Greatest Running back in NFL history?

[britbox]

Barry Sanders for me. Who's your pick?

 

[kskate2]

Sweetness

 

[shawnbm]

Wow! That is a tough one. I only saw Jim Brown in highlight reels and the same goes for Gale Sayers. When I watched a lot of football in the Seventies and Eighties (I have not done much since then) the Juice, Barry Sanders, Earl Campbell and Dickerson were the most amazing to watch. I could go with any of them in terms of sheer open field running.

 

[djmm]

Bo Jackson!!

 

[britbox]

Bo Jackson!!

Bo knows....

Too short a career to be considered the greatest. Not the greatest Raider Running Back to be honest (Marcus Allen). Most talented, game changing back perhaps....

Sweetness is a good choice. He's my second after Sanders.

 

[ClayDeath]

what would you know about the best running backs in the NFL baron britbox?

well ok joking aside, I did not know that you were a big fan of NFL.

sanders would be my choice as well.



my guess is that it is harder to be as good today as the defenses are far more sophisticated and today`s football players are generally faster, quicker, and stronger athletes.
Adrian Peterson is a bit of an exception at the moment. we will just have to see how much more damage he can do.


this is why the league has become a quarterback driven league.

 

[Riotbeard]

Bo knows! I am just voting for him because he played at Auburn.

 

[ClayDeath]

I am liking all these cool threads.


there is something for everyone at tennis frontier.

 

[ClayDeath]

guys lets not forget this man:


Brown was taken in the first round of the 1956 draft by the Cleveland Browns.[9] He departed as the NFL record holder for both single-season (1,863 in 1963) and career rushing (12,312 yards), as well as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (106), total touchdowns (126), and all-purpose yards (15,549). He was the first player ever to reach the 100-rushing-touchdowns milestone, and only a few others have done so since, despite the league's expansion to a 16-game season in 1978 (Brown's first four seasons were only 12 games, and his last five were 14 games). Brown's record of scoring 100 touchdowns in only 93 games stood until LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 89 games during the 2006 season. Brown holds the record for total seasons leading the NFL in all-purpose yards (5: 1958–1961, 1964), and is the only rusher in NFL history to average over 100 yards per game for a career. Brown was also a superb receiver out of the backfield, catching 262 passes for 2,499 yards and 20 touchdowns. Every season he played, Brown was voted into the Pro Bowl, and he left the league in style by scoring three touchdowns in his final Pro Bowl game. Perhaps the most amazing feat is that Jim Brown accomplished these records despite never playing past 29 years of age. Brown's 6 games with at least 4 touchdowns remains an NFL record. LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk both have five games with 4 touchdowns.

Brown led the league in rushing a record eight times.

 

[shawnbm]

As the old song goes, "You don't mess around with Jim." Thanks for posting those astounding stats about Jim Brown. By the way, does he not still hold the record for most yards per carry (5.2)?

 

[ClayDeath]

not sure about that but he still holds a few NFL records.

also don't forget that he had a lot fewer games to work with.




so my picks for the best of all time if there is such a thing:


1. sanders
2. jim brown
3. walter payton

 

[shawnbm]

Those are fine picks, general. I was not a huge fan of sweetness, but he was a helluva player--one of the best ever.

 

[ClayDeath]

affirmative general shawnbm.


he was tough to contain.



but life is a lot harder for running backs today. better defenses and better athletes.



that is why it has become a quarterback driven league.

 

[britbox]

I think it's become more a QB driven league because of the rule changes giving the QB and receivers far greater protection than they had in other decades. Defense have one step on hitting the QB instead of three. Receivers can barely be touched these days unless they have the ball. Contrast that to when the likes of Lester Hayes would make a receivers life hell with the bump and run.

I don't think the average stats have dropped off that much for top backs - it's just the modern game is set up to be more pass friendly.

 

[britbox]

Marcus Allen wasn't the best of all time, but he was one of the best all round backs - could run, catch, block, even threw a few touchdowns... and a touchdown machine. As a Raider fan, my favourite player of all time.

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqDDkonvrzw[/video]

 

[djmm]

Bo Jackson!!

Bo knows....

Too short a career to be considered the greatest. Not the greatest Raider Running Back to be honest (Marcus Allen). Most talented, game changing back perhaps....

Sweetness is a good choice. He's my second after Sanders.

I believe Bo won the ESPN Best Athlete of all time, career cut short or not!!

 

[djmm]

I can't forget my boy Gale Sayers .. he could change directions in the air

Brian Song is one of my favorite movies too.

 

[ClayDeath]

I think it's become more a QB driven league because of the rule changes giving the QB and receivers far greater protection than they had in other decades. Defense have one step on hitting the QB instead of three. Receivers can barely be touched these days unless they have the ball. Contrast that to when the likes of Lester Hayes would make a receivers life hell with the bump and run.

I don't think the average stats have dropped off that much for top backs - it's just the modern game is set up to be more pass friendly.

a point to be noted baron.

 

[the AntiPusher]

guys lets not forget this man:


Brown was taken in the first round of the 1956 draft by the Cleveland Browns.[9] He departed as the NFL record holder for both single-season (1,863 in 1963) and career rushing (12,312 yards), as well as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (106), total touchdowns (126), and all-purpose yards (15,549). He was the first player ever to reach the 100-rushing-touchdowns milestone, and only a few others have done so since, despite the league's expansion to a 16-game season in 1978 (Brown's first four seasons were only 12 games, and his last five were 14 games). Brown's record of scoring 100 touchdowns in only 93 games stood until LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 89 games during the 2006 season. Brown holds the record for total seasons leading the NFL in all-purpose yards (5: 1958–1961, 1964), and is the only rusher in NFL history to average over 100 yards per game for a career. Brown was also a superb receiver out of the backfield, catching 262 passes for 2,499 yards and 20 touchdowns. Every season he played, Brown was voted into the Pro Bowl, and he left the league in style by scoring three touchdowns in his final Pro Bowl game. Perhaps the most amazing feat is that Jim Brown accomplished these records despite never playing past 29 years of age. Brown's 6 games with at least 4 touchdowns remains an NFL record. LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshall Faulk both have five games with 4 touchdowns.

Brown led the league in rushing a record eight times.

Jimmy B.. hands down.. stop this thread.. He was big Man among Men

 

[DarthFed]

Barry Sanders but I'm a bit biased on this one and I also didn't get to see Jim Brown or Walter Payton. Sanders was an absolute freak of nature, and still the most entertaining player I've seen in the NFL. It also needs to be mentioned he did all that on the freakin Lions!!