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Doug DuBose

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Doug DuBose
No. 25, 40[1]
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1964-03-14) March 14, 1964 (age 61)
New London, Connecticut, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Montville (Oakdale, Connecticut)
College:Nebraska (1982–1986)
NFL draft:1987: undrafted
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:149
Rushing average:4.4
Touchdowns:2
Return yards:608
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Donald Douglas DuBose (born March 14, 1964) is an American former football running back. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was a Heisman Trophy candidate before missing his entire senior year due to injury. He then played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL), and was a member of the 49ers team that won Super Bowl XXIII. He was banned from the NFL for one year after testing positive for cocaine for the third time. DuBose later played for the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football (WLAF).

Early life

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Donald Douglas DuBose was born on March 14, 1964, in New London, Connecticut.[1] He played football, basketball, and baseball at Montville High School in Oakdale, Connecticut, earning all-state honors in all three sports.[1][2]

College career

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DuBose played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He rushed three times for four yards in 1982.[3] He was listed as the team's No. 3 tailback during the 1983 preseason.[4] DuBose ended up redshirting the 1983 season while Nebraska's No. 1 running back, Mike Rozier, won the Heisman Trophy.[4] DuBose was then a two-year letterman from 1984 to 1985.[1] He rushed 156 times for 1,040 yards and eight touchdowns in 1984 while also catching eight passes for 105 yards, earning Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) first-team All-Big Eight Conference honors.[3][5][6] His 1,040 rushing yards were the most in the Big Eight that season.[3] As a junior in 1985, DuBose recorded 203 carries for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns, and five receptions for 65 yards.[3] For the 1985 season, he garnered AP and UPI first-team All-Big Eight, and UPI second-team All-American recognition.[7] Going into his senior year, DuBose was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate.[8] However, he had knee surgery in spring 1986 and missed the entire 1986 season.[9][10] DuBose majored in public relations at Nebraska.[11] He received $19,700 from agents during his college career, which was against NCAA rules.[12]

Professional career

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San Francisco 49ers

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DuBose attended the 1987 NFL Scouting Combine but did not run the 40-yard dash due to his knee injury.[11] Traces of cocaine were found in his urine sample at the combine, lowering his draft stock.[11] He signed with the San Francisco 49ers on June 30, 1987, after going undrafted in the 1987 NFL draft.[13] He was placed on injured reserve on September 8 with a shoulder injury and activated on October 12, 1987.[11][13] He was one of the few NFL players who did not strike during the 1987 NFL players strike.[11] He played in two games for the 49ers during the 1987 season, rushing ten times for 33 yards while also catching four passes for 37 yards, before being placed on injured reserve again on December 17, 1987.[14][13]

After a July 1988 exhibition game in London, DuBose tested positive for cocaine again and was suspended for 30 days.[11] He played in 14 games the next year in 1988, totaling 24 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, six receptions for 57 yards, and 32 kick returns for 608 yards.[14] He suffered a season-ending knee injury on December 11, 1988, against the New Orleans Saints.[11] On January 22, 1989, the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 20–16.[15]

DuBose was waived by the 49ers on May 2, 1989.[16] His knee was surgically repaired on August 16, 1989.[17] DuBose was banned from the NFL for one year after testing positive for cocaine for the third time.[18]

DuBose signed with the 49ers on April 25, 1991.[19] He was released on May 31, 1991, with a 49ers representative stating "Doug's been out of football almost three years and we wanted to give the younger players some playing time at training camp."[19]

Sacramento Surge

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In February 1992, DuBose was selected by the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in a supplemental draft.[18] He played for the Surge during the 1992 WLAF season, rushing 62 times for 253 yards and three touchdowns while catching eight passes for 51 yards.[1] On June 6, 1992, the Surge won World Bowl '92 against the Orlando Thunder 21–17.[20][21]

Later life

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DuBose has two children.[2] He worked at Cherenzia Excavation from 2000 to 2002 but was fired for "repeated absenteeism".[2] He has been involved in numerous legal incidents, including a 2005 third-degree robbery charge for stealing a fish from a supermarket.[2] DuBose was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Doug DuBose". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "STILL NO END TO THE TRIALS OF DOUG DUBOSE". Hartford Courant. May 1, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "Doug DuBose". Sports Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Murphy, Ed (September 27, 1983). "DuBose tries new position: spectator". The Day. p. 19. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  5. ^ "All-Big Eight". The Salina Journal. November 21, 1984. p. 13.
  6. ^ "The 1984 United Press International All-Big Eight Conference football..." November 19, 1984.
  7. ^ "Bo Jackson, Sooner Casillas Head 60th UPI All-America Team". Tyrone Daily Herald. December 12, 1985. p. 7.
  8. ^ Hayes, Mark (May 29, 1992). "DuBose surging toward NFL dream". USA Today. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  9. ^ "Heisman Trophy candidates: thumbnail sketches". The Record. United Press International. September 7, 1986. pp. FB22. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  10. ^ "Sugar Bowl". Newsday. December 31, 1986. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Garber, Greg (February 6, 1990). "The Doug DuBose story: Football, cocaine and the fast life". Hartford Courant. pp. A1, A8. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  12. ^ Hambleton, Ken (February 6, 1990). "Ex-Husker DuBose cites inaccuracies". The Lincoln Star. p. 11. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c "Doug DuBose Transactions". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Doug DuBose". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  15. ^ "Super Bowl XXIII - Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Francisco 49ers - January 22nd, 1989". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  16. ^ "49ers Official 'Won't Discuss' Why Doug DuBose Is Released". Omaha World-Herald. Associated Press. May 3, 1989. p. 45. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  17. ^ "Tale of Doug DuBose: Modern-day tragedy". The Sacramento Bee. February 12, 1990. pp. D5. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Ex-Husker DuBose makes comeback with Sacramento of WLAF". Lincoln Journal Star. March 30, 1992. p. 13. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "49ers say DuBose released to make room for youth". The Day. June 4, 1991. pp. C3. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  20. ^ Jaramillo, Brian (June 9, 1992). "They're world winners". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  21. ^ "1992 Sacramento Surge (WLAF)". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  22. ^ Sipple, Steven, M. (September 11, 2021). "Tears don't DuBose – DuBose touched by Hall honor". Lincoln Journal Star. pp. C1. Retrieved July 1, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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