Tony Pollard Bio
Tony Randall Pollard is an American professional football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Memphis Tigers and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 209 pounds, Pollard has built his reputation as a versatile back who can run, catch, and return kicks at a high level.
Across his professional career, Pollard has produced more than 5,700 rushing yards and nearly 1,800 receiving yards, along with 39 total touchdowns as of the 2025 season. After spending his first five seasons in Dallas, he signed a three-year deal with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 and continues to serve as a featured offensive contributor.
Early Life and Background
Tony Randall Pollard was born on April 30, 1997, in Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in his hometown and attended Melrose High School, where he developed into a multi-purpose football talent. At Melrose, Pollard played on both sides of the ball as a two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback.
As a senior, Pollard helped his team reach the playoffs while piling up more than 1,200 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. His strong senior season earned him All-District 16-AAA recognition and put him on the radar of college recruiters across the region.
Path to American Football
Pollard accepted a football scholarship from the University of Memphis to continue his career close to home. As a redshirt freshman in 2016, he appeared in 13 games with seven starts and made an immediate impact on special teams, finishing among the national leaders in kickoff return average at 28.1 yards per return with two touchdowns. That performance earned him American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors.
In 2017, Pollard elevated his game as a sophomore. He posted 36 receptions for 536 yards and 30 carries for 230 yards with six total touchdowns, while leading the nation with a 40-yard average per kickoff return across 22 returns for 881 yards and four scores. He repeated as AAC Special Teams Player of the Year and was named a consensus All-American.
As a junior in 2018, Pollard shared the Memphis backfield with Darrell Henderson and still produced 78 carries for 552 yards, 39 receptions for 458 yards, and ten total touchdowns. In the Birmingham Bowl against Wake Forest, he set the tone with 318 all-purpose yards, including 209 on kickoff returns, and a rushing touchdown. On January 11, 2019, Pollard declared for the NFL draft and later appeared in the Senior Bowl.
Tony Pollard Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
The Dallas Cowboys selected Pollard in the fourth round, 128th overall, of the 2019 NFL draft. He made his NFL debut in the season-opening 35–17 victory over the New York Giants with 13 carries for 24 yards. Two weeks later against the Miami Dolphins, he recorded his first 100-yard game, finishing with 13 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown in a 31–6 win. Pollard closed his rookie year with 86 carries for 455 yards and two rushing touchdowns, plus 15 receptions for 107 yards and a receiving score, in 15 games without a start.
In 2020, Pollard continued to operate as a backup to Ezekiel Elliott while contributing on kickoff returns. He posted his biggest outing of the season during Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, recording 132 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 41–33 victory. He finished his second professional season with 101 carries for 435 yards and four touchdowns, along with 28 receptions for 193 yards and a score, in 16 games with two starts.
Dallas Cowboys Breakthrough (2021–2023)
Pollard expanded his role in 2021, finishing the year with 130 carries for 719 yards and two touchdowns, plus 39 receptions for 337 yards across 15 games. The 2022 season marked his clearest breakthrough as he started 16 games and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time. He produced 193 carries for 1,007 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, plus 39 receptions for 371 yards and three receiving touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl recognition for his efforts.
His postseason ended on a difficult note in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, when Pollard suffered a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula. On March 6, 2023, the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on him, and he responded with 252 carries for 1,005 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, adding 55 receptions for 311 receiving yards. After the 2023 season, Dallas opted not to extend a long-term offer, opening the door for free agency.
Tennessee Titans Era (2024–Present)
Pollard signed a three-year, $21.75 million contract with the Tennessee Titans on March 14, 2024, and was named the team’s starting running back. In his Titans debut, a 24–17 road loss to the Chicago Bears, he produced 16 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. He added a 22-carry, 88-yard, one-touchdown performance in a 31–12 Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins and finished the 2024 season with 260 carries for a career-high 1,079 rushing yards and five touchdowns, plus 41 receptions for 238 yards, despite a late-season ankle issue.
In 2025, Pollard posted 25 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–29 Week 14 win. Across the 2025 season, he totaled 242 carries for 1,082 rushing yards and five touchdowns, along with 33 receptions for 206 yards, reinforcing his role as a centerpiece of the Tennessee offense.
Driving Style and Strengths
Pollard is at his best when given space to attack in space, using his receiving background to thrive on screens, check-downs, and jet-motion touches. His vision and acceleration fit well in zone-read and outside-zone schemes, while his career as a return man shows his comfort tracking the football in the open field. Pairing that skill set with a creative run-game coordinator has allowed him to deliver consistent production in both Dallas and Tennessee.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights include his first career 100-yard rushing game against the Dolphins in 2019, his first 1,000-yard season in 2022, and a Pro Bowl selection that same year. He also set a school record with a 30.1-yard kickoff return average at Memphis and tied an FBS record with seven career kickoff return touchdowns.
Tony Pollard Career Wins
Although running backs are not credited with traditional wins, Pollard has produced multiple milestone performances that helped secure team victories. He has logged 100-yard rushing games against the Dolphins, Rams, and Bears, and has crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in three consecutive NFL seasons from 2022 through 2024.
NFL Highlights
Pollard’s most notable rushing outputs include his 1,007-yard 2022 campaign, his 1,005-yard 2023 season, and his 1,079-yard 2024 season. His 57-yard rushing touchdown against the Rams in 2022 and his 141-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Bears stand out as signature efforts. His 318 all-purpose yards in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl remain a defining college memory.
Other Wins and Performances
At Memphis, Pollard won back-to-back AAC Special Teams Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017 and was named a consensus All-American in 2017. He also led the nation in kickoff return average that same year, underscoring his value as a special teams difference-maker before reaching the NFL.
Tony Pollard Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed information about Tony Pollard’s parents and extended family has not been publicly confirmed in available sources.
Personal Life
Pollard was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, the same city where he starred at Melrose High School and later starred for the Memphis Tigers. Public records on his marital status, spouse, or children have not been confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 campaign marked Tony Pollard’s second season in Tennessee and his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing year. He opened the year as the unquestioned lead back and produced another strong workload, finishing with 242 carries for 1,082 yards and five rushing touchdowns, plus 33 receptions for 206 yards as a passing-game outlet.
One of his defining moments came in Week 14, when he carried the ball 25 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns in a 31–29 victory. That performance highlighted the trust between Pollard and the Titans’ coaching staff in tight-game situations, and it reinforced his value as a closer on the ground.
Looking ahead, Pollard remains under contract through 2027, giving Tennessee stability at the running back position. With his established production, return-game experience, and growing chemistry in the Titans’ offense, he is positioned to remain a focal point of the team’s ground attack.
