I used to love those NFL's fastest man shows back in the 80s. I think Darrell Green won a bunch of them.
The greatest running back ever?
- Thread starter The Spin Meister
- Start date
Hershel did beat Green in one such race in 1987, although it did appear that Green pulled up at the end, when he was already losing.
Agree with others that Hershel was impossibly big and fast but he didn’t have the wiggle and quick cut ability. He was a long strider. A great athlete but well below the list of some of the other names on the list. I saw Hershel at the Dallas airport about 5 years ago. The guy is big!
The best that never was. 30 for 30 episode on Dupree. He gained weight before the bowl game. Switzer blamed the loss on Dupree’s conditioning — even though he gained something crazy like 250 yards. He got hurt the next year and walked away.
I played golf with Bo Jackson, and he said he ran a 4.2 forty at Auburn. I was pretty wasted, but I am sure that is what he said.
This thread has drifted from college RB to NFL RB.
If the topic is NFL RB, the best RB I have seen is the Juice O.J. Simpson. O.J. was 6’1” 212 lbs with world class speed as a track athlete. I will never forget his 1973 season rushing for 2,003 yards in a 14 game season which included one game rushing for 200 yards in the snow. The Juice was just an incredibly explosive RB.
Note: Jim Brown was before my time and I never saw him play. So, no slight intended to the great Jim Brown.
If the topic is NFL RB, the best RB I have seen is the Juice O.J. Simpson. O.J. was 6’1” 212 lbs with world class speed as a track athlete. I will never forget his 1973 season rushing for 2,003 yards in a 14 game season which included one game rushing for 200 yards in the snow. The Juice was just an incredibly explosive RB.
Note: Jim Brown was before my time and I never saw him play. So, no slight intended to the great Jim Brown.
Greatest RB in college football. First, remove age bias from your thinking. Jim Brown -- hands down.
From Wikipedia, Brown earned unanimous All-America honors playing college football at Syracuse University, where he was an all-around player for the Syracuse Orangemen football team. The team later retired his number 44 jersey, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. He is also widely considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, and the Premier Lacrosse League MVP Award is named in his honor.[6] Brown also excelled in basketball and track and field.
From Wikipedia, Brown earned unanimous All-America honors playing college football at Syracuse University, where he was an all-around player for the Syracuse Orangemen football team. The team later retired his number 44 jersey, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. He is also widely considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, and the Premier Lacrosse League MVP Award is named in his honor.[6] Brown also excelled in basketball and track and field.
The fastest player I’ve ever seen in an actual football game is Desean Jackson
This is embarrassing. Green chased down the great Eric Dickerson.
Many would agree with you including The Sporting News who named Jim Brown "the greatest professional football player ever" in 2002. He led the NFL in rushing in 8 out of the 9 years he played in the NFL. Enough said
And the sole reason Martians haven't invaded YET. We're basically defenseless now, invasion could come at any time! 🤣
What if I told you there is an NFL running back who ran for more yards than anyone else, ran for more TDs than anyone else, and of the other all-time top rushers, has the most Super Bowl championships of anyone else?
Emmitt Smith is the best NFL running back ever. Easily.
Here's Athlon's list of the 25 greatest RBs of all time. One that many overlook - including myself - is Gale Sayers. Really too bad injuries cut short his career. The top 4 - Brown, Sanders, Payton and E. Smith - are legit. Couldn't go wrong with any of them
Dorsett was good at running with the football but bad at paying traffic tickets.
I think Brown was the best running back ever. Payton, the best all-around running back ever (blocking, pass catching, could even throw the football). Sanders was by far the most elusive. Barkley could be a bigger version of Barry.
Hard to argue against that but I would put Gale Sayers a very close 2nd
Barry averaged 238 yards per game (11 games). Jeanty is a good back, but not anywhere close to doing what Barry did.
Pro Football reference has him #4 behind Sweetness, Brown and Sanders. That’s fair. Total stud but stop with the “easily”.
Pete Rose had the most hits - doesn’t make him the best hitter
Franco had 4 SBs - doesn’t make him better than LaDainian Tomlinson who had none
- here
- Glossary
| Misc | Games | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | HOFm | Chmp | AP1 | PB | St | From | To | wAV | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Lng |
| Walter Payton | 214.61 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 1975 | 1987 | 127 | 190 | 184 | 3838 | 16726 | 110 | 76 |
| Jim Brown | 182.79 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 1957 | 1965 | 108 | 118 | 118 | 2359 | 12312 | 106 | 80 |
| Barry Sanders | 177.55 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 1989 | 1998 | 120 | 153 | 151 | 3062 | 15269 | 99 | 85 |
| Emmitt Smith | 176.48 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 1990 | 2004 | 129 | 226 | 219 | 4409 | 18355 | 164 | 75 |
- here
- Glossary
| Misc | Games | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | HOFm | Chmp | AP1 | PB | St | From | To | wAV | G | GS | Att | Yds | TD | Lng |
| Walter Payton | 214.61 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 1975 | 1987 | 127 | 190 | 184 | 3838 | 16726 | 110 | 76 |
| Jim Brown | 182.79 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 1957 | 1965 | 108 | 118 | 118 | 2359 | 12312 | 106 | 80 |
| Barry Sanders | 177.55 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 1989 | 1998 | 120 | 153 | 151 | 3062 | 15269 | 99 | 85 |
| Emmitt Smith | 176.48 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 1990 | 2004 | 129 | 226 | 219 | 4409 | 18355 | 164 | 75 |
He has my vote.
...four touchdowns in a single game while playing for Polk High.
That sure was a great show.
In case you have a reading comprehension deficiency, please note this thread is about football.
You may want to take your ground breaking comments to the test board.
Have a nice day.
Herschel Walker. Wiggle is for pussies. As far as the pros go, add his 3 years in the USFL which the first three are the premier years for a running back and he is 7th all time rushing in professional football. The next 10 guys are all in the Hall of Fame including LT, Bettis, Dickerson, Dorsett and Brown. Just like Steve Young and Reggie White he should be too. Who is a more famous football player than Herschel Walker?
Stop the madness! He got to the NFL when he was 24 - early in one’s prime. He was 1st team all pro exactly 0 times (2nd team twice) and made 2 Pro Bowls in 11 years. Ran for 1000 yards twice. Steve Young and Reggie continued to dominate in the NFL - Walker was average. Yeah, he ran for about 5000 yards in the USFL - so did Kelvin Bryant. That league was like the CFL with a few young superstars. Here are his NFL rushing stats (apologies for layout):
Rushing
| SEASON | TEAM |
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| Career |
| GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG | FD | FUM | LST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 151 | 737 | 4.9 | 12 | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | 209 | 891 | 4.3 | 7 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 361 | 1,514 | 4.2 | 5 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 81 | 246 | 3.0 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | 169 | 669 | 4.0 | 5 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 184 | 770 | 4.2 | 5 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | 198 | 825 | 4.2 | 10 | 71 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 267 | 1,070 | 4.0 | 8 | 38 | 60 | 6 | 4 |
| 16 | 174 | 746 | 4.3 | 1 | 35 | 33 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | 113 | 528 | 4.7 | 5 | 91 | 22 | 4 | 2 |
| 16 | 31 | 126 | 4.1 | 0 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 10 | 83 | 8.3 | 1 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | 6 | 20 | 3.3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 187 | 1954 | 8,225 | 4.2 | 61 | 91 | 176 | 11 | 7 |
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First of all longevity of Defensive Linemen like Bruce Smith or Calais Campbell or Quarterbacks like Tom Brady or Kurt Warner cannot be compared to running backs in any way shape or form. So the comparison to Reggie White and Steve Young’s extended careers is invalid. Next, your stats are misleading. Hersch’s first two years in Dallas he shared carries with another one of the all time greats Tony Dorsett. It’s not a stretch to say that given the load in those two seasons in mid career he would have out performed TD who was at the end of his career. So add those yards to his totals. The full first five years of Herschel’s career (critical for a running back) are discounted by stat geeks who did not watch him play. And Running backs’ stats aren’t the measure of greatness anyway. See Gale Sayers. Herschel Walker’s professional football stats still put him 7th all time more than 25 years after he retired. If you watched him play he was absolutely one of the best. Certainly the best college back since Jim Brown and deserving to be in Canton.Stop the madness! He got to the NFL when he was 24 - early in one’s prime. He was all pro exactly 0 times and made 2 Pro Bowls. Ran for 1000 yards twice. Steve Young and Reggie continued to dominate in the NFL - Walker was average. Yeah, he ran for about 5000 yards in the USFL - so did Kelvin Bryant. That league was like the CFL with a few young superstars. Here are his NFL rushing stats:
Rushing
SEASON TEAM 1986 1987 1988 1989 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career
GP CAR YDS AVG TD LNG FD FUM LST 16 151 737 4.9 12 84 0 0 0 12 209 891 4.3 7 60 0 0 0 16 361 1,514 4.2 5 38 0 0 0 5 81 246 3.0 2 20 0 0 0 11 169 669 4.0 5 47 0 0 0 16 184 770 4.2 5 58 0 0 0 15 198 825 4.2 10 71 49 0 0 16 267 1,070 4.0 8 38 60 6 4 16 174 746 4.3 1 35 33 1 1 16 113 528 4.7 5 91 22 4 2 16 31 126 4.1 0 36 6 0 0 16 10 83 8.3 1 39 4 0 0 16 6 20 3.3 0 11 2 0 0 187 1954 8,225 4.2 61 91 176 11 7
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My choices are based only on my eye test, not stats.
In the college game, I’m going with OJ, followed by Sanders and Dorsett.
In the NFL, I’ll take Jimmy Brown, followed by Sanders, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton in no particular order.
In the college game, I’m going with OJ, followed by Sanders and Dorsett.
In the NFL, I’ll take Jimmy Brown, followed by Sanders, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton in no particular order.
I watched him play from college on. He was a very good running back but very stiff. He just doesn’t compare with the true greats. Gale Sayers was otherworldly - there’s never been anyone like him; Walker was a fast, power back with a lot of hype - hence Minnesota getting fleeced by Dallas into trading for him - but not generational when he was in the NFL. Again, zero 1st team All Pro picks and 2 Pro Bowls will get you nowhere near Canton, nor should it.
You keep counting stats from the USFL. It was a Mickey Mouse league - making stars out of average guys like Chuck Fusina and Bobby Hebert. He ran for 2400 yards one year in that league against proverbial plumbers and electricians - BFD
Just to somewhat play devil's advocate. In 1994, he became the first NFL player to have one-play gains of 90 or more yards rushing, receiving and kick-returning in a single season. When he left the game, he was SECOND ALL-TIME in all-purpose yards in NFL HISTORY, behind only Walter Payton. He is currently 12th all-time despite it being 27 years since he left the game. He did play for some terrible teams in Dallas.Stop the madness! He got to the NFL when he was 24 - early in one’s prime. He was 1st team all pro exactly 0 times (2nd team twice) and made 2 Pro Bowls in 11 years. Ran for 1000 yards twice. Steve Young and Reggie continued to dominate in the NFL - Walker was average. Yeah, he ran for about 5000 yards in the USFL - so did Kelvin Bryant. That league was like the CFL with a few young superstars. Here are his NFL rushing stats (apologies for layout):
Rushing
SEASON TEAM 1986 1987 1988 1989 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career
GP CAR YDS AVG TD LNG FD FUM LST 16 151 737 4.9 12 84 0 0 0 12 209 891 4.3 7 60 0 0 0 16 361 1,514 4.2 5 38 0 0 0 5 81 246 3.0 2 20 0 0 0 11 169 669 4.0 5 47 0 0 0 16 184 770 4.2 5 58 0 0 0 15 198 825 4.2 10 71 49 0 0 16 267 1,070 4.0 8 38 60 6 4 16 174 746 4.3 1 35 33 1 1 16 113 528 4.7 5 91 22 4 2 16 31 126 4.1 0 36 6 0 0 16 10 83 8.3 1 39 4 0 0 16 6 20 3.3 0 11 2 0 0 187 1954 8,225 4.2 61 91 176 11 7
Reggie White and Sam Mills were not plumbers. True the league was nowhere near as deep in talent as the NFL but it had many good players including future HOFers. Herschel Walker comparatively outperformed Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Anthony Carter and other offensive players, while in the USFL, who went on to star in the NFL. That is how you judge a player’s talent, by how he compares with his peers. Herschel may not have been “generational“ in the NFL because his first five years, half the career of a running back, were limited by circumstances as discussed. And running over and away from people is just as effective as running around people.
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He was one of the all time greats. I believe he will eventually get to Canton which is where he belongs.
Attended the 1982 Championship. There 5 days before game and outnumbered by Georgia fans about 5 to 1. At a bar night before the game and in addition to constant how ‘bout them dawgs Georgia fans singing Herschel Herschel Walker to the Glory Glory Halleluah song. When they got quiet I politely told them that they would see a real RB tomorrow night in Curt Warner and they began crowing about Walker. I told them he could do two things: run past people if he was in the open field and run over people because of his size but that the next cut or football move he made would be his first. Wish I was sitting near them when Warner did a 360 to score a TD early in the game.
What does Brown’s prowess in lacrosse, basketball and track and field have to do with who was the best running back? Reminds of the comment from Bruce Clark after Penn State beat a favored Maryland team fairly comfortably and all the pre-game talk was about Maryland being the favorite because of their strength and weightlifting prowess. When asked about that Clark simply said what were we going to do today? Play football or lift weights. Having said that I don’t think there is a clear cut best ever RB but Brown would certainly be in the conversation with Sanders, Payton, Simpson, Dickerson, etc.
Agree with this. When having these arguments, oftentimes people site someone's size/speed combo, or someone's quickness, etc. People discount that there is such a thing as football skill. There is such a thing as being good at football, being good at playing running back. Yes, size and speed help, but give me the skilled guy.
Was Tom Brady or Joe Montana the biggest QB, fastest QB, strongest armed QB? No.
Was Jerry Rice the biggest WR, fastest WR, strongest WR? No.
Emmitt wasn't the biggest, strongest, or fastest RB, but he was the best. Just look at his accomplishments.
Emmitt was great, and this is no knock on Emmitt, as how can one knock a guy that played a game at running back with a separated shoulder like he did against the NY Football Giants, but he did have perhaps the greatest offensive line ever in front of him. What might have Sanders done with that line? There would have been no need for Sanders to run, dodge, and juke defenders and have negative runs avoiding tacklers just to try get back to the line of scrimmage.
Number of Hall of Famers that Emmitt Smith ran behind in his career: 1
Number of Hall of Famers that Barry Sanders ran behind in his career: 1
I hear the stuff about Emmitt's offensive line all the time. Sure, it was great. But I found it odd that no one else seemed to be able to run behind it nearly as well. Emmitt held out the first two games after their first 90s Super Bowl win. Team couldn't run the ball, started 0-2. Emmitt came back, ended up winning the rushing title, and the Cowboys won their second straight Super Bowl. Coincidence? I guess.
Emmitt must have had great luck with offensive lines. He finished high school as the leader rusher in Florida high school history (I think 2nd all time in the COUNTRY). He also left the University of Florida as the leading rusher in that school's history. That all isn't coincidence. The guy was amazing.
