Daily Dose of Crimson Tide: Bobby Humphrey

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Courtesy of the Denver Broncos

Bobby Humphrey was born on October 11, 1966 in Birmingham, and grew up in the shadows of Legion Field, where he parked cars in yards and sold concessions inside during games. 

Despite this, his mother didn’t want him to play football. When Humphrey signed up for a youth team at the age of 13 he actually had to keep it from her, which became impossible after winning his first trophy.

She had wanted him to be in the band. Fortunately, the hardware helped change her mind because he was so good.

Joining the Crimson Tide was a natural decision, and it didn’t take long for Humphrey to become one of college football’s elite running backs.

In 1986, Ray Perkins’ final year at the Capstone, Humphrey accumulated 1,471 rushing yards on 236 carries to become a first-team All-American. 

Against Washington in the Sun Bowl, where Alabama won 28-6, he had 159 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

With Bill Curry taking the reins, he had 1,255 rushing yards on 238 carries to again earn All-American honors, and against Michigan at the Hall of Fame Bowl tallied 149 yards on 27 carries. 

Humphrey finished 10th in voting for the Heisman Trophy voting and seemed poised to make a serious run for the award as a senior, only fate intervened and his final season ended just after it was getting started. 

During spring practice, the prolific running back sustained a broken left foot, and re-broke it during the regular-season home opener, a 44-10 blowout of Vanderbilt (FYI, Barry Sanders ran away with the Heisman that year, with Alabama linebacker Derrick Thomas placing 10th).

Instead of risking a repeat, Humphrey decided to turn pro, and left the Capstone owning most of Alabama’s rushing records including the career mark of 3,420 yards, which stood until Shaun Alexander came along (1996-99).

Through 2007, Humphrey was still Alabama’s career all-purpose yards leader with 4,958, and held the single-season mark with 2,016. He also had the highest average for all-purpose yards per game in a season (168), and career (141.7).

Alabama Athletics

Humphrey wound up being a first-round selection by the Denver Broncos in the 1989 NFL supplemental draft, which also featured quarterbacks Steve Walsh and Timm Rosenbach.

He became the first running back in Broncos' history to notch back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, played in Super Bowl XXIV, and was selected to the 1991 Pro Bowl. However, in 1992 Humphrey was traded to the Miami Dolphins, where he only played two seasons.

In 51 NFL games, Humphrey had 695 carries for 2,857 yards and 15 touchdowns, and also caught 100 yards for 815 yards and two touchdowns. 

At the end of his playing career, he moved back to Birmingham. In 1998, Humphrey returned to Alabama to finish up his degree, earning a bachelor's degree in social work. In 2000, became the first head coach of the Arena League’s Birmingham Steeldogs.

In 2004, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. 

Nowadays, though, he's also known for being the father of Marlon Humphrey, the All-Pro cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens, who had worn his No. 26 with the Crimson Tide. 

Some of this post originated from "100 Things Crimson tide Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die," published by Triumph Books