10 rush attempts. Must be a tough and instinctive runner with adequate speed. NFL Absolutely not. Brown's seven fumbles in 1963 equates to just four fumbles in today's game. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. stats He blew up social media in Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season when he ran down Budda Baker to tackle the defender on a near-pick-six. The record books offer a glimpse at who stands above the rest, but even those statistics are limited when it comes to determining the best running back of all time. Monday night felt like a routine performance for Nick Chubb, the NFL leader in rush yards and rush TDs this season. He had 23 carries for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Cleveland's 32-13 beatdown of Cincinnati. It's not a coincidence that every one of those running backs' respective teams won in Week 8. Running Back He rushed for 1,060 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games last season. He scored eight more touchdowns than any other player in the league and scored 160 points, which was one fewer point than the entire Cincinnati Bengals team scored that season. NFL 100 All-Time Team running backs revealed Jim Brown (1957-1965). NFL In 2020, it looks like Raheem Mostert is the early favorite for fastest player in the NFL when you look at the table of Next Gen Stats data below. He broke Sayers' 10-year NFL record. His 2053 yards are the third highest single-season total in NFL history. stats In fact, they each have their own unique top-five case. Thankfully, the NFL's Next Gen Stats have begun to help with this dilemma, providing sprint speeds for players on individual plays. Jim Brown shined in the early years of the NFL before handing the torch off to stars like Gale Sayers and the late Franco Harris. Best Running Backs in Cleveland Browns History One of the best all-around running backs in the NFL, McCaffrey ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine. Which running back has the most catches in NFL history? After 12 games, OJ had rushed for 1584 yards. Jerome Bettis of the Pittsburgh Steelers jumped two spots to 10th all-time while the St. Louis Rams' Marshall Faulk ranks 14th all-time with 10,395 yards. The best running backs of all time The cluster of running backs from 6-11 are some of the best of all time. Priest Holmes scored 27 in 2003 and Alexander matched that number in 2005. . 109. All Rights Reserved. 335 carries, 2053 yards, 11 TD, 6.1 avg; 33 rec, 305 yards, 3 TD; 3 fum. Faulk is also No. It's plain and simple. He also fumbled the football 14 times. Simpson topped 200 yards rushing three times in 1973. Brown was the first true workhorse in the NFL. NFL 100 All-Time Team running backs revealed But when your team rushes for close to 3000 yards in the regular season, it's easy to blend in and become what is now known as a game manager. * All Games qualifier is And just like the 2007 New England Patriots, the Bears ran the table in the regular season--13 games, 13 wins--before losing to (who else?) He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns. Take a look at Faulk's numbers in 2000. Martin, who gained 1,094 yards this past season, has now rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his eight seasons in the NFL. NFL Running Backs of All Time That's over two fumbles per game! But take in mind that the average team fumbled 29 times per season in 1963. Copyright: ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. NFL History and Stats Other running backs to win MVP include Paul Hornung (1961), Jim Taylor (1962), Larry Brown (1972), O.J. 1 pick, Cam Newton. It's only appropriate that the greatest season by a running back came by the greatest running back in NFL history. Despite being the class of speed in the 2020 NFL, Mostert didn't come in with the fastest 40-yard dash time. There would be over a 25 percent chance that Dickerson would fumble the football during the drive. For what it's worth, if Usain Bolt had ever run the 40-yard dash, he might've broken what seems like the impossible 4.0-second barrier. The New York Jets' Curtis Martin increased his career total as he climbed from 18th to 15th place on the Top 20 rushers list. Recognition from national recruiting media. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. TeamRankings.com is not affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or March Madness Athletic Association, neither of which has supplied, reviewed, approved or endorsed the material on this site. NFL All-Time RB Records: Season and Career Leaders . One of the best all-around running backs in the NFL, McCaffrey ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine. Smith continued to add to his record total and finished the season with 17,162 yards amassed during his 13-year career. 5 best NFL running backs of all time NFL Draft 2023 Round 2-3 pick-by-pick results: Relive the night Leading Lifetime Rushers That's because before 1999, the NFL used manual timing at the NFL Combine, leaving room for human error. Smith may have the stats, but there are cases to be made for other star running backs throughout history. His season was so dominant that just one running back (Alan Ameche) rushed for half as many yards as Brown. 109. 39 in league history among all pass-catchers. Sanders was known for his uncanny ability to make defenders stop in their tracks with his jukes and moves. Over the past four drafts, the earliest that a running back has been drafted was the 24th pick. Bijan Robinson had a prolific career at Texas, becoming one of college football's best running backs. Running Backs However, rushing touchdowns are slightly overrated--maybe even more than slightly overrated. Two other active runners also rank among the career leaders in rushing yards. The Buccaneers are signing Syracuse running back Sean Tucker, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio's Adam Caplan. Peterson was an unstoppable force at a time in which passing had taken over the sport. He earned Bert Bell Player of the Year honors, and was named the UPI NFL Most Valuable Player. 291 carries, 1863 yards, 12 TD, 6.4 avg; 24 rec, 268 yards, 3 TD; 7 fum 14 GAMES. He finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, yards per punt return, and yards per kick return. Simpson (1973), Payton (1977), Earl Campbell (1979), Allen (1985), Thurman Thomas (1991), Smith (1993), Sanders (1997, co-MVP with Brett Favre), Terrell Davis (1998), Faulk (2000), Alexander (2005), Tomlinson (2006) and most recently Peterson (2012). Because the Lions' had a 234-pound fullback named Tommy Vardell who carries the ball just 18 times but scored six touchdowns! . on pace for at least The greatest NFL running back of all time has to be Emmitt Smith, who proved to be an exceptional player, as he looked like he came from another planet. Tucker spent three seasons at Syracuse, posting back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard rushing seasons in 2021 and 2022. Coach Keys: Runs with both power, speed and balance and can pull away from second level defenders. 272 carries, 1474 yards, 19 TD, 5.4 avg; 22 rec, 106 yards, 0 TD; 5 fum 14 GAMES. on pace for at least Stewart holds the record for the most points in a single game and the most rushing touchdowns in a game. In 1997, Stewart scored 5 total touchdowns in a single game and is still one of the players who contributed to the record of NFL single touchdowns. He's still a talented all-around back but his strength might be as a part-time version of His 143.1 rushing yards per game is the highest total in NFL history, by a full ten yards. Three of the five seasons--Emmitt Smith in 1995, Priest Holmes in 2003, and Shaun Alexander in 2005--failed to make my list. Barry Sanders (MPS-USA TODAY Sports) NFL career rushing TDs: 99 t-8. He led in yards per carry (5.5) and yards from scrimmage (2244). Walter Payton and Barry Sanders took over soon after and set a path for the top-tier runners of the 21st century. Who has the most rushing yards in NFL history? . The Rams accumulated 7335 yards of total offense (458 per game), shattering the previous NFL record. Here are the all-time rushing touchdown leaders, (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports), (Deirdre Hamill/The Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK), Sign up for the List Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Here are the 22 running backs that own gold jackets listed by the year they were enshrined in Canton, Ohio: Ultimately, this question cannot be answered by numbers. And it's the quickest way for the National Football League's single-season rushing holder to fail to qualify for this list. Squat: 390 lbs. Sanders also set a new NFL record with 2358 total yards from scrimmage, which has been surpassed three times. Smith was the engine of the 1990s Simpson led the NFL in every single statistic that a running back could lead the league in. |Service 332 carries, 2003 yards, 12 TD, 6.0 avg; 6 rec, 70 yards, 0 TD; 7 fum 14 GAMES, "No matter what happens to me, I was the first man to rush for 2000 yards in a season. Our Draft Day Predictor answers nine questions: When will the QBs get picked? Who is the fastest player in the NFL? One dog clearly dominates, Most popular breakfast foods by state in the U.S. (plus D.C.), 43 first-round QB busts in the Super Bowl era, 25 of the most memorable moms in television and film history, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. , , , , , , , Must have quickness to elude defenders and run downhill quickly. Ranking 10 greatest running back seasons in NFL history: Faulk, Tomlinson and Allen are the only full-time running backs who rank in the top 100 all-time for receptions. Taylor won the rushing Triple Crown in 1962. Until that happens, the 1993 MVP, three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler will be a front-runner in the conversation for greatest running back of all time. The current record was set in 2006 when Tomlinson piled up 28 rushing scores. Has to have demonstrated RB ability at an All-Conference level. His 23 total touchdowns rank eighth on the single-season lists, and his 125.5 rushing yards per game are tenth all time. The Lions' legendary running back averaged 5.0 yards per carry throughout his Hall of Fame career, but scored 'only' 99 touchdowns in 10 seasons. Emmitt Smith is the all Find out who the leaders are in standard scoring formats and see which players are available in your fantasy football league. (At the Start of 2003 Season). There was a stunning trade-up into the top three, two running backs picked in the top 12 (! Two other players are future first-ballot Hall of Famers. The fastest run speed of Jackson's NFL career so far came in Week 6 of the 2020 season, when he reached 21.01 miles per hour on a 37-yard touchdown run. That honor belongs to middle linebacker Dick Butkus. Nowadays, the majority of teams produce a 1000-yard rusher, and within the next 10 to 15 years, I predict that a half dozen or more teams yield two 1000-yard rushers. He stole a rushing title from the great Jim Brown. But there've still been some very fast run speeds, with Mecole Hardman and Tyreek Hill at the top being no surprise. George had surpassed Campbell in the team record book during 2002 to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher. All the Cowboys picks and draft news in one place - CBS 1973 will always be OJ's most famous season. Simpson earned a million different awards in 1973, including NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, the NFL MVP, the Bert Bell Player of the Year award, and the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year award. How Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor and Bijan Robinson will fare in fantasy this season, Day 1 NFL draft picks who could impact your fantasy teams, Why Bijan Robinson is a top 12 RB in fantasy football this year. There was a stunning trade-up into the top three, two running backs picked in the top 12 (! All that muscle didn't stop Jackson from running a reported 4.13-second 40-yard dash at the 1986 Combine, which would just about break the Internet if it happened with electronic timing today. No player in NFL history has done more (22 touchdowns) with less (232 touches) than Sayers in 1965. Heres what the numbers say when comparing the best running backs in NFL history. Fanghua Guangyuan Electronics Co., Ltd. He averaged one touchdown every 10 touches, significantly more than one touchdown per game, and his 9.8 yards per touch ranked first in the NFL by two full yards. Tyreek Hill didn't participate in the 2016 NFL combine because of adomestic abuse arrest. Sanders scored 'only' 11 touchdowns on the ground, mainly because the Lions used fullback Tommy Vardell in goal-line situations. There was a time when, even factoring in the increases in games played during the season, a 1000-yard rusher was considered impressive. Fumbles are the worst thing a running back can do. Bijan Robinson: It's important to value the versatility in RBs, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore. The best running backs average in the National Football League over five yards per carry. Here are the 10 fastest ball-carrier runs from the 2021 NFL playoffs (via NFL's Next Gen Stats): None of the fastest times from the 2021 NFL playoffs entering the Super Bowl make the top-10 for the entire season. Ranking 10 greatest running back seasons in NFL history: Barry Sanders reigns supreme Two 2,000-yard seasons failed to make an incredibly hard cut By Bryan WebFree NFL football player stats and stats leaders in simple, easy to read tables. Martin, who gained 1,094 yards this past season, has now rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his eight seasons in the NFL. Zip code: 510375 In 1998, Davis became just the fourth running back in NFL history to rush for over 2000 yards in a season. Give it a try, it's free! Stats: 40yd: 4.4; Bench: 280 lbs. 10 University of Michigan Running Backs Webv. Those werent the only headliners from the first round, either. Throughout history, the position of running back has changed significantly. . There are two sides to the coin when it comes to bringing up carries in the debate of the greatest running backs. Should Barry Sanders be penalized for his lack of touchdowns? No running back in the 75 years since has come within two yards per carry of approaching Feathers' record. Shows quickness and instincts. That's the equivalent of a defensive end accumulating 25 sacks in a season. He finished second in yards per carry (5.4). 10 GAMES. 6) Emmitt Smith. ( ) - indicates rank at the start of the 2002 season, Website design & development by americaneagle.com copyright 2021 Pro Football hall of fame all rights reserved, Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls, Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. ACTIVE IN 2002 2005-2023 Team Rankings, LLC. Brown averaged 21 carries per game. 40 rush attempts * Vs. TR Top 10 qualifier is Faulk leads the bunch with 767 receptions, putting him at No. Bolt's only problem would've been his long strides - he doesn't pick up full speed until the second half of his 100-meter races, by which point his 40-yard dash would've already been over. * Division Games qualifier is That hasn't been touched in the three years since, with rookie Henry Rugs III coming the closest in 2020 at 4.27 seconds. Web116 AV 70 Rush 1515 Yds 6166 Y/A 4.1 TD 51 FantPt 1287.9 Neal Anderson Overview Game Logs Career Postseason 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 Player Game Finder 12 rush attempts Metcalf ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2019. . ..- . Here are the 10 fastest ball-carrier runs from the 2020 NFL regularseason(via NFL's Next Gen Stats): Notably, Mostert continues to look like the fastest player in the NFL more than halfway through the season (despite missing time with injury). I love Emmitt Smith he is one of the best running backs of all time. Only one running back (Alan Ameche) averaged half as many yards per game as Brown. He ended the season by rushing for more than 100 yards in 14 consecutive games, an NFL record. In all, Davis eclipsed the top ten single-season list in five different categories that season. He rushed into the endzone 164 times in his career, 19 more times than any other player. National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders Jackson famously said in the30-for-30about him that he never lifted weights a day in his life, despite has chiseled physique. He rushed for 219 yards in the 13th game of the season, and capped off a brilliant campaign with exactly 200 yards, breaking the 2000-yard barrier. The five running backs drafted in the top 10 since the disastrous Trent Richardson pick (third overall in 2012) have provided good return on investment. Had Brown played a 16-game season, his numbers would have looked like this: 343 carries, 2036 yards, 23 TD, 5.9 avg; 21 rec, 184 yards, 1 TD; 7 fum. Mahomes has incorporated running as a part of his game, but usually as more of a passer who scrambles while still looking to throw. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Jim Taylor * (1,941 attempts for 8,597 yards, 83 TDs) was displaced from the Top 20. But 1975 was just a little bit better. Taylor's 1962 MVP season is arguably the greatest in the history of a franchise filled with Hall of Fame football players. NFL Copyright2022 HongmeiCo.,Ltd.Allrightsreserved. In 1984, Eric Dickerson rushed 379 times for a still-standing record of 2105 yards. Smith Jackson didn't run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but at a "speed day" put on by Louisville in 2017, he reportedly ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash. LaDainian Tomlinson broke Shaun Alexander's one-year old NFL-record of 28 touchdowns by more than 10 percent. Position: Running back Height: 6-0 Weight: 215 pounds Years active: 2020-2022 Here are Bijan Robinsons's career stats in college. Cowboys Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard, who led the NFL in scrimmage yards per touch (5.9) in 2022 among players with at least 200 touches and is coming off a His season stands as the greatest by an NFC running back from the Super Bowl era to the turn of the millennium. He totaled 15,269 rushing yards (3rd all time) and 99 rushing TDs (9th all time). Smith had almost 600 more carries than any other running back in history. So what should a running back be rated on?