Rodney Culver

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Rodney Culver (December 23, 1969 – May 11, 1996) was an American football running back who played in the NFL for four seasons in the 1990s. He played college football at Notre Dame and later spent time with the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers. In his NFL career, Culver appeared in 43 games, rushing for 689 yards on 241 carries with 12 rushing touchdowns, and he caught 26 passes for 210 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns.

Early life and college
Culver grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended Saint Martin de Porres High School. He earned a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame, where he began as a tailback in 1990 and 1991. As a freshman, he was part of Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship team and even scored a five-yard touchdown in the 1989 Fiesta Bowl against West Virginia. He led Notre Dame in rushing in 1990 with 710 yards over 11 games. In 1991, he served as team captain and helped the Irish defeat the Florida Gators 39–28. Culver graduated with a finance degree in about three and a half years.

Professional career
Culver was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL draft (85th overall). In 1992, he was a short-yardage back, rushing 121 times for 321 yards and seven touchdowns, and catching 26 passes for 210 yards and two more touchdowns. The Colts finished 9–7 but missed the playoffs by one game. In 1993, with Jeff George’s holdout and an injury to Steve Emtman, the Colts finished last. Culver had three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown that season, then was released and claimed by the San Diego Chargers before the 1994 season.

With the Chargers, Culver joined a crowded backfield that included Natrone Means, Eric Bieniemy, and Ronnie Harmon. He carried the ball eight times in 1994 but averaged more than seven yards per carry. In the 1994–95 playoffs, he had six carries for 14 yards in a win over the Miami Dolphins. He did not touch the ball in the 1994–95 AFC Championship Game, which the Chargers won 17–13 over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Culver appeared in Super Bowl XXIX against the San Francisco 49ers but did not have a carry. In 1995, with Means out due to holdout and injury, Culver had 47 rushing attempts for 155 yards and three touchdowns, plus five receptions for 21 yards. The Chargers made the playoffs but lost to the Colts 35–20. Culver scored the tying touchdown in the famous 1995 Snow Bowl game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium.

Death
Rodney Culver and his wife Karen were killed in the ValuJet Flight 592 crash on May 11, 1996. They left behind two young daughters. A settlement with ValuJet paid Culver’s family about $28 million.