Best of Jersey 34

Number 34 might not be the flashiest number on the field, but don't underestimate its significance! From elusive running backs to hard-hitting linebackers, jersey number 34 boasts a rich history filled with NFL greats.

In this article, we're tackling the greatest NFL players who donned the number 34, taking you on a journey through their storied careers.  Prepare to be surprised by a diverse group of gridiron warriors, from rushing machines like Sweetness, and Ricky Williams to the Tyler Rose!

On this edition of the Football  by Numbers series will be coming up with the top ten best NFL players to wear the number 34 and to help us Joe Ziemba of the When Football was Football Podcast stops by the Pigpen! 

The Hall of Fame gives us our starting point with these legends of the game....

Franco Harris

Born March 7, 1950, in Fort Dix, New Jersey, was the 6'-2" 230 pounds full back from the early 1970's Penn State Nittany Lions, Franco Harris was born. At Penn State, he has yet to consider the feature back as he sat in the shadows of Lydell Mitchell. The Steelers didn't see it that way, though, as they used their first-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft to select Harris. It was a great move because just a few years later, Harris ran for 158 yards against an excellent Minnesota Vikings defensive front in Super Bowl IX to earn the MVP honors of the big game! Franco enjoyed a great 13-year NFL career where he played with the Seahawks in addition to the Steelers, pounding out 12120 yards on the ground with 91 TDs and an additional 1227 yards receiving with another nine scores.

All-in-all, he produced 14622 yards of total offense and 1556 postseason yards. The biggest play for his career is his shoestring grab of a deflected pass for a score known as the "Immaculate Reception" to help define the moment when the Pittsburgh franchise turned the corner to become winners. In 1990 Franco Harris posed for his bronze bust and tried on his Gold Jacket as he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Joe Perry

Born January 22, 1927, in Stevens, Arkansas, was Joe “ The Jet” Perry of Compton Junior College. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Joe put his relatively small school, Compton Junior College, on the map when he registered 22 touchdowns in a single season! However, these feats didn’t attract the pro football scouts, and Perry ended up being found by the professional game in a fascinating tale told by ProFootballHOF.com. Before the Jet completed his college football career, Uncle Sam called him to enter into military service for his country. At some point after his initial training, Joe was playing football for the Alameda, California Naval Training Station team when one of the San Francisco 49ers of the new All-America Football Conference players saw him in action. This Niners player reported this information to the 49ers’ brass, who offered Joe Perry a contract. Perry accepted their proposal in 1948 when he was complete with his obligations. In 1969 Joe Perry was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

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Thurman Thomas

Born May 16, 1966, in Houston, Texas, was Oklahoma State running back from 1984 through the 1987 season, Thurman Thomas. For his collegiate career Thurman Thomas amassed 4,847 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns at Oklahoma State, catapulting him into school and conference record books. His career rushing yardage is second best all-time in the conference, trailing only 2006 College Football Hall of Famer Mike Rozier of Nebraska. Thurman Thomas’ collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 2008. The Buffalo Bills wisely selected Thomas in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. Thurman received the great honor of being the NFL MVP in 1991 and according to the ProFootballHOF.com website he recorded eight consecutive 1000 yard seasons running with the ball. Thomas retired as the NFL's ninth-ranked rusher with 12,074 yards and added another 4,458 yards on 472 catches. He scored 65 rushing and 23 receiving touchdowns in his 13-season career.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the brilliant NFL career of Thurmon Thomas in 2007.

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Earl Campbell

Born March 29, 1955, in Tyler, Texas, was Earl Campbell the powerful back of the Texas Longhorns from 1974 through 1977. His nickname forever ties him to his hometown as Earl is still called "the Tyler Rose" as he pounded out big gains at the University of Texas. The NFF says he rushed for 4,443 yards. This was the fifth highest total of all time when he retired. His rushing covered 928 yards as a freshman, 1118 as a sophomore, 653 as a junior (he missed four games), and 1,744 as a senior. Campbell was All-America as a sophomore and senior, led the nation in rushing and scoring and won the Heisman Trophy in 1977. He had an amazing 21 times where he rushed over 100 yards and three over 200 yards rushing in games. The Houston Oilers during the 1978 NFL Draft wasted no time in turning their draft pick card with the first player selected to the Commissioner that had the name of Earl Campbell on it. Earl played 8 seasons with the Oilers and earned a rushing title, the distinction as an All-Pro and was selected to play in three Pro Bowls. The 1980 season as his best as he pounded out 1934 yards with 4 games over 200 yards. For his NFL career, he amassed 9407 yards rushing and 74 TDs with another 806 yards on 121 receptions. Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Earl Campbell in 1991.

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Some other great players wore Number 34

• Andy Russell
• Herschel Walker
• Ricky Williams
• Ray Buchanan
• Greg Pruitt
• Tyrone Braxton
• Dale Carter
• DeAngelo Williams
• Louis Breeden
• Cornell Green
• Bill Koman
• Cedric Brown
• Ray Brown
• Rickey Young
• Mike McKenzie
• Les Josephson
• Lloyd Burruss
• Gus Otto
• Kevin Mack
• Chuck Shonta
• Mike Howell
• Edgar Bennett
• Johnny Hector
• Tony Galbreath
• Don Chandler
• Craig Heyward
• Jim Braxton
• Prentice McCray
• Walter Abercrombie
• Cookie Gilchrist
• LaMont Jordan
• Elvis Patterson
• Terry Hoage
• Tebucky Jones
• Rashard Mendenhall
• Kevin Jones
• Tim Hightower
• Andrew Sendejo
• Shane Vereen
• Reuben Droughns
• Dexter Jackson
• A speical thanks to the Pro Football Reference website for information they share on these great players. Check them out at Pro-Football-Reference.com

On this episode of the Football by Numbers we discuss the top NFL players that ever wore the number 34 with the When Football was Football Podcast's host Joe Ziemba!

1. Walter Payton
2. Earl Campbell
3. Joe Perry
4. Thurman Thomas
5. Ricky Williams
6. Cookie Gilchrist
7. Ray Buchanan
8. Herschel Walker
9. Rickey Young
10. Craig Heyward

Do you agree or disagree with our list? We would love to get your feedback, so email us at PigskinDispatch@gmail.com.

The Image used above is courtesy of Google Gemini and others from Wikimedia Commons. It is pleasing to see such vivid images of the jerseys that point out the uniform number and help us identify the legends that wore it.

If you love football jersey designs and evolution, wait until you check out the History of American Football Jersey.

-Who is the most famous player that wore the jersey number 34 in NFL history? There are plenty to choose from, as you can see from our post above, but Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears is the top contributor who wore the number 34 in NFL history in our book. You can learn more about this legend in our post about him here: Walter Payton, NFL Hall of Fame Sweetness.

-What are American football jerseys made of? Modern jerseys are made of synthetic fibers such as polyester or a blend of different materials such as spandex. For more, check out our in-depth study of The Makeup and Materials of Football Jerseys.

-What are some of the most unique football jerseys in history? Gridiron jerseys with logos on the front were once a fad. Check out this story titled Football Jerseys with Emblems.

-Whose college football jersey was the first to be retired? Red Grange's Number 77 Ilinois Illini jersey was the first college uni shelved in 1925. There were a couple more about the same time, and we chatted with a college football expert historian to help divulge College Football and its First Retired Jerseys.

-When did football jerseys start having numbers on them? Though there was documented talk of it since 1894, players only wore digits in a 1905 Iowa State at Drake game. Check out more on this story The Origins Of Football Player Numbers.

-Who are some of the most famous NFL players at each jersey number? From Red Grange's jersey number 77 to Tom Brady's iconic number 12, a slew of NFL players made their digits proud. Want to know more? You are in the right place, as we covered all 100 jersey numbers, and the best way to wear each is About Football By Numbers.