ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It’s been a rough season for the Broncos, but one of the bright spots has been rookie running back Phillip Lindsay.
Lindsay is a Colorado-native who attended the University of Colorado where he broke the school’s record for all-purpose yards.
He signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent and has taken by the NFL by storm.
He quickly became undoubtedly one of the best running backs in the NFL this season with 1,037 rushing yards and nine touchdowns along with 241 receiving yards and a touchdown.
“I’d take 53 of him,” Broncos general manager John Elway said of Lindsay. “The way he plays the game and his attitude towards the game and the competitiveness, he’s been absolutely tremendous this year and we’re thrilled to have him.”
WATCH: Phillip Lindsay scores 65-yard touchdown against Bengals, his longest of the season
At 5-foot-8, 190-pounds, he has continued to prove everybody wrong as he went from a potential punt returner to the No. 1 running back for the Broncos this season and made all sorts of NFL history.
“The whole league made a mistake,” analyst Tony Romo said during the Broncos’ 24-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 12.
And Lindsay has made team’s across the league regret that mistake all season long. Here’s five amazing facts about his historic rookie season.
1.) First offensive undrafted rookie elected to Pro Bowl
Lindsay became the first undrafted offensive rookie in NFL history to ever make the Pro Bowl when he was elected by his peers earlier this month.
Unfortunately, he won’t be able to play in the game after suffering a wrist injury in Monday’s loss to the Oakland Raiders. Lindsay is expected to undergo surgery on his wrist and will also miss the final game of the season against of Los Angeles Chargers.
2.) Third undrafted rookie running back to pass 1,000-yards rushing
During Monday’s game against the Raiders, Lindsay passed the 1,000-yards rushing mark and became the third undrafted rookie to do it in his rookie season joining LeGarrette Blount (1,007 – 2010) and Dominic Rhodes (1,104 – 2001), according to NFL Research.
Before suffering an injury on Monday night, he was on pace to record the most ever by an undrafted rookie. However, he will claim his spot in history at No. 2 with 1,037.
He became just the fourth undrafted rookie since 1970 to record at least 1,000+ scrimmage yards in a single season.
3.) He has the fastest carry in the league this season
Lindsay’s 32-yard run against the Pittsburgh Steelers came in at more than 22 miles-per-hour and became the fastest carry in the league this year, according to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala.
The run happened in week 12 and is one of the fastest plays this season for any player in the league.
Phillip Lindsay's (@I_CU_boy) 32-yard run against Pittsburgh clocked in a 22.36 MPH, per @NextGenStats. It's the fastest carry in the league this year.
Which makes the ending even more mind-numbing. How did he land on his feet? pic.twitter.com/suTU2GUc0b
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 26, 2018
4.) He holds the Broncos’ single-season rushing yards record for an undrafted rookie
By reaching more than 1,000 rushing yards, Lindsay also ran his way into the Broncos history by surpassing Selvin Young by setting the record for the most rushing yards in a single-season by an undrafted rookie.
5.) First NFL player in 11 seasons to average at least 7 yards per carry for consecutive games
Lindsay averaged more than seven yards per carry for three consecutive games this season and became the first player to accomplish that since Fred Taylor in 2007, according to Patrick Smyth of the Broncos.
Even more impressive? He’s the first rookie to do that in 25 years (Jerome Bettis, 1993).
Broncos RB @I_CU_boy (19-157, 8.3, 2 TD) today became the 1st NFL player in 11 seasons (Fred Taylor, ‘07) to post three consecutive games averaging at least seven yards per carry (min. 10 att.).
Lindsay is the first rookie to accomplish that feat in 25 yrs (Jerome Bettis, ‘93). pic.twitter.com/AOW0bFXZ7C
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) December 2, 2018