The running back position has played a vital role as a staple in the NFL since its inception. Even in today’s era of football, where quarterbacks and high-octane death games are all the rage, a good rushing attack could make all the difference between losing and winning. Big pass plays are fun to observe, but there is still nothing more exciting than seeing a truly great running back split up a shield.
Through time, there’ve been many outstanding running backs. A lot of which are deserving to make this list, but there’s only room for the 10 greatest. Factoring in various standards such as statistics, personal bests, team accomplishments, supporting cast, the age in which they perform overall impact on the sport, here are the 10 greatest running backs of all time.
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Who is the Greatest Running Backs of All Time?
All four hold or have accredited franchise and NFL rushing records throughout their careers, each exhibiting incredible ability. While the argument may never be solved, here are a couple of comparisons, as well as statistics, that may have the ability to earn the argument more clear.
This article will cover each player’s overall statistics, their averages, their effect on their groups, their usage, and the strength of each era they played, compared to others. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have sufficient information to make an educated argument as to that which you feel is the greatest of all time.
1. Walter Payton
Widely considered the”G.O.A.T,” Walter Payton is famous for his nearly flawless thirteen-year career, where he attained tons of records and accomplishments. To start, Payton has just one Super Bowl championship, (Super Bowl XX). The running back also has nine Pro Bowl appearances and was first-team All-Pro seven times in his profession. With all of those accomplishments (plus more) plus a total of 16,726 rushing yards, it is no wonder Payton is thought of as the greatest running back of all time.
2. Jim Brown
On talent alone, Jim Brown merits a greater position. However, other pursuits swayed him from the soccer field after nine decades. During that successful run, the Cleveland Browns celebrity penalized guards to get a then-record 12,312 yards and 106 touchdowns on the ground. He led the NFL in rushing eight times and was a first-team All-Pro option in each of the years.
Brown, that gathered three MVP awards, a trip to eight Pro Bowls, and one NFL championship, entered the Hall of Fame in 1971.
3. Emmitt Smith
Together with three Super Bowl rings, Emmitt Smith is regarded as one of the best running backs of all time. Smith played both the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals in his fourteen days. Smith was inducted into the Pro Bowl Hall of Fame in 2010. Ever since then, he’s had tv functions as an analyst, and now runs The Gents Place (a men’s dressing and lifestyle bar ).
4. Barry Sanders
Regarded among the very elusive runners, Sanders was drafted by the Detroit Lions, where he spent his entire ten-year career. In those ten decades, Sanders created ten Pro Bowl appearances and got himself honors such as MVP (1997) and Offensive Player of the Year (1994 and 1997) throughout his playing days.
It should be noted that many believe Sanders the greatest running back of all time, and he is also considered the best short player to ever play the game at 5’8′ Sanders retired in 1998, also was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
5. Adrian Peterson
The only active player highlighted Adrian Peterson entered the league as a highly regarded prospect. Peterson was most successful through his 10-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings, running for 2,097 yards in 2012 and missing Dickerson’s single-season record. AP completed with 11,747 racing yards and 97 touchdowns as a member of the Vikings.
Already a top-10 rusher in league history, Peterson has since played for three groups –the Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins. The 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year has an MVP, seven Pro Bowls, and four first-team All-Pro nods on his own resume.
6. Marshall Faulk
For this stage, no player in NFL history has boasted Marshall Faulk’s combination of production as both a runner and receiver. Not only does he rank 12th with 12,279 rushing yards, but the former Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams star have the most receiving yards (6,875) along with second-most receptions (767) with a running back. Faulk even published a 1,000-1,000 season in 1999.
For three straight years, Faulk won AP Offensive Player of the Year. He earned seven Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro appearances, and in addition, he won the Super Bowl with the Rams in 1999.
7. Curtis Martin
Despite his career being cut relatively short by a knee injury, Curtis Martin is still considered to be one of the best running backs in the history of the NFL. In the twelve seasons that he played, Martin made five Pro Bowl appearances. At the time of the injury, Martin needed a total of 14,101 rushing yards. Upon his retirement, the running was the fourth top rusher in NFL history. Martin was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
8. Tony Dorsett
Had a hit not perceptible the 1982 campaign, Tony Dorsett would’ve opened his career with nine straight 1,000-yard efforts. Nevertheless, he published eight years with a single-season high of 1,646. From now Dorsett retired in 1988, his 12,739 yards ranked second one time behind only Walter Payton.
In the 1977 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Dorsett made a first-team All-Pro choice in 1981, four Pro Bowl nods, and space in Canton as a member of the 1994 class.
9. Eric Dickerson
Considered by both fans and peers to be one of the best running backs of all time, Eric Dickerson played eleven seasons in the NFL. Known for his notorious prescription goggles, the running was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, and had enjoying stints with the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.
At the time of his retirement, he had six Pro Bowl appearances and has been named first-team All-Pro five times. Dickerson retired with 13,259 racing yards, 281 receptions, and 90 rushing touchdowns, becoming a Hall of Fame member in 1999.
10. LaDainian Tomlinson
With a career spanning eleven seasons, Tomlinson is considered among the greatest running backs. Tomlinson was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2001; he left five Pro Bowl appearances. The running back also got three first-team All-Pro appearances and was named Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2006. Tomlinson finished his career with 13,684 racing yards and officially became a Hall of Famer in 2006.
Conclusion
In any sport, any position plays an important role. In this article, we have shared with you Who is the Greatest Running Back of All Time. Hope you enjoy what we share.
