Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #1: Jim Brown

Jim Brown

Teams

Cleveland Browns (1957-1965)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1957,1958,1964,1965)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1957,1958,1964,1965)

Champ Games - 3 (1957,1964,1965)

Championships - 1 (1964)

Awards and Honors

Rookie of the Year - 1957

MVP - 4 (1957,1958,1963,1965)

All-Pro First Team - 8 (1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1963,1964,1965)

Pro Bowl - 9 (1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965)

Hall of Fame - 1971

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #1

Rushing Touchdowns - #6

Yards per Rush - #8

Total Touchdowns - #10

Rushing Yards - #11

Scrimmage Yards - #28

Yards per Touch - #90

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1963,1964,1965, #4-1962)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1957,1958,1959,1963,1965, #3-1960,1961,1962,1964)

Yards per Rush (#1-1963,1964, #2-1960,1965, #4-1957,1958, #8-1959, #9-1962, #10-1961)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1963,1964,1965, #4-1962)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1958,1959,1963, #2-1957,1962,1965, #6-1960, #8-1961, #10-1964)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1958,1959,1961,1963,1964,1965, #2-1960,1962, #4-1957)

Yards per Touch (#2-1963, #5-1960, #6-1965, #7-1962,1964, #8-1958)

Jim Brown ran for 986 yards and 13 touchdowns in 8 games as a senior at Syracuse, which got him 5th place in the Heisman voting, and the #6 pick in the 1957 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

As a rookie, Brown led the NFL in rushing yards with 942 and rushing touchdowns with 9, and set a new record for most yards in a game, with 237. That record stood for 14 years, and it was still the rookie record for 40 years. At the end of the season, he was voted both Rookie of the Year and MVP. He took Cleveland to the championship game that year, but his 69 yards and a touchdown weren't enough to overcome a powerful Lions team.

The next year, he destroyed the old record for rushing yards in a season, finishing with 1527 to break Steve Van Buren's old record of 1146. He also scored 17 touchdowns that year and had 1665 yards from scrimmage, both also tops in the league. He ended the season with his second straight MVP award.

Brown continued to dominate the next year, winning his third straight rushing title with 1329 yards, and again leading the league in touchdowns and scrimmage yards, but he ended up as the MVP runner-up instead of winning it like the previous 2 seasons.

Brown led the league in rushing yards in each of the next 2 seasons as well, giving him 5 in a row to start his career. In addition, he finished with 1867 scrimmage yards in 1961, becoming the first player ever to reach 1800, but Cleveland missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.

1962 was the aberration in Brown's career. He finished with only 996 rushing yards, failing to win the rushing title for the first and only time, but he still managed to pick up 13 touchdowns and make his 6th straight Pro Bowl.

He was back in top form for 1963, when he set new records for rushing yards and scrimmage yards in a season, with 1863 and 2131, respectively. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns again, averaged 6.4 yards per carry, the first time he topped the league in that category, won another MVP, and finished with an average of 133.1 yards per game, which has only been surpassed by OJ Simpson in his 2000 yard season.

He won his 7th rushing title in 1964 with 1446 yards, and again had the best average per carry and the most scrimmage yards in the league. He finally led the Browns back to the playoffs, and he picked up 151 yards in the championship game as the Browns dominated the Colts 27-0 to earn Brown his first championship.

Brown began acting before the 1964 season, and continued after the championship run. He came back to win an 8th rushing title in 1965, with another 1544 yards, plus 17 touchdowns, his 5th time leading the league. He also led the league in scrimmage yards for the 6th time, and won his 4th MVP. He took Cleveland back to the championship game, but they fell to the Packers 23-12.

Brown missed training camp in 1966 due to filming a movie, and when he was threatened with a fine for missing camp, he decided to retire to focus on acting. He was still only 30 years old, and was by far the best player in the league, but he was able to retire without ever having missed a game due to injury for another lucrative career.

When he retired, Brown was the all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, scrimmage yards, and yards in a season. Those records have all since been broken, but many stood for decades before falling. He led the league in rushing yards in 8 of his 9 seasons, and is the only player to average over 100 rushing yards per game over his entire career. He is the greatest running back to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #2: Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders

Teams

Detroit Lions (1989-1998)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1991,1993,1994,1995,1997)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1991)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1989

Offensive Player of the Year - 2 (1994,1997)

MVP - 1 (1997)

All-Pro First Team - 6 (1989,1990,1991,1994,1995,1997)

All-Pro Second Team - 3 (1992,1993,1998)

Pro Bowl - 9 (1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998)

Hall of Fame - 2004

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #2

Rushing Yards - #4

Scrimmage Yards - #7

Rushing Touchdowns - #10

Yards per Rush - #10

Total Touchdowns - #19

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1990,1994,1996,1997, #2-1989,1991,1995, #4-1992,1998, #5-1993)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1991, #2-1989, #3-1990,1997, #4-1995, #5-1992, #6-1996, #8-1994)

Yards per Rush (#1-1994, #2-1996,1997, #3-1990,1995, #4-1989, #7-1993,1998, #8-1991)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1991,1994,1996,1997, #2-1989,1990,1993,1995, #4-1992,1998)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1990,1991, #3-1997, #5-1989, #9-1996)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1994,1997, #2-1990,1991,1995, #3-1989,1996, #5-1998, #6-1992, #10-1993)

Yards per Touch (#4-1997, #5-1990, #7-1994, #8-1989)

After rushing for 2628 yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior at Oklahoma and running away with the Heisman Trophy, Barry Sanders was drafted #3 overall in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

Sanders was great right from the start in the NFL. As a rookie, he rushed for 1470 yards and 14 touchdowns, finishing just 10 yards short of the rushing title. He was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year, and gained an impressive 5.3 yards per carry on the season.

In his second season, he won his first rushing title, leading the league with 1304 yards, and finishing #1 with 16 total touchdowns on the season. Despite finishing with a losing record once again, he was named to the All-Pro First Team for the second consecutive year.

In 1991, he led the league with 16 rushing touchdowns and 17 total touchdowns, and gained 1548 yards on the ground, the best of his career to that point. He led the Lions to their first playoff berth in nearly a decade, and their first playoff win in 34 years, but they fell one game short of the Super Bowl, losing to Dallas in the NFC Championship Game.

By his standards, the 1992 season was a down year for Sanders, with only 1352 rushing yards. He was looking good in 1993, with 1115 yards through 11 games when he went down with a torn MCL, which ended his season early, and was the only major injury of his career. He did return for their playoff game, where he had 169 yards, but the Lions lost to the Packers 28-24.

He won his second rushing title in 1994, finishing with 1883 yards, and he led the league with 2166 yards from scrimmage and 5.7 yards per carry. His performance that year earned him the Offensive Player of the Year award. He also set a record that year for most yards in a game without a touchdown when he gained 237 yards against Tampa Bay without reaching the end zone.

After gaining "only" 1500 yards in 1995, he won his third rushing title in 1996, when he finished with 1553. The Lions missed the playoffs that year, after having made the postseason in each of the previous 3 years, each time without winning a playoff game.

He had his best season in 1997, rushing for 2053 yards, becoming just the third player ever to reach 2000. He also led the league with 2358 scrimmage yards, and was named Offensive Player of the Year for the second time, and league MVP for the first time. The Lions returned to the playoffs, but again fell in the Wild Card round.

In 1998, Sanders gained another 1491 yards, giving him 10 straight seasons of at least 1000 yards to start his career, and putting him at #2 in the all-time list for rushing yards, but prior to the next season, Sanders abruptly decided to retire from football, despite being fully healthy and still one of the top backs in the league.

Sanders holds many NFL records. He has the most seasons with at least 1500 yards, with 5, and the most consecutive games reaching 100 yards, with 14. He also has the most 150-yard games in history, and is the only player ever with two 80-yard touchdowns in the same game. He led the league in rushing 4 times, and is in the top 10 in rushing yards, scrimmage yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and yards per carry. Even though he won only 1 playoff game in his career, there is no doubt that he was one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #3: Lenny Moore

Lenny Moore

Teams

Baltimore Colts (1956-1967)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1958,1959,1964,1965)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (1958,1959,1964)

Champ Games - 3 (1958,1959,1964)

Championships - 2 (1958,1959)

Awards and Honors

Rookie of the Year - 1956

Comeback Player of the Year - 1 (1964)

All-Pro First Team - 5 (1958,1959,1960,1961,1964)

Pro Bowl - 7 (1956,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1964)

Hall of Fame - 1975

All-Time Ranks

Total Touchdowns - #16

Yards per Rush - #18

Rushing Touchdowns - #50

Yards per Touch - #55

Yards per Reception - #79

Scrimmage Yards - #84

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#8-1956,1958, #9-1964, #10-1961)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1964, #3-1956, #6-1958, #7-1961, #9-1965)

Yards per Rush (#1-1956,1957,1958,1961, #7-1962, #8-1959)

Rushing Yards per Game (#9-1958, #10-1956,1961)

Receptions (#2-1959, #4-1958, #5-1957, #6-1960)

Receiving Yards (#2-1958, #3-1959,1960, #4-1957)

Receiving Touchdowns (#2-1957, #5-1958,1959,1960, #8-1961)

Yards per Reception (#2-1960, #6-1959, #7-1958, #9-1957)

Receiving Yards per Game (#2-1958, #3-1959,1960, #5-1957)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1957,1964, #2-1958,1961, #3-1960, #6-1956, #8-1959)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1957, #2-1958, #3-1959,1960,1961, #8-1964)

Yards per Touch (#1-1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961, #5-1964, #7-1962, #9-1965)

After gaining 2497 yards and scoring 24 touchdowns in 3 seasons at Penn State, Lenny Moore was drafted by the Baltimore Colts with the #9 overall pick in the 1956 NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Moore led the league with 7.5 yards per carry on the season, which is still the 4th-best average of all time. He also averaged 7.7 yards per touch, also best in the league, and was named the Rookie of the Year.

In his second season, he led the league in both of those categories again, and in addition, he also had the most scrimmage yards in the league, with 1175, and 10 total touchdowns, also #1. It was the first of 3 straight seasons in which he would be among the top 5 in the league in receptions and receiving yards, despite being a running back. 

The next season was his best by far. He led the league again with 7.3 yards per carry and 11.6 yards per touch, scored 14 total touchdowns, and had 938 receiving yards and 1536 scrimmage yards, both career highs. He finished #3 in the MVP voting that season, then took the Colts to the championship game, where he had 124 total yards to lead Baltimore to a 23-17 win over the Giants.

He wasn't as efficient in 1959, but still gained 846 yards through the air, and was again the league leader in yards per touch while leading the Colts back to the championship game. In a rematch with the Giants, Moore had 134 yards and a touchdown as Baltimore repeated as champions 31-16.

He led the league in yards per touch in each of the next 2 years as well, making it 6 years in a row to start his career. he also led the league in yards per rush in 1961 for the 4th time, and it was the third time that he surpassed 7.0 yards per carry. 

During the 1962 preseason, he broke his kneecap when he was tackled on the metal spike that was used to anchor first base to the field during baseball season. He missed half of the season as a result, the first time he missed time in his career. When he returned in 1963, he was not used much, leading many to believe that he was done.

He bounced back in a big way in 1964, setting a new league record by becoming the first player ever to score 20 touchdowns in a season. He also set a record that still stands today by scoring a touchdown in 18 consecutive games, a mark that has been tied by LaDainian Tomlinson, but never broken. He was named Comeback Player of the Year and was runner-up for MVP. After that point, he never played near that level again. He played 3 more seasons, with diminishing returns, before retiring at the end of the 1967 season.

Moore is the only running back in history to average at least 7 yards per carry more than once, and he accomplished the feat 3 times. He is the only player with at least 40 touchdowns each rushing and receiving, and still holds the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown. He led the Colts to their first two titles, and is the only player among the top 100 all time in yards per rush and yards per reception. There is no doubt that he is one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #5: Marshall Faulk

Marshall Faulk

Teams

Indianapolis Colts (1994-1998)

Saint Louis Rams (1999-2005)

Playoffs

Appearances - 7 (1995,1996,1999,2000,2001,2003,2004)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (1995,1999,2001)

Super Bowls - 2 (1999,2001)

Championships - 1 (1999)

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1994

Offensive Player of the Year - 3 (1999,2000,2001)

MVP - 1 (2000)

All-Pro First Team - 3 (1999,2000,2001)

All-Pro Second Team - 3 (1994,1995,1998)

Pro Bowl - 7 (1994,1995,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002)

Hall of Fame - 2011

All-Time Ranks

Scrimmage Yards - #5

Total Touchdowns - #7

Rushing Touchdowns - #8

Rushing Yards - #12

Receptions - #41

Rushing Yards per Game - #44

Yards per Rush - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#5-1994,1999,2001, #6-1998, #8-2000)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-2000, #2-2001, #3-1994, #4-1995, #9-2003)

Yards per Rush (#1-1999,2000,2001, #7-1994)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-2001, #4-2000, #5-1994, #6-1999, #9-1998)

Receptions (#3-1998, #8-1999)

Receiving Touchdowns (#5-2001)

Total Touchdowns (#1-2000,2001, #4-1994, #7-1995,1999, #10-2003)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1998,1999, #2-2000,2001, #4-1994, #8-1997)

Yards per Touch (#3-1999, #5-1998, #9-2000, #10-2001)

Marshall Faulk rushed for 386 yards and 7 touchdowns in his second college game at San Diego State, then went on to finish #2 for the Heisman as a sophomore and #4 as a junior before leaving school a year early to enter the 1994 NFL Draft, where he was taken #2 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.

Faulk opened his career by winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award after rushing for 1282 yards and 11 touchdowns, then followed that up with 1078 yards and another 11 touchdowns in his second season. He led the Colts to the AFC Championship Game that year, but he missed the game with a toe injury, and the team fell short of the Super Bowl by a game.

The toe injury lingered through the next season, and Faulk was limited to only 587 yards on 3 yards per carry, a terrible year by any standard, but he raised that back up to 1054 in 1997, then 1319 in 1998. That season, he also had 908 receiving yards, which put him at 2227 from scrimmage for the season, good enough to lead the league.

The Colts decided to move on from Faulk after that season, trading him to the Saint Louis Rams, where he had a huge and immediate impact. He set a new NFL record with 2429 scrimmage yards, still the #2 total of all time, while leading the league with 5.5 yards per carry. He also became the second player ever to have 1000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, and he set the record for most receiving yards by a running back in a season as well. 

He was named the Offensive Player of the Year for those accomplishments, but he also saw huge team success that year. The Rams went all the way to the Super Bowl behind Faulk and Kurt Warner, and though he had only 17 rushing yards in that game, he had 90 yards receiving, and the Rams beat the Titans 23-16.

He remained amazing in 2000. He led the league again in yards per carry, and had 18 rushing touchdowns, also best in the league. He also broke the league record for total touchdowns in a season, with 26, which is now #4 on the all-time list. He also broke the 2000-yard mark on scrimmage yards for the third year in a row, and was given the Offensive Player of the Year and MVP awards for the season.

There was no dropoff in 2001. He led the league in yards per carry for the third year in a row, and total touchdowns for the second straight year, and became the first player ever to record 2000 scrimmage yards in 4 straight seasons. He won the Offensive Player of the Year award for the 3rd straight season, and guided the Rams back to the Super Bowl after missing it the previous season. He had 130 total yards in that game, but the Rams lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots 20-17.

He was still effective the next season, gaining nearly 1500 scrimmage yards, but age had finally started to catch up to him. After gaining only 818 rushing yards in 2003, he began splitting carries with Steven Jackson in 2004, officially becoming a backup to him in 2005. After missing the entire 2006 season with a knee injury, Faulk officially retired in 2007.

From 1998 to 2001, Faulk had one of the greatest 4-year runs in history. He had over 2000 scrimmage yards in all 4 seasons, the only player ever to do that in 4 straight years, leading the league twice each in scrimmage yards and total touchdowns. He won an MVP and 3 OPOY awards, and led his team to 2 Super Bowls and a championship, cementing himself as one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #6: Marion Motley

Marion Motley

Teams

Cleveland Browns (1946-1953)

Pittsburgh Steelers (1955)

Playoffs

Appearances - 8 (1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953)

Conf Champ Games - 8 (1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953)

Champ Games - 8 (1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953)

Championships - 5 (1946,1947,1948,1949,1950)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1948,1950)

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1946,1947)

Pro Bowl - 1 (1950)

Hall of Fame - 1968

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #4

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1948,1950, #3-1947,1949, #4-1946, #6-1952)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1949, #4-1947, #5-1946, #10-1948)

Yards per Rush (#1-1950, #2-1948, #4-1947, #5-1949,1952)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1948, #2-1950, #3-1947,1949, #4-1946, #7-1952)

Total Touchdowns (#3-1949, #4-1947, #9-1946)

Scrimmage Yards (#4-1946,1948, #5-1949,1950, #7-1947)

Yards per Touch (#4-1948, #7-1947, #8-1949, #9-1952)

During his senior season at Nevada, Marion Motley injured his knee, which ended his career early and forced him to drop out of school. He joined the Navy for two years, then before he had the chance to return to college, he received a contract offer from the Cleveland Browns of the new AAFC, who made him the first black player to ever appear in a pro football game, seven months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball.

As a rookie, Motley rushed for 601 yards and 5 touchdowns on an incredible 8.2 yards per carry, but did not qualify for the league lead in that category before he had only 73 carries on the season. It was still enough to get him onto the All-Pro Second Team, and he carried the Browns to the league championship, gaining 98 yards and scoring a touchdown in a 14-9 win over the Yankees.

In his second season, he upped his production to 889 yards and 8 touchdowns, got another appearance on the All-Pro Second Team, and led the Browns to a championship rematch with the Yankees, which they won again, this time 14-3 behind 109 yards from Motley.

He led the league in rushing yards for the first time in his third season, gaining 964 on the ground, with an average of 6.1 yards per carry. That earned him a spot on the All-Pro First Team for the first time, and he also finished with 1156 scrimmage yards, the best of his career. He led the Browns to a 14-0 regular season, which they capped off with a blowout win over the Bills in the championship game, 49-7, behind 133 yards and 3 touchdowns from Motley.

He led the league in rushing touchdowns in his 4th season, despite missing a few games due to injury for the first time in his career. That season ended the same way as the previous 3, with Cleveland winning a league championship, and Motley performing well in the title game, with 75 yards and a touchdown. The AAFC folded after that season, and the Browns were absorbed into the NFL.

In his first season in the NFL, Motley led the league with 810 rushing yards and 5.8 yards per carry, and was named to the All-Pro First Team once again, showing that the change in leagues didn't affect his production. They reached the championship game again, this time beating the Rams 30-28, though Motley only contributed 9 yards on the ground in the victory.

He hurt his knee in training camp in 1951, but still powered through the season, though it definitely slowed him down. He had the worst season of his career to that point, gaining only 273 yards. He was slightly healthier in 1952, and led the Browns to the championship game for the 7th straight year, but they lost to Detroit in that one, despite his 95 yards.

By 1953, it was clear that he wouldn't get back to full health, and he rushed for only 161 yards all year. He didn't play in the team's championship appearance that year, the third year in a row in which they lost, all coinciding his Motley's unhealthy seasons. He retired before the 1954 season, but briefly unretired in 1955 to play linebacker for Pittsburgh in 6 games before leaving the game for good.

In all 8 seasons in which Motley played for the Browns, they played in the championship game, and in all 5 seasons in which he was healthy, they won the championship. He led the league in rushing twice, and he has the highest career yards per carry of any running back in history, despite being retired for 70 years. He was truly one of the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #7: Terrell Davis

Terrell Davis

Teams

Denver Broncos (1995-2001)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1996,1997,1998,2000)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1997,1998)

Super Bowls - 2 (1997,1998)

Championships - 2 (1997,1998)

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (1998)

Offensive Player of the Year - 2 (1996,1998)

All-Pro First Team - 3 (1996,1997,1998)

Super Bowl MVP - 1 (1997)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1996,1997,1998)

Hall of Fame - 2017

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #3

Yards per Rush - #35

Rushing Touchdowns - #54

Rushing Yards - #58

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1998, #2-1996,1997, #9-1995)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1997,1998, #3-1996)

Yards per Rush (#1-1998, #4-1995, #5-1996, #6-1997)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1998, #2-1996,1997, #6-1995)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1998, #2-1997, #3-1996)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1996,1997,1998)

Yards per Touch (#6-1998)

After one season at Long Beach State and 3 at Georgia, in which he picked up a total of 1919 rushing yards, Terrell Davis was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 6th round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

Though he was not expected to make the team, Davis impressed everyone in the preseason enough that he was named the team's starting running back at the beginning of his rookie season. He rushed for 1117 yards as a rookie, becoming the lowest-drafted player ever to reach 1000 yards as a rookie.

In Davis' second season, he rushed for 1538 yards and 13 touchdowns, while helping guide Denver to the best record in the league. He finished #2 in the league in rushing yards and scrimmage yards, where his total was 1848, and was named the Offensive Player of the Year.

In 1997, Davis was even better. He rushed for team records of 1750 yards and 15 touchdowns, the latter of which led the league, and finished as runner-up to Barry Sanders for Offensive Player of the Year, after Sanders rushed for over 2000 yards that season. Davis again finished #2 in both rushing yards and scrimmage yards on the season, this time ending up with 2037 scrimmage yards.

The 1997 postseason was an historic one for Davis. He rushed for over 100 yards in each of Denver's 4 playoff games, only the second player ever to do so, and he scored eight touchdowns in the postseason, a record that still stands. In the Super Bowl, he rushed for 157 and 3 touchdowns, the most touchdowns ever for a player in the Super Bowl, and he did that even after sitting out an entire quarter with a migraine. His momentous performance earned him the Super Bowl MVP award.

He followed up that amazing performance with a season that is nearly unmatched. He became the 4th player ever to rush for 2000 yards in a season, finishing with 2008, and he also led the league with 21 rushing touchdowns and 5.1 yards per carry. For the third year in a row, he was #2 in scrimmage yards, picking up a total of 2225. His great season earned him both the Offensive Player of the Year and league MVP awards.

Davis had another great postseason, which propelled the Broncos to another Super Bowl appearance. This time they faced the Atlanta Falcons, beating them 34-19, as Davis amassed 152 total yards in the victory. John Elway was named that game's MVP, but Davis definitely had a large role in the win.

After his dominant season, Davis was never the same again. He tore his ACL early in 1999, causing him to miss 12 games, then a lower leg injury cost him 11 games in 2000, and double knee surgery cost him half of 2001. He attempted to come back again in 2002, but wasn't at full health and chose to retire before the season.

Davis had a very short career, even for a running back. He only played in 7 seasons, and only 4 that were injury-free. When healthy, he was the best running back in the league. He won a rushing title, led the league in touchdowns twice, won the Offensive Player of the Year twice, plus an MVP and a Super Bowl MVP, in addition to being a member of the very exclusive 2000-yard club. Davis was undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #9: Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith

Teams

Dallas Cowboys (1990-2002)

Arizona Cardinals (2003-2004)

Playoffs

Appearances - 8 (1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1998,1999)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1992,1993,1994,1995)

Super Bowls - 3 (1992,1993,1995)

Championships - 3 (1992,1993,1995)

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1990

MVP - 1 (1993)

Super Bowl MVP - 1 (1993)

All-Pro First Team - 4 (1992,1993,1994,1995)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1991)

Pro Bowl - 8 (1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1998,1999)

Hall of Fame - 2010

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards - #1

Rushing Touchdowns - #1

Total Touchdowns - #2

Scrimmage Yards - #2

Rushing Yards per Game - #15

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1991,1992,1993,1995, #3-1994, #4-1999, #5-1998, #8-1996, #10-1990)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1992,1994,1995, #2-1991, #3-1993, #4-1998,1999, #5-1990,1996, #10-2000)

Yards per Rush (#1-1993, #4-1995, #6-1992, #9-1994,1999, #10-1991)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1992,1993,1995, #2-1991,1994, #4-1999, #8-1996,1998)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1992,1994,1995, #3-1991,1996,1999, #5-1998, #6-1993, #9-1990)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1993,1995, #2-1992, #3-1991,1994, #9-1996, #10-1998)

Yards per Touch (#10-1993)

As a junior at Florida, Emmitt Smith rushed for 1599 yards and 14 touchdowns and finished 7th in voting for the Heisman, then decided to skip his senior season to enter the 1990 NFL Draft, where he was taken #17 overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

Smith rushed for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie, which was good enough to earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and it would be the last time for over a decade that he would fail to reach 1000 yards, starting with his first rushing title in 1991, when he finished with 1563 yards.

1992 is when he really took off. He led the league with 1713 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, and he led the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, where he had 108 yards and a touchdown in a blowout 52-17 win over Buffalo. That year he became the first rushing leader in history to win a Super Bowl in the same season.

He held out for the first 2 games of the 1993 season, but after the Cowboys lost both games, they gave in to his contract demands, and he responded with the best season of his career. He led the league in rushing for the third year in a row, with 1486 yards, while also leading in yards per carry for the only time in his career, with 5.3, by far the best of his career. He was also the leader in scrimmage yards for the first time.

He was named the MVP that season, and he wasn't done yet. He took the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl for a rematch with Buffalo, and this time he had 132 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 30-13 victory, and was named the game's MVP. He is the only player ever to win MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and the rushing title in the same season.

He failed to win the rushing title in 1994, breaking his streak at 3, and the Cowboys fell a game short of the Super Bowl, losing to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He had another great season in 1995, leading the league with career highs of 1773 rushing yards and 2148 scrimmage yards, and setting a new record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 25.

He helped get Dallas back to the Super Bowl after a year's absence, and though he only had 49 rushing yards in the win, he scored 2 touchdowns, and the Cowboys won 27-17, giving him his 3rd championship in 4 years.

After that legendary run to start his career, Smith settled into a role as a good running back who rarely missed games and piled up stats. After 5 straight seasons over 1400 yards, he never reached that mark again, but had 6 more seasons of 1000 yards in a row, and in 1998 he broke Marcus Allen's record for most career touchdowns and Tony Dorsett's franchise rushing yard record.

In 2001, he became the first player ever to reach 1000 yards eleven times, and in 2002, he broke Walter Payton's career rushing yard record, a mark that he still holds today. After 13 seasons with Dallas, he was released, and he signed with the Arizona Cardinals for 2 years.

Smith broke his shoulder blade early in his first season with Arizona, ending a disappointing season early. He returned to play in 2004, and gained 937 yards, but was not resigned by the team, and decided to retire from the game at age 35.

Smith is the all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and is #2 in all-time scrimmage yards, behind Jerry Rice. He won an MVP and a Super Bowl MVP in the same season, and used to hold the record for most touchdowns in a season. What holds him back a little is the fact that he is not near the top 100 in yards per carry, and only had one season where he gained more than 5 yards per rush, but even with that one small deficiency in his game, there is no doubt that he is one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #10: Joe Perry

Joe Perry

Teams

San Francisco 49ers (1948-1960,1963)

Baltimore Colts (1961-1962)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1949,1957)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1949)

Champ Games - 1 (1949)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (1954)

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1953,1954)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1949)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1952,1953,1954)

Hall of Fame - 1969

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #10

Rushing Touchdowns - #32

Rushing Yards - #34

Total Touchdowns - #59

Scrimmage Yards - #72

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1949,1953,1954, #3-1952,1958, #5-1950,1951,1955, #9-1961, #10-1948)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1948,1949,1953, #2-1952, #3-1954, #8-1950)

Yards per Rush (#1-1949, #2-1954, #3-1952,1958, #4-1953,1957, #5-1950, #7-1951, #8-1955, #10-1956)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1949,1953,1954, #3-1952,1958, #5-1951,1955, #7-1950, #8-1961, #9-1957)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1953, #2-1949, #4-1948, #8-1952,1954)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1953,1954, #3-1949, #6-1958, #8-1951)

Yards per Touch (#3-1949, #5-1958, #9-1954)

Joe Perry played one year at Compton Junior College, scoring 22 touchdowns during the season, then left school to join the Navy during World War II, remaining enlisted for 4 years. After leaving the military, he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco 49ers, becoming the first African-American player in the team's history.

As a rookie, Perry led the AAFC in rushing touchdowns, then repeated the feat in 1949, while also leading the league in rushing yards and yards per carry, with an amazing 6.8 per rush on the season. After that season, the AAFC folded, and the 49ers joined the NFL.

Perry was good in his first few NFL seasons, finishing in the top 5 in rushing yards each season, then in 1953 he led the league with 1018 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, and his 1209 scrimmage yards was also best in the NFL. He finished #3 in MVP voting that year, and made the All-Pro First Team for the first time.

He was even better in 1954, posting his best season as a pro. He led the league again with 1049 rushing yards, becoming the first player ever to exceed 1000 in consecutive seasons, and also had the most scrimmage yards again, with 1252. He gained 6.1 yards per carry on the season, and was named the league MVP, despite his team not making the playoffs.

His yardage decreased over the next few seasons, but in 1957, he was finally able to see the NFL playoffs, but the 49ers lost to the Lions, and Perry never saw a playoff win in his career. In 1958, he became the NFL's all-time rushing leader, passing Steve Van Buren. 

His usage declined in 1959, then was practically nonexistent in 1960, and he was traded after that season to the Baltimore Colts. He led the Colts in rushing that year with 675 yards, but was not the player he once was, and after a second season with Baltimore, he was traded back to the 49ers, where he played one final season.

He was the all-time leader in rushing yards when he retired, though Jim Brown broke his record the next season, and he led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns 3 times each. He is #10 in league history in yards per carry, and was named the MVP while on a team that missed the playoffs. Though most of his records were broken long ago, he was the best running back of his time, and one of the best of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #11: Walter Payton

Walter Payton

Teams

Chicago Bears (1975-1987)

Playoffs

Appearances - 6 (1977,1979,1984,1985,1986,1987)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1984,1985)

Super Bowls - 1 (1985)

Championships - 1 (1985)

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (1977)

Offensive Player of the Year - 1 (1977)

All-Pro First Team - 5 (1976,1977,1980,1984,1985)

All-Pro Second Team - 3 (1978,1979,1986)

Pro Bowl - 9 (1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1983,1984,1985,1986)

Hall of Fame - 1993

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards - #2

Scrimmage Yards - #3

Rushing Touchdowns - #5

Rushing Yards per Game - #5

Total Touchdowns - #12

Yards per Rush - #64

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1977, #2-1976,1978,1979,1980,1984, #3-1985, #4-1983, #5-1986, #8-1981, #10-1982)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1977, #2-1976,1979, #3-1978, #7-1984, #8-1985, #10-1986)

Yards per Rush (#1-1977, #7-1980, #8-1985, #10-1976,1984)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1977, #2-1976,1978,1979,1980,1984, #3-1985, #5-1986, #6-1983, #8-1981)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1977, #2-1979, #3-1976, #5-1978, #9-1985,1986, #10-1984)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1977,1978, #2-1979, #3-1980,1983,1984,1985, #4-1976, #5-1986, #9-1981,1982)

Yards per Touch (#4-1977)

After rushing for 1029 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season at Jackson State, Walter Payton was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the #4 overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft.

Payton rushed for only 679 yards as a rookie, but that would be one of the few seasons where he wasn't one of the best backs in the league. He gained 1390 yards on the ground in 1976 and scored 13 touchdowns, earning a spot on the All-Pro First Team in just his second season, but that was just a preview for what would happen the next year.

In 1977, Payton left no doubt that he was the best running back in the NFL. He led the league in carries (339), rushing yards (1852), rushing touchdowns (14), yards per carry (5.5), yards per game (132.3), scrimmage yards (2121), and total touchdowns (16). He broke OJ Simpson's record for most yards in a game, with 275, and that record stood for 23 years. He was easily named both the Offensive Player of the Year and the league MVP after one of the best seasons by any player in history.

He never got close to that level again, but he remained a very good running back for a long time after. He led the league in scrimmage yards again in 1978, gaining 1875, but had only 1395 rushing. He gained 1610 yards in 1979, the third time that he finished as runner-up in rushing yards.

He continued to pick up a lot of rushing yards on bad teams, but the Bears finally turned around in 1984. Payton rushed for 1684 yards that year, the second-highest total of his career, and the Bears reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time in his career. He also passed Jim Brown for #1 in all-time rushing yards that year, a mark he held until 2002.

The next season, the Bears were historically great. Payton was very good as well, rushing for 1551 yards and 9 touchdowns, and the team lost only once all season. They went all the way to the Super Bowl, not giving up a single point in the NFC playoffs, then beat the Patriots 46-10 in the Super Bowl, with Payton rushing for 61 yards in the win.

He played 2 more seasons with the Bears before retiring after the 1987 season, and when he left, he was the all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, both of which have been surpassed now. Though he only led the league in rushing yards once, he was runner-up 5 times, and he never missed time due to injury in his career. He was definitely one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #16: Tony Dorsett

Tony Dorsett

Teams

Dallas Cowboys (1977-1987)

Denver Broncos (1988)

Playoffs

Appearances - 8 (1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1985)

Conf Champ Games - 5 (1977,1978,1980,1981,1982)

Super Bowls - 2 (1977,1978)

Championships - 1 (1977)

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1977

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1981)

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1982,1983)

Pro Bowl - 4 (1978,1981,1982,1983)

Hall of Fame - 1994

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards - #10

Scrimmage Yards - #13

Rushing Touchdowns - #24

Rushing Yards per Game - #30

Total Touchdowns - #35

Yards per Rush - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-1981,1982, #3-1978, #6-1980,1983,1985, #7-1984, #9-1977)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1977, #3-1980, #10-1982)

Yards per Rush (#3-1977, #5-1981, #8-1978, #10-1983)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1981, #4-1978,1982, #6-1979,1980, #7-1985, #9-1983, #10-1977,1984)

Total Touchdowns (#2-1977, #6-1980, #8-1978)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1978,1981, #6-1985, #7-1982,1983,1984, #8-1977, #9-1979,1980)

Yards per Touch (#6-1977, #8-1978)

Tony Dorsett finished #4 in the Heisman voting as a junior after piling up 1544 yards and 11 touchdowns, then won the Heisman as a senior when he had 1948 yards and 21 touchdowns and won a national championship for Pittsburgh, after which he was drafted #2 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1977 NFL Draft.

Dorsett had an immediate impact, rushing for 1007 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie, which earned him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and he was able to help lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, where he ran for 66 yards and a touchdown as the Cowboys beat the Broncos 27-10.

Dorsett ran for another 1325 yards in 1978, which earned him his first Pro Bowl spot, and he finished #2 in the league in scrimmage yards with 1703. He and the Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl that year, and Dorsett had 96 rushing yards in the game, but the Steelers prevented a repeat championship, winning the game 35-31.

Dorsett surpassed 1000 yards in each of the next 2 seasons as well, then set a new franchise record in 1981 with 1646 rushing yards, and he also gained 1971 scrimmage yards, which put him at #2 in the league again. Dallas fell just short of the Super Bowl that year, but Dorsett made the All-Pro First Team and came in #3 in MVP voting.

His streak of 5 straight 1000-yards seasons was interrupted in 1982 by a strike, but he led the league in carries that year, and set an unbreakable record by completing a 99-yard rush for a touchdown against Minnesota, which was later tied by Derrick Henry. 

He rushed for over 1000 yards in each of the next 3 seasons, but in that final season of the streak, the team signed Herschel Walker, who began eating into Dorsett's playing time and carries, and after having 2 games in 1987 where he did not play even though he was healthy, he demanded a trade, and the team shipped him off to Denver.

He played well in Denver, gaining 703 yards on the season at age 34, but he injured his knee during the following preseason and was forced to retire from the NFL. At that point, he was #2 on the all-time rushing list, trailing only Walter Payton.

Dorsett never led the league in any major rushing category, but he was always near the top of the leaderboard in rushing yards and scrimmage yards for nearly a decade. For a smaller back, he was incredibly durable, only missing a few game in his first 9 seasons. He contributed to 5 deep playoff runs and a championship, won the Rookie of the Year, and had great longevity in a position where it is rare, and he was definitely one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #18: Leroy Kelly

Leroy Kelly

Teams

Cleveland Browns (1964-1973)

Playoffs

Appearances - 7 (1964,1965,1967,1968,1969,1971,1972)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1964,1965,1968,1969)

Champ Games - 2 (1964,1965)

Championships -1 (1964)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 3 (1966,1967,1968)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1969)

Pro Bowl - 6 (1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971)

Hall of Fame - 1994

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #28

Total Touchdowns - #40

Rushing Yards - #63

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1967,1968, #2-1966, #7-1969, #8-1971)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1966,1967,1968, #2-1969,1971, #9-1970)

Yards per Rush (#1-1966,1967, #2-1968, #8-1969)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1967, #2-1966,1968, #7-1969, #9-1971)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1966,1968, #2-1967,1971, #5-1969)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1967,1968, #2-1966, #7-1969, #9-1971)

Yards per Touch (#4-1966,1968, #8-1967)

After averaging over 5 yards per carry and winning a CIAA championship at Morgan State, Leroy Kelly was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 8th round of the 1964 NFL Draft.

In his first two seasons, he was a backup to Jim Brown, so he barely ever took the field at running back, but he was a very good kick returner, averaging over 24 yards per kick return in each of those seasons. After the 1965 season, Jim Brown retired, and Kelly was elevated to starter, and he immediately established himself as the best running back in the league.

In his first season as a starter, he rushed for 1141 yards on a league-best 5.5 yards per carry, and also led the league with 15 rushing touchdowns, and his 1507 scrimmage yards per #2 in the league, as were his rushing yards. He was the runner-up for MVP, and was named to the All-Pro First Team.

The next year, he led the league in pretty much every rushing category, including carries, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, yards per carry, yards per game, touches, and scrimmage yards. He finished #3 in that year's MVP voting.

He continued his dominant run in 1968, when he led the league with 1239 yards and 16 touchdowns, both career highs, and he also led the league and set career highs in scrimmage yards and total touchdowns. He was the MVP runner-up once again, and led the Browns to the NFC Championship Game, but didn't play well in that game, and the Browns lost to the Colts 34-0.

His numbers dipped a bit in 1969, down to just 817 yards and 9 touchdowns, but he was still good enough to make the All-Pro Second Team. He got them back to the NFC Title Game that year, and had an 80-yard day, but the Browns fell to the Vikings 27-7.

At that point he began to slow down, but he played 4 more years with the Browns, then one year with the Chicago Fire of the WFL before retiring. At that time, he was #4 on the all-time list for yardage and #3 for touchdowns.

The Browns were used to having the best running back in the league with Jim Brown around, and they were able to keep that going for 3 more seasons after Brown's retirement thanks to Kelly. He was either the league leader or runner-up in every single rushing category for 3 straight seasons, and he is still #63 in all-time rushing yards 50 years after his retirement. Though he isn't as famous as his predecessor, he is one of the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #19: Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson

Teams

Los Angeles Rams (1983-1987)

Indianapolis Colts (1987-1991)

Los Angeles Raiders (1992)

Atlanta Falcons (1993)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1983,1984,1985,1986,1987)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1985)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1983

Offensive Player of the Year - 1 (1986)

All-Pro First Team - 5 (1983,1984,1986,1987,1988)

Pro Bowl - 6 (1983,1984,1986,1987,1988,1989)

Hall of Fame - 1999

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Yards per Game - #4

Rushing Yards - #9

Rushing Touchdowns - #13

Scrimmage Yards - #18

Total Touchdowns - #26

Yards per Rush - #64

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1983,1984,1986,1988, #2-1987, #3-1989, #8-1985)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1984, #2-1983,1985, #3-1988, #5-1986, #10-1987,1989)

Yards per Rush (#2-1984, #3-1987, #7-1986,1989, #10-1983)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1983,1984,1986,1987,1988, #3-1989, #5-1985)

Total Touchdowns (#2-1983,1988, #3-1984, #7-1985, #9-1986)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1983,1984,1986,1988, #3-1987, #7-1989)

During his senior season at SMU, Eric Dickerson finished 3rd in Heisman voting after rushing for 1617 yards and 17 touchdowns on 7.0 yards per carry, and he was then drafted #2 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1983 NFL Draft.

Dickerson set rookie records all over the place in his first season, with 1808 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 2212 scrimmage yards, leading the league in rushing and scrimmage yards and winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He also finished as the MVP runner-up behind Joe Theismann and made the All-Pro First Team.

In his second season, Dickerson rushed for a new record 2105 yards, a record that still stands 40 years later. He also led the league with 14 rushing touchdowns and 2244 scrimmage yards, but since Dan Marino became the first 5000-yard passer that same year, he finished as MVP runner-up once again.

He sat out the first two games of 1985 in a contract dispute, then rushed for 1234 yards once he returned, by far his lowest per game average of the 1980s. Even though his regular season wasn't up to his usual standard, he rushed for 248 yards against Dallas in a playoff game, which is a postseason record that still stands.

In 1986, he played in every game, and returned to form with 1821 rushing yards, his third time leading the league, and he also had the most scrimmage yards once again, with 2026. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year, and was runner-up to Lawrence Taylor for the MVP, his third time in 4 years coming in second place.

The Rams grew tired of his constant contract disputes, and they shipped him away to Indianapolis just 3 games into the 1987 season. That season was shortened by a strike, but he still managed to gain 1288 yards and make the All-Pro First Team again.

In his first full season with the Colts, Dickerson led the league in both rushing yards and scrimmage yards for the 4th time each, with 1659 on the ground and 2036 overall. He had one more good season with Indy, gaining 1311 yards in 1989, but contract disputes and team suspensions cost him 11 games over his final 2 seasons with the team, until they finally traded him away to the Raiders in 1992.

He played one season back in LA, sharing the backfield with Marcus Allen, but only gained 729 yards, and it only took one year to wear out his welcome again. He was traded to the Falcons, where he played in only 4 games before they decided to trade him away to Green Bay. Upon arrival in Green Bay, he failed his physical and chose to retire from football.

In 5 of his first 6 seasons, Dickerson led the league in yards per game, and led the league in rushing yards in 4 of those seasons. He was the 3-time runner-up for MVP, but did pick up an Offensive Player of the Year award, as well as Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was the fastest player ever to reach 10000 yards, and is still #9 on the all-time rushing yard list, and he was definitely one of the best to ever carry the football.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #21: LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson

Teams

San Diego Chargers (2001-2009)

New York Jets (2010-2011)

Playoffs

Appearances - 6 (2004,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (2007,2010)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (2006)

Offensive Player of the Year - 1 (2006)

All-Pro First Team - 3 (2004,2006,2007)

All-Pro Second Team - 3 (2002,2003,2005)

Pro Bowl - 5 (2002,2004,2005,2006,2007)

Hall of Fame - 2017

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #2

Total Touchdowns - #3

Scrimmage Yards - #6

Rushing Yards - #7

Rushing Yards per Game - #18

Yards per Rush - #86

Receptions - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-2006,2007, #2-2002, #3-2003, #6-2005, #7-2004, #9-2001, #10-2008)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-2004,2006,2007, #3-2005, #4-2001, #5-2002,2009, #6-2003, #7-2008)

Yards per Rush (#4-2003,2006)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-2006, #2-2007, #3-2002, #5-2003, #6-2005, #10-2004)

Receptions (#4-2003)

Total Touchdowns (#1-2006, #2-2004,2007, #3-2003,2005, #6-2002, #8-2008, #10-2001)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-2003, #2-2006,2007, #3-2002, #5-2004,2005, #8-2008, #9-2001)

Yards per Touch (#6-2006,2011)

As a senior at TCU, LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 2158 yards and 22 touchdowns, gained 5.8 yards per carry, and finished 4th in the Heisman voting, which helped him to be picked #5 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Tomlinson surpassed 1000 rushing yards in each of his first 9 seasons in the NFL, even when his yards per carry were low. As a rookie he gained 1236 yards on only 3.6 yards per carry, but when he raised that to 4.5 yards per carry in his second season, his yardage total jumped to 1683, and he ended up with 2172 scrimmage yards, third-best in the NFL.

He emerged as a superstar in 2003. He had 1645 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing on the season, gaining a career-high 5.3 yards per carry, and gained an additional 725 yards through the air, putting him at 2370 on the season, the fifth-best total of all time. He was the runner-up for Offensive Player of the Year that season.

His per carry average plummeted in 2004, down to only 3.9 yards per rush, but he led the league in rushing touchdowns that season for the first time, as he reached the end zone 17 times, including 12 games in a row during the season. That earned him his first All-Pro First Team honors, and he was far from being done. 

He improved across the board in 2005, up to 1462 yards and 18 touchdowns, but it was 2006 where he really made his mark on history. He led the league in rushing that year with 1815 yards, and set records that still stand with 28 rushing touchdowns and 31 total touchdowns. He won both the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, and led the Chargers to a playoff berth for just the second time in his career.

He again led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2007, but this time with only 1474 yards and 15 touchdowns, far from the heights he had reached the previous season. He and the Chargers reached the AFC Championship game that year, but he injured his knee in the previous game, and was only able to gain 5 yards before sitting out the rest of the team's loss to the Patriots.

His return from injury was not as good as he hoped for. He gained only 1110 yards on the season, the lowest of his career to that point, and only picked up 3.8 yards per carry. He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in years, and it didn't get better the next year, as he gained only 730 yards on the season. After 9 years in San Diego, he was released by the team, and he chose to sign with the New York Jets on a 2-year contract.

He rushed for 914 yards in his first season as a Jet, and reached the AFC Championship Game for the second time in his career, but it ended again in a disappointing loss, with Tomlinson gaining only 16 yards in a loss to Pittsburgh. He played one final season as a backup in New York before retiring from the NFL.

Tomlinson is #7 on the all-time list for rushing yards, and #2 in rushing touchdowns, and still holds the record for most touchdowns in a season. His 2006 season was probably the best by any running back in the past 20 years, and he is even among the all-time top 100 in receptions, even though he only finished in the top 10 once in that category in his career. There is no doubt that LT is one of the greatest to ever play the game.