Tony Dorsett was a running back at University of Pittsburgh and helped to lead them to a national title in 1976, also picking up the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award while setting NCAA college records. He was a three-time All-American, and he finished his college career with an 6,082 total rushing yards, then an NCAA record. This would stand as the record until it was surpassed by Ricky Williams in 1998.

In 1977, he was drafted by the NFL's Dallas Cowboys in the first round and played with them through 1987.

In his rookie season, he led Dallas in rushing yards (1,007), rushing touchdowns (12) and ranked third in receptions (29), despite not becoming a full time starter until the 10th game of the season. He went on to rush for 66 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 2 passes for 11 yards in the Cowboys 27-10 victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XII. Dorsett was the first man to win a college football championship one year and then the Super Bowl the next. Dorsett rushed for 1,325 yards and scored 9 touchdowns in the 1978 season, assisting the team to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The Cowboys lost the game 35-31, but he had a great performance in it, rushing for 96 yards and catching 5 passes for 44 yards. He also rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown in the NFC title game a week prior to the Super Bowl.

In his NFL career, he rushed for 12,739 yards, caught 398 passes for 3,554 yards, and scored 91 touchdowns (77 rushing, 13 receiving, 1 fumble recovery). On Monday, January 3rd, 1983 in a game against the Minnesota Vikings, Dorsett ran for a 99-yard touchdown. It is the longest run by a player from the line of scrimmage ever in NFL history. To this date several players have caught a 99 yard touchdown pass, but no one has gained 99 yards in a single carry. Oddly enough, the Cowboys were undermanned at the time, having only ten players on the field during the play.

Dorsett made the Pro Bowl 4 times during his career (1978, 1981-1983) and rushed for over 1,000 yards in 8 of his first 9 seasons. The only season during that time that he didn't reach the 1,000 rushing yards milestone was the strike shortened season of 1982(which had only 9 games), where he led the NFC in rushing with 745 yards.

Dorsett was elected to both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994 and was enshrined in the Texas Stadium Ring of Honor the same year.