Cowboys were way behind. Wow!! O.J. Simpson called it the spin move. He hit you and spun off you. Separation in the first 3 steps. He put up incredible numbers on an offense that had many other weapons. Check him out, if you haven't already.
I've heard Earl Campbell ran into Bevo at the University of Texas. Bevo is the teams mascot, a Longhorn Steer. He knocked the beast over...an animal that weighs more than many modern cars.
I was at the game in Mile High when he ran over Steve Foley. Foley was a solid safety, and not only was he knocked out, but he had a dislocated shoulder that kept him out for a while.....for hitting a man in the THIGH.
More impressive when you remember he was playing against the "Steel Curtain" (greatest defensive dynasty ever) 2 or 3 times a year. The number of hall of famers, all-pro's & pro-bowlers that bounced off him per attempt is light years beyond the next guy.'79 alone he probably had 125 plays where he met a future hall of famer head on. Seen him tear thru the "Sack exchange" & "Dooms day" too.
One of Earl's best attributes, other than his talent of course, was his behavior both on the field & off. He was always humble, never showing off when he scored & acting like a prima donna like just about all players do now. As far as I know he never had any off the field issues like getting in trouble in bars & strip clubs. He was a true gentleman, except if you were an opponent between him & the end zone.
If he fumbled a lot coaches probably would have gone crazy with the way he carried the ball, but he only once had 10 in a season, and he had over 350 touches/year early in his career. Not surprisingly the game with superhuman leg and core strength also had big, strong hands and was pretty good about tucking it in before contact.
I played and ran against his older son Christian the apple don’t fall far from the tree don’t listen to the NFL he is number 1 power back of all time trust me Earl Campbell was special and he still is
I will second the amen on that. Nobody ran wth that true explosive power like Earl did. There's a difference between being strong and breaking tackles and the true explosive power Earl ran with. One of my favorite people ever on this earth.
Jim Brown said he is the second best runningback of all time Im going with Jim on that one! But it was Earl and Bum's Bunch that swayed me from a Steelers fan to an Oilers fan that I am today!! When asked who my team is I have one answer HOUSTON OILERS!!
Nice to hear a rugby guy appreciate our great game. Be sure to check out Larry Csonka at some point. One of the great power backs of all time. I think you’ll enjoy.
Earl Campbell is MY favorite, stumpy strong runner. Perfect height to low mass unstoppable football carrier. One of Campbell's legs was larger than my entire two-leg waist, I am a larger bloke too!
I sat next to him about 7 years ago. We were in Las Vegas and went to an autograph session. What a wonderful, insightful man! Sat next to him, and we talked for about 10 minutes. Massive hands that seen better days, arthritis and signs of broken bones in the past. Such a happy man though.
The oilers used to practice in my home town of San Angelo Texas. After practice the team would sign autographs for the local kids. I got most of those guys autograph in those highlight reels, including Big Earl Cambells!!
He's my favorite all time running back because I grew up in a Houston Oiler family. He was known for trucking people, but like you saw he also had the speed and balance to make big gains. He was the best from 78-80. But his injuries started to catch up with him and retired before the 1986 season.
I grew up in Houston and Austin and got to see Earl play both at UT and with the Oilers. I wish he played in an era where there was more video footage recorded, because I haven't seen much that truly does him justice. IMO he was the GOAT of running backs. He had it all - incredible power, break away speed, and he could juke you out of your shoes. His first couple of years it would take the entire defense to get him down. There would be a string of bodies on the ground from where first contact was to where they finally would get him down. He would literally carry the entire defense 10 yards downfield all at once some times. Just absolutely jaw dropping. When I was a kid in Houston a safety for the Oilers named Greg Stemrick lived down the street from me. He'd throw the ball around with us kids some times - which we thought was awesome. One day he had a bunch of the team over to his house and we sat on our bikes across the street watching them roll up. We watch Earl get out of his car. Holy hell you do not get a true sense of the size of that man's thighs in the videos. His slacks looked like they were going to burst incredible Hulk style at the seems. Just a mountain of a man. Also go back and listen to what Joe Green said about him. That's Mean Joe Green and he called Earl a 'scary dude'.
Mean Joe Greene and the Steelers had a lot of respect for the Oilers during that era. And vise versa. We had a lot of respect for them. Just wish we could've gotten to the SB in that '79 season. I was 12 yrs. old then. I was 10,11, and 12 during that Luv Ya Blue era. Turned 13 in '80 season. Perfect age for that. Doesn't look like there's gonna be another Luv Ya Blue-like era in Houston anytime soon. Miss those days.
@@houstonrebel4449 sounds like we're close to the same age. Yeah I miss those days. Side note I went to North Texas State with Mean Joe's son Major Green and knew him pretty well. I called BS on his dad being Mean Joe for a semester. D'oh - I was an idiot lol.
The franchise that is known as the Tennessee Titans, was once the Houston Oilers. When they pull out their throwback uniforms you will see the old oil derrick on the hat.
I remember watching him run with my dad yelling "tuck the ball in Earl!! Damnit!!!" When he ran for University of Texas it was a very special time!!! #20
That hit he sustained at 4:18 was from Raiders Jack Tatum. Perhaps the hardest hitting safety in the NFL. Maybe the hardest hit EC ever directly took. Both came out dizzy after that play.
The BEST run I remember Campbell making was the hand off was to Earl to go up the left side of the field but the other team had that sealed off. So Earl does a 180 and runs across the field to the other sideline and gets a few steps up field and sees a guy ready to try to tackle him high and Campbell puts the ball in the center of his own chest, wraps his hands around it and gets a little bit lower and explodes his arms and body into the guy, picks him up off of his feet. The guy falls off of him and Campbell never slowed down running right over the guy to a TD.
"If you're going to rank all the NFL running backs in order, put Jim Brown first, and put Earl Campbell's second. You can put the rest of whatever order you want." -Jim Brown
I went to school with Earl. He was really great way back in middle school and just kept getting better every year! Earl was always a nice guy as well. The Tyler Rose.
It's a shame that neither of these videos you watched showed the famous stiff arm he had in college where he straight up lifted a dude into the air by his facemask on the way into the endzone. It's one of the most brutal and famous stiff arm highlights of all time.
I actually saw Earl play for the University of Texas as a 13 year old. Truly amazing. His NFL career I only saw on T.V. Every highlight you have shown, I saw the games. Even nicer in person. 😎
That's my kinfolk! Earl the Pearl, Tyler's Rose. My mama always told me how tough he was all while growing up. Finally getting around to watching. Don't know him well but I miss his mom.
Earl Campbell was a beast. You also have to look at the era in which he played. He was an anomaly for a running back or fullback. He was almost the size of many defensive linemen back then. I grew up watching him in the late 70's, early 80's. Being a lifelong Raiders fan; that was painful watching that hit live on TV he put on Jack Tatum back then.
I was living in Houston at the time of "Love ya Blue". It was magical watching this man run. Each of his thighs were 35 inches in diameter. He inflicted punishment.
Earl only had 5 great years...the pounding he absorbed was just insane and he was simply "all beat to hell" Often wonder if he would have lasted 2-3 more years playing in the I formation with a fullback blocking all the time. They ran a lot of 2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB formations
I was a kid in Houston during the Campbell era and it was kind of amazing to watch, no doubt. I met him once at the Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) practice facility and he was the nicest guy. One of his thighs was as big as my dad's waist... crazy.
The Oilers moved from Houston to Tennesee and are now the Titans. Campbell was 5'11 235 lbs with much of that weight and power in his legs. He was a human wrecking ball and had agility and speed to match. One of the best backs to ever play in the NFL.
Still an “icon” here in Texas USA! He’s but a shell of the man who used to “bulldoze” over opponents! Originally from Tyler, Texas Earl stayed home & played College ball at UT (in Austin) & then made the Houston Oilers his professional home!!!
and to top it off...Earl Campbell is an AWESOME human being as well...very nice and polite, extremely humble. Heck..his own children didnt really know that much about his football days because he never bragged
I was a young teenager and heavily into AFC football (being a Steelers fan) at the height of Campbell's careers. He was a treat to watch live on TV, simply one of the best, if not the best. No argument from me if someone calls him no. 1, just nodding.
Earl still lives in Houston, and you will see him around town all the time. He is the most approachable, nicest guy you will ever meet. Always up for a photo.
The Tatum hit was one of if not the hardest hits in the history of the NFL. The existing sound quality isnt what we get today but people there said it was the loudest hit they had ever heard. They both had to be carried off the field. You have to look at the Atwatter hit on Okoyee next. That would be my #2.
Hi Kiwi! I really enjoy your reactions and enthusiasm for the game. Along with the fact that you understand how difficult and complicated pro ball can be, as well as tough and dangerous it sometimes is. You should check out Emmet Smith he is the current all time leading rusher with the most yards and touchdowns for a running back. His highlight reel is amazing! Thanks I'm Ron from Nashville Tn
You mentioned him being a wrecking ball 3 times. Close, but ironically he was nicknamed The Oiler Cannonball. William Tolar, running back for the Oilers in early 60s was actually nicknamed The Wrecking Ball. The other running back they had at that time, Billy Cannon, was more elusive but great just the same. Both running backs at that time, Tolar and Cannon were both from Louisiana. Just some useless trivia for you.
Described as a "one-man demolition team," Campbell was a punishing runner. His 36-inch thighs, 5-11, 244-pound frame, coupled with 4.6 speed, made him the most feared runner of his time.
No. 1 was Brown, No. 2 John Riggins, who gained more yards and had a longer career. Saw every game of Earl's first four seasons because I was a Houston resident at the time. Caught plenty of Riggin's carries over the years and he was a load as well. But no running back in league history could generate the power Campbell had in those 34" thighs. He also wore pantyhose early in his career because he thought it would prevent muscle pulls. There were no compression shorts back then, and I think he got the pantyhose idea during his college years. His 40-time is recorded as 4.6, but after he was past the line of scrimmage the DBs seemed a step too slow to bring him down. No player, other than Dan Marino, was as much fun to watch in his early career. Mahomes and Lamar Jackson may well be in the same class, however.
@@datsuncrown6614 Bo was faster, but more powerful? Thirty-eight games is too short a sample size for comparison. And most Bo highlights illustrate his 4.13 speed. Maybe Bosworth would disagree about his goal-line power vs. Campbell.
@@johnulmerRacing Rudy Ruettiger was a better linebacker than Boz, but he only has three acting credits vs. 29 for the former Sooner according to IMDB. It is possible that Campbell tattooing Robertson's sternum has more views than all of Bosworth's films combined. Now, Robertson is a perfect candidate for the NFL Almost Hall of Fame. Six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro citations are better award stats than about a third of the players enshrined in Canton: www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/index.htm. But when you never make it to a Super Bowl, and your biggest highlight is getting decked by Earl's head, the quality of your awards cannot overcome getting destroyed in that iconic collision.
I was living in an apartment in SW Houston in 1979 one day I heard knocking on what I thought was my door, turns out it was my neighbors which were side by side. When I looked through my peep hole I saw Earl Campbell; when I asked my neighbor about it turns out he and Earl were roommates at UT.
Earl the pearl was a bear of a man. He was one of those old school running backs in that you might tackle him but you had to pay a price to get the job done. He was a stud...
Love this one brother Earl Campbell is a true freak of a running back and you should definitely check out Jim Brown if you want to see the greatest running back of all time
@@Kacee2 saw both of them too. Browns were my fav. team.. When they were on their own 3 it was an automatic touchdown. Attended UT Earls junior and senior year and saw all games when he played in Houston.
I'm from Tyler Texas where Earl is from. He's such a legend everywhere but especially here. We have streets named after him and our highschool football stadium is named after him and the house he grew up in is a historical landmark now and is kind of like a museum. I've got the oppurtunity to meet him a couple of times. He can barely get around now and uses a walker because football messed him up pretty bad but he's a great guy.
Salute to the Tyler Rose
Earl was the only person beside my dad that I idolized as a kid and wanted to be like when I grew up. Sadly I had normal thighs and speed.
CMoney Mark absolutely
My mama said he was naturally that big from bailing hay in the fields.
Earl is having a lot of back issues as well as the beating he took from football
Earl Campbell= the best r.b. ever!!!!! And I'm a Bengals fan. The "Tyler rose".
Danny York he could be but That title belongs to Walter Payton no matter what
That hit by Jack Tatum on the goal line would have killed most people!
Jack says when he and earl sat up earl was grinning ear to ear
People in Houston still talk about seeing that hit live.. And every time I tell them the game was blacked out locally because the Dome didn’t sell out in time.. I heard it on the radio..
The Tyler Rose. One of the best nicknames ever
My favorite quote about Earl came from the Oilers’ head coach, Bum Phillips who once said, “Earl may not be in a class by himself but it sure doesn’t take long to call the roll. “
My favorite was when Bum said that Earl never finished a mile run but that's ok. If it's 4th and a mile we just won't give him the ball.
Dan Pastorini once said that Earl Cambell has a gyroscope in his stomach and a rocket in his @$$.
Earl is one of my best choices for a running back if not the best. His power on those legs of his was astonishing. He was built like a freight train and had the speed and athleticism like a tiger. One not to mess with for real. He cut cut and out juke almost any defender and use stutter steps to make defensive linemen miss tackling him. Legendary football player.
At 8:38 the guy from the Raiders they were talking about was "The Assasin" Jack Tatum who was known to be one of the hardest hitters in history. He even paralyzed a guy in a pre season game. So they kinda made a big deal out the 2 meeting each other at the goal line like it was The Unstoppable Force meets The Immovable Object kinda deal. Somebody said if you was there that day it sounded like a car crash in the stadium
Legendary moment indeed
Jack Tatum was also the guy responsible for knocking out the reciever on the infamous
"Immaculate Reception" play
And made a notorious hit on a Viking WR in the Superbowl knocking his helmet off
Earl was knocked unconscious on that play and still got in
One of the dirtiest players
@@raymondweaver8526 Tatum was not dirty he was a hard physical tackler and did not hit people with cheap shots
Darryl Stingley
@@mikelauersdorf2992 yup
Thank you for showing my man Earl. As an Oiler fan he was a joy to watch, very exciting.
Another thing is he was the nicest most humble man. He didn't even celebrate in the end zone after he scored. He didn't need to, he let his play speak for itself.
I had the pleasure of living in Houston and having season tickets when Earl Campbell played for the Oilers. The man is a huge monster. At the time, the Astrodome was one of the few enclosed stadiums, so sound was phenomenal. When EC would make a big play, they would play "Big Bad Earl," a modification to the old song "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean. Man, brings back fun times!
Tupelo Honey We’d go out to the swingin door for ribs and watch the game on Sundays...I miss those days..
The Houston Oilers became the Tennessee Titans in 1999, and now there is a team called the Houston Texans since 2002
@Lewis 970 Yeah that was Bud Adams he refused to give the Oilers history to the Texans.
@Lewis 970 one of the reasons I have never had much interest in the Texans.
This really soured me on the NFL when they moved the team.
@Lewis 970 I’m hoping the xfl will return with the Houston Roughnecks. I liked their name & logo more than Texans
That was the day I lost my passion for the NFL.
Earl had some of the strongest hand grip in the N F L ! No Stick'em, No gloves !!!!
Earl Campbell "The Tyler Rose" a fellow Texan! I'm from Houston and I love Earl! He makes Texans proud!
I loved watching Earl Campbell play! He was a beast!!
His son didn't even know that his dad was a football legend until he was in his teens and he learned it from his friends' parents. That's just the kind of guy that Earl Campbell is, a classy country boy. Even at the height of a success, he attributed all of his great work to his blockers, particularly his blocking back, Tim Wilson (#45). "I run through the holes that Tim opens up," he'd say.
I grew up in Houston during that Luv Ya Blu era. Earl Campbell could knock on any door in Houston and be welcome in. He made us proud.
Glad you finally did a reaction to Earl Campbell!! One of the all time greats without a doubt. As a side note, I played rugby in Canada and the US for much of my life. If you want to see where American football is most similar to rugby (my opinion only) check out college wishbone option play, particularly Oklahoma of the 70s and 80s. I always loved Nebraska option too. But option play offloads are reminiscent of rugby offloads.
I met Earl at the Hoffbrau steak house in Austin when he was at UT. A polite, humble young man to me and everybody who approached him. He sat down by me, the Viet Nan vet biker guy, at an outside table and ate the biggest porterhouse steak I have ever seen in my life like it was a freaking filet mignon. Way better than #3 in my eyes.
I've literally wanted you to do this for a while. Love it keep it up my man 💯
I lived around Houston when Earl was playing. I was not an Oiler's fan, but had to watch the games just to see what Earl would do. Houston had little imagination and no offensive coordinator. It was Earl right, Earl left and Earl up the middle. The defense and everybody else knew who was getting the ball on most plays, yet he still produced incredible numbers. About the same time, there was another running back up the road in Dallas. Dallas actually had an offensive scheme. His name was Tony Dorsett. Rookies generally rode the bench in Dallas their first year, but then Coach Landry put Tony in one game when the Cowboys were way behind. Wow!! O.J. Simpson called it the spin move. He hit you and spun off you. Separation in the first 3 steps. He put up incredible numbers on an offense that had many other weapons. Check him out, if you haven't already.
Yea, I loved Tony also...great era of RBs
I've heard Earl Campbell ran into Bevo at the University of Texas. Bevo is the teams mascot, a Longhorn Steer. He knocked the beast over...an animal that weighs more than many modern cars.
He did and he got up before Bevo did.
When Earl was in his prime he gave the boogeyman nightmares
Wish that was on tape
@@raymondweaver8526 your wish is my command 😊
ruclips.net/video/hp4-VHRcEO4/видео.html
I was at the game in Mile High when he ran over Steve Foley. Foley was a solid safety, and not only was he knocked out, but he had a dislocated shoulder that kept him out for a while.....for hitting a man in the THIGH.
Watched that game at home in Loveland. Never felt so bad for a player as I did that day for our beloved safety.
Every time I see that hit against the Raiders, I imagine Earl looking at that defender and going "Nice. I almost felt that."
Put him on a decent team with recievers and he could easily be the best running back ever! ☮️
He was one of the few men with large enough hands to handle a ball like that... He will always be a legend!
That clip with the Raiders where Earl got hit on the goalline. Thats Jack Tatum hitting him and Earl still scored. Jack Tatum was a bad man.
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching the clip where Earl gets his jersey torn off. 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾!!! Good video!
Good stuff bro thanks for taking my suggestion bud!
That new intro is great, lovin it!
More impressive when you remember he was playing against the "Steel Curtain" (greatest defensive dynasty ever) 2 or 3 times a year. The number of hall of famers, all-pro's & pro-bowlers that bounced off him per attempt is light years beyond the next guy.'79 alone he probably had 125 plays where he met a future hall of famer head on. Seen him tear thru the "Sack exchange" & "Dooms day" too.
Earl was one of my all time favorites. Miss those Oiler uniforms
One of Earl's best attributes, other than his talent of course, was his behavior both on the field & off. He was always humble, never showing off when he scored & acting like a prima donna like just about all players do now. As far as I know he never had any off the field issues like getting in trouble in bars & strip clubs. He was a true gentleman, except if you were an opponent between him & the end zone.
Loved watching Earl run! The man can hardly walk now, he left it all on the field.
Loving the videos. Keep it up and keep those kicking videos coming. God bless!
You are the man dude my favorite videos are you suited up on the gridiron
If he fumbled a lot coaches probably would have gone crazy with the way he carried the ball, but he only once had 10 in a season, and he had over 350 touches/year early in his career. Not surprisingly the game with superhuman leg and core strength also had big, strong hands and was pretty good about tucking it in before contact.
I played and ran against his older son Christian the apple don’t fall far from the tree don’t listen to the NFL he is number 1 power back of all time trust me Earl Campbell was special and he still is
Amen to that brother
I will second the amen on that. Nobody ran wth that true explosive power like Earl did. There's a difference between being strong and breaking tackles and the true explosive power Earl ran with. One of my favorite people ever on this earth.
Jim Brown said he is the second best runningback of all time Im going with Jim on that one! But it was Earl and Bum's Bunch that swayed me from a Steelers fan to an Oilers fan that I am today!! When asked who my team is I have one answer HOUSTON OILERS!!
Bo Jackson
Pure raw strength and power... The man was a machine...
Nice to hear a rugby guy appreciate our great game. Be sure to check out Larry Csonka at some point. One of the great power backs of all time. I think you’ll enjoy.
Earl Campbell is MY favorite, stumpy strong runner. Perfect height to low mass unstoppable football carrier. One of Campbell's legs was larger than my entire two-leg waist, I am a larger bloke too!
Got can't forget Eric Dickerson either.
I was a kid in Houston at that time during the Luv Ya Blue era. Was amazing. One of the first that could either run by you or run over you.
I sat next to him about 7 years ago. We were in Las Vegas and went to an autograph session. What a wonderful, insightful man! Sat next to him, and we talked for about 10 minutes. Massive hands that seen better days, arthritis and signs of broken bones in the past. Such a happy man though.
The oilers used to practice in my home town of San Angelo Texas. After practice the team would sign autographs for the local kids. I got most of those guys autograph in those highlight reels, including Big Earl Cambells!!
He's my favorite all time running back because I grew up in a Houston Oiler family. He was known for trucking people, but like you saw he also had the speed and balance to make big gains. He was the best from 78-80. But his injuries started to catch up with him and retired before the 1986 season.
Earl Campbell and Bum Phillips Oilers was a once in a lifetime experience. What the films didn't show was Earl helping up those who tackled him. Lol.
He was my favorite player in the 80's! Loved watching him bulldoze
I grew up in Houston and Austin and got to see Earl play both at UT and with the Oilers. I wish he played in an era where there was more video footage recorded, because I haven't seen much that truly does him justice. IMO he was the GOAT of running backs. He had it all - incredible power, break away speed, and he could juke you out of your shoes. His first couple of years it would take the entire defense to get him down. There would be a string of bodies on the ground from where first contact was to where they finally would get him down. He would literally carry the entire defense 10 yards downfield all at once some times. Just absolutely jaw dropping. When I was a kid in Houston a safety for the Oilers named Greg Stemrick lived down the street from me. He'd throw the ball around with us kids some times - which we thought was awesome. One day he had a bunch of the team over to his house and we sat on our bikes across the street watching them roll up. We watch Earl get out of his car. Holy hell you do not get a true sense of the size of that man's thighs in the videos. His slacks looked like they were going to burst incredible Hulk style at the seems. Just a mountain of a man. Also go back and listen to what Joe Green said about him. That's Mean Joe Green and he called Earl a 'scary dude'.
Mean Joe Greene and the Steelers had a lot of respect for the Oilers during that era. And vise versa. We had a lot of respect for them. Just wish we could've gotten to the SB in that '79 season. I was 12 yrs. old then. I was 10,11, and 12 during that Luv Ya Blue era. Turned 13 in '80 season. Perfect age for that. Doesn't look like there's gonna be another Luv Ya Blue-like era in Houston anytime soon. Miss those days.
@@houstonrebel4449 sounds like we're close to the same age. Yeah I miss those days. Side note I went to North Texas State with Mean Joe's son Major Green and knew him pretty well. I called BS on his dad being Mean Joe for a semester. D'oh - I was an idiot lol.
I was at every game Earl ever played at the Astrodome. It was glorious.
I'm JEALOUS!
The franchise that is known as the Tennessee Titans, was once the Houston Oilers. When they pull out their throwback uniforms you will see the old oil derrick on the hat.
I remember watching him run with my dad yelling "tuck the ball in Earl!! Damnit!!!" When he ran for University of Texas it was a very special time!!! #20
My dad always said " he was carrying it like a loaf of bread"
One of my favorite players growing up... from what I've read, he is the nicest guy too...
Thanks for reviewing my Favorite RB of all Time!# nice
That hit he sustained at 4:18 was from Raiders Jack Tatum. Perhaps the hardest hitting safety in the NFL. Maybe the hardest hit EC ever directly took. Both came out dizzy after that play.
His quads were massive!! Such a combination of power,and speed.
The BEST run I remember Campbell making was the hand off was to Earl to go up the left side of the field but the other team had that sealed off. So Earl does a 180 and runs across the field to the other sideline and gets a few steps up field and sees a guy ready to try to tackle him high and Campbell puts the ball in the center of his own chest, wraps his hands around it and gets a little bit lower and explodes his arms and body into the guy, picks him up off of his feet. The guy falls off of him and Campbell never slowed down running right over the guy to a TD.
Also Josh Cribbs one of the best returners in NFL history.
Earl Campbell has always been one of my Idols. Barry Sanders too!
"If you're going to rank all the NFL running backs in order, put Jim Brown first, and put Earl Campbell's second. You can put the rest of whatever order you want." -Jim Brown
One of the best running backs to ever play football
Houston Oilers move to what is now the Tennessee Titans. the city of Houston got an expansion team later which is now the Texans.
Earl Campbell was a beast.
I went to school with Earl. He was really great way back in middle school and just kept getting better every year! Earl was always a nice guy as well. The Tyler Rose.
Loving that new intro Kiwi
It's a shame that neither of these videos you watched showed the famous stiff arm he had in college where he straight up lifted a dude into the air by his facemask on the way into the endzone. It's one of the most brutal and famous stiff arm highlights of all time.
I actually saw Earl play for the University of Texas as a 13 year old. Truly amazing. His NFL career I only saw on T.V. Every highlight you have shown, I saw the games. Even nicer in person. 😎
Loved watching Earl!
Best running back ever earl was just a beast know one will ever be like earl Campbell the man was just awesome
That's my kinfolk! Earl the Pearl, Tyler's Rose. My mama always told me how tough he was all while growing up. Finally getting around to watching. Don't know him well but I miss his mom.
Earl Campbell was a beast. You also have to look at the era in which he played. He was an anomaly for a running back or fullback. He was almost the size of many defensive linemen back then.
I grew up watching him in the late 70's, early 80's. Being a lifelong Raiders fan; that was painful watching that hit live on TV he put on Jack Tatum back then.
I was living in Houston at the time of "Love ya Blue". It was magical watching this man run. Each of his thighs were 35 inches in diameter. He inflicted punishment.
My top 5 favorite running back of all time
Earl only had 5 great years...the pounding he absorbed was just insane and he was simply "all beat to hell"
Often wonder if he would have lasted 2-3 more years playing in the I formation with a fullback blocking all the time. They ran a lot of 2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB formations
I was a kid in Houston during the Campbell era and it was kind of amazing to watch, no doubt. I met him once at the Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) practice facility and he was the nicest guy. One of his thighs was as big as my dad's waist... crazy.
The Oilers moved from Houston to Tennesee and are now the Titans. Campbell was 5'11 235 lbs with much of that weight and power in his legs. He was a human wrecking ball and had agility and speed to match. One of the best backs to ever play in the NFL.
I have had the privilege of meeting Mr. Campbell in the late 1980s. He is a real gentlemen and class act.
Still an “icon” here in Texas USA! He’s but a shell of the man who used to “bulldoze” over opponents! Originally from Tyler, Texas Earl stayed home & played College ball at UT (in Austin) & then made the Houston Oilers his professional home!!!
and to top it off...Earl Campbell is an AWESOME human being as well...very nice and polite, extremely humble. Heck..his own children didnt really know that much about his football days because he never bragged
The only thing better than this man’s football skills is this man’s character!
I was a young teenager and heavily into AFC football (being a Steelers fan) at the height of Campbell's careers. He was a treat to watch live on TV, simply one of the best, if not the best. No argument from me if someone calls him no. 1, just nodding.
"Look at his thighs-they're huge"
Everybody says that the first time they watch Earl Campbell highlights lol
They where 34" each
I became a football fan due to watching Earl Campbell.
His combination of power, speed, and elusiveness was absolutely phenomenal!
That Bronco dude took an involuntary Turf Nap!! Earl tucked him in
Now the Titans...Earl "The Pearl"....one of the best
Earl "The Tyler Rose" Campbell was a pure badass that dished out as good as he got. I could watch his videos in a loop.
Earl still lives in Houston, and you will see him around town all the time. He is the most approachable, nicest guy you will ever meet. Always up for a photo.
Awesome video! You should do Randall Cunningham next!
The Tatum hit was one of if not the hardest hits in the history of the NFL. The existing sound quality isnt what we get today but people there said it was the loudest hit they had ever heard.
They both had to be carried off the field.
You have to look at the Atwatter hit on Okoyee next. That would be my #2.
A lot of the GOAT running backs wore #34 back in the day. Not really sure why, but you’ll notice over time. I like the new name kiwi kicker 💯
Finally, I been asking you to see him. Texas own. He would be nice ass rugby player
never been a RB like Campbell since. guy was an absolute beast
Hi Kiwi! I really enjoy your reactions and enthusiasm for the game. Along with the fact that you understand how difficult and complicated pro ball can be, as well as tough and dangerous it sometimes is. You should check out Emmet Smith he is the current all time leading rusher with the most yards and touchdowns for a running back. His highlight reel is amazing! Thanks I'm Ron from Nashville Tn
My friend this is Earl Campbell the original beast mode runner. One of my favorites
You mentioned him being a wrecking ball 3 times. Close, but ironically he was nicknamed The Oiler Cannonball. William Tolar, running back for the Oilers in early 60s was actually nicknamed The Wrecking Ball. The other running back they had at that time, Billy Cannon, was more elusive but great just the same. Both running backs at that time, Tolar and Cannon were both from Louisiana. Just some useless trivia for you.
Another strong running back you should check out is John Riggins. He was a beast too.
FIRE UP THAT DIESEL!!#44 WILDMAN!
Described as a "one-man demolition team," Campbell was a punishing runner. His 36-inch thighs, 5-11, 244-pound frame, coupled with 4.6 speed, made him the most feared runner of his time.
I can't think of 2 power backs better than him. Jim Brown maybe, but he played against smaller, slower players.
Bo
No. 1 was Brown, No. 2 John Riggins, who gained more yards and had a longer career. Saw every game of Earl's first four seasons because I was a Houston resident at the time. Caught plenty of Riggin's carries over the years and he was a load as well. But no running back in league history could generate the power Campbell had in those 34" thighs. He also wore pantyhose early in his career because he thought it would prevent muscle pulls. There were no compression shorts back then, and I think he got the pantyhose idea during his college years. His 40-time is recorded as 4.6, but after he was past the line of scrimmage the DBs seemed a step too slow to bring him down. No player, other than Dan Marino, was as much fun to watch in his early career. Mahomes and Lamar Jackson may well be in the same class, however.
@@datsuncrown6614 Bo was faster, but more powerful? Thirty-eight games is too short a sample size for comparison. And most Bo highlights illustrate his 4.13 speed. Maybe Bosworth would disagree about his goal-line power vs. Campbell.
@@jefferyroy2566 Isiah Robertson would disagree with Bosworth, and Robertson was a much better linebacker than Bosworth.
@@johnulmerRacing Rudy Ruettiger was a better linebacker than Boz, but he only has three acting credits vs. 29 for the former Sooner according to IMDB. It is possible that Campbell tattooing Robertson's sternum has more views than all of Bosworth's films combined.
Now, Robertson is a perfect candidate for the NFL Almost Hall of Fame. Six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro citations are better award stats than about a third of the players enshrined in Canton: www.pro-football-reference.com/hof/index.htm. But when you never make it to a Super Bowl, and your biggest highlight is getting decked by Earl's head, the quality of your awards cannot overcome getting destroyed in that iconic collision.
I was living in an apartment in SW Houston in 1979 one day I heard knocking on what I thought was my door, turns out it was my neighbors which were side by side. When I looked through my peep hole I saw Earl Campbell; when I asked my neighbor about it turns out he and Earl were roommates at UT.
always fun to watch him run was like watching Walter both were the best in there time
Earl the pearl was a bear of a man. He was one of those old school running backs in that you might tackle him but you had to pay a price to get the job done. He was a stud...
His battering ram run against the Rams where his jersey rips off is one of my favorites.
If I had to show anyone one NFL play it would be that truck and jersey rip run. So friken awesome.
Love this one brother Earl Campbell is a true freak of a running back and you should definitely check out Jim Brown if you want to see the greatest running back of all time
Earl was better.
I saw both of them. That's how old I am but I really think earl was better.
Jim was in slow motion compared to earl
@@Kacee2 saw both of them too. Browns were my fav. team.. When they were on their own 3 it was an automatic touchdown. Attended UT Earls junior and senior year and saw all games when he played in Houston.
@@Kacee2 yes I agree THE DUKE OF EARL was better.
EARL CAMPBELL WAS THE TRUTH BACK END THE DAY