Bobby Joe Edmonds was a professional American football player who played as a running back and kick returner. He played for several teams during his career, including the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Raiders.
Edmonds was born on February 18, 1966, in Conway, South Carolina. He attended Conway High School, where he played football and was named the South Carolina High School Player of the Year in 1983. He then went on to play college football at the University of Arkansas, where he was a standout player.
In 1986, Edmonds was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He quickly made an impact as a kick returner, setting a team record with 1,599 kickoff return yards in his rookie season. He also rushed for 347 yards and caught 23 passes for 197 yards.
Over the next few seasons, Edmonds continued to excel as a kick returner and also saw more playing time as a running back. In 1989, he rushed for a career-high 634 yards and caught 32 passes for 276 yards. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns that season.
After five seasons with the Seahawks, Edmonds was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1991. He played two seasons with the Bills, primarily as a kick returner and backup running back. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the 1992 season.
In 1993, Edmonds signed with the Los Angeles Raiders. He played two seasons with the Raiders, primarily as a kick returner. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the 1994 season.
Edmonds retired from the NFL after the 1995 season. Over the course of his career, he returned 4,955 kickoffs for 10,425 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,607 yards and caught 92 passes for 764 yards.
After retiring from football, Edmonds returned to his hometown of Conway, South Carolina, where he worked as a high school football coach. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
Overall, Bobby Joe Edmonds was a talented and versatile player who made a significant impact as a kick returner and running back during his NFL career. His speed and agility made him a threat on the field, and his contributions helped his teams achieve success.
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