It wasn’t hard to figure out why Sam Cunningham had the nickname “Bam.”
Sure, the moniker rhymes with his last name, but Cunningham was also a 6’3, 226-pound ball of trouble.
The fullback was an All-American and national champion with the USC Trojans and then was the 11th overall pick of the New England Patriots in the 1973 NFL Draft.
This week of #BlackHistoryMonth, we're shining light on Sam Cunningham, a pioneer in college and professional football. pic.twitter.com/SQqkgpTmHJ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 11, 2021
Cunningham did much more than just block, however.
He also ran the ball at least 150 times or more in all but two of his professional seasons.
When he did, bodies flew whenever Bam hit the line as he seemed to find pleasure in running at opponents rather than around them.
During his career, Cunningham averaged 3.9 yards per carry and even reached the 1,000-yard mark in 1977.
After sitting out the entire 1980 season due to a contract dispute, he started just 10 more games before retiring following the 1982 season.
This is the story of Sam Cunningham.
Growing Up in Santa Barbara
Samuel Lewis Cunningham Jr. was born on August 15, 1950, in Santa Barbara, California.
"SAM BAM"
A Tribute to Sam CunninghamHeaven Birthday, Sam🙏
The big, versatile #Patriots fullback led New England in rushing yards six times and four times in rushing touchdowns during his nine year career.
A 1978 Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-AFC selection pic.twitter.com/iN4nzwLlVj
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) August 16, 2024
He was the oldest of four children to Sam Sr. and Mabel, including younger brothers Anthony, Bruce, and Randall.
In elementary school, Sam gravitated to athletics and played every sport imaginable.
“We would play after-school sports. Whatever sport was in season — football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball,” Sam said. “I don’t think I ever played youth [tackle] football. I just played flag football,” he said. “For me, it was whatever school sports were there, that’s what we played.”
When it came time to suit up for the Santa Barbara High School Dons, Cunningham had sprouted to 6’3” and 220 pounds.
The coaches recognized his talent early and inserted Cunningham at linebacker and fullback.
He was a key player in helping the Dons reach the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) semifinals in 1967, Cunningham’s junior year.
At the time, Santa Barbara High was undefeated and looking to go all the way.
Unfortunately, Anaheim High School tripped up Cunningham and the Dons and ended their season.
A year later, Cunningham wrapped his prep career with 39 career touchdowns and more tackles on defense than people could count.
He also made a name for himself in track and field, competing in the 100-meter dash and shot put.
Cunningham won the 1969 State shot put championship with a heave of 64’9”.
Integrating Southern Football
Several colleges sought Cunningham’s services on the gridiron but he chose to stick close to home and attend USC.
When Cunningham was a freshman in 1969, he was not allowed to compete due to NCAA rules at the time.
However, in 1970, he was ready to go and make his name as the next great Trojan back.
The first game of the 1970 season was a road test against the Alabama Crimson Tide and legendary coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant.
In 1970 against Alabama, USC FB Sam Cunningham opened doors for future talents like @JD_22bsm. A new #Generations: pic.twitter.com/5OgB3Njp3l
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) September 1, 2016
During the previous two seasons, Bryant and the Tide experienced something unusual for the program, losing football.
In the Bear’s tenure with ‘Bama, the school had great seasons and rarely lost more than two games a year.
However, in 1968 and 1969, the Tide had lost three and five games, respectively.
By the end of the ‘69 season, Bryant was a little upset.
The Civil Rights movement was in full swing and integrated football in the South was a no-no, especially at Alabama.
Bryant could see the writing on the wall as he watched college teams in other parts of the country win games because of their Black players.
The revered coach decided to show the Tide faithful (as well as the entire South) what they were missing out on.
In a covert meeting, Bryant met with Trojans head coach John McKay at the Los Angeles airport in early 1970.
The purpose was to invite the Trojans to Alabama and see which program was the top dog in the first game of the 1970 season.
McKay eagerly accepted the challenge.
Cunningham Becomes a Legend
When Cunningham was growing up in Santa Barbara, he was far from the violence taking place in the American South, but he did catch glimpses of what was happening.
“I saw the images on television and I knew there were issues, but where I grew up those issues were not there,” he explained. “That’s not to say that we didn’t have issues, but nothing like the South. We weren’t getting chased by dogs or sprayed with water hoses or fearing for our lives when we went to church. We were able to just live and be kids and enjoy ourselves.”
After the Trojans arrived in Birmingham, Alabama, they were surprised by what they saw.
“We got a police escort through a part of the town that was lower income and had more blacks,” Cunningham recounted years later. “They all came outside to wave at our bus. They couldn’t see us, but I think they knew we were that team from California with black players. After that trip, I thought all the away games were going to be like that,” he says laughing. “They weren’t. That one was pretty unique.”
Taking the field and looking out at a sea of White faces was startling to the Trojans players.
2 teams. 46 years of history. The legend, Sam Cunningham, on USC-Alabama 2016: https://t.co/nr116OkEZZ #USCBHM pic.twitter.com/IpzwDQUU6F
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) February 9, 2016
Perhaps just as startling to the Tide fans was the fact that USC was starting a Black quarterback, Jimmy Jones, a Black running back, Clarence Davis, and boasted a Black fullback in Cunningham.
Although Cunningham wasn’t a starter, yet, and playing mostly special teams, McKay decided to give him a shot.
“I wasn’t a starter on offense, but after several plays I got an opportunity to get in,” he explained. “What was even more unbelievable is I got the opportunity to carry the ball. Fullbacks in that era did not carry the ball. I can’t tell you what was on the coaches’ minds that day, but I can tell you that I didn’t carry the ball very much the rest of that season.”
Starting in his first game for the Trojans on the biggest stage of the college football season, Cunningham silenced the crowd with 12 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
USC Crushes ‘Bama and Brings Change
USC pounded ‘Bama, 42-21, and Coach Bryant got exactly what he wished for.
“When you watch a football game from start to finish you have a pretty good idea which is the better team,” said Cunningham thoughtfully. “That’s what happened that night in Birmingham. They saw the truth.”
After the contest, Bryant congratulated Jones, Davis and Cunningham and one Tide assistant coach gave his assessment of the day’s events.
“Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 20 years,” Alabama assistant coach Jerry Claiborne was famously quoted saying.
Sure enough, in the next two years, the Crimson Tide began adding Black players to its roster, the direct result, sports historians believe, of the USC game.
“I didn’t go into any game looking to change history, even though history has a tendency to be changed by things of that nature,” Sam said. “I always tried to play to the best of my ability, and that’s what I did that evening. I was put in the right spot and got touched by the hand of God.”
Gaining a Nickname
The Trojans were riding high after their epic victory over Alabama in the first week of the season.
Despite the win, the rest of the season was fraught with internal issues that led to the program barely squeaking out a winning record.
“Not many people realize this, but as great as that 1970 team was because of what we did in that first game, we had our own racial issue on that team. That’s why we ended up being 6-4-1,” Cunningham said. “We get to raise the banner for changing college football history, but we still had a fight amongst ourselves about black-white. We still had some issues that we had to work out.”
Cunningham totaled 488 yards and five touchdowns on the ground and caught 16 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
A true Trojan Legend. Rest in peace Sam “Bam” Cunningham.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Cunningham family. pic.twitter.com/EkdymZvu84
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 7, 2021
His touchdown bursts came with such force that teammates started calling him “Bam” and the moniker stuck.
In 1971, the Trojans continued to trip over themselves and again finished 6-4-1 with Cunningham rushing for a career-high 742 yards and five scores.
National Title
In 1972, USC finally got its act together.
Quarterback Mike Rae, receiver Lynn Swann, bruising tight end Charle Young and Cunnigham (who was voted a team captain) helped the Trojans win all of their games.
That season, Cunningham had just 311 yards, but powered home nine touchdowns rushing.
#USC legend Sam Cunningham celebrates during his senior season as a Trojan pic.twitter.com/ambqnZ4aza
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) September 8, 2021
He was named a first-team All-American for his efforts.
After the regular season, USC played Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
The score was tied at seven at halftime, but things drastically changed in the second half.
In the third quarter, Cunningham had two short rushing touchdowns.
He followed those with two more short-yardage touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Trojans won easily, 42-17.
Cunningham’s four touchdowns were a modern era Rose Bowl record and he was named the Player of the Game.
Here's a picture of Sam Cunningham in the 1973 Rose Bowl #USC pic.twitter.com/kPUM5R5SnY
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) January 1, 2022
Although he could have let success go to his head, Cunningham was always humble about his exploits.
“The people that know me know what I did was not necessarily anything to do with me,” he said. “People come up and say, ‘Oh man, you so great’ … they don’t even know me. I was taught in elementary school to be a part of a team, not to be a star. If you’re a part of a team and you help your team win, then everybody gets a little bit of shine at the end of the day. That’s what 1972 was all about; we played as a team and won the national championship, not because I could fly over the line or whatever.”
Following the Rose Bowl, Cunningham played in the Hula Bowl, the Coaches All-America Game, and the College All-Star Game, showcasing his skills to NFL scouts.
As a collegian, he rushed for 1,541 yards and 19 touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 301 yards and two scores.
Years after leaving school, Cunningham was added to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992 and placed in the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
He is still considered to be the greatest fullback in program history.
First Round Pick
In 1972, the New England Patriots went 3-11.
Head coach John Mazur lost his job after the ninth game and interim coach Phil Bengston closed out the year with a 1-4 record.
Former Oklahoma Sooner head coach Chuck Fairbanks was then hired to lead the team before the 1973 season.
He immediately began planning for the 1973 NFL Draft by scouring the country for players to help rebuild the team.
Not only would the draft be important for obvious reasons, but New England had three first-round picks.
John Hannah, Darryl Stingley and Sam Bam Cunningham 1973. pic.twitter.com/eovFVkmpYx
— Old School Boston (@OldSchoolBoston) August 29, 2023
At that point in the franchise’s history, the Pats had only been to the playoffs once and that was back in 1963 when they were the Boston Patriots.
Finding the right players for those draft spots would go a long way in helping the organization return to the postseason.
Teammates in the pros. In college they were on different teams, in the game that changed college football in the south!
John Hannah (Alabama) & Sam Cunningham (USC) Alabama was still lily white under Bear Bryant. USC & Cunningham destroyed the tide, in Alabama! pic.twitter.com/CorXIQbzzG
— David Saw (@LAWomensHoops) September 3, 2024
With the fourth overall selection, New England chose Alabama guard John Hannah, who had been present when Cunningham and USC beat the Tide in 1970.
Cunningham was taken with the 11th overall selection and the Patriots closed out their first-round picks with Purdue receiver Darryl Stingley at number 19.
My life is flashing before me. Memories I have not thought about since I was a kid are reignited through social media.
Sam “Bam” Cunningham.
(New England Patriots Nation) pic.twitter.com/DPz4qwZMnM— Philip Gaber (@PhilipGaber1) December 8, 2023
During his rookie year, Cunningham started 10 games, rushed for 516 yards and four touchdowns, and scored another touchdown as a receiver.
The Patriots slightly improved to five wins.
Playoffs At Last
In 1974, Cunningham started 10 games again and led New England with 811 rushing yards.
He also had nine rushing scores (a career-high) that included an NFL-best 75-yard scamper to the house.
PS: If you liked Natrone Means, you woulda loved Sam Bam Cunningham! pic.twitter.com/XNc0KAhQNU https://t.co/86CL8cMV72
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) April 26, 2024
The team rode “Bam” to a 5-0 start before falling apart and ending the year 7-7.
After 666 yards in 1975, Cunningham had 824 yards rushing and another 299 yards receiving in 1976.
That year the Patriots relied on second-year quarterback Steve Grogan, and Cunningham’s hard running, to reach 11 wins for the first time in team history.
The dream season died when New England lost to the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round, 24-21.
1978
New England fell just short of qualifying for the playoffs in 1977 with a 9-5 record even though Cunningham rushed for 1,015 yards, the only time in his career that he surpassed 1,000 yards.
Then, in the 1978 preseason, Stingley was seriously injured in a contest against the Raiders.
As he was reaching for a pass, Jack “The Assassin” Tatum leveled Stingley and broke two bones in his neck.
August 12, 1978
Raiders safety Jack Tatum delivers a catastrophic hit on Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley during a preseason game in Oakland.
Stingley would never walk again.
One of pro football's most tragic days pic.twitter.com/ZlYH5x2yNe
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) August 12, 2024
The receiver was immediately paralyzed and spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic.
New England reeled from the loss of one of their favorite players and began the season 1-2.
Then, in a Week 4 game against Oakland, the Pats got a bit of revenge when they beat the Raiders 21-14.
The final score in the contest came on a Cunningham one-yard run.
Six consecutive wins followed and the Patriots went 11-5 to qualify for the playoffs.
During the season, Cunningham and fellow backs Horace Ivory and Andy Johnson, along with quarterback Steve Grogan, each rushed for over 500 yards (Cunningham had 768 along with eight touchdowns).
Their total of 3,165 combined rushing yards led the NFL and set a league record for the most yards gained on the ground in a single season.
The 1978 New England #Patriots
The NFL's top-ranked team in total offense — Russ Francis, Stanley Morgan, Steve Grogan, Sam "Bam" Cunningham pic.twitter.com/XuwdGGHa1y
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 28, 2022
It would not be broken until 2019.
New England was knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round by the Houston Oilers, but Cunningham was finally recognized with his first (and only) Pro Bowl.
Hold Out and Retirement
After Cunningham tallied nearly 800 scrimmage yards in 1979, he felt that a pay raise was in order as the 1980 season dawned.
New England management did not agree and traded him to the Miami Dolphins.
However, Cunningham failed his physical with Miami and continued to stay on the Pats roster while he held out the entire year.
He returned to New England in 1981, played in 11 games, and ran for 269 yards and four touchdowns.
In 1982, the NFL season was shortened due to the players’ strike.
The Pats went 5-4 and qualified for the league’s unique playoff format as the seventh seed then lost to Miami.
Cunningham’s days were clearly numbered as he only played in six games, including two starts, and ended the year with a meager 21 yards.
When the season concluded, he retired.
During his career, Cunningham had 5,453 yards and 43 yards on the ground and added 210 catches, 1,905 yards, and six touchdowns as a receiver.
RIP Sam "Bam" Cunningham
FB, #Patriots 1973-79, '81-82• 1 Pro Bowl (1978)
• 2x Second-Team All-AFC
• Led Pats in rushing yds 6x, in rushing TDs 4x
• Tied for NFL's longest rush in 1974 (75 yds)
• New England's second First-Round selection (11th overall) in 1973 Draft (USC) pic.twitter.com/E8smqeECCJ— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) September 7, 2021
He was a one-time Pro Bowler and later added to the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, New England’s 35th and 50th Anniversary Teams, and placed on the organization’s All-1970s Team.
The franchise has had talented backs in its history, but Cunningham is still the Pats all-time leading rusher.
Life After Football and Death
After retiring, Cunningham decided to try a different industry altogether and started his own landscaping business.
His younger brother, Randall, played quarterback at UNLV and then became one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.
Randall played in the league for four different organizations between 1985 and 2001 and was a four-time Pro Bowler and NFC Offensive Player of the Year in 1990.
Sam Cunningham continued to reside in Southern California with his wife, Cine, and daughter, Samahndi, for nearly four decades.
Sam Cunningham (1950-2021)#Patriots NFL pic.twitter.com/nHNmsJvmvV
— Sports Niagara-AG (@SportsNiagara) September 7, 2021
Sadly, he passed away on September 7, 2021, at the age of 71.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of yet another loss to the Patriots family this week and our hearts ache for Sam Cunningham’s family and all who are mourning his passing today,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement at the time. “Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham was one of my favorite players throughout the ’70s and my sons all loved him…He made a tremendous impact, both on and off the field, and was beloved by his teammates. As a Patriots Hall of Famer, Sam’s legacy and contributions will be preserved and celebrated forever, but today his loss is felt with heavy hearts.”
References
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/sports/football/sam-cunningham-dead.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/sam-cunningham-2.html
https://www.patriotshalloffame.com/hall_of_famer/sam-cunningham/
https://rosebowlgame.com/honors/rose-bowl-hall-of-fame/sam-cunningham/22
https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-cunningham-alabama-20160831-snap-story.html
https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=2301
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CunnSa00.htm
https://www.nfl.com/news/patriots-hall-of-fame-rb-sam-bam-cunningham-dies-at-71
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