Morris' Record Will Likely Stay Intact Until NFL Game Changes

Published on July 8th, 2024 3:58 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


Jamie Morris had a short and unremarkable stint in the NFL.

Morris was taken in the fourth round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Morris would play for the Redskins for two years, before moving onto the New England Patriots in his final season in the league.

Morris rushed for just 777 yards during his time in the NFL, but incredibly continues to hold a record that may never be broken.

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On December 17th, 1988, the Washington Redskins against the Cincinnati Bengals on the road.

The Redskins were 7-8 and had been eliminated from the playoffs.

Washington's coaches decided to use the game as an audition for Jamie Morris to take over as the team's starting running back the following season.

The Redskins pounded the ball early and often, and over the course of the game, Morris rushed a staggering 45 times.

Morris turned in a strong performance, rushing for a total of 152 yards on the day.

Morris was able to break the record for most rushing attempts in a game that day, as the record had previously been shared by James Wilder and Butch Woolfolk, who both rushed 43 times during games in the early 1980s.

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Despite turning in such a strong performance during the last game of the 1988 NFL season, Morris was not named as the team's starting running back the following year.

In fact, he only lasted one more year with the team before joining the New England Patriots for his final season in the NFL.

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So why is this such an untouchable record?

The main reason is because the game has changed.

For starters, offenses are much more pass-friendly in this day and age, with a greater focus on QB play.

Second, most teams incorporate a running back by committee approach, with different running backs used for early downs, third downs and short yardage plays. The days of the three-down running back are largely over.

Lastly, if a team was up comfortably in a game and was looking to run out the clock via a running game, they would likely cycle through running backs instead of handing the ball off to just one back.

In short, this record is likely safe for a long, long time.