Best Running Backs Ever
With LDT breaking touchdown records left and right, I felt it appropriate to go ahead and write about the three best running backs ever to grace the NFL with their talents. Many say this is arguable, and I suppose it is, but I am almost certain that everyone would agree upon these three backs as the top three. Although Shane will argue for Thurman Thomas, and Nathan will argue for Edgerrin James, they are both far off this list.
3) Walter Payton
For an extended period of time, this Chicago Bear was the all-time leader in rushing yards. Although he no longer has as many yards as Emmit Smith, I think it's safe to say that everybody agrees Payton was a much better back. An all-around great player. He is amongst only three players in NFL history to throw for a touchdown, run for a touchdown, and catch a touchdown in the same game (along with David Patten, formerly of the New England Patriots, and Ladanian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers). He won the 1977 NFL MVP award has he cruised past the 1000 yard mark for the third time in his young career. That same year he also captured the Pro Bowl MVP. Understood, Pro Bowl MVP isn't that significant of an award, it still remains Mark Brunnell's greatest achievement. He was a member of what is said to be one of, if not, the greatest team in NFL history. The coach of that team, Ditka, has publicaly said that they wouldn't have won the Super Bowl without him (He said so last Sunday on ESPN's NFL countdown when they were discussing the greatest running backs. It actually inspired this article). The best player, on arguably the best team in history solidifies his place amongst the league's elite.
2) Jim Brown
Holds the record for most yards per carry. Really, that is an underappreciated record, because I'd rather have a guy that could pound out a little over five yards a carry opposed to somebody who hangs around the league long enough to break Payton's record (See: Emmit Smith). Brown recieved rookie of the year honors during his innaugural season in 1957. In his short, but incredible nine-year career, he didn't miss a single game. In this day and age, that would be unheard of for a running back. He was a complete back who could catch, block, and even run-back kicks. Hell, he was even an All-American lacrosse player, and god knows I love lacrosse. Unfortunately he retired at a young age in pursuit of another career. He skipped the Cleveland Browns training camp in the summer of 1966 when he was acting in The Dirty Dozen. The Brown's owner at the time, Art Modell, threatened Brown, and it backfired big time. The superstar running back pretty much told him to fuck off and he retired before the 1966 season. When he retired he held pretty much every major record, and had only played nine years. Had he played for as long as some aging liberal hippy douches, then his records might only have been touched by our number one guy.
If that wasn't a great transition sentence, then I don't know what is....
1) Barry Sanders
Won the Heisman trophy in 1988 with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He went on and played his entire NFL career with the downtrodden Detroit Lions. He single handedly carried that team during his entire career there. The front-office in Detroit wasn't as bad as it is now (Matt Millen probably would have traded Sanders for a deck of uno cards, thr Animal House: Double Secret Probation DVD, and a 3D puzzle of the Empire State Building). Throughout his tenure, their front-office failed to give Sanders, an adequate quarterback, offensive live, defense, wide-recievers, or anything else. This is what makes him so special. He thrived on one of the worst teams in the leauge year in and year out. In 1997 he ran for over 2000 yards, becoming only the third person (up to that point) to do so. He led the Lions to the playoffs in 1991, and they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in their only playoff victory throughout their history. Althought that would be the farthest he would get with the Lions. In my humble opinion he is extremely underrated. He ran for over 2000 yards, and still only got Co-MVP mostly because of his sub-par squad. Sanders, like Brown retired relatively early for how much success he was having. He, along with Jim Brown, are the only two players amongst the league's all-time 100 leading rushers with an average over 5 yards a carry. He still has the highest yards per game, as well as the highest yards per season as any player in NFL history. He was on pace to shatter Payton's record. He was on pace to break the age-old record if he would have just played one more year. His balance and vision has been unmatched, and I doubt we will ever see another Barry Sanders for a very long time.
Honorable Mention: Emmit Smith, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, Erik Dickerson, Terrell Davis, Curtis Martin, Tony Dorsett, Larry Csonka, Marshall Faulk, and Ladanian Tomlinson.
also keep an eye on: Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, and Noel Devine
With LDT breaking touchdown records left and right, I felt it appropriate to go ahead and write about the three best running backs ever to grace the NFL with their talents. Many say this is arguable, and I suppose it is, but I am almost certain that everyone would agree upon these three backs as the top three. Although Shane will argue for Thurman Thomas, and Nathan will argue for Edgerrin James, they are both far off this list.
3) Walter Payton
For an extended period of time, this Chicago Bear was the all-time leader in rushing yards. Although he no longer has as many yards as Emmit Smith, I think it's safe to say that everybody agrees Payton was a much better back. An all-around great player. He is amongst only three players in NFL history to throw for a touchdown, run for a touchdown, and catch a touchdown in the same game (along with David Patten, formerly of the New England Patriots, and Ladanian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers). He won the 1977 NFL MVP award has he cruised past the 1000 yard mark for the third time in his young career. That same year he also captured the Pro Bowl MVP. Understood, Pro Bowl MVP isn't that significant of an award, it still remains Mark Brunnell's greatest achievement. He was a member of what is said to be one of, if not, the greatest team in NFL history. The coach of that team, Ditka, has publicaly said that they wouldn't have won the Super Bowl without him (He said so last Sunday on ESPN's NFL countdown when they were discussing the greatest running backs. It actually inspired this article). The best player, on arguably the best team in history solidifies his place amongst the league's elite.
2) Jim Brown
Holds the record for most yards per carry. Really, that is an underappreciated record, because I'd rather have a guy that could pound out a little over five yards a carry opposed to somebody who hangs around the league long enough to break Payton's record (See: Emmit Smith). Brown recieved rookie of the year honors during his innaugural season in 1957. In his short, but incredible nine-year career, he didn't miss a single game. In this day and age, that would be unheard of for a running back. He was a complete back who could catch, block, and even run-back kicks. Hell, he was even an All-American lacrosse player, and god knows I love lacrosse. Unfortunately he retired at a young age in pursuit of another career. He skipped the Cleveland Browns training camp in the summer of 1966 when he was acting in The Dirty Dozen. The Brown's owner at the time, Art Modell, threatened Brown, and it backfired big time. The superstar running back pretty much told him to fuck off and he retired before the 1966 season. When he retired he held pretty much every major record, and had only played nine years. Had he played for as long as some aging liberal hippy douches, then his records might only have been touched by our number one guy.
If that wasn't a great transition sentence, then I don't know what is....
1) Barry Sanders
Won the Heisman trophy in 1988 with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He went on and played his entire NFL career with the downtrodden Detroit Lions. He single handedly carried that team during his entire career there. The front-office in Detroit wasn't as bad as it is now (Matt Millen probably would have traded Sanders for a deck of uno cards, thr Animal House: Double Secret Probation DVD, and a 3D puzzle of the Empire State Building). Throughout his tenure, their front-office failed to give Sanders, an adequate quarterback, offensive live, defense, wide-recievers, or anything else. This is what makes him so special. He thrived on one of the worst teams in the leauge year in and year out. In 1997 he ran for over 2000 yards, becoming only the third person (up to that point) to do so. He led the Lions to the playoffs in 1991, and they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in their only playoff victory throughout their history. Althought that would be the farthest he would get with the Lions. In my humble opinion he is extremely underrated. He ran for over 2000 yards, and still only got Co-MVP mostly because of his sub-par squad. Sanders, like Brown retired relatively early for how much success he was having. He, along with Jim Brown, are the only two players amongst the league's all-time 100 leading rushers with an average over 5 yards a carry. He still has the highest yards per game, as well as the highest yards per season as any player in NFL history. He was on pace to shatter Payton's record. He was on pace to break the age-old record if he would have just played one more year. His balance and vision has been unmatched, and I doubt we will ever see another Barry Sanders for a very long time.
Honorable Mention: Emmit Smith, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, Erik Dickerson, Terrell Davis, Curtis Martin, Tony Dorsett, Larry Csonka, Marshall Faulk, and Ladanian Tomlinson.
also keep an eye on: Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, and Noel Devine
2 comments:
I think we could throw Vince Young on that list.
I think we should throw Pee Wee Herman on that list.
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