All Time Backs Better than Jerome Bettis

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Bettis is fifth on the career rushing list. That's about the only good thing I can say about him. Oh yeah, he has 'nimble feet'.

The rankings below are their rankings on the career rushing list

1. E Smith 18355
2. W Payton 16726
3. B Sanders 15269
4. *C Martin 14101
5. *J Bettis 13662
6. E Dickerson 13259
7. T Dorsett 12739
8. J Brown 12312
9. *M Faulk 12279
10. M Allen 12243
11. F Harris 12120
12. T Thomas 12074
13. J Riggins 11352
14. O Simpson 11236
16. E George 10441
17. *C Dillon 10429
19. E Campbell 9407
20. *E James 9226
33. *P Holmes 8035
37. *S Alexander 7817
39. T Davis 7607
42. *L Tomlinson 7361
46. *R Williams 7097


I would consider every back on this list to be better than Bettis, with the exception of Dillon, George, Harris, and Ricky Williams, who I think can be argued are probably better. I just don't understand all this adulation for a guy who has about 25 backs ahead of him.

By the time their careers are done, I can see arguments being made for Tiki Barber, Larry Johnson, Deuce McAllister, maybe even Bro Sweets and Jamal 'Scarface' Lewis.

A final note: his career ypc is 3.9--barely better than the NFL average.

[Hammock Parties]

Eddie George? Don't make me laugh.

[siberian khatru]

He's no Bobby Hebert.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I don't see much of a difference between the two.

[JBucc]

But...he's from Detroit

[siberian khatru]

But...he's from Detroit

That's just an Internet rumor.

[KCFalcon59]

You'd think W just won another election. Jeez.

[banyon]

what's with the Bettis-hatin' today Hamas?

Was he driving around his fake schoolbus one day and run over your cat or something?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

what's with the Bettis-hatin' today Hamas?

Was he driving around his fake schoolbus one day and run over your cat or something?

I'm just tired of the media slobbin his knob because he's 'a great guy'. I've thought he was overrated for a long time, now seems like the perfect time to bring it up :D

[milkman]

Bettis, in his prime, was a hell of a Rb.

He has just played well past his prime.

It paid off for him, though, today.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I don't think he's been a hell of an rb since 1997. He's been able to take a beating, but that's about it.

He never led the league in any category, except for total rushes, once.

I just don't see how that makes him a world-class back.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/BettJe00.htm

[banyon]

I'm just tired of the media slobbin his knob because he's 'a great guy'. I've thought he was overrated for a long time, now seems like the perfect time to bring it up :D

True, but they do that with everybody. It's part of their madison avenue crafted-good guys image (as opposed to the NBA's marketing strategy).

Bettis doesn't want to make me vomit any more than Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, or than Peyton Manning would've. I even like Manning, but it's just overexposure.

The Ravens winning that Superbowl a couple a years back was probably those marketing guys' worst nightmare.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Everyone here knows that Jerome is going into the HOF on the first ballot. I think he's between the 20th and 30th best RBs all-time

I think we can all agree it would be hard to find 20 LBers better than DT all time, yet he's not in the HOF. Shit like this makes me bitter.

[NJ Chief Fan]

LARRY ****IN JOHNSON

[4th and Long]

I think he's between the 20th and 30th best RBs all-time
You're an idiot.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

You're an idiot.

Who on the list do you disagree with?

[4th and Long]

Who on the list do you disagree with?
You've done nothing but whine, complain, piss and moan about anything that has to do with Pittsburgh tonight. I cannot take anything you say seriously. When your nuts drop, come back and we can talk. Until then, take your whiney ass, little girl, cry baby antics elsewhere.

[milkman]

Everyone here knows that Jerome is going into the HOF on the first ballot. I think he's between the 20th and 30th best RBs all-time

I think we can all agree it would be hard to find 20 LBers better than DT all time, yet he's not in the HOF. Shit like this makes me bitter.

There's only 17 LBs in the HOF, and there are only 1 or 2 that I would put DT ahead of, of those I've seen.

There are a couple of others that I never saw.

DT will get there, I believe.

[listopencil]

I can still vividly remember Bettis in his prime and he was awesome to watch. The only thing I remember hearing about him during the off season is that he likes to go bowling and hang out with his family. In this day and age of drug abusers and wife beaters, I'm glad the NFL had a player like him. I was rooting for the Steelers to win in part because I wanted to see him get a ring. Hate him if you want to, I think you're an idiot for it.

[BigChiefFan]

Proof is in the pudding and it's obvious Bettis has done more than the players listed behind him have. Sure, he isn't playing at his prime, but he still had an impact on the Steelers this year and that's what counts.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

You've done nothing but whine, complain, piss and moan about anything that has to do with Pittsburgh tonight. I cannot take anything you say seriously. When your nuts drop, come back and we can talk. Until then, take your whiney ass, little girl, cry baby antics elsewhere.

Look at the response from Mr. Toughass. I'm sorry if I'm appearing to piss and moan about Pittsburgh. I call it like I see it, and that was a horribly officiated game. It's obvious that you are all-Pitt all the way, so if you want to slurp them so much, move to the rust belt and don a Terrible Towel. If not, quit adultering the Chiefs. Your worship on the Steeler thread was no better than my (worthy) criticism of them given that they had the game handed to them on a platter. Considering that I'm about 20 minutes from Roethlisberger's hometown, I think that I have a right to bitch--all of these people around here are Steelers fans despite the fact that they are closer to the Browns, Lions, Bengals, and Bears. Shitty teams, yes, but when you are surrounded by piss poor fans it has a tendency to wear on you. As far as you are concerned-can you really say that Bettis is even in the Top 15 RBs of all time??

He only had 4 seasons where he averaged over 4ypc...and the best game he ever had he ran for 164 on 30 carries. I've seen a lot of backs able to change a game unlike he ever could. He was always a 2-down/short yardage running back, and despite having the fourth most rushes in NFL history, he didn't even get to 100 touchdowns.

The guy had longevity, but so did Dave Kreig, and if you look at his stats, he's up there with a lot of QBs--it doesn't mean that he's one of the great QBs ever. Bettis is like the Drew Bledsoe of running backs to me--their stats say a lot more for ability than their play on the field and in crucial games ever did. Look at Bettis' career playoff rushing totals--199 carries, 674 yards. He averaged over 4 ypc in ONE playoff game...his first. 13 playoff games, 3 career 100 yard games, never over 105. there isn't a lot to bowl over and awe about; and there are a lot of guys who never beat their wives who were great NFL RBs, Walter Payton, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith...

Hate me if you want, but when I think of a Hall of Famer I think of a guy who altered the game, and Bettis hasn't done that for 9 years and never did it on a consistent basis.

[tk13]

I think the RB position is maybe the best position to reward longitivity, because RB's generally don't last long. To be able to put up those numbers to pass those guys is quite an accomplishment... you can say it's no big deal because he lasted so long, but if it was so common to last that long, there'd be more than 4 people ahead of him in all-time yardage.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I think the RB position is maybe the best position to reward longetivity, because RB's generally don't last long. To be able to put up those numbers to pass those guys is quite an accomplishment... you can say it's no big deal because he lasted so long, but if it was so common to last that long, there'd be more than 4 people ahead of him in all-time yardage.


A lot of guys could have plodded around averaging 3.3 yards a carry the last 6 years of their career, they just chose to be able to walk when they were fifty. Had he averaged 4 ypc for the rest of his career, then that's a great accomplishment, but why talk about a guy just because he played for so many years with severely diminished skills.

[Mecca]

The only comment I have is this. If Thurman Thomas isn't a first ballot hall of fame player, then Jerome Bettis shouldn't be one either.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

The only comment I have is this. If Thurman Thomas isn't a first ballot hall of fame player, then Jerome Bettis shouldn't be one either.

Thurman Thomas>Jerome Bettis*3

Bettis was a great short yardage back, yes, but he had 0 receiving skills, and was never on the field on third down. I think that the HOF should reward complete backs who can run, catch, and pass protect, or if they are deficient in one area they should be hellacious in another. Given that Bettis wasn't exactly ripping off chunks of yardage at any point in his career (as 3.9 ypc will attest) I don't see how people can bow down at his throne.

[tk13]

A lot of guys could have plodded around averaging 3.3 yards a carry the last 6 years of their career, they just chose to be able to walk when they were fifty. Had he averaged 4 ypc for the rest of his career, then that's a great accomplishment, but why talk about a guy just because he played for so many years with severely diminished skills.
I don't know, he averaged 3.8 yds/carry over his last 6 years, and that's including spending lots of time as a goal line and short yardage back. I think he could push 4 yds/carry if he they used him for more than 1 yard runs.

[Mecca]

I honestly wanna know why people think Bettis is a shoe in. Thurman Thomas didn't get in this year......go look at this total yards stats. He held the yards from scrimmage record, and may still hold it, I'm not 100% sure if he does.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I can't even remember the last time I saw him rip off a run over 15-18 yards, though...I don't think it would have mattered much at all.

[Simplex3]

Look at the response from Mr. Toughass. I'm sorry if I'm appearing to piss and moan about Pittsburgh. I call it like I see it, and that was a horribly officiated game....
No, you're a cronic bitcher. You're located in the "mediocre midwest", yet you don't just f**king move somewhere else. You hate the Steelers, yet you don't just turn off the game. You hate the officials, yet you keep watching. You feel the need to start multiple threads on the same topic.

Face it, it's that time of month for you.

[Rain Man]

I've got nothing against Bettis, and his first few years in the league, he was pretty impressive. Off the field, he seems like a good guy, too.

However, I wouldn't put him among the top 25 running backs of all time. He's durable, but not a lot else.

[tk13]

I think Thurman Thomas belongs in... probably ahead of Bettis, but in the end now... they'll remember Bettis riding out a winner, and Thomas a loser. He was on a team that lost 4 Super Bowls, got totally shut down in 3 of them, and he had a lot of TD's taken away by Kenneth Davis. Not sure I really agree with that but I can see people using that argument, just like how some people would take one DT game against Buffalo in 93 and define his whole career by it... if they can do that to him I can see them using the fact that Thomas was a total non-factor in three Super Bowls against him.

[Mecca]

I think Thurman Thomas belongs in... probably ahead of Bettis, but in the end now... they'll remember Bettis riding out a winner, and Thomas a loser. He was on a team that lost 4 Super Bowls, got totally shut down in 3 of them, and he had a lot of TD's taken away by Kenneth Davis. Not sure I really agree with that but I can see people using that argument, just like how some people would take one DT game against Buffalo in 93 and define his whole career by it... if they can do that to him I can see them using the fact that Thomas was a total non-factor in three Super Bowls against him.

The NFL HOF in alot of ways is a joke..........If you were an above average to good player on a great team. They'll put you in the hall cause you were on Superbowl teams. Where if you were a great player on a team that didn't win you'll struggle to get in. It makes no sense to me at all.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

No, you're a cronic bitcher. You're located in the "mediocre midwest", yet you don't just f**king move somewhere else. You hate the Steelers, yet you don't just turn off the game. You hate the officials, yet you keep watching. You feel the need to start multiple threads on the same topic.

Face it, it's that time of month for you.

Sorry if I'm going to school in the Midwest...I've started ONE THREAD about Bettis sucking, the other was about Montana, genius. I keep watching b/c I'm a football fan, not a fairweather schmuck who turns the game off at half or leaves in the 3rd quarter of a blowout.

[Simplex3]

Am I the only person who's beginning to think that Mecca and 'Hamas' could pick eachother out of a lineup if all they could see was eachother's d**k?

[Mecca]

Am I the only person who's beginning to think that Mecca and 'Hamas' could pick eachother out of a lineup if all they could see was eachother's d**k?

Because I said I think Thurman Thomas is better than Jerome Bettis, that means I ripped into him like this guy. Um ok.... :spock:

['Hamas' Jenkins]

I've got nothing against Bettis, and his first few years in the league, he was pretty impressive. Off the field, he seems like a good guy, too.

However, I wouldn't put him among the top 25 running backs of all time. He's durable, but not a lot else.

This is precisely my point. I only argue with so much passion because everyone expects him to go out and walk on the Detroit River during the halftime show, and most of this board is acting like closet Steeler fans.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Am I the only person who's beginning to think that Mecca and 'Hamas' could pick eachother out of a lineup if all they could see was eachother's d**k?

You are a world class douchebag. You can't argue with me, so you resort to neg-repping me six times in 11 minutes and then you make 'fag' jokes to supplement your lack of intelligence. Go rub one out and get rid of that hostility or finish killing your quota of cats for the week, you sad bastard.

[Simplex3]

Because I said I think Thurman Thomas is better than Jerome Bettis, that means I ripped into him like this guy. Um ok.... :spock:
Please, you two are in full agreement on at least two threads and are posting one after the other.

[tk13]

Thurman Thomas in the Super Bowl...

15 carries, 135 yds, 1 TD
10 carries, 13 yds, 1 TD
11 carries, 19 yds, 1 TD
16 carries, 37 yds, 1 TD

I bet somebody somewhere holds that against him.

[Mecca]

Thurman Thomas in the Super Bowl...

15 carries, 135 yds, 1 TD
10 carries, 13 yds, 1 TD
11 carries, 19 yds, 1 TD
16 carries, 37 yds, 1 TD

I bet somebody somewhere holds that against him.

And that is why the NFL hall of fame bugs me. He had a great career and should make it with no problem but because his team lost Superbowls he'll struggle to make it.......

But Troy Aikman who now has some of the worst stats of any QB in the hall of fame is simply in there, cause he was on a great team.

[Rain Man]

He lost his helmet, too.

I hated Thomas when he was in the league. Nothing but ego. I remember him making faces at the Chiefs on the sideline near the end of the 1993 AFC Championship game, and have wished death upon him ever since. What a waste of rushing attempts, and I'm glad that he left the league as a failure.

[Simplex3]

1. You are a world class douchebag.
2. You can't argue with me,
3. ...so you resort to neg-repping me six times in 11 minutes
4. ...and then you make 'Rump Ranger' jokes to supplement your lack of intelligence.
5. Go rub one out and get rid of that hostility or finish killing your quota of cats for the week, you sad bastard.
We'll address this point by point.

1. Maybe.
2. No, it's that I *won't*. I don't beat my head on brick walls despite their comparative intelligence to you.
3. Dumbasses like you are why neg rep was invented.
4. No, I said you'd recognize him by his penis. You're the one that took that to you being gay.
5. I'm only hostile to idiots like you.

[Mecca]

He lost his helmet, too.

I hated Thomas when he was in the league. Nothing but ego. I remember him making faces at the Chiefs on the sideline near the end of the 1993 AFC Championship game, and have wished death upon him ever since. What a waste of rushing attempts, and I'm glad that he left the league as a failure.

Um ok, that's a bit hostile.........I wasn't very old when that game took place. But I remember feeling embarassed to be a Chiefs fan after the poor performance they put up.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

We'll address this point by point.

1. Maybe.
2. No, it's that I *won't*. I don't beat my head on brick walls despite their comparative intelligence to you.
3. Dumbasses like you are why neg rep was invented.
4. No, I said you'd recognize him by his penis. You're the one that took that to you being gay.
5. I'm only hostile to idiots like you.

I just find it funny that you're so desperate to start a flame war that you reduce your intellect to the cro-magnon level. Of course, had cro-magnon had a brain comparable to yours we probably would have went extinct long ago.

[Logical]

If you look at the backs with more than 10k most fall in the 3.9 to 4.2 ypc range, Bettis is right in there with them. The exceptional ones OJ, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders that approach or exceed 5 ypc are extremely rare.

[Rain Man]

Um ok, that's a bit hostile.........I wasn't very old when that game took place. But I remember feeling embarassed to be a Chiefs fan after the poor performance they put up.

Death. I wish death upon him. And not a peaceful death in his sleep, either. That's too easy.

He claimed he was better than Barry Sanders, too. I snort at that. He was 1/10th of the running back that Barry's left foot was. His vile, despicable name should not even be mentioned in the same post as Barry Sanders. In fact, I'm going to create a new login and give myself negative rep for doing it.

[Simplex3]

If you look at the backs with more than 10k most fall in the 3.9 to 4.2 ypc range, Bettis is right in there with them. The exceptional ones OJ, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders that approach or exceed 5 ypc are extremely rare.
Don't confuse them with facts, they have a perfectly good rant going here.

[Rain Man]

I would bet that only Bettis, Riggins, and Eddie George on that list are under a 4.0 average.

Thurman Thomas should be. I hate that guy.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

If you look at the backs with more than 10k most fall in the 3.9 to 4.2 ypc range, Bettis is right in there with them. The exceptional ones OJ, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders that approach or exceed 5 ypc are extremely rare.

Every other back in the top 10 career has over a 4.0 ypc average with the exception of Bettis (and if you want to get technical Curtis Martin, b/c they round up slightly for his). Only two are below 4.1 and most are in the 4.2-4.4 range.

Of the guys over 10k, all have a better average than Bettis except for George, who I said I didn't think was necessarily better but could be argued that he was. Riggins has an equal average, but I think most people would agree that the Diesel was a better back than the Bus.

[Mecca]

Death. I wish death upon him. And not a peaceful death in his sleep, either. That's too easy.

He claimed he was better than Barry Sanders, too. I snort at that. He was 1/10th of the running back that Barry's left foot was. His vile, despicable name should not even be mentioned in the same post as Barry Sanders. In fact, I'm going to create a new login and give myself negative rep for doing it.

Well.........atleast he didn't just retire for no reason like Sanders did.

[Simplex3]

Well.........atleast he didn't just retire for no reason like Sanders did.
Sanders retired because they were dismantling his OL and the team in general and he was tired of beating himself up with no chance at winning.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Thomas was a scumbag, and a world class prick, but he was a better running back than the Bus.

[Rain Man]

Well.........atleast he didn't just retire for no reason like Sanders did.

Are you .... are you criticizing Barry Sanders? You can't do that. If you want to criticize someone, pick someone who deserves it. Like maybe ......... Thurman Thomas.

[Mecca]

Are you .... are you criticizing Barry Sanders? You can't do that. If you want to criticize someone, pick someone who deserves it. Like maybe ......... Thurman Thomas.

No.......I'm poking a little fun at you because I see how much you dislike Thomas. I do think Thurman belongs in the hall of fame, asshole or not.

But watching you explode like I pushed your destruct button when I mentioned his name was pretty amusing tonight. So I thank you for that.....

[Rain Man]

No.......I'm poking a little fun at you because I see how much you dislike Thomas. I do think Thurman belongs in the hall of fame, asshole or not.

But watching you explode like I pushed your destruct button when I mentioned his name was pretty amusing tonight. So I thank you for that.....


Stop being a Thurman Thomas about this whole thing. Nobody likes a Thurman Thomas.

[Logical]

Did Thurman Thomas steal Rain Man's girlfriend in college?

[Rain Man]

Thurman Thomas wasn't good-looking enough to steal anyone's girlfriend. If I had a rock, I'd throw it at Thurman Thomas. He's the anti-Hebert.

[Mecca]

I'm going to bring up Thomas more often now. Rain Man is amusing the hell out of me. If I had known I'd get this reaction, I'd have been talking about Thurman Thomas for months.

[pr_capone]

No.......I'm poking a little fun at you because I see how much you dislike Thomas. I do think Thurman belongs in the hall of fame, asshole or not.

But watching you explode like I pushed your destruct button when I mentioned his name was pretty amusing tonight. So I thank you for that.....
ROFL

Comedy gold!