Todd Gurley counsels rookies at BBQ with HOFer Eric Dickerson

Jun 17, 2019 at 03:20 PM

Myles Simmons

Rams Insider

When Rams players describe running back Todd Gurley, "great teammate" is usually one of the top qualities on any list.

Quarterback Jared Goff has said it a number of times when talking about what makes Gurley special. Perhaps the most notable instance last year came after Gurley astutely went down before crossing the goal line to help preserve the Rams' 29-27 victory over the Packers in Week 8.

The fifth-year running back has also been known to request the numbers of newly drafted Rams at his position, just to make sure they feel welcomed to the team.

But last week, Gurley illustrated his status as a great teammate in an off-the-field capacity, co-hosting members of Los Angeles' rookie class for a dinner and Q&A with Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.

Following the Rams' lone minicamp practice on Tuesday, the rookie class gathered at Dickerson's house in Calabasas for food and fellowship with two of the best players in franchise history.

And really, this was an opportunity to get answers for anything on the rookies' minds with two particularly strong resources in front of them.

Gurley said he'd been wanting to do something with the rookies for a while, particularly because he hasn't yet had a chance to get on the field with them. While he broached left tackle Andrew Whitworth about the possibility, Dickerson had put on the event for the last couple years.

"Then he ended up calling me last week, and I was like, 'That's perfect,'" Gurley said told therams.com.

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Defensive tackle (65) Bryant Jones of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to Rosie Grier at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams greets rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Wide receiver (14) Nsimba Webster of the Los Angeles Rams listens to HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social with Rams rookies at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams greets rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (37) Matt Colburn of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (27) Darrell Henderson of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Linebacker (51) Dakota Allen and XX of the Los Angeles Rams attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to teammate (27) Darrell Henderson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams listens to HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Tight end (84) Romello Brooker of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to teammate (27) Darrell Henderson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running backs (30) Todd Gurley and (27) Darrell Henderson of the Los Angeles Rams poses with HOF running back Eric Dickerson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Linebacker (51) Dakota Allen, (15) Alex Bachman, and XX of the Los Angeles Rams attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Defensive tackle (65) Bryant Jones of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to Rosie Grier and (30) Todd Gurley at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Tight end (86) Kendall Blanton of the Los Angeles Rams listens to HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (37) Matt Colburn of the Los Angeles Rams listens to HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Tight end (48) Keenan Brown of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (37) Matt Colburn of the Los Angeles Rams poses with HOF running back Eric Dickerson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams pose with (30) Todd Gurley and Eric Dickerson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Defensive tackle (65) Bryant Jones of the Los Angeles Rams poses with teammate (30) todd Gurley and Rosie Grier at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams pose with (30) Todd Gurley and Eric Dickerson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams and HOF running back Eric Dickerson speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Defensive tackle (65) Boogie Roberts of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to teammate (27) Darrell Henderson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Defensive tackle (93) Marquise Copeland of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Defensive tackle (65) Bryant Jones of the Los Angeles Rams speaks to Rosie Grier at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Linebacker (55) Ketner Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams pose with (30) todd Gurley and Eric Dickerson at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams and HOF running back Eric Dickerson attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (27) Darrell Henderson of the Los Angeles Rams attends a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Rookies of the Los Angeles Rams attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams greets rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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HOF running back Eric Dickerson and (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams speak to the rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running backs (27) Darrell Henderson and (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams attend a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams greets rookies at a BBQ/Social at Eric Dickerson's home, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Calabasas, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

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Over the course of the half-hour back-and-forth between the rookies, Dickerson, and Gurley, the young players asked the famed RBs questions like, what's something you wish you knew when you entered the league both on and off the field? How do you keep from getting distracted from individuals who may want something from you? Were there big obstacles you had to overcome physically to know that you could play at the highest level?

Gurley and Dickerson provided detailed answers to all of the rookies' questions, but the answers often came down to a few simple principles:

Be focused on the present and what you have to do to be successful. "Keep the main thing the main thing," as Gurley put it.

The speed of the game will likely be the most difficult adjustment you'll have to overcome.

And appreciate every moment — your journey in the NFL will go quickly.

"That's my guy, now. So it's kind of like — I guess it's normal, which is funny," Gurley said of hosting the event with a legendary player like Dickerson. "Because like he said, you don't play for long. You don't play for long. So it's just cool to be able to just do this with him. And then hopefully 10 years from now, we'll be doing a radio show or something like that or a podcast."

But more than that, Gurley stressed the importance of being available to his newest teammates for anything. He even encouraged them to take his number down so that if they ever needed anything, they could come to him.

"I just think it's just good. Like I said, I haven't been able to be at OTAs and stuff like that. And I've been around, but I haven't been there with those guys the whole time. So just thought I would come by, do something with those guys, and then they could ask us questions," Gurley said of why this event was important to him. "Nine times out of 10, they never would've asked me these any of these questions if we were at the facility, or if they just came by my house. So, it was good. And like I told them — ask questions. You really do need to ask questions because we don't know anything [as rookies]. We legit just came from college where you don't pay bills. So it's time to ask questions because the only way you'll know stuff is just through knowledge and experience."

Being willing to share that knowledge and experience — that's what makes Gurley a great teammate.