Canidate never played in another NFL game. Vikings (2001-05); Chiefs (2006-07); Buccaneers (2007-08); Chargers (2008-09); Raiders (2010). NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. While he would never come close to duplicating his success of 2002, Bennett still managed to carve out a 10-year career. Two years later, Brown set career highs with six rushing touchdowns and 751 all-purpose yards. He bolstered his rsum after being traded to the Patriots in 2004, racking up a career-high 1,635 rush yards and 12 TDs in his first season in New England. First, he's missed 10 games in his first two seasons. Teams:Browns (1978-93); Falcons (1994-96). The owner of the iconic "Beast Quake" run in the 2010 playoffs, Lynch was among the league's best running backs from 2011-14. Taylor ranks 17th all-time in rushing yards (11,695), and every non-active running back above him in that list is already in the Hall. A six-time Pro Bowler from 2006-10 and in 2012, Wayne led the NFL in receiving yards in 2007. Frank Gore is zeroed in on boxing and Deron Williams fight, but still harbors Super Bowl dream, NFL's unsung heroes in 2021 season: One player from each NFC team. Taylor has parlayed his prolific play at Wisconsin into the complete durable package in the NFL. (AP Photo/Pro Football Hall of Fame) . George had the individual production, including seven seasons with 300-plus carries and 1,000-plus rush yards, but he also helped the Tennessee Titans reach the franchise's first Super Bowl in the modern era. According to sources, the Philadelphia Eagles have acquired Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift and the No. Johnson led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards on multiple occasions. Dillon scored 37 of his 82 rushing touchdowns during his three years in New England, which ultimately is the push his Hall of Fame case needed. In 2014, following teammateDeAngelo Williams' injury, Stewart gained nearly 1,000-purpose yards while receiving a then-career high eight starts. For whatever the reason, there are numerous deserving players who are still hoping to earn a spot in football immortality. He ran for a career-high 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns that included a franchise-record 228 yards against the Rams. At 28, Henry is facing an important rebound year as the massive workload from 2019 and 2020 caught up to him last season. Dolphins (2005-10); Eagles (2011); Chargers (2012-14); Texans (2014). the future hall-of-fame bell-cow back could be dealt to the . Addai is currently seventh on the Colts' career rushing list. The five-time Pro Bowl running back was a scoring machine in the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl XXIX win, with three TDs and 108 scrimmage yards on 18 touches. He won Offensive Player of the Year as a rookie in 1996, and then made four straight Pro Bowls. He's currently eighth all-time with 14,731 career receiving yards. The AFL's leader in touchdown catches the following season, Taylor helped the Chiefs capture their first Super Bowl win at the end of the 1969 season. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Do yourself a favor and Google this guy. The 14 Hall of Famers in this group averaged. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Sharp led the league in receptions three different times. Taylor ranks 17th all-time in rushing yards (11,695), and every non-active running back above him in that list is already in the Hall. The Doug Pederson-Press Taylor offense also caters well to Etienne's versatility. You could easily match Holmes' three years of dominance (2001-03) to touchdowns (1996-98), and it'd sure be a close call as to which was superior. Ideal size? He also led the NFL in touchdown receptions on two separate occasions. Texas running back Bijan Robinson is a popular pick, but Hall of Fame RB LaDainian Tomlinson has his eyes on a defensive player. While Vrabel has no worries about his job security, does he even want to rebuild in Nashville? The league's leading receiver on two separate occasions, Holt was the Rams' No. San Francisco 49ers (1992-94), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-97), Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001). (National Football League), Craig was a huge part of the San Francisco 49ers' success during the 1980s. Ingram -- who is entering his first season with the Texans -- is currently 60th on the NFL's all-time rushing list. Can Akers pick up his promise as a rookie following a season mostly lost to suffering a torn Achilles' last summer? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Swift has some good Kamara-like assets and is now helped by strong blocking and a better complementary passing game. Maroney (following an injury-marred 2008 season) posted another solid season in 2009 before finishing his career with the Broncos. He was an impossible matchup for opponents at the height of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty in the 1980s. And the fact that the city was thisclose to a second consecutive Lombardi -- a debate that never ends well for Pete Carroll -- helps his case. He's not sneaking up on anyone anymore as one of the league's most efficient backs with his quickness in the passing game and compact power in the running game. Ranked fifth in NFL history with 14,918 career rushing yards, Peterson wants to play in 2022 and perhaps beyond. Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott has stated that his goal is to rush for 10,000 yards and collect a spot in the Hall of Fame. And following an unceremonious end of his tenure with the Chiefs, Johnson had largely forgettable stops in Cincinnati, Washington and Miami. He had seven seasons with at least 1,100 rushing yards. Injuries limited the former Georgia star to just 63 NFL games. Injuries are the reason why Mathews was out of football at age 29. Cliff Branch, who was posthumously enshrined on Saturday, had been eligible for 30 years before his family received that long-awaited phone call. Running backs not in the Hall of Fame As we remember Chuck Muncie, it's pertinent to reflect on the greatest running backs in NFL history who are not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.. 2021 stats:207 carries, 963 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 19 receptions on 20 targets, 137 receiving yards, 6 total TDs. While Brown only played nine NFL seasons, he led the league in rushing eight times and retired as the NFL's all-time rushing leader. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 2196.8. Among those players are former offensive lineman Bob Kuechenberg, receivers Mark Duper andMark Claytonand running back Ricky Williams. At age 36, the future Hall of Famer is hoping to land on a Super Bowl contender for the 2021 season. Leaning more toward 2022 upside than past performance, here's Sporting News' ranking of the top 30 running backs in the NFL, starting with the reigning rushing champion and including a double dose from several teams: MORE NFL RANKINGS: QBs | WRs| Coaches | Defense. Knee problems may ultimately keep Gurley from going down as an all-time great. Nevertheless, what follows is a list of the 10 greatest franchise running backs of all time. Ranking teams likely to land Williams in 2024 NFL Draft, Prisco's 2023 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams, Exploring Titans' options at wide receiver, Cowboys' 'ship has not sailed' on bringing back Zeke, Best post-draft fits for top-remaining NFL free agents, Ranking each RB taken in Round 1 since 2000, Prisco's draft grades for all 32 teams: Eagles ace it, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Winners, losers from the draft: Crafty Colts, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings, 10 veteran moves that should happen post-2023 draft, Report: Bucs star Barrett's daughter, 2, drowns in pool, NFL schedule release target date, plus 5 things we know, Steelers' draft haul one the team hadn't seen in 38 years. Of course, this list will only look at those eligible for the Hall of Fame (so Shaun Alexander, who should get in, is not included). Dillon had the size (6-foot-1, 225 pounds) and physical style similar to Eddie George. 1 receiver when the Colts made it back to the Super Bowl in 2009. ET on ABC), and when looking at this year's finalists list, I noticed there wasn't a single running back up for induction. Penny, who had been an injury-riddled disappointing first-rounder in 2018, exploded down the stretch as the sudden featured workhorse, shaking off plenty of past injury issues. Brian Branch, S, Alabama. Simpson. After four years in Atlanta, Duckett spent one season a piece in Washington, Detroit and Seattle. Hart was a four-time Pro Bowler whose career really took off once Don Coryell became head coach in 1973. Shady will be remembered as one of the toughest players to tackle in the open field and one of the best at the position in his prime. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Simpson. Many more would argue that he is the best football player . I agree to receive the "With The First Pick Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Jackson joins program that produced Hall of Fame running backs Frank Gifford, O.J. PART OF AUDACY SPORTS. Injuries have considerably limited Michel's impact over the past two seasons. Of course not. Lynch ran through his opponents (See: Beast Quake vs. Saints) and made the Seahawks one of the scariest rushing attacks during their heyday. He doesn't offer much as a receiver but he gets the yards that are there with good burst. But a serious knee injury derailed a potential Hall of Fame career. A backup in 2001, McAllister became the Saints' starting running back after the team traded Ricky Williams in 2002. 2: Eddie George -- He opened his career with five consecutive 1,000-yards campaigns, and then added two more over the course of his career. As Warren Sharp pointed out, Swift won't exactly have . Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is a former First-Team All-American defensive back for the TCU Horned Frogs and is one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. 2020 stats: 134carries, 805 rushing yards, 6.0 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 24 targets, 120 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown (32) is pictured in Cleveland, circa 1960s. He's also one of eight players in league history with 10,000-plus career rush yards and 4,000-plus career receiving yards. 2021 stats:332 carries, 1,811 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per carry, 40 receptions on 51 targets, 360 receiving yards, 20 total TDs. Smith's extreme competitiveness more than made up for his 5-foot-9, 195-pound frame. Five years later, as a member of the Cowboys, McFadden rushed for 1,089 yards despite only starting in 10 games. He's this high because of talent and some hope that 2022 will be more "make" than "break" in a new offense with more explosive intentions. Conner landed with the right team to return to reliable production after some fading seasons in Pittsburgh. (National Football League), Green was a four-time Pro Bowl running back for the Green Bay Packers and led the NFC in rushing in 2003. A three-time Pro Bowler, Ingram enjoyed considerable success in New Orleans before rushing for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns for theRavensin 2019. His 53-yard touchdown catch during the previous year's Super Bowl helped theColtswin the franchise's first Super Bowl following their move from Baltimore to Indianapolis. Dillon has gone from expected power complement to Jones to a well-rounded back in his own right. Expect Penny to be threatened, however, for key touches by rookie Ken Walker. (National Football League), Before there was Kurt Warner, Curt was a pretty fair running back for the Seattle Seahawks. I dont think he got bad intel because why would he lie and put his name on this? In 1984, Matthews led the league with 126 tackles while also posting 12 sacks and three forced fumbles. Chiefs (2003-2009); Bengals (2009); Washington (2010); Miami (2011). He is a good finisher in the red zone and can take any carry the distance. In 2003, Lewis became the fifth member of the 2,000-yard rushing club while coming within 40 yards of breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season record. (National Football League), You might not believe this, but the New York Jets were actually good in the 1980s. Bears (2005-07); Bengals (2008-11); Packers (2012). Maurice Jones-Drew reveals his top five rushing duos in the NFL this season. The physical, bruising back was consistently great and a player defenses had to plan for throughout his career. Terrell Davis deservedly was named to the Hall of Fame based on three historic seasons, before an ACL tear derailed his career. Given that the rankings focused primarily on overall career achievements, don't look too far into where current players rank on the following list -- they could very well end up on top once they call it a career. 1 spot? A key member of the Bengals' 1981 AFC championship team, Riley returned a league-high three interceptions for touchdowns during his final two seasons. His cultural impact is through the roof. Montgomery makes this list based on his cumulative production vs. his limited efficiency as a runner and pass-catcher. Hall of Fame running back and Chargers legend LaDainian Tomlinson knows a thing or two about the trenches. Plus, check out his updated ranking of the top 15 RBs right now. He spent the 2016 season as Ezekiel Elliott's replacement before retiring during the 2017 season. But again, his USFL career takes away from his Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials. Williams remains in a timeshare with the still effective Melvin Gordon, but there's no doubt he will be the preferred dynamic lead in the new offense with his budding all-around explosiveness. Maurice Jones-Drew identifies five running backs who can save their teams' seasons down the stretch. Douglas and Co. used a second-round pick to acquire Hall in 2022 and even traded up two spots to get the draft class's top-ranked running back prospect at No. Swift, like Chubb and others, keeps the pipeline strong for Georgia running backs in the NFL. And really, if Jackson was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame would anybody question it? A bruising 218-pound runner, Ameche is best known for his game-winning one-yard run in the famous 1958 NFL Championship Game. The Bengals' all-time leading passer, Anderson's boom under Bill Walsh's "West Coast" offense set the stage for Walsh's success with Joe Montana in San Francisco. Austin Collie Of the three hall-of-fame-caliber players who are potentially on the trade block heading into Thursday nights draft, Henry is the one I feel the least certain about him being dealt. Maurice Jones-Drew ranks each team's primary starting running back for the 2022 NFL season. Ironically, Dayne's best season was his last; he rushed for 773 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4 yards per carry for the Texans. Superstar quarterbacks undoubtedly headline the AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, but Maurice Jones-Drew explains why the running backs will actually decide who wins. From 2011 to '14, he had at least 1,200 rush yards and 11 rush TDs per season -- leading the league in rush TDs in both 2013 (12) and 2014 (13). NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. I expect for the Green Bay Packers to figure out a fair-enough trade package to get Aaron Rodgers out of their building. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Conner has been a great power running fit with his size and quickness in Kliff Kingsbury's offense, playing well off Kyler Murray. Lynch's greatest stretch was with the Seattle Seahawks. He rushed for over 1,000 yards (while averaging 5 yards per carry) for theDolphinsin 2011. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius), Brooks was a four-time Pro Bowl selection for the Cincinnati Bengals. Nobody could stop him on the football field. Maurice Jones-Drew spotlights three teams who will be looking for a new primary RB in 2023. A big, physical back at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Jackson ripped off eight straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2005-12. Injuries, however, would limited him to fewer than 700 yards over his remaining three years in Detroit. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings), He gets covered up a little bit because he split time with Warrick Dunn, but Alstott was able to do it all for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "The Assassin" was one of the hardest hitting safeties in league history. NFL Draft Day 2: Best defensive players available. Along with Ricky Williams, Brown has the distinction of being part of the NFL's charter "Wild Cat" offense. Smith tallied eight 1,000-yard seasons and is one of 14 players with at least 1,000 career receptions. Dobbins also saw his entire 2021 season wiped out by a torn ACL ahead of what felt like a potential big Year 2. But, a bronze Canton bust is far from a certainty, so let's look at the best backs not in the Hall. Durability and conditioning are mild concerns as he might start to cede some key work to rookie Rachaad White. After a somewhat slow start, Ingram has put together an impressive pro career. He is a different runner, based more on speed and quickness for the open field to live up to his last name. (He won his second in Tampa last season). 2023 Audacy, Inc. All rights reserved. Plus, how far did Josh Jacobs climb in MJD's top 15 RB rankings after a huge performance last week? And despite Manning's departure in 2012, a 34-year-old Wayne earned Pro Bowl honors that season while catching passes from a rookie quarterback named Andrew Luck. Not one. at Lets assess if Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will be traded to a team like the Philadelphia Eagles at any point during the 2023 NFL Draft. A severe spinal injury forced Wilson to retire after just 21 games. Willis packed a lot into a relatively short career. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The players listed below are the top 250 HOFm-rated players who played RB starting in 1955 or later for at least 50 career games. Tomlinson is tied for 80th with 626 catches and Allen is 100th with 587. 2020 stats (at Clemson): 168 carries, 914 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 48 receptions, 588 receiving yards, 16 total TDs. The NFL might be considered a passing league now, but the best running backs still have incredible value to their teams. A throwback power back, Fournette helped lead theJaguarsto the brink of the Super Bowl as a rookie. Here's a look at some of the best prospects available for teams drafting in the early part of the second round: Jordan Porter Jr., CB, Penn State. The first of two Arkansas running backs taken in the first round of the 2008 draft (Felix Jones being the other), McFadden was the first former Razorback to register two 1,000-yard seasons in the NFL. Muncie tied the single-season record with 19 touchdowns in 1981. Gore's career production alone merits a gold jacket. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. As we remember Chuck Muncie, it's pertinent to reflect on the greatest running backs in NFL history who are not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Henry is every bit his generations version of Adrian Peterson, but even he had a definite shelf life. Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson rushed for a playoff record 248 yards in the Los . Despite his abbreviated prime, Alexander is 36th on the league's career rushing list. 2021 stats: 99carries, 442 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 37 receptions on 41 targets, 343 receiving yards, 2 total TDs. He's been a semifinalist for three straight years but has yet to be named a finalist. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. But did you realize he averaged less than four yards per carry? Although Elliott is still the lead in the Cowboys' eyes, it's become more of a 1-2 punch with the latter helping the former stay effective with less mid-career wear. In 12 seasons, he amassed 11,102 rush yards, 73 rush TDs and averaged a respectable 4.5 yards per carry. I have five benchmarks that I use -- and I've written about them before -- to decide whether a running back is worthy of a gold jacket: Each of the players discussed below check a number (if not all) of these boxes and, in my opinion, deserve Hall of Fame recognition. Expect Jones' receiving prowess to take on critical importance given the remixed wideout corps around Aaron Rodgers. 2021 stats:292 carries, 1,205 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 42 receptions on 48 targets, 314 receiving yards, 16 total TDs. At 26, MIxon should maintain that momentum of production. The 6-fo-6 Greenwood also had a penchant for batting down passes; he did that on three occasions during the Steelers' Super Bowl IX win over the Vikings. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. That's the big question, but the Rams have confidence that he can deliver effective lead rushing production with the right dash of receiving pop. With some help from Michael Thomas and others to take pressure off him in the passing game again, he should see some familiar favorable running lanes. Teams: 49ers (1983-90); Raiders (1991); Vikings (1992-93). Has Lamar Jackson been supplanted as the NFL's most electric rusher? 2021 stats: 171 carries, 799 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 52 receptions on 65 targets, 391 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. One of the greatest special teams players in NFL history, Tasker earned seven Pro Bowl nods from 1987-95. If you want to recognize him for being a guy who hung around longer than most big backs, fine. One of two former Auburn running backs selected in the first round, Williams won Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards. McGahee is 41st all time on the career rushing list, an incredible achievement considering the significance of his 2003 knee injury. 1 now, but there's a reason why Denver decided late to bring back Gordon as a savvy No. A valued member of Minnesota's "Purple People Eaters" defensive line, Marshall holds numerous NFL records, including the most seasons played by a defensive player (20, along with Junior Seau and Darrell Green), most consecutive games by a defensive player (282), most consecutive starts by a defensive player (270), and most career fumble recoveries (30). But he's already done more than enough to land himself among the game's immortal. But eight significant injuries -- the last one placing him on injured reserve in 2019 -- resulted in Martin playing in his last regular season game at just 29 years old. Did he win (or compete for) a league MVP award? While Chicago just wasn't a good fit, Benson still helped lead theBearsto the Super Bowl in 2006. Richardson averaged just 3.3 yards per carry during his three-year career. Johnson's 9,651 rushing yards are good for 35th on the all-time list, ahead of Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Jim Taylor and Larry Csonka, among others. A member of the NFL's All-2010s Team, Willis twice led the NFL in tackles. Unlike most induction classes, there was not a single member of this year's class that got in on the first ballot. Addai posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons during his first two years with the Colts. But for my money, I'd rather celebrate a guy who had a huge impact and was the best at his position instead of a guy who was all right for a number of years (looking at you, Bettis). After sharing a backfield with Marion Barber at the University of Minnesota, Maroney shared one with Kevin Faulk in New England. Pollard has been the ideal change-of-pace back to support Elliott with his flashy running and fluid receiving. Cardinals (2000-02); Buccaneers (2003); Bears (2004-06); Jets (2007-09); Chiefs (2010-11). He has enjoyed a career resurgence with theBuccaneers, as Tampa Bay went 7-0 with Fournette in its starting lineup during the 2020 season. In a Hall-of-Fame career . Ekeler had been under-appreciated for his unique receiving-forward role for Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. While injuries ultimately cut his career short, Perry did help the Bengals win their first AFC North title in 2005. From 1998-2001, Faulk recorded at least 1,319 rushing yards and 81 receptions. Even though, you know, the USFL was pro football. 2021 stats:202 carries, 752 rushing yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 37 receptions on 39 targets, 375 receiving yards, 18 total TDs.