Erik Bickerstaff’s stat line in his debut with the Dallas Cowboys was nothing remarkable: nine carries for 41 yards, two kickoff returns for 24 yards.
What is remarkable: The last time Bickerstaff played that much he was a junior in high school seven years ago. And at this time last year, he was a janitor cleaning Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium.
“This is a player who was a very, very long shot coming to training camp,” coach Bill Parcells said. “But he’s not without some skill, and he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.”
Owner Jerry Jones added: “He’s shown he’s a tough football player and he wants it real bad.”
Before last Sunday against Philadelphia, Bickerstaff’s last action at tailback was in 1996, his junior year at North High School in Waukesha, Wis.–before he was caught drinking and suspended for his senior season.
Bickerstaff walked on at Wisconsin, finally earning a scholarship after toiling for four years. Along the way Bickerstaff had just one carry. Then he was ruled was academically ineligible for his final season in 2002.
Bickerstaff’s coaches helped him get a job at the stadium. His agent, Adam Robbins, got on the phone. “I’d say 80 percent of the teams we called didn’t even call me back.”
Even though Dallas lost 36-10 to the Eagles, postgame soreness never felt so good to Bickerstaff.
“I’m trying to make the most of these last three games,” he said. “Hopefully I can stick with the Cowboys. I definitely don’t want to go back to cleaning floors.”
