A seven-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL's All-2000s Team, Holt played an integral role on theRams' 1999 championship team. He rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of his first five seasons -- joining Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only other two players to do so in NFL history. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic), Cribbs was a dominating running back who followed in the footsteps of O.J. Formerly the Panthers' career rushing leader, Williams enjoyed a late career resurgence in Pittsburgh, as the Steelers went 10-4 with Williams in the starting lineup. Warren also went to three Pro Bowls, but was often overshadowed by some of the great running backs of the 1990s like Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders. But his production plummeted after breaking his collarbone during the 2014 season. His best season came with the Eagles in 2013, when he led the league in attempts (314), rush yards (1,607), rush yards per game (100.4), touches (366) and scrimmage yards (2,164). He hit the 1,000-yard mark again for theLionsin 2013. The seventh-leading rusher in NFL history, Tomlinson posted eight consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons en route to being named to the NFL's All-2000s Team. He had seven seasons with at least 1,100 rushing yards (T-sixth in NFL history) and led the league in rush yards per game (107.6) in 2000. The trade was met with mixed reactions. Ultimately, the Eagles fit for Henry is not as perfect as we initially thought. Taylor's transition to the NFL was seamless after the two leagues merged in 1970. 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. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. Craig was a four-time Pro Bowler, and a three-time champion. That said, he has some freakish physical qualities for his big frame. 2021 stats: 203 carries, 918 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 28 receptions on 38 targets, 213 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. In 16 seasons, he's third on the all-time rushing list with 16,000 yards, third in carries (3,735), third in touches (4,219) and fourth in scrimmage yards (19,985). With NFL+, stay connected throughout the rest of the NFL offseason with special content from Training Camp, Hall of Fame, and more! Three years later, he teamed up with Hall of Fame cornerback Mike Haynes to shut down Washington's talented receiving corps in Super Bowl XVIII. Five quarterbacks, five offensive linemen, four receivers, one tight end, and eight defensive players were selected before Harris, the first running back taken in the draft. The speedy Johnson earned Pro Bowl honors during his first three seasons with theTitans. When you look at the 30 running backs with 10,000 or more rushing yards, Gore doesn't even stand out among the nonmembers of the Hall of Fame. Knee problems may ultimately keep Gurley from going down as an all-time great. A key member of the Bengals' 1981 AFC championship team, Riley returned a league-high three interceptions for touchdowns during his final two seasons. Many football historians believe Jim Brown to be the greatest running back ever. 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. While he would never come close to duplicating his success of 2002, Bennett still managed to carve out a 10-year career. The NFL might be considered a passing league now, but the best running backs still have incredible value to their teams. Brooks excelled at running, receiving and kickoff returns. Expect Penny to be threatened, however, for key touches by rookie Ken Walker. No. Tomlinson was named league MVP in 2006 after scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns. He earned Pro Bowl honors again in 1972 at the age of 30. 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. From 1998-2001, Faulk recorded at least 1,319 rushing yards and 81 receptions. He was instrumental in helping the Pats win their third Super Bowl in four seasons. Stewart (who was ultimately replaced in Carolina by Christian McCaffrey) spent one season with the Giants before retiring during the 2019 offseason. Giants (2000-04); Broncos (2005); Texans (2006-07). He rushed for at least 1,100 yards in each of his first six NFL seasons, scoring 10 TDs as a rookie. In the Super Bowl Era. Nevertheless, what follows is a list of the 10 greatest franchise running backs of all time. He then resurfaced in Arizona, where he was theCardinals' leading rusher before an injury prematurely ended his 2015 season. He had seven seasonsof 1,000 yards on the ground, including 1,572 in 2003. 10 running backs that barely missed the cut (in alphabetical order): Ottis Anderson Larry Csonka Corey Dillon Priest Holmes Bo Jackson Steven Jackson Fred Taylor Herschel Walker Ricky Watters. A member of the NFL's All-2000s Team, Lewis is 25th all time on the NFL's career rushing list. Willis' play largely contributed to the 49ers' NFC title in 2012 as well as the franchise's three consecutive NFC title game appearances from 2011-13. . Injuries, however, would limited him to fewer than 700 yards over his remaining three years in Detroit. The Hall of Famer loses some points for being tied at the top of all running backs ever in terms of most fumbles lost. Injuries and the emergence of 2017 seventh-round pickChris Carsonhave severely limited Penny's NFL production. Rams (2004-12); Falcons (2013-14); Patriots (2015). NFL Network analysts offer up eight candidates. He still can produce well, but the Commanders seem to be committed to more of a situational committee approach to keep him fresh vs. putting more on him as a workhorse. While he was never a full-time starter, Duckett helped the Falcons clinch two playoff berths over that span that included a run to the NFC title game in 2004. McCoy gets in based on sheer production. Maurice Jones-Drew assembles the perfect running back, combining the traits of some of today's top talent in the NFL. A Lisfranc injury in 2012 (his only season with thePackers) limited him to just five games in what would be his final season. Five years later, as a member of the Cowboys, McFadden rushed for 1,089 yards despite only starting in 10 games. 2021 stats: 219carries, 937 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 20 targets, 154 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. 2021 stats: 187 carries, 803 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 34 receptions on 37 targets, 313 receiving yards, 7 total TDs. The Bills drafted McGahee with the understanding that he would need time to heal a serious knee injury sustained during the 2003 national championship. Among those players are former offensive lineman Bob Kuechenberg, receivers Mark Duper andMark Claytonand running back Ricky Williams. His cultural impact is through the roof. Faulk leads the bunch with 767 receptions, putting him at No. In this year's edition of Sporting News' ratings, there are promising rising stars mixed in with those who have hit their career prime, with the right experience experience but without the wrong wear. I could be totally wrong in this, but I feel Rodgers and Hopkins get traded before Henry ever does. Even though, you know, the USFL was pro football. With Chicago also turning to a Green Bay-like rushing attack for more explosiveness, Montgomery's precarious lead role will be challenged by second-year man Khalil Herbert. Not one. People talk about Bo Jackson on "Tecmo Super Bowl", but Okoye is no slouch in that game, either. Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2014), Buffalo Bills (2015-18), Kansas City Chiefs (2019), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020). After nine seasons in St. Louis, Jackson signed with the Falcons, who were coming off of a 13-3 season and appearance in the NFC title game. 13. Hall is a great fit for the zone blocking scheme of Mike LaFleur and will benefit from a further upgraded offensive line and the downfield passing game getting more attention. the future hall-of-fame bell-cow back could be dealt to the . While I have you: Put Coryell in the Hall of . Second, he hasn't build on being a top-flight receiving back at LSU, which what he was expected to do in the Chiefs' pass-first offense. Barkley quickly became a household name after winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. (AP Photo/PKS), One of the big backs who burned out a little bit too quickly. You have to wonder if his prickly personality is what is keeping him out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of Matthews' best seasons did not result in a Pro Bowl selection. I dont think he got bad intel because why would he lie and put his name on this? I mean, they just let Sanders walk, which I dont really understand, but here we are, so good luck with that! That doesn't get you in the Hall of Fame. Dillon has gone from expected power complement to Jones to a well-rounded back in his own right. A backup in 2001, McAllister became the Saints' starting running back after the team traded Ricky Williams in 2002. 1 / 60 No. Also included is a handful of honorable mentions, as well as statistics from every 1,000-yard. 2021 stats:249 carries, 1,159 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 34 receptions on 49 targets, 224 receiving yards, 6 total TDs. 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. 1 spot? NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Given Vrabels competitive nature and tenacity for winning, I doubt he will want Carthon to trade his best player to the Eagles. (National Football League), Before there was Kurt Warner, Curt was a pretty fair running back for the Seattle Seahawks. 1 receiver when St. Louis made a return trip to theSuper Bowlin 2001. Don't be surprised if several of these players receive a bronze bust in Canton sometime in the near future. Warner was selected to three Pro Bowls during the 1980s, and rushed for 1,449 yards with 13 touchdowns as a rookie. Thomas Jones. By 2012, he earned Pro Bowl honors after rushing for 1,244 yards and averaging 6 yards per carry. 6:28 pm ET, Matthews was inducted into the Browns' Ring of Honor, 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, The 20 greatest NFL players not in the Hall of Fame, 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. In those years, he rushed for1,615 yards,1,555 yards, and 1,420 yards,and scored more touchdowns than any other back in the NFL. While he helped the Steelers advance to the Super Bowl that season, Mendenhall's most infamous NFL moment occurred whenClay Matthewsjarred the ball loose from his arms during a pivotal moment in Super Bowl XLV (the Steelers ended up losing, 31-25). Ultimately, Green's inconsistency (he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry for his career) and off-field issues led to him being out of the NFL after just four seasons. The production and potential says to meet those outcomes somewhere in the middle, with lean toward the positive. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Like McCaffrey, Barkley's early career boom has been derailed by injury woes, but he also never reached the same level of all-purpose dominance. 's Top-5 best running backs not in the HOF, 1980s Jets wives walked out on learning fight song, OJ Anderson pleads for Hall of Fame nod 'while I'm above ground', Stern: Princeton's historic run has 'Revenge of the Nerds' feel, D.A. Canidate never played in another NFL game. He has a good shot to break the trend and make it two team titles in a row with 1,000-plus yards to boot. (AP Photo/Kevin Terrell), That's right, Bo Jackson is the greatest running back not in the Hall of Fame. San Francisco 49ers (1992-94), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-97), Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001). 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. Willis packed a lot into a relatively short career. The fourth-year running back was traded today to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for draft picks. It might have been a blessing for him not to be misused in that mess of an Urban Meyer-Darrell Bevell offense. Things changed after Thomas joined the Bears, where he would rush for 3,493 yards in three seasons while helping Chicago capture the NFC title in 2006. He's currently eighth all-time with 14,731 career receiving yards. He is probably the top candidate to replace Ryan Day at his alma mater should Ohio State turn on Urban Meyers latest and greatest disciple. "Yeah, it was extremely frustrating," Harris said of watching nearly two dozen players get selected before him, via DKPittsburghSports. TD. A member of the NFL's All-1980s Team, Jacoby helped protect Super Bowl MVPs Doug Williams and Mark Rypien in Super Bowls XXII and XXVI. Through three seasons, the former San Diego State standout has rushed for just 823 yards on 161 carries for theSeahawks. Najee Harriswas quite pleased upon being selected by the Steelers in this year's NFL Draft. 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. Riley retired with 65 interceptions, which is tied for the fifth-highest total in NFL history. A three-time Super Bowl champion, Craig became the first player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl during the 49ers' win over the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVI. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. 219 pick. (AP Photo/David Stluka), Dillon toiled for years with the Cincinnati Bengals, but finally got his chance to shine with the New England Patriots at the end of his career where he finally got a ring. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius), Brooks was a four-time Pro Bowl selection for the Cincinnati Bengals. The league's leading receiver on two separate occasions, Holt was the Rams' No. Ingram -- who is entering his first season with the Texans -- is currently 60th on the NFL's all-time rushing list. He's been snubbed often, and it's a real shame that he's not a finalist this year. Jacksonville Jaguars (1998-2008), New England Patriots (2009-2010). The 10,000-yard plateau is a good one to cross for that gold jacket. 2021 stats: 203carries, 903 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 43 receptions on 53 targets, 316 receiving yards, 7 total TDs. 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. The lastSteelersrunning back taken in the first round before Najee Harris, Mendenhall won a Super Bowl as a rookie despite spending most of the season on injured reserve. Although 2022 is no different with Kenyan Drake and Georgia rookie Zamir White behind him in the new Josh McDaniels' offense, his more steady than spectacular play may turn out to be the best complement for a more dangerous passing game featuring Davante Adams. Green attempted a comeback in 2008 but was never signed to a contract. The 10 Best Running Backs Not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Dean Hybl June 7, 2009 10. Chubb is known for his chunk running and special burst that comes out of his powerful style. Plus, check out his updated ranking of the top 15 RBs right now. Faulk's statistics weren't just gaudy numbers for a bad team. He should be in for a big Year 2 to put an offense in transition on his back. With a score in the Bucs' Super Bowl LV win, "Lombardi Lenny" was born. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey), Pittsburgh Steelers fans will whine until Bettis gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His absence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame might be most egregious when you look at the length of his career and the impact he had on one of the greatest teams of all time. He was the last running back to win MVP, and there's a chance we may not see it happen again for a very long time with how pass-happy the league has become. The 14 Hall of Famers in this group averaged. You saw the ESPN doc on him, so you can't deny this. section: | slug: ranking-every-nfl-running-back-drafted-in-round-1-since-2000-ladainian-tomlinson-leads-the-list | sport: football | route: article_single.us | So, uh, can we put him in? (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. He led the league with 73 receptions in 1975. Dillon was one of the best of his era and checks most of the boxes, but it'll likely be a waiting game for him because guys who become eligible in the coming years will get in before him. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them . 2021 stats:202 carries, 929 rushing yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 21 targets, 132 receiving yards, 15 total TDs. This juicy rumor all began on Saturday when ex-NFL player and fellow CAA client Akbar Gbajabiamila reported that the Eagles were looking to trade for Henry. Brown, to the Eagles nonetheless, would be putting it lightly. He was never the same after that. Jones enjoyed a solid yet unspectacular six-year NFL career. (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. It finally came, thanks to durability and a top-flight passing game with Joe Burrow that opened things up for him to put it all together. 2021 stats: 133 carries, 606 rushing yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 14 receptions on 18 targets, 5 total TDs. 2021 stats: 119 carries, 517 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 19 receptions on 23 targets, 129 receiving yards, 6 total TDs. His relentless work ethic -- both physically and in the film room -- allowed him to be one of the best of his era. 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. A true workhorse who carried the ball 403 times in 2000 for the Tennessee Titans. NFL Draft Day 2: Best defensive players available. Wayne wasPeyton Manning'sNo. Maurice Jones-Drew assesses the Hall of Fame candidacies of Ezekiel Elliott and Derrick Henry, two running backs who could pass him on the all-time rushing leaderboard in Week 16. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. There are still a slew of eligible former players who are still waiting for their call to Canton, Ohio. There is no quit in this guy. 1: Priest Holmes -- Perhaps the most mysterious back of all-time, he burst upon the scene with three of the most productive seasons ever, and then disappeared, just as quickly. 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. 5-ranked rushing attack? First, he's missed 10 games in his first two seasons. It wasn't just what he did, but how he did it. Mitchell became the 49ers' fifth leading rusher in as many seasons under Kyle Shanahan last season, taking advantage of injuries to veterans and the lacking reliability of higher drafted rookie Trey Sermon. He had one uneventful season in Chicago before spending another year in the now defunct United Football League. 2021 stats: 119 carries, 749 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 6 receptions on 8 targets, 49 receiving yards, 6 total TDs. Jones was only the third Lions rookie for rush for over 1,000 yards after gaining 1,133 yards in 2011. In 2001, Faulk was Top 5 in both rushing (12) and receiving touchdowns (9). A severe spinal injury forced Wilson to retire after just 21 games.