The Tri-Cities Fever is proud to announce the signing of Running Back Tyson Thompson.
Thompson played high school football at Irving High School (Texas). As a senior, he rushed for 2,418 yards on 358 carries and was a semi-finalist for the 1999 Texas Class 5A Player of the Year award. He also rushed for 525 yards in a single game against L. D. Bell High School (Hurst, Texas) in 1998, third most in Texas high school history and the most ever by a runner in UIL Class AAAAA (which houses the state's largest schools).
In two seasons at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, he saw limited playing time but still rushed for 1,063 yards on 159 carries and 12 touchdowns. In his final game at the junior college level, he rushed 25 times for 323 yards and three touchdowns against nationally-ranked Glendale Community College. Thompson closed his collegiate career at San Jose State University, playing in all 11 games with eight starts at running back while also seeing action as a kickreturner. His 811 rushing yards led the team and his five touchdowns were third best.
Thompson was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2005 as a reserve running back and kick returner. Although he has been third on the running back depth chart (behind Julius Jones and Marion Barber), he rushed 20 times for 75 yards and was named NFL Rookie of the Week in Week 5 of the 2005 season. He finished the 2005 season with team records for kickoff returns (57) and kickoff return yardage (1,399) while finishing ninth in the NFL with a 24.5 average. His 2006 season was ended after breaking his left ankle in week 8.
On February 28, 2008, Thompson was not tendered a contract as a restricted free agent, therefore becoming an unrestricted free agent.