In 2001, he had 9 starts at fullback in place of an injured Robert Thomas and 2 starts at running back. He registered 579 yards with a 5.1-yard average per carry, good for third place in the NFL and 8 special teams tackles (fifth on the team). In the third game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had 10 carries for 107 yards (10.7-yard average), including an 80-yard run in the fourth quarter that was the fourth-longest in franchise history. In the seventh game against the New York Giants, he started in place of an injured Smith, registering 30 carries for 77 yards. The next game against the Atlanta Falcons, he had 20 carries for 127 yards (6.4-yard average).