Background and career
Anthony Rishard "Boobie" Dixon (born September 24, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, with whom he holds multiple school rushing records.
As a senior at Terry High School in 2005, he racked up 304 carries for 2,683 yards (8.8 average) and 31 touchdowns in leading Terry to an 11–2 mark. He was named the Jackson metro-area player of the year by The Clarion-Ledger. He was also a first-team All-State honoree by the paper, and was named to its (preseason) "Dandy Dozen" team (of the state's 12 best high school players) and its (postseason) "10 Most Wanted" list (of the state's top 10 college football prospects). Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Dixon was listed as the No. 22 running back prospect in the nation in 2006. Scout.com ranked Dixon a four star prospect and the 30th best running back in the country. He chose Mississippi State over University of Alabama, Louisiana State University, and Southern Miss.
In his true freshman season at Mississippi State University, Dixon played in all 12 games, starting five times, and set MSU true freshman records for rushing attempts, yards gained rushing, and touchdowns rushing. His nine touchdowns on the ground were the most by a Bulldog since Dicenzo Miller's ten TDs in 2000. He earned his nickname "Boobie" from his college teammates, who compared him to Boobie Miles, the character in Friday Night Lights. As a sophomore, Dixon played all 13 games and started twelve. He became just the seventh halfback (ninth occurrence) in school history and the first Bulldog sophomore ever to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season and his attempts set a Mississippi State single season record. He scored MSU's game-winning touchdown in the 2007 Liberty Bowl game. During his junior season, Dixon started all 12 games he played in, and rushed for 869 yards, compiling a career-best 4.4 yards per carry. With 1,391 rushing yards in his senior season, Dixon not only set the Mississippi State single-season rushing record (surpassing J. J. Johnson's 1998 record of 1,383 yards), he also became the seventh player in Southeastern Conference history to lead his team in rushing four times. He joined Eddie Price (Tulane, 1946–1949), Sonny Collins (Kentucky, 1972–1975), Dalton Hilliard (LSU, 1982–1985), Carl Woods (Vanderbilt, 1983–1986), Errict Rhett (Florida, 1990–1993), and Kevin Faulk (LSU, 1995–1998) on that list. Dixon accumulated 3,994 career rushing yards during his collegiate career.
In addition, Dixon also accumulated 56 receptions, 449 Receiving Yards, and 4 Receiving Touchdowns in 4 years at MSU.
Dixon was considered one of the best "power backs" available in the 2010 NFL draft, alongside Toby Gerhart and Charles Scott. Projected as a third- to fourth-round pick, Dixon was thought to possibly be the Bulldogs' highest draftee since Jerious Norwood was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (79th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft. However, he was selected as the 173rd overall pick in the sixth round by the San Francisco 49ers.
With the announcement of the sudden retirement of Glen Coffee on August 13, former head coach Mike Singletary stated that Dixon and veteran Michael Robinson would compete for the number 2 running back spot behind Pro Bowler Frank Gore. In the preseason, Dixon posted 74 rushes for 300 yards, averaging 75 yards per game and 4 touchdowns, leading the entire NFL in each of those categories. On September 20, 2010, Dixon rushed for his first career NFL touchdown against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. Despite playing well in the preseason, Dixon had only ten rushing attempts until week 12. After Gore suffered a fractured hip during a Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals on November 29, Dixon had 14 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown as a backup to Brian Westbrook, who took over for Gore. Dixon played in all 72 games of his NFL career, primarily on special teams. At the end of the 2012 season, Dixon and the 49ers appeared in Super Bowl XLVII. He contributed on special teams, but the 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 34–31. His only start as a member of the 49ers came in the 2013 NFC Championship game as a fullback, scoring a touchdown that gave San Francisco a 10–0 lead. Coincidentally, that was his last game as a member of the 49ers. He finished his 49er career with 458 regular-season rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
