10 Best NFL Running Backs of All Time

American Football is one of the toughest sports, and that is what makes the NFL so popular in the USA. You need to have great team bonding and contribution from each department of the team to outshine your opponents. Every player has a major role to play. The same goes for the running backs as well.

Running backs are part of the offense. They receive handoffs from the quarterback as well as line up to catch and block. They play a significant role in scoring and winning the game. One needs to have good height, weight, receiving, and blocking ability to become a good running back.

Over the years, fans have witnessed many great players who mastered these skills and became legendary. In this article, we feature the 10 best NFL running backs of all time which defined the role of the running backs.

Best NFL Running Backs Of All Time

Based on individual performance, contribution to the team’s victory, title wins, and skills, we have made the following list of the 10 best NFL running backs of all time.

1. Walter Payton

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl Champion: 1 time: XX
• NFL MVP: 1977
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 1977
• NFL Man of the Year: 1977
• First-team All-Pro: 5 times (1976, 77, 1980, 84, 85)
• Pro Bowl: 9 times (1976–1980, 1983–1986)
• NFL rushing attempts leader: 4 times (1976-1979)

If you are a Chicago Bears fan, then you already know about Walter Payton in detail. Even if you are not a fan of the Bears, you have heard his name, at least. No NFL fans can be in oblivion about him. His impact in the running back position was prominent.

After being drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1975, he quickly snatched the spotlight. 1977 was the year of Payton. He conquered everything there was to. He won the Super Bowl, was named the MVP, offensive player of the year, as well as the NFL man of the year, and first-team all-pro.

He was very consistent in the field and made a record of starting the game for 170 consecutive matches. Payton is a nine times pro bowler and four times rushing attempts leader. What didn’t he achieve in his career? That’s a tough question to answer.

Payton finished his career with a total of 110 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns, along with 34 fumbles. He was great at all the skills a running back needs. That is why he stands on the top of our 10 best NFL running backs of all time list.

Career Stats

2. Jim Brown

Career Highlights

• NFL Champion: 1 time (1964)
• NFL Rookie of the Year: 195)
• NFL MVP: 3 times (1957, 58, and 1965)
• First-team All-Pro: 8 times ( 1957, 58, 59, 1960, 61, 63, 64, 65)
• Pro Bowl: 9 times (1957–1965)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 8 times (1957–1961, 1963–1965)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader: 5 times (1957–1959, 1963, 1965)

If you want to talk about running backs, then Jim Brown is the name you must mention. The 6ft 2 inch tall Georgian was a threat to the defense. He was drafted into the Cleveland Browns in 1957 and remained with the team till his retirement in 1965.

How good was he? That is a difficult question to answer. You will find it difficult to describe him with an adjective. The man was living torture for the defense. It was quite impossible to stop him once he started to rush.

He played 118 games in his career and rushed a total of 12,312 yards. His magnificent career includes 126 touchdowns. His long steps and strong arms would pass 5.2 yards per carry. His career accolades are filled with nine pro-bowls, eight times rushing yards leader, five times touchdowns leaders, and many more.

With so many achievements, he certainly belongs to the elite class of the 10 best NFL running backs of all time.

Career Stats

3. Emmitt Smith

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl Champion: 3 times (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
• Super Bowl MVP: 1 time (XXVIII)
• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (1993)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1 time (1990)
• First-team All-Pro: 4 times (1992–1995)
• Pro Bowl: 8 times (1990–1995, 1998, 1999)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 4 times (1991–1993, 1995)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader: 3 times (1992, 1994-1995)
• NFL scoring leader: 1 time (1995)

Emmitt Smith is a record book himself. Don’t think it’s a bluff. If you want to enlist all of his achievements, it will take a lot of time. So, let’s just mention some of the more popular ones. Smith holds the record for most career rushing yards, most career rushing touchdowns, as well as most career rushing attempts.

Well, you can see that as a running back, he has set a number of records. He played for two teams in the NFL in his fifteen-year-long career. But his time with the Dallas Cowboys made him the star he is today.

Smith led the Cowboys to three Super Bowls and was also named the MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII. In 1993, he was announced the MVP of the tournament. Smith foreshadowed his dominance in his very first year in the league. Because of his dominance in the offense, he was awarded the offensive rookie of the year in 1990.

He had a total of ninety fumbles in his career. Apart from that, his inclusion into the first-team all-pro four times and 8 Pro-bowls helped him to be a part of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. Smith retired in 2004.

Career Stats

4. Marshall Faulk

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl Champion: 1 time (XXXIV)
• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (2000)
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 3 times (1999–2001)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1 time (1994)
• First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1999–2001)
• Pro Bowl: 7 times (1994, 1995, 1998–2002)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader: 1 time (2000)
• NFL scoring leader: 2 times (2000, 2001)

The seven-time pro-bowler had his draft into the NFL in 1994 when the Indianapolis Colts picked him. He showed great potential at the beginning of his career and bagged the offensive rookie of the year award.

However, Faulk reached his prime after joining the St. Louis Rams, where he won his first and only Super Bowl in 2000. In fact, 2000 was the best year of his career. He was named the MVP and offensive player of the year, became the rushing touchdown leader and scoring leader, and also made it to the first-team all-pro. So many things for a year!

Faulk continued his dominance in the following years also, but his performance in 2000 is considered to be one of the most dominant ones in the history of the NFL.

By the time he retired in 2006, his stats had flashed his nearly seven thousand receiving yards. And more than twelve thousand rushing yards. The legendary running back was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2011 class.

Career Stats

5. O.J. Simpson

Career Highlights

• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (1973)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 4 times (1972, 1973, 1975, 1976)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader: 1 time (1975)
• First-team All-Pro: 6 times (1972–1976, 1978)
• Pro Bowl: 6 times (1972–1976, 1978)
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 2 times (1972, 1973)

Some players are destined to be legendary, and experts can say that at first glance. O.J. Simpson was such a player. Before joining the NFL, he had already made a name for himself. He became the Unanimous All-American not once but twice.

Naturally, there was a good amount of hype regarding the young Simpson during the 1969 draft. And without any surprise, he was picked at no.1 by the Buffalo Bills. Soon, he showed that he deserved all the praise he received.

The six times pro bowler was at his peak from 1972 to 1976. During this time, he was named the MVP 1973 and led the rushing yards list four times. Moreover, he was the rushing touchdowns leader in 1975. He made the Buffalo Bills’ offense stronger than ever, and he was also acknowledged by the fans and experts. He received the NFL offensive player of the year award twice in a row, in 1972 and 1973.

In 1979, he decided to quit the game after playing it for a decade. He competed for a total of 135 games and recorded 11,236 rushing yards. Sampson was honored with the hall of fame induction in 1985.

Career Stats

6. Barry Sanders

Career Highlights

• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (1997)
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 2 times (1994, 1997)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 4 times (1990, 1994, 1996, 1997)
• First-team All-Pro: 6 times (1989–1991, 1993–1995)
• Pro Bowl: 10 times (1989–1998)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1 time (1989)
• Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee: 2004

Many may call Barry Sander a late bloomer for his winning MVP award in 1997, though he was drafted in 1989. But his performance was never poor. He won the offensive rookie of the year award in his first year.

He continued his dominance throughout the 90s. He made the first-team all-pro six times and became a ten times Pro-bowler. He won many other awards in the nineties and was included in the 90s all-decade team.

He decided to retire in 1998. By then, he was only one rushing touchdown short from making it a triple figure. He joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Career Stats

7. LaDainian Tomlinson

Career Highlights

• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (2006)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 2 times (2006, 2007)
• NFL rushing touchdowns leader: 3 times (2004, 2006, 2007)
• First-team All-Pro: 3 times (2004, 2006, 2007)
• Pro Bowl: 5 times (2004–2008)
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 1 time (2006)

After the end of the twentieth century, many thought the NFL had seen its all-time best players already. It will take time to see another Simpson or Payton. But everyone was proved wrong so early. At the very beginning of the new century, fans got to see the debut of LaDainian Tomlinson, who was only 22 at the time.

Tomlinson reached his peak in 2004 and continued his dominance till 2007. His performance in 2006 is a modern-time classic. He was the MVP, rushing yards leader, scoring leader, rushing touchdowns leader, and also the offensive player of the year.

In that season, Tomlinson set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season (28). Don’t think the list is over; there is more. With 186, he set the most scoring record in a season. He conquered everything there was for him in that season.

Sadly, however, his career ended without winning any Super Bowl. But that cannot keep him from becoming one of the 10 best NFL running backs of all time.

Career Stats

8. Jerome Bettis

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl Champion: 1 time (XL)
• 6th all-time leading rusher in NFL history
• Pro Bowl: 6 times (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)
• First-team All-Pro: 2 times (1993, 1996)

The six-time Pro-bowler Jerome Bettis is a legend of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He debuted with the Los Angeles in 1993 but reached his peak with the Steelers. He made it to the first-team all-pro twice, in 1993 and 1996.

Bettis did not win the Super Bowl in the 90s but was determined to win it. He continued to play for the Steelers and finally won the Super Bowl in 2005. Later that season, Bettis announced his retirement.

By then, he had played 192 games and recorded over thirteen thousand rushing yards and 94 touchdowns, along with 31 fumbles, to place his name among the 10 best NFL running backs of all time.

Career Stats

9. Marcus Allen

Career Highlights

• Super Bowl Champion: 2 times (XV, XVIII)
• Super Bowl MVP: 1 time (XVIII)
• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (1985)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 1 time (1985)
• First-team All-Pro: 2 times (1982, 1985)
• Pro Bowl: 6 times (1982–1987)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1982
• NFL 1980s All-Decade Team

Marcus Allen is one of those few pro-footballer who has won everything in the game. From winning the Super Bowl to being the NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, rushing yards leader, and whatnot!

The Los Angeles Raiders saw the potential young Allen had and drafted him to the team. In his very first season, he showed his skills and talent. He was named the offensive rookie of the year. Two years later, he became the MVP of both the NFL and Super Bowl, a rare feat in NFL history.

He played 222 games and recorded 123 rushing touchdowns, more than some of the other legends on this list. Before retiring in 1997, he had gathered enough reputation to earn a position among the best NFL running backs of all time.

Career Stats

10. Eric Dickerson

Career Highlights

• NFL Most Valuable Player: 1 time (1986)
• NFL Offensive Player of the Year: 2 times (1983, 1984)
• NFL rushing yards leader: 4 times (1983–1986)
• First-team All-Pro: 3 times (1983–1985)
• Pro Bowl: 6 times (1983–1988)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: 1983

If you are not familiar with Eric Dickerson’s name, then you are not a die-hard fan of the NFL. He was not only a great running back but also one of the best pro footballers of the 80s. He played for different teams, and in each team, he was an important asset of the offense.

The six-time Pro-bowler had the best year in 1986 when he was named the most valuable player. Apart from that, he is a two-time NFL offensive player, four times rushing yards leader, and a three-times first-team all-pro.

He set the record for most rushing yards for a rookie with 2,105 yards. After retiring in 1993, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Career Stats

Conclusion

They were the 10 best NFL running backs of all time on our list. These players knew their roles and could do more than they expected from them. All of them hold several records that carry their names even today. They are role models for upcoming players and will always be respected and loved by the fans and players.

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