The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Dickerson ran the 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds as a high school student. At Southern Methodist University, he rushed 790 times for 4,450 yards and 48 touchdowns in four seasons and was a consensus All-American running back in 1982.

A first-round draft choice of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, Dickerson was named rookie of the year by the Associated Press and National Football Conference player of the year in 1983, when he rushed for 1,808 yards to lead the league.

Dickerson gained 2,105 rushing yards, 2,244 combined rushing and receiving yards, and rushed for 100 or more yards had in 12 games, all NFL records, in 1984.

He led the NFL in rushing for a third time with 1,821 yards in 1986, however, disputes with team management led to his trade to the Indianapolis Colts after the third game of the 1987 season in a major three-team deal that also sent rookie linebacker Cornelius Bennett to the Buffalo Bills.

With the Colts, Dickerson was the NFL rushing leader for the fourth time in 1988, and the following year he set a league record by gaining more than 1,000 yards rushing for the seventh season in a row. Dickerson was later traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1993 but retired after failing the team's physical examination. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and widley considered one of the greatest running backs ever. He lives in California.