Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #49: Shaun Alexander

Shaun Alexander

Teams

Seattle Seahawks (2000-2007)

Washington Redskins (2008)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (2003,2004,2005,2006,2007)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (2005)

Super Bowls - 1 (2005)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (2005)

Offensive Player of the Year - 1 (2005)

All-Pro First Team - 1 (2005)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2004)

Pro Bowl - 3 (2003,2004,2005)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #8

Total Touchdowns - #17

Rushing Yards per Game - #22

Rushing Yards - #37

Yards per Rush - #86

Scrimmage Yards - #87

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-2005, #2-2004, #6-2001, #8-2003)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-2001,2005, #2-2002,2004, #3-2003)

Yards per Rush (#5-2004,2005)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-2005, #4-2004, #9-2001, #10-2003)

Total Touchdowns (#1-2004,2005, #2-2001,2002, #5-2003)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-2005, #4-2004, #6-2001, #8-2003)

After leaving Alabama as the school's all-time leading rusher (he's now #3), Shaun Alexander was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the #19 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, he played behind Ricky Watters, getting only 64 rush attempts on the season, but he averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry when he was in the game. When Watters missed most of the following season with injuries, Alexander moved into the starting role and held it for nearly 7 years.

In that second season, Alexander led the league with 14 rushing touchdowns, the first of 5 straight seasons where he would score at least that many times on the ground. He gained only 4 yards per carry in 2002, but made up for it with 16 touchdowns.

He made his first Pro Bowl in 2003, when he gained 1435 yards and scored another 14 touchdowns, then came within one yard of winning the rushing title in 2004, finishing with 1696, just behind Curtis Martin. Alexander did lead the league with 20 total touchdowns that season, and made his first All-Pro Team.

2005 was the season that defined his career. He led the league with 370 carries, 1880 rushing yards, and tied the league record with 27 rushing touchdowns, a record that would be broken the following season by LaDainian Tomlinson. He won the Offensive Player of the Year award, and also the league MVP, which is a rarity for a running back.

Not only did he have great individual achievements that year, he led the Seahawks all the way to the Super Bowl. He had 132 yards and 2 touchdowns in the NFC Title Game, then gained 95 yards in the Super Bowl, which Seattle lost 21-10 to Pittsburgh.

His career fell off immediately after that. He broke his foot early in the next season, and ended up with only 896 yards in 10 games. He opened the following season by breaking his wrist, then suffered knee and ankle injuries later in the season. After struggling through injuries for 2 straight years, he was released by Seattle after the 2007 season.

He joined the Washington Redskins for the 2008 season, but after appearing in only 4 games and gaining only 24 yards, he was released in the middle of the season, at which point he retired from football, less than 3 years removed from his amazing MVP season.

Alexander was a touchdown machine, especially in his first 5 seasons as the Seahawks' starter. He scored 100 rushing touchdowns in his career, which is #8 on the all-time list. He had one immortal season, along with a couple of other very good seasons with Seattle, but injuries prevented him from doing more. Still, he was so great, especially in 2005, that he has to be remembered as one of the best of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #50: Abner Haynes

Abner Haynes

Teams

Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs (1960-1964)

Denver Broncos (1965-1966)

Miami Dolphins (1967)

New York Jets (1967)

Playoffs

Appearances - 1 (1962)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1962)

Champ Games - 1 (1962)

Championships - 1 (1962)

Awards and Honors

Player of the Year - 1 (1960)

Rookie of the Year - 1960

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1960,1962)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1964)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1961,1962,1964)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #49

Yards per Touch - #70

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1960, #2-1962, #3-1961, #5-1964)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1960,1961,1962, #7-1963,1964)

Yards per Rush (#1-1961, #2-1960, #3-1964, #7-1962, #10-1963)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1960, #2-1962, #3-1961, #5-1964)

Receptions (#5-1960)

Receiving Touchdowns (#7-1962)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1962, #2-1960, #3-1961, #7-1964)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1962, #2-1960, #3-1961, #7-1964)

Yards per Touch (#2-1964, #3-1961,1962, #4-1963, #5-1960)

After becoming one of the first players to integrate college football at the University of North Texas and gaining 1864 rushing yards over 3 seasons, Abner Haynes was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 5th round of the 1960 NFL Draft, and in the initial AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, which did not have rounds, just names drawn from a hat. After the Raiders declined to sign him, he signed with his local Dallas Texans of the AFL.

In the AFL's first season, Haynes led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, finishing with 875 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also had 576 yards receiving, which gave him 1451 scrimmage yards, and he was named both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the AFL.

In his second season, he led the league in touchdowns again, and this time also led the league with 4.7 yards per carry. He topped both of those seasons in 1962, when he reached 1049 rushing yards, led the league with 13 touchdowns, his third straight season with the most in the league. He also led the league with 1622 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns, making the All-Pro First Team for the second time.

Dallas reached the AFL title game that season, where they faced the Houston Oilers, winning 20-17 in double overtime, with Haynes scoring both of the Texans' touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. He gained 71 yards in the game and went home a champion in the only playoff appearance of his career.

The Dallas Texans moved after that season, relocating to Kansas City and renaming themselves the Chiefs, and he remained with the team for 2 more seasons. His first season as a Chief was a bit disappointing, but he bounced back in 1964, gaining 1259 scrimmage yards and being named to the AFL All-Star Game. 

Because he participated in a boycott of that season's All-Star Game in New Orleans due to mistreatment of black players in the city, the Chiefs traded him to the Denver Broncos after the season. He played two seasons with the Broncos, only gaining 470 rushing yards during that time, then moved on to play partial seasons with the Dolphins and Jets before retiring after his 8th season.

Haynes' career fell off kind of quickly after a hot start, but he was definitely one of the top rushers in the game in each of his first 3 seasons, and was a big reason for his team's championship in 1962. He was nearly always among the league leaders in yards per carry, and still ranks among the top 50 of all time in that category, and his play in those early days of the AFL made him one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #51: Ricky Watters

Ricky Watters

Teams

San Francisco 49ers (1992-1994)

Philadelphia Eagles (1995-1997)

Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001)

Playoffs

Appearances - 6 (1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1999)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (1992,1993,1994)

Super Bowls - 1 (1994)

Championships - 1 (1994)

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 5 (1992,1993,1994,1995,1996)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #23

Rushing Yards - #24

Scrimmage Yards - #27

Rushing Yards per Game - #29

Total Touchdowns - #35

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#4-1996, #6-1995, #9-1998,1999, #10-1997)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1993, #3-1996, #4-1995, #5-1992,1998)

Yards per Rush (#2-1992, #7-1993, #9-2000)

Rushing Yards per Game (#4-1996, #7-1995, #9-1992,1993)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1993, #6-1992,1994, #7-1996)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1996, #5-1994,2000, #7-1995,1997, #8-1992,1998, #9-1999)

Yards per Touch (#9-1992)

Ricky Watters was switched from wide receiver to running back halfway through his college career, right after winning a national championship, and though he only rushed for 1814 in 4 college seasons, he was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

Watters missed the entire 1991 season due to injury, but moved right into the starting role when he returned in 1992. He gained 1013 rushing yards as a rookie, and gained 4.9 yards per carry, and the 49ers reached the NFC title game, where they fell to the Cowboys.

In his second season, he again helped lead the 49ers to the NFC championship game, setting an NFL record in the Divisional round with 5 touchdowns against the Giants, a postseason record that still stands. They fell one game short of the Super Bowl again, but not because of Watters.

In his 3rd season with the 49ers, his yardage dropped to only 877 on the season, though he made up for it with 719 receiving yards, the best of his career. That year the 49ers finally broke through and beat the Cowboys to reach the Super Bowl, and in that win Watters scored 3 touchdowns, which is tied for the most in a single Super Bowl with 5 other players.

He left San Fran after the championship to join the Eagles as a free agent. He set new personal bests in rushing yards and scrimmage yards in each of his first two seasons with Philadelphia, leading the league in scrimmage yards in 1996 with 1855 yards. That season was his 5th in a row in which he made the Pro Bowl, starting from his rookie season. It would also be the last time it happened.

Watters played one more season with the Eagles before leaving for Seattle. While he continued to pile up yardage with the Seahawks, gaining just over 1200 yards in 3 straight seasons with the team, he was requiring more carries to reach those numbers, gaining under 4 yards per carry in the first two years with the team. He ended up retiring after the 2001 season after only being able to play in 5 games.

Ricky Watters holds the records for most touchdowns in a playoff game and in a Super Bowl, and led the league in scrimmage yards once, and was among the top 10 eight different times in his career. He is #24 all-time in rushing yards, but was not efficient in getting there, averaging just 4.1 yards per carry for his career. Even with the low yards per carry, the sheer volume of what he did in his career makes him one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #52: Frank Gore

Frank Gore

Teams

San Francisco 49ers (2005-2014)

Indianapolis Colts (2015-2017)

Miami Dolphins (2018)

Buffalo Bills (2019)

New York Jets (2020)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (2011,2012,2013,2019)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (2011,2012,2013)

Super Bowls - 1 (2012)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2006)

Pro Bowl - 5 (2006,2009,2011,2012,2013)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards - #3

Scrimmage Yards - #4

Rushing Touchdowns - #20

Total Touchdowns - #23

Rushing Yards per Game - #57

Yards per Rush - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#3-2006, #6-2011, #9-2013,2014,2015, #10-2012)

Rushing Touchdowns (#6-2013, #9-2009)

Yards per Rush (#3-2006, #7-2005, #10-2012)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-2006, #9-2009, #10-2010,2012,2014)

Total Touchdowns (#6-2009)

Scrimmage Yards (#4-2006, #6-2007, #7-2009)

Yards per Touch (#6-2006)

Frank Gore suffered 2 torn ACLs in college at Miami, and ended his college career with only 1975 total rushing yards, but was still selected in the 3rd round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

During his rookie season, he was slowed by injuries to his groin and both shoulders, which required surgery after the season, but he still played in 14 games and ended up with 608 rushing yards, which would be the lowest total he would gain in the next 14 years.

He returned from surgery stronger, won the starting job, and had the best season he would have in his career, rushing for 1695 yards and 8 touchdowns, and finishing with 2180 scrimmage yards. Both of those yardage marks broke Garrison Hearst's franchise records for a single season, and he also gained 5.4 yards per carry, which earned him a spot on the All-Pro Second Team.

Over the next several seasons, he was never able to replicate the performance of his second season, but he was always solid and dependable, gaining at least 1000 rushing yards in 7 of his 8 remaining seasons with the 49ers, though his high for that period was 1214. He was named to 4 more Pro Bowls during those years in San Francisco, as he was always good but never great.

Gore didn't experience the playoffs until the 7th season of his career, but in a three year run from 2011 to 2013, the 49ers reached at least the NFC title game each year, playing in the Super Bowl after the 2012 season. In that game, Gore ran for 110 yards and a touchdown, but the 49ers lost 34-31 against the Baltimore Ravens.

After 10 seasons with the 49ers, Gore left as a free agent to sign with the Indianapolis Colts. While with the Colts, he never reached 4 yards per carry in a season, a number he had surpassed in every year with San Francisco. After 3 mediocre years in Indy, he signed with his hometown Dolphins.

His lone season in Miami was the only one in his career in which he didn't score a rushing touchdown. After that season, he moved on to one season in Buffalo, followed by a final season with the Jets. After being unable to find a team for the 2021 season, he retired in 2022.

Gore had one of the longest careers of any running back in history, which enabled him to reach #3 on the all-time rushing yardage list, despite finishing in the top 5 in a season only once in his career. He had one star-level season and a couple of other very good years, but for the most part he was just a decent back who could be depended on to show up and gain his yardage every week, and that is what puts him among the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #53: Wilbert Montgomery

Wilbert Montgomery

Teams

Philadelphia Eagles (1977-1984)

Detroit Lions (1985)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1978,1979,1980,1981)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1980)

Super Bowls - 1 (1980)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1978,1979)

Pro Bowl - 2 (1978,1979)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #64

Rushing Yards per Game - #72

Rushing Yards - #72

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#4-1979,1981, #5-1978)

Rushing Touchdowns (#5-1982, #7-1978, #8-1980, #9-1979)

Yards per Rush (#2-1981, #6-1982, #7-1978)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1978, #4-1979,1981, #8-1980)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1982, #5-1979, #7-1980, #8-1978)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1979, #3-1981, #7-1978)

Yards per Touch (#4-1982, #5-1981)

After 4 seasons at Abilene Christian in which he set the NAIA record for career touchdowns with 76, including 37 as a freshman while leading the Wildcats to a national title, Wilbert Montgomery was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 6th round of the 1977 NFL Draft.

Montgomery got very little playing time as a rookie, but in his second season he earned the starting job and made an immediate impact. He gained 1220 rushing yards and scored 9 touchdowns, and was named to the Pro Bowl.

He was even better the next season, gaining 1512 rushing yards, and leading the league in scrimmage yards with 2006, which earned him votes for MVP and got him into his second straight Pro Bowl. He unfortunately also led the league with 14 fumbles that season.

In 1980, his production dropped off significantly, with only 778 yards on the ground, but the Eagles were able to reach the Super Bowl, where they faced the Oakland Raiders. Montgomery gained 135 total yards in that game, but it wasn't enough for Philly, who lost 27-10.

Montgomery bounced back with his strongest season in 1981, with 1402 yards and an average of 4.9 yards per carry, his career best. He finished with 1923 scrimmage yards, which put him in third place for the season, but the Eagles fell in the first round of the playoffs.

His next two seasons were marred by injuries, allowing him to appear in only 13 games over that time, but he was finally healthy again in 1984 and returned to his starting role, but time had taken its toll, and he only rushed for 789 yards before being released. When he left, he was the Eagles' all-time leader in most rushing categories.

He signed with Detroit for one final season, but he was a shell of his former self, and decided to retire from playing. In later years, he spent 19 seasons as a running backs coach in the NFL, coaching some great backs and winning two Super Bowl titles in the process.

LeSean McCoy has broken Montgomery's Eagles rushing yardage records, but Montgomery was still a very good running back for many years. He was near the top of the league in scrimmage yards 3 times, leading the league once, and always averaged at least 4 yards per carry through his first 7 seasons. Not too many people today recall his name, but he is one of the all-time greats.

NBA All-Time Top 100 Players - 2024 Update

With the conclusion of the 2024 NBA season last night, it's time to update the list of the 100 greatest players of all time. 3 new players joined the list, with Joel Embiid jumping in early in the season, Luka Doncic during the last week of the regular season, and Jrue Holiday during the early part of the playoffs. Nikola Jokic reached the top 30 this year, James Harden joined the top 20, and Kevin Durant reached the top 15. There are once again several players who look poised to make the jump into the top 100 next season, with Jayson Tatum a virtual guarantee to make it (he's at 101 right now). Mike Conley should make it next year, and DeMar DeRozan has a very good chance as well. Others with a chance of making it include Kyle Lowry, Paul George, Trae Young, Devin Booker, and Rudy Gobert.

100 (97) Shawn Kemp - PF - SEA - 1990s

99 (96) Walter Davis - SG - PHX - 1980s

98 (95) Vince Carter - SG - NJN - 2000s

97 (94) Bob Lanier - C - DET - 1970s

96 (93) Amar'e Stoudemire - PF - PHX - 2000s

95 (92) Wes Unseld - C - WAS - 1970s

94 (NR) Jrue Holiday - PG - NOP - 2010s*

93 (90) Gus Williams - PG - SEA - 1980s

92 (89) Dennis Rodman - PF - DET - 1990s

91 (88) Tom Heinsohn - PF - BOS - 1960s

90 (87) John Wall - PG - WAS - 2010s

89 (86) Rod Strickland - PG - POR - 1990s

88 (85) Cliff Hagan - SF - STL - 1960s

87 (84) Walt Frazier - PG - NYK - 1970s

86 (83) Ray Allen - SG - MIL - 2000s

85 (91) Jimmy Butler - SF - MIA - 2010s*

84 (82) Alonzo Mourning - C - MIA - 1990s

83 (81) Terry Porter - PG - POR - 1990s

82 (80) Dikembe Mutombo - C - ATL - 1990s

81 (NR) Joel Embiid - C - PHI - 2020s*

80 (79) Louie Dampier - PG - KEN - 1970s

79 (78) Tracy McGrady - SG - ORL - 2000s

78 (77) Tim Hardaway - PG - GSW - 1990s

77 (76) Chris Webber - PF - SAC - 2000s

76 (75) Sam Cassell - PG - MIL - 2000s

75 (74) Dominique Wilkins - SF - ATL - 1980s

74 (73) Carmelo Anthony - SF - DEN - 2010s

73 (71) Alex English - SF - DEN - 1980s

72 (70) Maurice Cheeks - PG - PHI - 1980s

71 (69) Deron Williams - PG - UTA - 2000s

70 (68) Ben Wallace - C - DET - 2000s

69 (NR) Luka Doncic - PG - DAL - 2020s*

68 (67) Bob McAdoo - C - BUF - 1970s

67 (65) Sam Jones - SG - BOS - 1960s

66 (63) Manu Ginobili - SG - SAS - 2000s

65 (62) Reggie Miller - SG - IND - 1990s

64 (66) Draymond Green - PF - GSW - 2010s*

63 (61) Kevin McHale - PF - BOS - 1980s

62 (60) George McGinnis - PF - IND - 1970s

61 (72) Kyrie Irving - PG - CLE - 2010s*

60 (59) Paul Pierce - SF - BOS - 2000s

59 (64) Kawhi Leonard - SF - SAS - 2010s*

58 (58) Chauncey Billups - PG - DET - 2000s

57 (55) George Gervin - SG - SAS - 1970s

56 (54) Pau Gasol - C - LAL - 2010s

55 (53) Scottie Pippen - SF - CHI - 1990s

54 (56) Damian Lillard - PG - POR - 2010s*

53 (57) Anthony Davis - PF - NOP - 2010s*

52 (52) Clyde Drexler - SG - POR - 1990s

51 (51) Mark Jackson - PG - IND - 1990s

50 (50) Rajon Rondo - PG - BOS - 2010s

49 (49) Kevin Johnson - PG - PHX - 1990s

48 (48) Elvin Hayes - PF - WAS - 1970s

47 (47) Dolph Schayes - PF - SYR - 1950s

46 (46) Gary Payton - PG - SEA - 1990s

45 (45) Dan Issel - C - DEN - 1970s

44 (44) Robert Parish - C - BOS - 1980s

43 (42) Dwight Howard - C - ORL - 2010s

42 (41) John Havlicek - SF - BOS - 1970s

41 (40) Bob Pettit - PF - STL - 1960s

40 (39) Allen Iverson - SG - PHI - 2000s

39 (38) Artis Gilmore - C - KEN - 1970s

38 (37) Rick Barry - SF - GSW - 1970s

37 (35) Isiah Thomas - PG - DET - 1980s

36 (34) Patrick Ewing - C - NYK - 1990s

35 (33) Charles Barkley - PF - PHI - 1990s

34 (32) Elgin Baylor - SF - LAL - 1960s

33 (31) David Robinson - C - SAS - 1990s

32 (36) Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF - MIL - 2020s*

31 (30) George Mikan - C - MNL - 1950s

30 (43) Nikola Jokic - C - DEN - 2020s*

29 (29) Tony Parker - PG - SAS - 2010s

28 (28) Kevin Garnett - PF - MIN - 2000s

27 (27) Dirk Nowitzki - PF - DAL - 2000s

26 (26) Moses Malone - C - HOU - 1980s

25 (25) Steve Nash - PG - PHX - 2000s

24 (24) Dwyane Wade - SG - MIA - 2010s

23 (23) Jason Kidd - PG - NJN - 2000s

22 (21) Oscar Robertson - PG - CIN - 1960s

21 (20) Larry Bird - SF - BOS - 1980s

20 (22) James Harden - SG - HOU - 2010s*

19 (19) Russell Westbrook - PG - OKC - 2010s*

18 (18) Chris Paul - PG - LAC - 2010s*

17 (15) Bob Cousy - PG - BOS - 1950s

16 (17) Stephen Curry - PG - GSW - 2010s*

15 (14) Julius Erving - SF - PHI - 1970s

14 (13) Karl Malone - PF - UTA - 1990s

13 (16) Kevin Durant - SF - OKC - 2010s*

12 (12) John Stockton - PG - UTA - 1990s

11 (11) Jerry West - PG - LAL - 1960s

10 (10) Hakeem Olajuwon - C - HOU - 1990s

9 (9) Kobe Bryant - SG - LAL - 2000s

8 (8) Bill Russell - C - BOS - 1960s

7 (7) Tim Duncan - PF - SAS - 2000s

6 (6) Magic Johnson - PG - LAL - 1980s

5 (5) Shaquille O'Neal - C - LAL - 2000s

4 (4) Wilt Chamberlain - C - PHW - 1960s

3 (3) Michael Jordan - SG - CHI - 1990s

2 (2) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - C - LAL - 1970s

1 (1) LeBron James - SF - CLE - 2010s*

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #54: Clinton Portis

Clinton Portis

Teams

Denver Broncos (2002-2003)

Washington Redskins (2004-2010)

Playoffs

Appearances - 3 (2003,2005,2007)

Conf Champ Games - 0

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 2002

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2008)

Pro Bowl - 2 (2003,2008)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #6

Rushing Touchdowns - #26

Rushing Yards - #32

Yards per Rush - #64

Scrimmage Yards - #66

Total Touchdowns - #71

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#4-2002,2005,2008, #5-2003, #6-2007, #8-2004)

Rushing Touchdowns (#3-2003, #4-2002,2007, #9-2005)

Yards per Rush (#1-2003, #3-2002)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-2003, #4-2002,2008, #5-2005)

Total Touchdowns (#3-2002, #6-2003)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-2007, #4-2008, #6-2002,2005, #7-2003, #9-2004)

Yards per Touch (#8-2003, #9-2002)

Clinton Portis rushed for 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior at Miami, then left school a year early to join the NFL, where he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 2nd round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Portis really burst onto the scene as a rookie. He rushed for 1508 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, making him the best back in the league in his first season. He was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, and he was just as good the next year.

In 2003, he rushed for 1591 yards and 14 touchdowns, again averaging 5.5 yards per carry, which this time led the entire league. He was named to his first Pro Bowl and seemed ready to dominate the league for years. But before the 2004 season, he was traded to the Washington Redskins.

His first year in Washington was rough. He finished with 1315 yards, which seems good, but he only averaged 3.8 yards per carry, and he only scored 5 touchdowns, way below the standard he had set for himself in Denver.

He bounced back somewhat in 2005, gaining 1516 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns, becoming the third player ever to reach 1500 yards 3 times in his first four seasons. He hurt his shoulder in the 2006 preseason, then returned to play 8 games before breaking his hand and missing the rest of the season.

He was fully healthy in 2007, and led the league in carries, but averaged only 3.9 each time he was handed the ball. 2008 was better, with a 4.3 yard average per carry, a total of 1487 yards on the ground, and 9 touchdowns, which got him into the Pro Bowl for the second time.

His 2009 season started off pretty slowly, and then it ended just halfway through when he was knocked unconscious during a game. It took 4 months for him to be cleared to play again. He was ready for the 2010 season, but abdominal and groin injuries limited him to only 5 games and 227 yards, and he was released by the team after the season, leading to his retirement.

Portis was a workhouse back who gained a lot of yardage in his career, but other than in his first two seasons with Denver, his average per carry was at or below the league average. He is high on the list for total yards and touchdowns, but really only had 2 superstar seasons. Either way, Portis was so good during those first two seasons that he didn't need to do anything else to be recognized as one of the greatest backs of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #55: Darren Sproles

Darren Sproles

Teams

San Diego Chargers (2005-2010)

New Orleans Saints (2011-2013)

Philadelphia Eagles (2014-2019)

Playoffs

Appearances - 9 (2006,2007,2008,2009,2011,2013,2017,2018,2019)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (2007,2017)

Super Bowls - 1 (2017)

Championships - 1 (2017)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2014)

Pro Bowl - 3 (2014,2015,2016)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Touch - #63

League Leads

Receptions (#7-2011)

Yards per Touch (#3-2010, #4-2011, #7-2013, #8-2012, #10-2009)

After graduating from Kansas State as the school's all-time leading rusher, racking up 4979 yards over 4 years, Darren Sproles was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 4th round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Sproles was never a full-time starting running back in the NFL, but he was used to catch a lot of passes out of the backfield, and was one of the top kick returners throughout his career. After hardly playing as a rookie, he broke his ankle in the 2006 preseason and ended up missing the entire season.

In 2007, Sproles scored his first two career touchdowns in the same game, one on a kickoff return and one on a punt return. Later in the season, he also had a game with 2 rushing touchdowns. The next season he became the second player ever to have 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards, and 100 return yards in one game, joining Gale Sayers on that very exclusive list.

In the first playoff game of the 2008 season, Sproles started in place of LaDainian Tomlinson, who was injured, and had 328 all-purpose yards, the third-most by a player in playoff history. After 6 seasons with the Chargers, Sproles left as a free agent to sign with the Saints for the 2011 season.

2011 was a down year for running backs overall, but not for Sproles, who had his best overall season. He had 603 rushing yards, which was a career high, and 710 receiving yards, also the best of his career. He caught 86 passes, #7 in the league, and finished with 1313 scrimmage yards and 9 touchdowns.

Over the next couple of seasons in New Orleans, he saw his opportunities to run the ball shrink, though he still caught a lot of passes, gaining over 600 yards receiving in each of those seasons. After the 2013 season ended, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Sproles played mostly as a return specialist in Philadelphia, but his contributions were finally recognized, as he was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 3 seasons with the Eagles, and made the All-Pro Second Team in 2014. In 2017, he broke his arm and tore his ACL on the same play, causing him to miss the rest of the season, including the team's Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

He announced before the 2018 season that it would be his last, but after missing most of the season with a hamstring injury, he decided to play just one more. He ended up tearing his hip flexor and again missing most of the season, leading to his retirement for good.

Sproles finished his career at #5 on the all-purpose yardage list, and holds the record for most all-purpose yards in a season. He may not have gotten the chance to run the ball as much in the NFL as he did in college, but he became a very good pass catcher out of the backfield, and was frequently among the league leaders in yards per touch, and should be listed among the greatest to play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #56: Cliff Battles

Cliff Battles

Teams

Boston/Washington Braves/Redskins (1932-1937)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1936,1937)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1936,1937)

Champ Games - 2 (1936,1937)

Championships - 1 (1937)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 3 (1933,1934,1936)

Hall of Fame - 1968

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #98

League Leads

Pass Completions (#9-1936)

Rushing Yards (#1-1932,1937, #2-1933, #4-1936, #10-1934)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1937, #2-1932, #3-1936, #6-1933,1934)

Yards per Rush (#1-1933, #3-1932, #6-1934, #8-1937)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1932,1937, #2-1933, #4-1936, #8-1935, #9-1934)

Receptions (#10-1933)

Receiving Touchdowns (#10-1932)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1937, #2-1936, #4-1934, #5-1932, #8-1933)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1932,1933,1937, #4-1936, #8-1934)

Yards per Touch (#1-1933, #4-1932,1934)

After scoring 15 touchdowns as a senior at West Virginia Wesleyan, Cliff Battles receiving offers from several NFL teams, but decided to join the Boston Braves because their offer of $175 per game was the highest.

As a rookie, Battles led the league in rushing, gaining 576 yards in an 8-game season. He also had the most scrimmage yards of any player that year as well. The team changed their name to the Redskins in 1933, and that year he became the first player ever to gain 200 rushing yards in a single game, and also led the league in yards per carry and scrimmage yards, earning a spot on the All-Pro First Team.

He was voted onto the All-Pro First team twice more while playing in Boston, in 1934 and 1936. The team reached the championship game in 1936 for the first time, but Battles gained only 8 yards in a 21-6 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

The Redskins moved to Washington for the 1937 season, and Battles had a great season in his new surroundings. He led the league with 874 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, and gained 955 scrimmage yards, making him the leader in that category for the third time in his career.

The team reached the title game again that year, with Battles scoring the first touchdown of the game and finishing with 53 rush yards and 80 receiving yards as the Redskins defeated the Bears 28-21. After winning the championship, he requested a raise, but the owner refused, and he chose to retire rather than play at the same pay he had received since he was a rookie.

Battles played only 6 seasons, but was among the leaders in every rushing category in every season he played. He led the league in scrimmage yards 3 times, rushing yards twice, and touchdowns once, and led his team to a championship, and though he played a very long time ago, he still belongs on the list of the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #57: Chuck Muncie

Chuck Muncie

Teams

New Orleans Saints (1976-1980)

San Diego Chargers (1980-1984)

Playoffs

Appearances - 3 (1980,1981,1982)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1980,1981)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 3 (1979,1981,1982)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #32

Rushing Yards - #73

Yards per Rush - #86

Rushing Yards per Game - #86

Total Touchdowns - #95

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#7-1979, #9-1981)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1981, #4-1982, #5-1983, #6-1979, #9-1977)

Yards per Rush (#2-1979, #3-1980, #9-1981)

Rushing Yards per Game (#9-1979,1981)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1981, #4-1982, #6-1983)

Scrimmage Yards (#8-1979)

Yards per Touch (#8-1980, #9-1979)

As a senior at Cal, Chuck Muncie rushed for 1460 yards and 13 touchdowns, and finished #2 in voting for the Heisman Trophy, then was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the #3 overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft.

Muncie came on slowly through his first few seasons in the league, but finally busted out in 1979, when he rushed for 1198 yards and 11 touchdowns, becoming the first Saint to ever exceed 1000 yards in a season, and also the first in team history to be named to the Pro Bowl.

During his time with the Saints, he was frequently late for team meetings and practices, and he finally wore out his welcome early in the 1980 season, and the team traded him to San Diego. He immediately made an impact for the Chargers, and they reached the AFC Championship game in each of his first two seasons with the team. He played well in both playoff runs, but they fell a step short of the Super Bowl each time.

He had his best overall season in 1981, when he rushed for 1144 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns. He had 120 yards and a touchdowns in their first playoff game, and another 94 yards in the conference championship game loss.

After the 1982 season, a former teammate revealed that he and Muncie were frequent users of cocaine. He spent several weeks in rehab, but still played most of the 1983 season, though his performance dropped off noticeably. Before the second game of the next season, Muncie missed the team's flight, and the team traded him away to the Miami Dolphins.

That trade was voided after he failed a drug test upon arriving in Miami, and he ended up receiving an indefinite suspension from the league. He was reinstated in 1985 and traded to the Vikings, but ended up being suspended again after skipping required therapy sessions related to his rehab. He decided to retire to focus on getting clean. It took many years and a stint in prison, but by the early 1990s, Muncie was clean, and spent the rest of his life helping mentor youth.

Muncie was extremely talented, but his personal demons kept him from reaching his full potential. He still managed to have several very good seasons in the NFL, and for several years held the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season. Though he should have been better, he still did enough to be ranked among the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #58: Ahman Green

Ahman Green

Teams

Seattle Seahawks (1998-1999)

Green Bay Packers (2000-2006,2009)

Houston Texans (2007-2008)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (2001,2002,2003,2004,2009)

Conf Champ Games - 0

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2001)

Pro Bowl - 4 (2001,2002,2003,2004)

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards - #39

Yards per Rush - #49

Rushing Touchdowns - #54

Scrimmage Yards - #64

Rushing Yards per Game - #79

Total Touchdowns - #95

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-2003, #4-2001)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-2003, #8-2000,2001)

Yards per Rush (#4-2003, #9-2000,2001)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-2003, #7-2001,2002)

Total Touchdowns (#2-2003, #7-2001, #9-2000)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-2001,2003, #7-2000)

After gaining 1877 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns for Nebraska as a junior, as well as winning his second national championship in 3 seasons, Ahman Green was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

Green spent 2 seasons with the Seahawks backing up Ricky Watters, and wasn't able to get much time on the field, getting only 61 carries over 2 seasons, though he did average a very impressive 5.4 yards per carry in the opportunities he was given. After 2 frustrating seasons, he was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

He became the Packers' starter early in his first season with the team and never looked back. He finished that first season with 1175 yards and 10 touchdowns, then reeled off 4 Pro Bowl seasons in a row. He made his only All-Pro appearance in 2001, when he had 1981 scrimmage yards, third-best in the league.

His best overall season came in 2003, when he had 1883 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, both #2 in the league, and had 2250 total scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns. Even though he didn't lead the league in any category, he was in the top 4 in every category, making him the best back in the league that year.

He missed most of the 2005 season due to injury, but Green Bay still resigned him for another season, but his production dropped off, and he finished with only 1059 yards and 5 touchdowns, at only 4 yards per carry, his lowest in a full season with the Packers. 

He became a free agent after that season, signing with the Texans, but gained only 554 yards over 2 seasons before being released by the team. He went back to Green Bay for one final season, where he was able to gain just enough yardage to push him ahead of Jim Taylor to become the Packers all-time leading rusher before retiring from the NFL. He played one season each in the UFL and the CFL before retiring for good.

Ahman Green was a very good rusher for several seasons, and ascended to the top of the list for a season before his body wore out. He is among the top 40 in all-time rushing yards, and has the #10 rushing season of all time, despite not even having the greatest total that year. Even with no playoff success at all, Green has to be mentioned as one of the greats of all time.