Mike Pruitt

Michael L. Pruitt (born April 3, 1954) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1976 to 1986. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round (seventh overall pick) of the 1976 NFL draft and spent nine seasons with that club. He had five seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl in 1979 and 1980. He also played for the Buffalo Bills for four games in 1985 and for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1985 and 1986. In his NFL career, Pruitt appeared in a total of 152 games, gained 7,378 rushing yards and scored 56 touchdowns.

A native of Chicago, Pruitt also played college football at the fullback position for the Purdue Boilermakers from 1973 to 1975 and was selected as a second-team running back on the 1975 All-Big Ten Conference football team.

Early life Pruitt was born in Chicago in 1954. He attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School in the Bronzeville District of Chicago.

Purdue University Pruitt enrolled at Purdue University and played college football as a fullback for the Purdue Boilermakers football teams from 1973 to 1975. ranking fifth in the Big Ten Conference with an average of 6.0 yards per carry. He also set a Purdue school record on November 2, 1974, with a 94-yard touchdown run against Iowa.

As a senior in 1975, Pruitt gained 899 rushing yards on 217 carries (4.1 yards per carry). he was selected by the conference coaches as a second-team player on the 1975 All-Big Ten Conference football team, placing behind Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin and Gordon Bell.

Professional football

1976–1978 Pruitt was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round (seventh overall pick) of the 1976 NFL draft. In 1978, Pruitt became a starter mid-season. He started nine games at fullback and rushed for 560 yards and five touchdowns.

In 1980, Pruitt again started all 16 games at fullback for the Browns. He gained 1,034 rushing yards and 1,505 yards from scrimmage and was selected for the second consecutive year to play in the Pro Bowl. He started the Browns' one and only playoff game in 1980 and rushed for 48 yards on 13 carries.

During the strike-shortened 1982 NFL season, Pruitt gained only 516 rushing yards on 143 carries, an average of only 3.6 yards per carry.

In 1983, Pruitt compiled his fourth and final 1,000 yard rushing season. He started 14 games at running back for the Browns and gained 1,184 rushing yards and 1,341 yards from scrimmage. At the time of his release, Pruitt said he was "surprised, but not bitter." He appeared in four games, two as a starter, for the 1985 Bills team. He carried the ball seven times for the Bills, totaling 24 yards from scrimmage. He started eight games for the Chiefs in 1985 and gained 366 rushing yards with two touchdowns. The following year, Pruitt started 15 games at fullback for the 1986 Kansas City team. He gained 448 yards and scored two touchdowns in his final NFL season.

NFL career statistics Legend Bold Career high

Year Team Games Rushing Receiving Fumbles GP GS Att Yds Avg Y/G Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Fum FR 1976 CLE 13 2 52 138 2.7 10.6 18 0 8 26 3.3 15 0 4 0 1977 CLE 13 0 47 205 4.4 15.8 21 1 3 12 4.0 6 0 1 0 1978 CLE 16 9 135 560 4.1 35.0 71 5 20 112 5.6 15 0 3 2 1979 CLE 16 16 264 1,294 4.9 80.9 77 9 41 372 9.1 50 2 6 0 1980 CLE 16 16 249 1,034 4.2 64.6 56 6 63 471 7.5 28 0 9 3 1981 CLE 16 16 247 1,103 4.5 68.9 21 7 63 442 7.0 21 1 5 2 1982 CLE 9 9 143 516 3.6 57.3 17 3 22 140 6.4 13 0 4 2 1983 CLE 15 14 293 1,184 4.0 78.9 27 10 30 157 5.2 21 2 4 2 1984 CLE 10 7 163 506 3.1 50.6 14 6 5 29 5.8 9 0 1 11985 BUF 4 2 7 24 3.4 6.0 7 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 – – KC 9 8 105 366 3.5 40.7 54 2 7 43 6.1 9 0 – – 1986 KC 15 15 139 448 3.2 29.9 16 2 8 56 7.0 13 0 – –Career 152 114 1,844 7,378 4.0 48.5 77 51 270 1,860 6.9 50 5 37 12

Later life After retiring from football, Pruitt owned a Ford dealership in Lima, Ohio, and a Honda dealership in Akron, Ohio. He sold his Ford dealership in approximately 2006, then his Honda dealership in 2014. As of 2003, he lived in Strongsville, Ohio. In 2013, he was named by The Plain Dealer as the 38th best player in Browns' history. Currently, he serves as a Jehovah's Witness in Cleveland.