Who is the Best Running Back Ever?
Here is the answer…
o Barry Sanders
o Walter Payton
o Emmett Smith
o Jim Brown
o Ladainian Tomlinson
Who is the best running back ever? Well why don’t we look at the list, first Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmett Smith, Jim Brown, and finally Ladanian Tomlinson. First off Barry Sanders the man called «the most elusive running back in NFL history» and it is hard to argue with that. In 1996 he carried the rock 314 times and managed 1500 yards. Not to mention 400 yards caught out of the backfield he also crossed the plain 12 times, and had rookie of the year honors back in 1989 when he was only ten yards shy of the rushing title and had 280 rushes, and tied for second in rushing touchdowns. He had 3,606 rushing yards in the next two years including a 2,053 rushing yard season. That same season he would make a 300 receiving yard mark to create a one-third chance per season that he would hit 300 receiving yards, and 37 Touchdowns in those three years however, he would hit an end zone slump with only 4 touchdowns that 1998 season. But, was there really ever a «slump» for Barry Sanders well the only negative thing about him is his bare knuckles.
So who is next on the list? Well it has to be Walter Payton. Payton who played 12 years is the all-time leader in running and combined net yards. He has MVP honors twice in his career 1977 and 1985. In his career he has nearly half-a-thousand catches for forty five hundred yards, and 15 touchdowns, so he wasn’t much of a vertical threat. But since we are talking about the aerial attack of football he had 34 career passing attempts for 331 yards and 8 touchdowns. He had a career of 16,000 yards and 100 touchdowns in his twelve-year career not #1 running back of all time on paper. His best record maybe the most rushing yards in one game 275 against division rival the Minnesota Vikings. But, «Sweetness» does have a super-bowl ring on his finger, and seventy-seven one hundred yard rushing games.
So we have covered Payton and Sanders but now one man that will always be remembered in the cream of the crop Emmitt Smith. Emmitt had nearly 1,000 rushing yards in his rookie season where he earned rookie of the year honors. His best season was in 1993. Where he earned AP NFL MVP, Bert Bell MVP Trophy (Maxwell Club) PFWA MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and UPI NFC Offensive Player of the Year. Emmitt is another back with a ring but in this list the most impressive so far because he is the all time leader in rushing yards over a career with 18,335 and he shows durability playing 3 more years than Payton and 6 more years than Sanders. Not to mention thirty two thousand receiving yards. Emmitt did all of this being one of the best backs and one of the smallest at only 5’9″weighing only 212 over the course of his fifteen year career. But what maybe the most impressive stat is almost 1000 rushing yards in 2004 with the Arizona Cardinals. But, was something wrong with how he carried the ball? He averaged a rounded 5 fumbles a year. So all of these backs have one fault or another in there resume but no one is perfect.
Now there are three backs down two to go. These next two are the ones that keep coming up. Jim Brown also almost hit the century mark in his rookie year but he did it in only 12 games. But scoring wasn’t one of his highlights with 109 career Touchdowns. Now that wasn’t bad considering that he played 8 seasons in twelve and 14 game seasons that’s 128 games. He was known for his deadly stiff arm leading him 12,312 yards on the ground that’s 100+ yards a game, but he was playing against 1957-1965 Competition that wasn’t that great.
Now though competition is great and amazing such as Ray Lewis, Jason Taylor, John Lynch, and Champ Bailey you have to be great to play against great players. Great is a word that comes up when you talk about this man LaDainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson hit the 100 touchdown mark inside the 70-70 games played range. He was the quickest in the NFL History to hit 100 touchdowns. He is the all-time point scoring leader he broke Paul Hournings record. He is explosive he can catch, pass, and of course run. He has the single season touchdown record and it is still going at 30 right now. In his sixth season he has nearly broken the record of Jim Brown’s touchdown record two years early and against better competition. He even addresses Jim Brown as Mr. Brown. Unlike any one else in this five man list he had 1,236 yards in his rookie season with ten touchdowns and 350 receiving yards. He has never had a season under 1200 rushing yards and this season has 1700+ yards. In 2003 had 1600 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards. With 900 more yards in his career he will hit 10,00 rushing yards. He has only played for 6 seasons. This season he may hit the Super Bowl Ring right on the dot. Also he has pro bowl honors in ’02, ’04, ’05, and ’06.
So in conclusion I personally do not thing Jim Brown is the best running back in the history of the NFL. I think you have to say Smith he played longer than any one else on this unstoppable list. He has the ring, and the most career yards on the ground. If you look on paper he played a longer season then Brown and against way better competition then Jim Brown, and had high numbers when he played on one of the worst teams in football at the time. The reason Tomlinson isn’t #1 is because he has only played six years however, if this pace he is on keeps up which knowing Tomlinson will keep up then at the end of his career in six or seven more years he most likely will be the best running back ever but for now he is not.
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