Best NFL Running Backs
In American football, a running back is a position on the offensive team whose primary responsibility is to carry the ball on running plays. The running back lines up behind the quarterback in the offensive backfield and takes handoffs or pitches from the quarterback to advance the ball down the field.Running backs are typically smaller and faster than other offensive players, with excellent agility and quickness to make sharp cuts and evade defenders. They must also be strong enough to break tackles and fight for extra yards. In addition to running the ball, running backs may also be called upon to block for the quarterback or catch passes out of the backfield.The running back position has a long and storied history in American football, with many of the greatest players in NFL history playing the position. Some of the top running backs of all time include Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, and Adrian Peterson and more.
Best Running Backs of All Time
|
S.No |
NFL Running Backs |
|
1 |
Jim Brown |
|
2 |
Emmitt Smith |
|
3 |
Walter Payton |
|
4 |
Barry Sanders |
|
5 |
LaDainian Tomlinson |
|
6 |
Marshall Faulk |
|
7 |
O.J. Simpson |
|
8 |
Adrian Peterson |
|
9 |
Tony Dorsett |
|
10 |
Eric Dickerson |
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Top 10 NFL Running Backs of All Time
1. Jim Brown
Jim Brown is considered by many the best running back in any era of professional football, even though he only played for nine seasons from 1957 to 1965. In an era where defenses focused on stopping the run, Brown dominated the game. He holds the NFL record for career yards per carry (5.2) and is the only running back in NFL history to average more than 100 yards rushing per game (104.3). Brown won the NFL rushing championship eight times and was named to the All-Pro team eight times as well. Despite his talent, Brown retired early to pursue other interests. During his nine-year career, Brown accumulated 12,312 rushing yards and 106 rushing touchdowns, both of which were NFL records at the time. He was also a three-time NFL MVP, a nine-time Pro Bowler, and won one NFL championship. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and was also named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team in 2019. When he retired, Brown said that he quit with regret but not sorrow.
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2. Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith, considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, holds many records and accolades. His unique ability to successfully attack opposing defenses helped him become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, with 18,355 career rushing yards. He also holds the NFL record for career rushing touchdowns with 164, as well as the records for most seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards (11) and most career 100-yard rushing games (78). Smith won four NFL rushing titles and was a two-time NFL MVP in 1992 and 1993. He was also a three-time Super Bowl champion, having won Super Bowl XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX, and was named Super Bowl MVP in XXVIII. After 15 years in the league, Smith held several NFL records, including the record for most single-season touchdowns with 25, which he achieved in 1995. Despite his accomplishments, Smith remains humble, saying that his career rushing record will eventually be broken. Nevertheless, he remains one of the greatest running backs of all time, having been named to the Pro Bowl eight times and being named a first-team All-Pro four times.
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3. Walter Payton
Walter Payton, known as “Sweetness,” was exceptional running back who played from 1975 to 1987. With his high steps and stiff arms, he made it impossible for tacklers to stop him. In 1977, he won the MVP award after rushing for 1,852 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he surpassed the 1,200-yard mark ten times, a feat no other player in NFL history has achieved. Payton retired with a career total of 16,726 rushing yards, which was a record at the time. He also ranks third all-time in yards from scrimmage with 21,264. Payton was a nine-time Pro Bowler and received five first-team All-Pro honors. His span of elite production is unparalleled at the position. He is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time and is remembered for his numerous NFL records, including being a three-time league MVP, a Super Bowl champion with the 1985 Chicago Bears, and the most prolific running back in the game’s history. Unfortunately, Payton passed away at the age of 46.
4. Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is widely considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. He played for the Detroit Lions from 1989 to 1998 and was a ten-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro selection. Sanders won four rushing titles and was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1997. He retired in 1999 at the age of 30, after rushing for 15,269 yards, which was the second-highest total in NFL history at the time. Sanders was known for his incredible agility, quickness, and ability to make defenders miss. His highlights are still revered to this day, and his legacy as one of the most electrifying running backs in NFL history lives on.
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5. LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson was an explosive running back, with a knack for reaching the end zone on every play. He is currently the seventh all-time leading rusher in NFL history and ranks third in total touchdowns behind Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice, with a total of 162 touchdowns. He holds several NFL records, including the single-season rushing touchdown record (28) and the record for consecutive games with a touchdown (18). Unfortunately, Tomlinson’s legacy is somewhat tarnished by his team’s lack of overall success. In 2003, Tomlinson became one of only three runners in NFL history to catch 100 passes in a season, while also amassing 1,645 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He led the league in rushing twice and holds the still-standing record of 28 rushing touchdowns in a single season, achieved in 2006. Over his career, he gained 13,684 yards and scored 145 touchdowns on the ground, as well as adding 624 receptions for 4,772 yards and 17 touchdowns. In recognition of his outstanding career, Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, following three first-team All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowl appearances, and an MVP award.
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6. Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk was a rare talent who could beat defenses as a runner or a receiver. He was named the NFL MVP in 2000 after racking up a league-leading 2,189 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns, a record that still stands. Faulk is one of only three players in NFL history to accumulate 12,000 rushing yards and 6,000 receiving yards, and he is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and dangerous offensive weapons in NFL history. Faulk won three Offensive Player of the Year awards and was selected to seven Pro Bowls, and he helped lead the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2000. Marshall Faulk was a game-changer for the St. Louis Rams and the NFL. He was one of the most versatile running backs in league history, with the ability to run between the tackles or catch passes out of the backfield. Faulk’s quickness, vision, and elusiveness made him nearly impossible to stop, and his ability to create mismatches in the passing game revolutionized the position. He finished his career with 12,279 rushing yards, 767 receptions for 6,875 yards, and 136 total touchdowns. Faulk was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest running backs of all time.
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7. O.J. Simpson
Orenthal James Simpson, born on July 9, 1947, was a former American football running back, actor, and broadcaster, known as one of the greatest running backs of all time, primarily for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. However, Simpson’s fame was later eclipsed by his controversial acquittal and trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and Ron Goldman, her friend. During the 1969 AFL–NFL Common Draft, Simpson was selected as the first pick by the Buffalo Bills, who had finished 1–12–1 in the previous season. However, Simpson demanded what was then the largest contract in the professional sports history of $650,000 over five years. This caused a standoff with Bills’ owner Ralph Wilson, as Simpson threatened to skip professional football and pursue acting. Eventually, Wilson agreed to pay Simpson the amount he requested. Simpson entered professional football with high expectations, but struggled in his first three years, averaging only 622 yards per season. Bills coach John Rauch decided not to build an offense around one running back, so he assigned Simpson to do blocking and receiving duties at the expense of running the ball. In 1971, Harvey Johnson came in as the new Bills coach and devised a new offense for Simpson, but it was still ineffective. The Bills fired Johnson after the 1971 season and replaced him with Lou Saban, who made Simpson the centerpiece of the Bill’s offense.
8. Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson is an American football running back who was born on March 21, 1985. He is considered one of the most talented running backs in NFL history, having won numerous awards and set numerous records throughout his career. Peterson played college football at the University of Oklahoma before being drafted seventh overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played for the Vikings for ten seasons, during which he established himself as one of the most dominant runners in the league, winning three rushing titles and the 2012 NFL MVP award. Peterson has also played for several other teams throughout his career, including the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Football Team, and the Detroit Lions. Despite facing injuries and setbacks, Peterson has remained a formidable force on the field, breaking multiple records and earning numerous accolades. He is widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time.
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9. Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett was a running back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos in his career that spanned from 1977 to 1988. Dorsett was known for his speed and agility, and his ability to make big plays on the field. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1976 while playing for the University of Pittsburgh, and was later selected as the second overall pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the Cowboys. Dorsett went on to have a highly successful NFL career, earning four Pro Bowl selections and helping the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII. He retired with 12,739 rushing yards and 92 touchdowns, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Off the field, Dorsett has been an advocate for former NFL players, pushing for better health benefits and support for retired players.
10. Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson is a former professional American football player who played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons from 1983 to 1993. He was born on September 2, 1960, in Sealy, Texas, and attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) where he played college football.Dickerson was selected second overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams and quickly established himself as one of the most talented and productive running backs in the league. He rushed for a record 1,808 yards in his rookie season, earning him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and went on to have a Hall of Fame career. His career, Dickerson played for the Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons, rushing for a total of 13,259 yards and 90 touchdowns. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time First-Team All-Pro selection, and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year twice.Dickerson’s running style was characterized by his speed, agility, and a signature high knee lift. He was known for his distinctive goggles, which he wore to protect an eye injury he sustained in college.In 1999, Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding career. Today, he is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time and is regarded as a legend in the world of American football.
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Who is the best NFL Running Back of All Time?
Jim Brown is often considered one of the greatest NFL running backs of all time, and many fans and experts would argue that he deserves the title of the best. Brown was a dominant force in the league during his nine-year career with the Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. He led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons, retired with the record for most rushing yards in a career, and was a three-time NFL MVP.Brown’s combination of size, speed, and power made him a formidable opponent for any defense. He was known for his ability to break tackles and his uncanny balance, which allowed him to keep his feet and pick up extra yards after contact. Brown also had excellent hands and was a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.On-field accomplishments, Brown was a trailblazer and advocate for civil rights during a time of great social change in America. He used his platform as an athlete to speak out against injustice and inequality, and his impact extended beyond the world of football.
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