coach Paul Hackett for missing team meetings and study hall time. News later surfaced that even though he didn't inform the team, he left to be with his sister who was in a coma with a brain tumor and eventually died. This situation made him decide to declare as an early entry into the NFL Draft. Even though he only played for three years, he left as the school's second career rusher with 3,192 yards (behind Dorsett). Professional career Dallas Cowboys Richards was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, after he dropped because of a poor junior year. He was the team's second leading rusher in the preseason and had the Cowboys longest run (a 32-yarder). He made the team as the backup to future Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith, but was placed on the injured reserve list after the second game of the season. During the last game of the 1992 regular season, when the Cowboys were playing the Chicago Bears, the team rested most of its regular players in the fourth quarter (including Smith), to prepare for the upcoming playoffs. Richards saw extensive playing time and scored a touchdown, but also committed two costly fumbles in a 27-14 win. The next day, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson released him, citing the fact that he could not tolerate a running back with a fumbling problem going into the playoffs, even though he would not be able to replace his roster spot by signing a new player, that he would have to pay him in full for all of the remaining games and eventually would have to give him a Super Bowl ring. Thus, Richards missed the entire 1992 postseason, including the Cowboys' 52-17 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII. Detroit Lions In 1993, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. He was released on August 30 and recalled off waivers the next day. He was cut on September 7, after playing in one game. Sacramento Gold Miners On May 19, 1994, he signed with the Sacramento Gold Miners of the Canadian Football League. References 1968 births Living people Trinidad and Tobago players of American football People from La Porte, Texas La Porte High School (Texas) alumni American football running backs Pittsburgh Panthers football players Dallas Cowboys players Detroit Lions players Sacramento Gold