C. J. Anderson
An undrafted running back who defied expectations, becoming the powerful, clutch engine of a Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos offense.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American football player and coach·Birthday: February 10·Millennials
Biography
C.J. Anderson's story is a classic NFL underdog tale. Overlooked by every team in the draft after his career at the University of California, Berkeley, he signed with the Denver Broncos as a free agent, a long shot to make the roster. What he lacked in draft pedigree, he made up for with a low center of gravity, surprising power, and uncanny vision. He fought his way into the lineup and soon became the Broncos' most reliable and explosive runner. His peak came during Denver's 2015 championship season, where he was the workhorse back for a team carried by its legendary defense. Anderson's gritty, tackle-breaking runs in the playoffs, including a key touchdown in Super Bowl 50, were essential to securing the title. His career, which included a late-season surge with the Los Angeles Rams to help them reach Super Bowl LIII, proved that heart and determination can forge a lasting legacy.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
C. was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When C. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
C.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Super Bowl 50 as the starting running back for the Denver Broncos, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown in the game.
- Selected to the Pro Bowl in 2014 after rushing for 849 yards and 8 touchdowns for the Broncos.
- Helped the Los Angeles Rams reach Super Bowl LIII after joining the team late in the 2018 season and providing a crucial playoff spark.
- Rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season in 2017, cementing his role as Denver's primary offensive weapon.
Did You Know?
He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2013 after going unselected in the NFL Draft.
Anderson famously scored a 25-yard touchdown in overtime to beat the New England Patriots in a 2015 regular-season game.
He returned to his alma mater, the University of California, as a running backs coach after his NFL playing career ended.
In the 2018 playoffs with the Rams, he rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round.
“They said I was too slow, too short, too this, too that. But they never said I couldn't play football.”
