Sep 26, 2026 · 4 min · 3 segments
In today's episode, we take a look at the legendary career of former Detroit Lions running back Dexter Bussey. After leading Detroit’s rushing attack for multiple seasons, Bussey willingly made the…
Ankit ChughHost
Born in Dallas, Texas, Bussey's college career began at the University of Oklahoma, which, at the time, was a running back factory, led by head coach Chuck Fairbanks and offensive coordinator Barry Switzer.
He arrived in Norman before the 1972 rule change that permitted freshmen to play on the varsity team.
A reality that would have been easier to accept had Oklahoma crafted a clear path for him.
Instead, he was left not knowing which position or side of the ball he'd be playing on.
Hoping to contribute as a runner, he quickly realized his chances of doing so were slim with talent like Greg Pruitt, Joe Wiley, and Roy Bell on the roster.
Furthermore, his odds would only get longer as Oklahoma was expected to continue reloading the backfield.
With the situation looking murky at best, he decided that his strongest chance of seeing the field would be elsewhere.
Thankfully, the University of Texas at Arlington, who had recruited him heavily out of high school, stayed in contact.
Busse went on to compile nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards and 16 total touchdowns during his time there before joining the Detroit Lions as a third round pick in the 1974 draft.
After rushing for only 22 yards as a rookie, he blossomed as a sophomore, piling up a team-high 696 yards on the ground.
Busse maintained his role as the starting halfback for the next four seasons, averaging 864 scrimmage yards and almost four touchdowns per year despite missing six games in 1977.
During that stretch, he enjoyed what became a single-game career-high 150-yard rushing performance and came close to joining Steve Owens as the second Lion ever to record 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
The Lions wanted to add another dimension to their backfield, which meant the seasoned vet would have to take a step back.
Detroit ended up drafting Billy Sims first overall, and Bussey unselfishly made the switch to fullback.
While he weighed close to 20 pounds less than his new running mate, Bussey found a way to open holes for Sims.
He also made the most of his opportunities as a ball carrier, and quietly made a statement with his efficiency in Sims' debut.
While the rookie's 217 scrimmage yard, three touchdowns showing grabbed all the headlines, Bussey's 111 yards and one score on 14 carries were impressive in their own right.
He maintained a high level of efficiency throughout the year and finished the season with a five yards per carry average, the second highest in the league and nearly one yard higher than Simms.
That same season, Busse surpassed Alty Taylor to become the Lions' all-time leading rusher.
Born in Dallas, Texas, Bussey's college career began at the University of Oklahoma, which, at the time, was a running back factory, led by head coach Chuck Fairbanks and offensive coordinator Barry Switzer.
He arrived in Norman before the 1972 rule change that permitted freshmen to play on the varsity team.
A reality that would have been easier to accept had Oklahoma crafted a clear path for him.
Instead, he was left not knowing which position or side of the ball he'd be playing on.
Hoping to contribute as a runner, he quickly realized his chances of doing so were slim with talent like Greg Pruitt, Joe Wiley, and Roy Bell on the roster.
Furthermore, his odds would only get longer as Oklahoma was expected to continue reloading the backfield.
With the situation looking murky at best, he decided that his strongest chance of seeing the field would be elsewhere.
Thankfully, the University of Texas at Arlington, who had recruited him heavily out of high school, stayed in contact.
Busse went on to compile nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards and 16 total touchdowns during his time there before joining the Detroit Lions as a third round pick in the 1974 draft.
After rushing for only 22 yards as a rookie, he blossomed as a sophomore, piling up a team-high 696 yards on the ground.
Busse maintained his role as the starting halfback for the next four seasons, averaging 864 scrimmage yards and almost four touchdowns per year despite missing six games in 1977.
During that stretch, he enjoyed what became a single-game career-high 150-yard rushing performance and came close to joining Steve Owens as the second Lion ever to record 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
The Lions wanted to add another dimension to their backfield, which meant the seasoned vet would have to take a step back.
Detroit ended up drafting Billy Sims first overall, and Bussey unselfishly made the switch to fullback.
While he weighed close to 20 pounds less than his new running mate, Bussey found a way to open holes for Sims.
He also made the most of his opportunities as a ball carrier, and quietly made a statement with his efficiency in Sims' debut.
While the rookie's 217 scrimmage yard, three touchdowns showing grabbed all the headlines, Bussey's 111 yards and one score on 14 carries were impressive in their own right.
He maintained a high level of efficiency throughout the year and finished the season with a five yards per carry average, the second highest in the league and nearly one yard higher than Simms.
That same season, Busse surpassed Alty Taylor to become the Lions' all-time leading rusher.
The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode
No account is needed to search Radar.
