I have been working for a while on a ranking system for the top running backs of all time in the NFL, and I finally feel that I am ready to share it with the world. One of the difficulties is that there are limited statistics to work with, with carries, yardage, touchdowns, fumbles, and yards per carry the main categories. I also included receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, though they are weighted less than rushing numbers, as rushing is the primary responsibility for these players.
Most players on this list were classified as running backs, though other roughly equivalent positions are also included, such as fullback and halfback. Players were compared to the averages in each category for each individual season in which they played, and were given points based on how much above average they performed in each category, and were not given points for seasons in which they were below average overall. Because of this, longevity is not always a guarantee of a high ranking, because many backs, even many of the greats, were below average at times, especially near the end of their careers. There are actually several players on this list who had very short careers that included short bursts of greatness. Players were also given a bonus for championships won, though this factor was smaller than in other rankings systems, because running backs seem to have a smaller impact on team success than quarterbacks or NBA superstars.
The NFL recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, so there are players from all eras included here, many of which you have probably never heard of, as there were many that I was not familiar with. Also, with the lower emphasis on running in the modern game, there are fewer current running backs that qualified for this countdown than you saw on my lists of quarterbacks or NBA players. There are only 6 active NFL players on this countdown as of 2024.
Here is a breakdown of the primary team, decade, and college team for the players on this list, and I will list the players on this post as I reveal them over the next few months. There are 3 current franchises that do not have a single player on this list, and one defunct franchise (the New York Yankees of the 1940s AAFC) that has a player represented, while the 49ers have 11 players total, by far the most of any team. There are 10 colleges with at least 3 players on the list, dominated by SEC schools, with Georgia's 5 players the most of any school. I hope you enjoy this list, and maybe discover some new favorite players or remember some that may have escaped your memory.
Primary NFL Team
San Francisco 49ers - 11
Saint Louis/Los Angeles Rams - 7
Chicago Bears - 6
Philadelphia Eagles - 5
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders - 5
Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers - 5
Detroit Lions - 5
Cleveland Browns - 5
Chicago/Saint Louis/Phoenix Cardinals - 4
New York Giants - 4
Dallas Cowboys - 4
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs - 4
New Orleans Saints - 3
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans - 3
Green Bay Packers - 3
Miami Dolphins - 3
Cincinnati Bengals - 3
Buffalo Bisons/Bills - 3
Atlanta Falcons - 2
Seattle Seahawks - 2
Jacksonville Jaguars - 2
Minnesota Vikings - 2
Denver Broncos - 2
New York Yankees - 1
Houston Texans - 1
Boston Braves/Redskins/Washington Redskins - 1
Carolina Panthers - 1
New York Jets - 1
Pittsburgh Steelers - 1
Baltimore Colts - 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 0
Baltimore Ravens - 0
New England Patriots - 0
College Team
Georgia - 5
Alabama - 4
Tennessee - 4
Texas - 4
Washington - 3
UCLA - 3
Auburn - 3
Oklahoma - 3
USC - 3
Penn State - 3
Nebraska - 2
California - 2
Miami - 2
Stanford - 2
LSU - 2
Kansas - 2
SMU - 2
Pittsburgh - 2
Florida - 2
San Diego State - 2
Oklahoma State - 2
Syracuse - 2
Texas A&M - 1
East Carolina - 1
Colgate - 1
Southern Illinois - 1
Fordham - 1
Minnesota - 1
Long Beach State - 1
Florida State - 1
Colorado State - 1
Yale - 1
Xavier - 1
Grambling - 1
Holy Cross - 1
The Citadel - 1
Ball State - 1
Purdue - 1
Marquette - 1
Iowa - 1
West Virginia Wesleyan - 1
Kansas State - 1
Abilene Christian - 1
Notre Dame - 1
North Texas - 1
Washington State - 1
UTEP - 1
San Francisco - 1
Prairie View - 1
Ohio State - 1
Villanova - 1
Memphis - 1
Colorado College - 1
Oregon State - 1
Washington and Jefferson - 1
TCU - 1
West Texas A&M - 1
Morgan State - 1
Virginia - 1
Jackson State - 1
Compton CC - 1
Nevada - 1
Primary Decade
1930s - 6
1940s - 6
1950s - 9
1960s - 10
1970s - 13
1980s - 15
1990s - 10
2000s - 17
2010s - 11
2020s - 3
All-Time Rankings
100. Tony Nathan - MIA - 1980s
99. John David Crow - STL - 1960s
98. Tommy Wilson - RAM - 1950s
97. Alvin Kamara - NOR - 2010s*
96. Chris Johnson - TEN - 2000s
95. Marv Hubbard - OAK - 1970s
94. Brandon Jacobs - NYG - 2000s
93. Joe Maniaci - CHI - 1930s
92. Bronko Nagurski - CHI - 1930s
91. Terry Metcalf - STL - 1970s
90. Delvin Williams - SFO - 1970s
89. Spec Sanders - NYY - 1940s
88. Warrick Dunn- ATL - 2000s
87. Roger Craig - SFO - 1980s
86. Lawrence McCutcheon - RAM - 1970s
85. Garrison Hearst - SFO - 1990s
84. Calvin Hill - DAL - 1970s
83. Bo Jackson - RAI - 1980s
82. Mark Ingram - NOR - 2010s
81. Chet Mutryn - BUF - 1940s
80. Essex Johnson - CIN - 1970s
79. Napoleon Kaufman - OAK - 1990s
78. Larry Johnson - KAN - 2000s
77. Doak Walker - DET - 1950s
76. William Andrews - ATL - 1980s
75. Arian Foster - HOU - 2010s
74. Bill Osmanski - CHI - 1940s
73. Herschel Walker - DAL - 1980s
72. Skeet Quinlan - RAM - 1950s
71. Marshawn Lynch - SEA - 2010s
70. Stump Mitchell - STL - 1980s
69. Earl Campbell - HOU - 1980s
68. Frank Gifford - NYG - 1950s
67. Timmy Brown - PHI - 1960s
66. Raheem Mostert - SFO - 2010s*
65. Billy Sims - DET - 1980s
64. Ward Cuff - NYG - 1940s
63. Todd Gurley - LAR - 2010s
62. Ronnie Harmon - SDG - 1990s
61. Maurice Jones-Drew - JAX - 2000s
60. Beattie Feathers - CHI - 1930s
59. Corey Dillon - CIN - 2000s
58. Ahman Green - GNB - 2000s
57. Chuck Muncie - SDG - 1980s
56. Cliff Battles - WAS - 1930s
55. Darren Sproles - NOR - 2010s
54. Clinton Portis - DEN - 2000s
53. Wilbert Montgomery - PHI - 1980s
52. Frank Gore - SFO - 2000s
51. Ricky Watters - SFO - 1990s
50. Abner Haynes - KAN - 1960s
49. Shaun Alexander - SEA - 2000s
48. Keith Lincoln - SDG - 1960s
47. Aaron Jones - GNB - 2020s*
46. Ollie Matson - CRD - 1950s
45. Clem Daniels - OAK - 1960s
44. LeSean McCoy - PHI - 2010s
43. Steve Van Buren - PHI - 1940s
42. Christian McCaffrey - SFO - 2020s*
41. Robert Smith - MIN - 1990s
40. Larry Csonka - MIA - 1970s
39. Brian Westbrook - PHI - 2000s
38. Derrick Henry - TEN - 2010s*
37. DeAngelo Williams - CAR - 2000s
36. Nick Chubb - CLE - 2020s*
35. Thurman Thomas - BUF - 1990s
34. Dutch Clark - DET - 1930s
33. Ernie Caddel - DET - 1930s
32. Freeman McNeil - NYJ - 1980s
31. Greg Pruitt - CLE - 1970s
30. Charlie Garner - SFO - 1990s
29. Franco Harris - PIT - 1970s
28. Paul Lowe - SDG - 1960s
27. Hugh McElhenny - SFO - 1950s
26. Jim Taylor - GNB - 1960s
25. Marcus Allen - RAI - 1980s
24. Wendell Tyler - SFO - 1980s
23. Dan Towler - RAM - 1950s
22. Gale Sayers - CHI - 1960s
21. LaDainian Tomlinson - SDG - 2000s
20. Mercury Morris - MIA - 1970s
19. Eric Dickerson - RAM - 1980s
18. Leroy Kelly - CLE - 1960s
17. Priest Holmes - KAN - 2000s
16. Tony Dorsett - DAL - 1970s
15. Fred Taylor - JAX - 2000s
14. Tiki Barber - NYG - 2000s
13. James Brooks - CIN - 1980s
12. Adrian Peterson - MIN - 2010s
11. Walter Payton - CHI - 1970s
10. Joe Perry - SFO - 1950s
9. Emmitt Smith - DAL - 1990s
8. Jamaal Charles - KAN - 2010s
7. Terrell Davis - DEN - 1990s
6. Marion Motley - CLE - 1940s
5. Marshall Faulk - STL - 2000s
4. OJ Simpson - BUF - 1970s
3. Lenny Moore - BAL - 1950s
2. Barry Sanders - DET - 1990s
1. Jim Brown - CLE - 1960s
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