Notre Dame football: Theo Riddick got most out of his NFL journey
By Brad Weiss
Former Notre Dame football star Theo Riddick retired from the NFL this week, ending a journey that saw him get the most out of his seven-year career.
During his time with the Irish, Theo Riddick became a stellar option in the backfield for this Notre Dame football program. Adept at getting the job done on both the ground and through the air, Riddick parlayed an excellent senior season to find himself becoming a sixth-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions.
In his first three seasons with the Irish, Riddick was not used as much in the run game, but after playing sparingly as a freshman, he took off as a real option in the passing game during the 2010 and 2011 college football seasons. Head coach Brian Kelly moved Riddick to a slot receiver role from his normal running back position, and it really paid off.
Across that span, Riddick hauled in 78 passes, finding the end zone six times.
As a senior, he expanded his game after moving back to running back, nearly rushing for 1,000 yards, and once again having nearly 40 catches. The move proved to be key for the Irish offense, as both he and Cierre Wood gave the Irish a solid one-two punch in the backfield, much like they will have this year.
Notre Dame football star goes in the sixth round
In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions came calling in the sixth round, and they signed him to a four-year deal. Based on his ability to play all over the field, he appeared in 14 games, and would play in at least ten games in every season he was with the Lions.
From 2014 through 2018, Riddick was targeted at least 50 times in the passing game, including a career-high 99 targets in 2015. He exploded for 80 receptions from the backfield, becoming a real fantasy option, racking up over 800 all-purpose yards.
Riddick sat out the 2019 season with a shoulder issue, before latching on for the inaugural season in Las Vegas for the Raiders in 2020. He played a small role with the team, and despite signing a new contract back in March, he decided to call it quits on Friday.
For a player who was drafted so low, and did not have great size, Riddick was able to be a real contributor at the NFL level, playing many more seasons than most running backs do.
Congratulations to Theo on an outstanding NFL career, as it is not often we see sixth-round running backs carve out seven years in the league. He can now enjoy his retirement, and who knows, maybe he can come back and teach some of the young running backs on this Irish team how to be a do-everything back like he was in South Bend.