With recent rule changes aimed to increase scoring, today’s NFL has shifted to a league dominated by quarterbacks and passing attacks. However, not long ago, franchise running backs were the focal point of every successful NFL team. In a league that has seen so many iconic feature backs throughout its history, it’s impossible to assemble an “all-time greatest” list that doesn’t spark at least some level of criticism. In an effort to account for variables such as shortened seasons and injuries, career averages were a major determining factor when comparing players. For example, Jim Brown may rank 9th on the all-time rushing list, but he ranks 1st in career yards per game. Should Brown be penalized because the NFL season lasted only 12 games from 1957-1960 and just 14 games from 1961-1965?
The final slide includes honorable mentions — extremely worth players who just missed the cut. Here are the 10 greatest running backs in NFL history.
bleh says
Bo Jackson?
Carlos Pendleton says
This list is pretty accurate but no Earl Campbell, what did he do to not be on this list in the top 10 at least and you all who didn’t see the games played in the 50’s and 60’s don’t realize that those players were much tougher than these because they only had a bar on their helmets and it was no holds barred football, they hit all the time in practice and the game plus in the piles you could do anything that you wanted, these guys today are not allowed to even hit or practice very long, these guys wouldn’t make it through training camp back then and these guys get injured when no one even touches them and it’s not all their fault either because the NFL is the sissy league now almost flag football, where they can’t practice very long, cut back or out 2 a days and you have to stop in mid air or run or the league will fine you, no wonder these guys are injured so much they are in shape but not football shape!!!!!
Paul Upchurch says
I get so tired of Jim Brown being called the greatest running back of all time. If you dropped Jim Brown in today’s NFL, he is Eddie George at best.
Carlos Pendleton says
You can’t drop Jim Brown into today so stop acting like you are making a valid case, he still to this day has the highest average yards for game and average carry per game and how do you over look this, you want to make excuses for this man’s greatness, you can only play who they put in front of you and he steamed roll them all, you’ll be trying 50 more years from now when he still has these records and Eddie George you are stupid, I don’t see nobody talking about Babe Ruth’s size or competition lol!!!!!
Rick says
No white RBs? This list is RACIST!
Carlos Pendleton says
You, are the racists here, what white running back is better than these guys, I see that you made a pointless statement but where is your example of this white running back who is better than the ones on here and it’s not about race either, but your mindset is the reason why there will always be problems in this country!!!!!
BBBYpsi says
Carlos I think he was trying to be sarcastic & funny at the same time. Stop being so serious dude.
Joe Hood says
Jim Brown is way over rated period. Here me out he was prototype modern running back of today. He would be a very good RB today.. When he played it was mostly against a lot of undersized slow white boys. So next time you watch the NFL and see 300lb tackles chasing a RB down think about what I said
Carlos Pendleton says
You, want to make the exact same excuses that everyone else makes, you can’t make Jim Brown into the running back of today and you all always are keeping Jim Brown at where he was in the 60’s, well truth be told he would weight at 250 or 260 when you compare him in today’s NFL and he would be faster too, you want to saddle him with 50’s and 60’s body against today’s players, well he would be bigger and faster too, you guys are player haters, what else can you judge by but average per carry and average per game, you live in a make believe world!!!!
Dave Morgan says
Any list that doesn’t include Earl Campbell in the top ten is a joke!
joeymegatron says
OMG, Thomlinson never even WENT to a SB, much less have a winner’s ring. Sayers? Gale Sayers MIGHT have been in the top 10, if he hadn’t blown out his knee. But he did blow out his knee, and he had two, MAYBE three good years, certainly not a resume for a Hall of Famer, much less a top 10 NFL RB of all time.
Carlos Pendleton says
It goes to show you how great he was, he’s the only player to be in the hall with the amount of seasons and games that he played and I know you never saw him live, there was no one like him and the closest thing was Barry Sanders who is great in his own right and I have seen all of these running backs and not on film either!!!!
Alan Mills says
Emmitt Smith is the all-time rushing yards and rushing TD leader, 8 pro bowls, 4 all pro selections, 3 super bowl rings, super bowl MVP, NFL MVP and he is the 4th best running back off all-time. If Smith isn’t 1 or 2 (stats say 1) then Tim Tebow is the greatest NFL QB of all-time. What a joke!
joeymegatron says
I hate the Cowboys (consider it a genetic condition I can do nothing about), but you are right, Alan Mills, Smith has to be on this list if it is legitimate.
Alan Mills says
I am a Cowboy lover but at the end of the day you can only measure a career by records and hardware. I hate hearing how the Cowboys have the best offensive line in football. I tell you who has the best line, the (hated) New England Patriots. Not because I say so but that ring on their fingers says so. Barry Sanders, a truly amazing RB, is usually rated higher than Smith because of his potential. If we are going to place people based on potential than Bo Jackson, Billy Sims and Archie Griffin should be in the top 5.
BBBYpsi says
No smith is not #1 or #2 He does not even make my top ten. Just because he has most yards rushed does not mean he is the best. Look at ypc. Look at how many other HOF’s are on that offense when he played. At least 3 others besides him. Here is a side note for you Emmit never had a 1000 yards rushed if he did not have at least 2 pro bowl players on his team that year. Sanders,Peyton,Brown,O.J.,Dickerson,Campbell….. all have done that. He also had many more carries then other RB’s on this list. Here is how you would break it down if all RB’s have same amount of Carries.
4409 att. smith=18335 ave per carry 4.1
3062 att. Sanders=6735 more yards
=22004 total ave per carry 5.0
2359att. Brown=10660= more yards 22972
total ave per carry 5.2
3838 att. Payton=2512 more yards=19239
total average per carry 4.4
2404 att. O.J. Simpson=9423 more
yards=20659 total ave per carry 4.7
2996 att. Dickerson=6217 more
yards=19476 total ave per carry 4.4
3174 att Tomlinson=5310 more
yards=18994 total ave per carry 4.3
2936 att Dorset=6333 more yards=1902
total ave per carry 4.3
2836 att Faulk6763 more yards=19042
total ave per carry 4.3
2187 att Cambell=9554 more yards=18961
total ave per carry 4.3
Alan Mills says
A great argument. I would argue that what good is YPC if it does not translate into wins and championships. I remember Dan Fouts throwing for a million yards and this did not translate into championships. Like I said, I appreciate your argument but if my choices are a RB with 1600 yards and no SB trophy or a RB with 1200 yards and a trophy I take the latter.
ChubbyWubby says
Jamaal Charles greatest YPC in NFL History and not even a mention.
joeymegatron says
really, Jamaal Charles? YPC means very little. Here are his season rushing totals, starting with 2008–357, 1120, 1467, 83, 1,509, 1287, 1,033, 364, 40, 175 (2017)…hardly the resume of a Hall of Famer, much less a top 10 NFL RB of all time.
James Chan says
No OJ?????????????????
joeymegatron says
OJ was in there, No. 5
James Chan says
sorry, scanned the article too fast. Was Marcus Allen mentioned??
Carlos Pendleton says
no
Rick Stacy says
LaDainian Tomlinson does not belong anywhere near this list. And if you’ve got Sayers on the list then Earl Campbell should probably be in the top 5.
Carlos Pendleton says
Earl Campbell should be on this list, you can’t touch Sayers but Campbell is one of the absolute best and I have seen all of these and more backs over 55+ years!!!!
Jack Curtis says
But the descent players are gone and now we have the Felon league
Uncle Bob says
There was (and will be) only one Jim Brown. Richard Pryor had Jim’s attitude to a tee. “Gimme the ball.”
The best Jim Brown story I ever heard: The Browns were playing the Giants and HOF ML Sam Huff. First play, Jim slams into the line for two yards. Huff sneers, “Brown, you stink!” Next play, same story. “Brown, you stink!” Third down, Jim takes the ball 65 yards for a touchdown. Walking up the sideline after the score, Jim shouted out to the field, “Hey, Huff! How do I smell from here?”
RobertS says
In the run down on Jim, the author said “linemen couldn’t catch him. I have news, I saw D backs who couldn’t catch him. By far the greatest of all time.
Carlos Pendleton says
Plus, everybody talks about how bigger and faster these guys today are, but the balance is those guys could do anything that they wanted on the field and most of these guys today couldn’t play back then and the vast majority of these players get injured without anyone touching them, these guys are soft today and it’s not their fault when you can’t practice and hit to be in football shape and we wonder why there’s so many injuries today!!!!
joeymegatron says
the man played LACROSSE in college–can you imagine trying to defend a guy like that, who was almost certainly solid muscle to be able to take so many hits and get up.
sparrow599 says
I can’t dispute any of the men who are on that list but not having Earl on it is a travesty!
Jerry L Lowe says
If your 2016 NFL team was drafting these same guys out of college today,,, I would take Emmitt Smith with the number one pick,,, And long after all your drafted running backs retired Smith would still be pounding the ground game for almost 16 years
sosofresh says
While I would personally switch Sanders and Brown at #1 – #2, I have to say that this is probably the most accurate (imo) top 10 I’ve seen printed/posted. There’s only 1 guy I’d remove…I wish somebody had the stones to compile a list of the top 10 RB’s without feeling like they’re obligated to include the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Nothing but respect for Emmit… hard worker, durable and seemed(s) like a decent guy. All of the other running backs on this list (and a few not included on the list) were more talented than him, though.
Ron Green says
Any top ten list that didn’t include Adrian Peterson is a farce…therefore this list is….
Bnutz says
well they got 1 and 2 correct.the rest can be debated. Barry is the one Back who could have gone on for more years after 30. He was getting better with age. Sad when he retired. Detroit screwed him. They wouldn’t trade him or build around him so he walked away. They should have let him go somewhere else
joeymegatron says
I think you can’t afford to build around a guy like Sanders, who most certainly was sucking up a very high percentage of salary cap (unless they are willing to launder salary through a bogus athletic training company their star QB ‘owns’ as the Pats do with Brady). Probably explains why Shula wasn’t able to build a good team around Marino. It’s the ‘star system’ in the NFL–if the stars don’t like it, they need to start taking less for their services.
Carlos Pendleton says
What a great statement!!!!
Julian Mullen says
earl campbell….
Carlos Pendleton says
yes, top 10 back!!!!