Quick Facts
Biography
Tyson Calvin Thompson (born May 21, 1981) is a former American football running back/kick return specialist, who played in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at San Jose State and Garden City Community College.
Early years
Thompson played high school football at Irving High School. As a senior, he rushed for 2,418 yards on 358 carries and was a semi-finalist for the 1999 Texas Class 5A Player of the Year award. He also rushed for 525 yards in a single game against L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas) in 1998, third most in Texas high school history and the most ever by a runner in UIL Class AAAAA (which houses the state's largest schools).
College career
In two seasons at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, he saw limited playing time but still rushed for 1,063 yards on 159 carries and 12 touchdowns. In his final game at the junior college level, he rushed 25 times for 323 yards and 3 touchdowns against nationally ranked Glendale Community College.
Thompson closed his collegiate career at San Jose State University, playing in all 11 games with eight starts at running back while also seeing action as a kick returner. His 811 rushing yards led the team and his five touchdowns were third best. He declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Thompson was not selected in the 2005 NFL Draft due to concerns about his lack of experience at the Division I level. He impressed the Cowboys with his speed during a tryout at Valley Ranch and was eventually signed as an undrafted free agent to compete for the reserve running back and kick returner positions.
After making the team, although he was third on the running back depth chart (behind Julius Jones and Marion Barber), a Jones injury allowed him to rush 20 times for 75 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles and was named NFL Rookie of the Week (Week 5). He finished the season with team records for kickoff returns (57) and kickoff return yardage (1,399) while ranking ninth in the NFL with a 24.5 average.
His 2006 season was ended, when he broke his left ankle against the Carolina Panthers, after being tackled out of bounds on a kickoff return. In 2007, he was declared inactive in 9 games and was not re-signed at the end of the year, after losing his returner job to Miles Austin.
Las Vegas Locomotives (UFL)
In 2009, Thompson was selected in the UFL Premiere Season Draft by the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed on August 5. He was cut before the start of the season.
Tri-Cities Fever (IFL)
On January 29, 2010, he signed with the Tri-Cities Fever of the Indoor Football League. He left during the season after signing with a team in the United Football League.