JoPo: 25 Greatest Running Backs

[Deberg_1990]

Priest Holmes #21


http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/08/0...cks/?eref=sihp



1. Jim Brown

The best there ever was or ever will be. I am required by place of birth to believe it, and I do believe it with all my heart. The ultimate combination of power, speed and, mostly, will. Led the league in rushing every year but one.

2. Walter Payton

Emmitt Smith’s hero… he ran the ball, caught the ball, threw the ball and blocked with fury.

3. Emmitt Smith

Didn’t block like Payton, which is why he’s third… but did not really have much need to block.

4. Barry Sanders

Most exciting running back in the history of the NFL.

5. Earl Campbell

Was only truly great for three seasons… but those happened to be the three years when I fell in love with professional football. Of all the football players I’ve ever watched, Earl Campbell is the one who leaves me in awe.

6. Marshall Faulk

Another player everyone remembers being great, but I think was even greater. Was in many ways one of a kind — a receiver who played running back, and a running back who played receiver. Charley Taylor was like that, so was Bobby Mitchell, Lenny Moore… but Faulk blended the talents in a way that I think was unique. His single-season record for most yards from scrimmage was broken last year by Chris Johnson.

7. O.J. Simpson

Power, speed, moves and 2,003 yards in 14 games.

8. Gale Sayers

The most graceful running back in NFL history.

9. Bo Jackson

I was trying to think how high I could legitimately put a player who got only 515 carries in the NFL. This is probably too high. But it’s my list. In those 515 carries, Bo Jackson had a 92-yard run, a 91-yard run, an 88-yard run, a 73-yard run, a 62-yard run and a 55-yard run. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry. There was never, in the history of the NFL, a player with his combination of speed, power, speed, force, speed and speed. Injuries wreck running backs — part of greatness is staying healthy long enough to achieve. But I have no doubt in my mind that had Jackson stayed healthy, he would have been the greatest running back ever. He already was in Super Tecmo Bowl.

10. Red Grange

Basically invented pro football with his running talents.

11. Eric Dickerson

Twenty-six years later, and still his 2,105 yards in a season is the record. As coaches often said, he didn’t look fast… but nobody ever caught him from behind.

12. Marion Motley

Led the NFL in rushing in 1950 while wearing No. 76 — which says just about all you need to say. One of the most important players in NFL history, and one of the best. Would be a great book, I think. Averaged 5.7 yards per carry in his career.

13. LaDainian Tomlinson

Touchdown machine who led the league in rushing twice and once caught 100 passes in a season.

14. Bronko Nagurski

I think he basically invented a brand of power running that would later serve John Riggins, Larry Csonka, Jerome Bettis and others very well.

15. Terrell Davis

The best running backs tend to be shooting stars who are extraordinary for three or four or five years before being ground into dust. It’s the peril of the position. From 1995 through ’98, Terrell Davis was about as good as any running back ever. I don’t have much feel for the football Hall of Fame, but my gut instinct is that Davis — even though those four years are essentially his entire career — belongs there.

16. Thurman Thomas

Led the league in yards from scrimmage four straight years… he was one of the most versatile running backs in NFL history.

17. Franco Harris

I have mixed emotions about Franco. He has been called overrated so many times by so many people that it’s hard not to let that affect your thinking. He DID run out of bounds a lot. But he also was the running force behind four Pittsburgh Steelers championships, he made perhaps the most famous play in NFL history, he ran for 1,000 yards eight times, he scored four Super Bowl touchdowns. So overrated he’s underrated?

18. Tony Dorsett

Did you know that Dorsett never led the league in rushing? He only finished in the Top 5 three times — and one of those was in the strike year. He was first-team All-Pro once. But for many years when you asked any running back in the NFL who was their favorite player as a kid, it was ALWAYS Dorsett.

19. Marcus Allen

It’s amazing that after Allen led the NFL with 1,759 yards rushing in 1985 that he never again got even 225 carries in a season. I got to watch him at the end, when he was basically the designated touchdown scorer for Marty Schottenheimer’s Kansas City Chiefs… few could dive over the top like Allen.

20. Lenny Moore

More receiver than running back, but three times in his career he averaged more than 7 yards per carry. Dazzling and beautiful runner, who twice led the NFL in touchdowns.

21. Priest Holmes

Well, of course, my old chess partner is on my list. But I would challenge you to find a running back who was any better than Holmes from 2001 through 2003. Had more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage all three years, set the NFL record for touchdowns (since broken), and his 2002 season, had he not gotten hurt against Denver in the 14th game, would have been, I feel certain, the best season a running back has ever had in NFL history. He ran for 1,615 yards in 13 1/2 games, averaged 5.2 yards per carry, caught 70 passes, scored 24 touchdowns.

22. Jim Taylor

Vince Lombardi: “What we want to get is a seal here and seal here, and run the ball in the alley.”

23. Larry Csonka

“I hated playing those Dolphins,” one NFL Hall of Famer told me once. “You would be fighting and fighting and then, fourth quarter, here comes that damned Larry Csonka.”

24. Chris Johnson

It’s too soon to put him here… but this is my list. To me, Chris Johnson is the fastest running back I’ve seen on a football field since Bo Jackson.

25. Joe Perry

Fast enough that they called him “The Jet,” even though he played fullback. He’s the first NFL player to go over 1,000 yards two straight seasons — and he did it in the 12-game days.

26. Ollie Matson

Electrifying runner… all you really need to know about Matson is that he scored NINE kick- and punt-return return touchdowns between 1952 and 1958. In those six years (he missed 1953 while serving in the military), he had 16 touchdowns that covered 60 yards or more.

27. Hugh McElhenny

The called him “The King,” and few players in NFL history made as many dazzling runs.

28. Steve Van Buren

Another great book. He was a power back who was born in Honduras, and was sent to New Orleans to live with his grandparents. He led the NFL in rushing four times in five years and led Philadelphia to back-to-back NFL championships in 1948 and ’49.

29. Edgerrin James

Famously taken before Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams in the draft, and promptly led the league in rushing his first two seasons, then dealt with injuries, then had back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing seasons for terrific Colts teams in the mid-2000s. Versatile player who could catch and block as well.

30. Curtis Martin

Would it stun you if I told you that Curtis Martin is fourth all-time in rushing? Stunned the heck out of me. But Martin really was a terrific back who ran for 1,200 or so yards every year, caught the ball, scored 10 or so touchdowns. He ran for 1,000-plus yards 10 times — only Emmitt Smith did it more.

31. Leroy Kelly

Was a great punt returner who was given the job as Cleveland Browns running back when Jim Brown suddenly retired. He led the NFL in rushing two of the next three seasons and in touchdowns all three years. .

32. Frank Gifford

Was so versatile that it’s hard to call him a running back. He spent much of his career as a flanker, receiver, and even when he was technically a halfback he was still as much a threat catching the ball as anything else. And he WANTED to be a quarterback. Still, he was a truly great runner who still insists to this day that he picked up the first down that would have put away the legendary 1958 NFL Championship Game.

[Mr. Laz]

9. Bo Jackson

[Molitoth]

Sorry, Barry Sanders needs to be above Emmitt Smith.

[cdcox]

Drop Emmitt to 5.

Move Bo off the list.

Move Csonka up to the top 15.

John Riggins?

[ChiTown]

Umm, excuse me! Where's Brian Shay?

[loochy]

Harvey Williams thought he could neck his way into the top 25.

[onwardthruthefog]

CJ had an awesome season last year, i don't think he makes this list yet. barry>emmitt

fixed.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by onwardthruthefog

its missing gale sayers. and while CJ had an awesome season last year, i don't think he makes this list yet. barry>emmitt

Sayers is #8

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Is he the only person on earth besides biased Cowboys fans that actually thinks Emmitt was better than Barry?

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

Is he the only person on earth besides biased Cowboys fans that actually thinks Emmitt was better than Barry?

I have no dog in this fight, in fact i hate the Cowboys....But ill take Emmit over Sanders because of his consistency and he was a better goaline guy..

Admittedly, Sanders was a better pure athlete and runner.

[Lurk]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I have no dog in this fight, in fact i hate the Cowboys....But ill take Emmit over Sanders because of his consistency and he was a better goaline guy..

Admittedly, Sanders was a better pure athlete and runner.

Too bad Sanders couldn't run behind the line Smith ran behind.

[Garcia Bronco]

Sanders is overrated now and even moreso when he was playing. He was just as likely to lose yards on any given run as he was to make yards. The highlight reel is tight though.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

Sanders is overrated

[Consistent1]

When it comes to Sanders, if you had one must win game, all three of the guys above him would be safer bets if you had to choose. That is not to say Barry wouldn't deliver, but we aren't talking about dance contests either. Emmitt lucked out in some ways, but he is right there with anybody when it comes down to it.

[MOhillbilly]

Concrete Charlie spits and froths at #32.