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.

[Buck]

Also this one

29. EDGERRIN JAMES -MAN I HOPE NOBODY ****ING NOTICES HOW LOW I PUT THIS ****ING GUY. I MEAN, SHIT MAN, HE PRETTY MUCH OWNED THE NFL IN THE LATE NINETIES AND EARLY 2000S. HE PLAYED ON A ****ING TEAM THAT ALWAYS BEAT THE ****ING TEAM I LIKE SO HES PROBABLY NOT THAT GOOD THATS WHY HE IS SO LOW. DEFINITELY WORSE THAN PREIST HOLMES. ****ING ASSHOLE.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Buck

13. LT - ALL HE DID IS SCORE TOUCHDOWNS I MEAN SERIOUSLY WHO GIVES A **** RIGHT? HE ONLY LED THE LEAGUE IN RUSHING TWICE WHO ****ING CARES ABOUT THIS ****ING GUY WHO PLAYED ON A TEAM I HATE.

21. PRIEST HOLMES - I MEAN, SHIT MAN, THOSE 3 ****ING SEASONS HE WAS SO GAD DAMN LEET, NOBODY COULD ****ING TOUCH HIM. GOD DAMN MAN. I ****ING EAT LUNCH WITH THIS ****ING GUY ON THE REG! HES SO ****ING GOOD HE DEFINITELY DESERVES THIS SPOT. GOD DAMN!

LT was a great back no doubt.....but because of his playoff performances hes going to always get downgraded...at least until he proves otherwise.


Thats what made Emmit great and memorable. He played BIG in BIG games.

[Mecca]

Barry Sanders OL was so horrid that Lomas Brown and Kevin Glover both made numerous pro bowls, what scrubs.

Sanders would openly pass up holes that would get 4 or 5 yards looking to get 80 yards, that's why he lost a lot of yards not because he ran behind the worst line ever.

[R8RFAN]

Originally Posted by Laz

I don't understand your reasoning of this ranking, I actually think it was too low...
Man this guy went off on people and I am sure you would feel the same way if he had been a Chief....

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Mecca

he ran behind the worst line ever.

Paytons lines were pretty horrible his first few years in the league.

[Mojo Jojo]

One thing JoPo left out was that Priest was one of the greatest running backs to eat nachos while his team was playing a game.

[Fritz88]

Where's LJ mutha ducks?
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[Mr. Arrowhead]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

Where's LJ mutha ducks?
Posted via Mobile Device

Cakn

[Saul Good]

LT should be much higher. I don't see how you can keep him out of the top 3. The guy was the most complete back ever to play the game. He was a great runner, receiver, blocker, and he was even a serious threat to throw the ball.

[58-4ever]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

LT should be much higher. I don't see how you can keep him out of the top 3. The guy was the most complete back ever to play the game. He was a great runner, receiver, blocker, and he was even a serious threat to throw the ball.

Even though you're joking, that's not even funny.

[Gonzo]

Here's my top 10:

1. Sanders
2. Payton
3. Campbell
4. Simpson
5. Brown
6. Smith
7. Dickerson
8. Allen
9. Tomlinson
10. Faulk

Jmho
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[ThaVirus]

I'll give it a crack..

1. Walter Payton
2. LaDainian Tomlinson
3. Barry Sanders
4. Jim Brown
5. Bo Jackson
6. Earl Campbell
7. OJ Simpson
8. Eric Dickerson
9. Marshall Faulk
10. Emmitt Smith

[-King-]

I hate LT as much as anyone....but I did not know he had a 100 catch season. That is just ****ing crazy.


And jeez Buck...

P.S-Barry Sanders > Emmitt

[KCrockaholic]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

LT should be much higher. I don't see how you can keep him out of the top 3. The guy was the most complete back ever to play the game. He was a great runner, receiver, blocker, and he was even a serious threat to throw the ball.

Dont be dumb.

[Demonpenz]

LT had large years where their QB and Wideouts where shit, he was the only weapon and still produced. Barry Sanders can kiss my ass. You need a yard he would get you -4.