James ranks third in all-time University of Miami rushing yards. He was the only running back in school history to post two consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus rushing yards, and he ranks first in school history with the most 100-plus rushing games (14). All single season records held by James have since been broken by former Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee.
James was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame on April 23, 2009, at its 41st Annual Induction Banquet at Jungle Island in Miami.
The Indianapolis Colts selected James in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft as the fourth overall pick.[5] James signed a seven-year, $49 million rookie contract. Some critics believed that the Colts made a mistake by choosing James over the reigning Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.[6]
James quieted the critics and was an immediate success, and was named the 1999 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press.[7] James won the NFL rushing title in his first two seasons.[8][9] He was the last NFL player to win the rushing title in his rookie season before Ezekiel Elliott. Six games into the 2001 season, he tore his ACL.
James had over 1,500 rushing yards in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons.[10][11]
James left Indianapolis as its all-time leading rusher with 9,226 yards.[12] After James's departure in March 2006, the Colts won Super Bowl XLI the following season.[13] Although he was not on the team at the time, Colts owner Jim Irsay still sent him a Super Bowl ring.[14]
James signed a four-year, $30 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals on March 23, 2006.[15] With the retirement of Corey Dillon, James became the active leader in career rushing yards at the start of 2007, and remained so through his last game in November 2009 (though he would be passed by LaDainian Tomlinson by the end of the season). James went through a stretch of 10 games out of the 2008 season where he carried the ball only 20 times. Through this time, Ken Whisenhunt brought him in strictly as a pass protector. In Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks, James carried the ball 14 times for 100 yards.[16] James said he would not come back to Arizona following the 2009 NFL playoffs, despite a year left on his contract.[17] In the Cardinals' first playoff game since 1998, James averaged 4.6 yards per carry against the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card Round.[18] In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, James rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals' upset victory over the heavily favored Carolina Panthers.[19] James rushed for 73 yards in the Cardinals' 32–25 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship.[20] James rushed 9 times for 33 yards in the Cardinals' 27–23 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII.[21]
His long-time girlfriend, the mother of his children, died of cancer in April 2009.[22] After this, he asked for his release from the team, and the Cardinals honored his request on April 28.[23]
Seattle Seahawks
After spending the 2009 offseason grieving with his four children and declining NFL offers,[22] James finally agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks on August 24, 2009, missing the team's training camp.[24] The team released running backT. J. Duckett to make room for James on the roster.[25] However, James rushed for only 125 yards on a career-low 46 carries.[26] He played in only seven games, and on November 3, 2009, Seattle cut him from the team.[22]
On July 26, 2011, James announced his retirement from professional football.[27] He had amassed 12,246 rushing yards (11th all-time at the time of his last game in 2009)[28] and 80 rushing touchdowns (15th).[29]
James currently resides in Miami, Florida. He has six children, including Eden, a running back committed to Howard, and Edgerrin Jr., who is a four-star basketball recruit in the class of 2023, committed to the University of Cincinnati. On April 14, 2009, Andia Wilson, James' long-time girlfriend and the mother of four of his children, died from leukemia at the age of 30.[32] He is the second cousin of current LA Chargers safety Derwin James.[33]
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