In his 14 NFL seasons, Pearson rushed for 3,609 yards, caught 254 passes for 3,095 yards, returned 7 punts for 40 yards, and gained 2,801 yards on kickoff returns. Overall, Pearson gained 9,545 total yards and scored 33 touchdowns (17 rushing, 13 receiving, 2 kickoff returns, 1 fumble recovery).

During the latter part of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, Pearson was widely recognized as the player who defined the position of "3rd-down back" (now referred to as a "change-of-pace" back), paving the way for current players such as Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints and Marion Barber of the Cowboys.