Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #20: Mercury Morris

Mercury Morris

Teams

Miami Dolphins (1969-1975)

San Diego Chargers (1976)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1970,1971,1972,1973,1974)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (1971,1972,1973)

Super Bowls - 3 (1971,1972,1973)

Championships - 2 (1972,1973)

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 3 (1971,1972,1973)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #9

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#10-1972)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1972, #3-1973)

Yards per Rush (#1-1973, #3-1972)

Rushing Yards per Game (#7-1973)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1972, #8-1973)

Yards per Touch (#1-1973, #8-1972)

Mercury Morris set the single game, single season, and career college rushing yard records while playing for West Texas State, though the season record was broken a week later, and the career record 2 years later. He was drafted in the third round of the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.

Morris was mostly used as a kick returner in his first 3 seasons, but when he did get the chance to carry the ball, he was excellent. In 1970, he averaged 6.8 yards per carry, and he averaged 5.5 in 1971, both of which would have led the league if he had enough carries. He was named to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner in 1971.

He became Miami's starter in 1972, and rushed for exactly 1000 yards, his career high, and led the league with 12 touchdowns while picking up 5.3 yards per carry. The Dolphins went undefeated that season, and Morris had 76 rushing yards in the AFC Championship game, followed by 34 yards in Miami's 14-7 Super Bowl win over the Redskins.

In 1973, he led the league by averaging 6.4 yards per carry and 6.6 yards per touch, and he finished with 954 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Dolphins returned to the Super Bowl that year after Morris had 86 yards on 14 carries in the AFC Championship Game, and he added another 34 yards in the Super Bowl, where the Dolphins beat the Vikings 24-7.

Morris suffered a knee injury early in 1974 and was limited to only 5 games before a neck injury ended his season. He had a decent comeback season in 1975, rushing for 875 yards, but the Dolphins chose to trade him away to the Chargers after the season. His neck continued to bother him during the 1976 season, so he decided to retire after one season out west.

Morris did not rack up huge rushing numbers, as he shared the backfield with Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick through most of his career, but he was one of the most efficient runners of all time, averaging 5.1 yards per carry for his career, good enough to land him in the top 10 all time. His two best years coincided with Miami's back to back championships, including their undefeated season, and Morris is definitely one of the best of all time.

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.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #22: Gale Sayers

Gale Sayers

Teams

Chicago Bears (1965-1971)

Playoffs

Appearances - 0

Conf Champ Games - 0

Champ Games - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Rookie of the Year - 1965

All-Pro First Team - 5 (1965,1966,1967,1968,1969)

Pro Bowl - 4 (1965,1966,1967,1969)

Hall of Fame - 1977

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #10

Rushing Yards per Game - #33

Yards per Touch - #90

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1966,1969, #2-1965, #3-1967, #5-1968)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1965,1966, #3-1969, #4-1967)

Yards per Rush (#1-1968, #2-1966, #3-1965, #4-1967, #6-1969)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1966,1968,1969, #3-1965,1967)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1965, #3-1967, #5-1966)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1966, #3-1965, #4-1969)

Yards per Touch (#1-1968, #2-1965, #3-1966)

After averaging 6.5 yards per carry through his college career at Kansas, Gale Sayers was drafted by the Bears #4 overall in the 1965 NFL Draft, and by the Chiefs #5 overall in the 1965 AFL Draft, and he decided to join the Bears.

Sayers ran away with the Rookie of the Year award, gaining 867 yards on the ground, 507 through the air, and 898 on kick and punt returns while setting a league record with 22 total touchdowns: 14 rushing, 6 receiving, 1 on a punt return, and 1 on a kick return. He also tied the single-game record with 6 touchdowns in a game against San Francisco that year.

In his second season, he led the league in rushing yards with 1231 and scrimmage yards with 1678, and also led the league in yards per kick return, earning a spot on the All-Pro First Team for the second straight year. His production dropped off a bit in his third season, as he began to share the backfield, but he still made the All-Pro First Team.

In 1968, he was back to leading the backfield, and he was #1 in the league with 856 yards through 9 games, when he suffered a major injury to his right knee, tearing both the ACL and MCL and damaging cartilage. He still led the league in yards per carry and yards per touch, but missed the final 5 games of the season.

He made it back in time for the beginning of the 1969 season, and he got better as the season went on, ending up with his second rushing title, gaining 1032 yards on the ground and leading the league in carries for the first time. For the 5th season in a row, he finished in the top 5 in MVP voting, despite the Bears missing the playoffs a 5 times.

He injured his left knee in the 1970 preseason, but still attempted to play through it, but only lasted 2 games before injuring the knee worse, which caused him to miss the rest of the season. He missed the first 3 games of the 1971 season as he worked his way back from that injury, then played 2 games before injuring his ankle, which ended his season again. He planned to come back in 1972, but instead retired after struggling in the preseason.

Sayers may have been the most talented back to ever carry a football, but injuries ended 3 of his 7 seasons early, and forced him to retire at age 29. He was voted to the All-Pro First team in all 5 of his full or nearly-full seasons, led the league in rushing yards twice, yards per carry once, scrimmage yards once, and total touchdowns once, while also being one of the best return men in the league. He didn't play for long, but he was undoubtedly one of the best to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #23: Dan Towler

Dan Towler

Teams

Los Angeles Rams (1950-1955)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1950,1951,1952,1955)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1950,1951,1952,1955)

Champ Games - 3 (1950,1951,1955)

Championships - 1 (1951)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1952)

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1951,1954)

Pro Bowl - 4 (1951,1952,1953,1954)

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1952, #2-1953, #3-1951, #4-1954)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1952,1954, #3-1953, #5-1950,1951)

Yards per Rush (#2-1951,1952,1953)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1952, #2-1953, #3-1951, #5-1954)

Total Touchdowns (#2-1954, #4-1952, #6-1953)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1951, #4-1952, #5-1953)

Yards per Touch (#3-1951, #8-1952)

Dan Towler was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 25th round of the 1950 NFL Draft after graduating from Washington & Jefferson college.

As a rookie, he only started one game and rushed for 130 yards, but in his second season, he suddenly became the best running back in the league. He rushed for 854 yards in 1951, gaining 6.8 yards per carry, both among the top 3 in the league, and he finished #2 in the NFL with 1111 scrimmage yards. He hadn't played in the Rams' loss to Cleveland in the previous year's championship game, but in their rematch in 1951, he rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown, and the Rams won 24-17.

In 1952, he was named to the All-Pro First Team after leading the league with 894 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns while gaining 5.7 yards per carry, #2 in the league once again. He continued his dominance in 1953, rushing for 879 yards and 7 touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry, surpassing 1000 scrimmage yards once again, and reaching his third straight Pro Bowl.

He started to slow down in 1954, gaining only 599 rushing yards as his average dropped to 4 yards per carry, but he led the league with 11 touchdowns in a 12-game season. He only managed to appear in 7 games in 1955 before choosing to retire to pursue a career as a pastor.

Towler's career was short but great. He never led the league in yards per carry, but he has 3 of the top 90 seasons ever in that category, and he would be ranked #8 all-time in that category if he had played enough games to qualify. He did lead the league in rushing yards once and touchdowns twice, and helped the Rams reach 3 championship games and win a title, and is probably the greatest player most people have never heard of.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #24: Wendell Tyler

Wendell Tyler

Teams

Los Angeles Rams (1977-1982)

San Francisco 49ers (1983-1986)

Playoffs

Appearances - 8 (1977,1978,1979,1980,1983,1984,1985,1986)

Conf Champ Games - 4 (1978,1979,1983,1984)

Super Bowls - 2 (1979,1984)

Championships - 1 (1984)

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 1 (1984)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #24

Rushing Yards - #83

Rushing Touchdowns - #85

Rushing Yards per Game - #94

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#5-1984, #10-1979)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1982, #5-1981, #9-1979)

Yards per Rush (#1-1979, #3-1983, #4-1984,1985)

Rushing Yards per Game (#8-1984)

Receiving Touchdowns (#10-1982)

Total Touchdowns (#2-1981,1982)

Scrimmage Yards (#6-1982, #9-1984)

Yards per Touch (#7-1979)

After averaging 6 yards per carry in his college career at UCLA, Wendell Tyler was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 3rd round of the 1977 NFL Draft.

Tyler did not get much playing time in his first 2 seasons with the Rams, getting only 75 carries through 2 combined years, but he took over as the team's starter early in 1979, and went on to lead the league with 5.1 yards per carry on the season, totaling 1109 yards and 9 touchdowns. He helped lead the Rams all the way to the Super Bowl that year, but his 60 yards weren't enough as the Rams fell to the Steelers 31-19.

Tyler missed most of the next season with injuries, but was able to come back strong in 1981, gaining 1074 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns for the Rams. He had 564 yards and 9 touchdowns in the strike-shortened 1982 season, finishing 6th in the league in scrimmage yards, then left town to head north to San Francisco before the 1983 season.

He continued to play well upon arriving in San Francisco, and in 1984 he had the best season of his career. He had 1262 yards, a career high, along with 7 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. He finished with 1492 scrimmage yards, just short of a career best, and was voted to his first and only Pro Bowl. That team made it all the way to the Super Bowl, and though Roger Craig was the star of the Super Bowl with 3 touchdowns, Tyler led the team with 65 rushing yards and 135 scrimmage yards as the 49ers beat the Dolphins 38-16.

Tyler had one more really good year with the 49ers, surpassing 5 yards per carry for the 5th time in his career, but after being slowed by injury in 1986, he retired from the NFL. Tyler was frequently among the league leaders in yards per carry, and is #24 on the all-time list in that category, and he was the first player ever to lead 2 different teams in rushing in the Super Bowl. He may not be a household name today, but he was one of the greatest to play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #25: Marcus Allen

Marcus Allen

Teams

Los Angeles Raiders (1982-1992)

Kansas City Chiefs (1993-1997)

Playoffs

Appearances - 10 (1982,1983,1984,1985,1990,1991,1993,1994,1995,1997)

Conf Champ Games - 3 (1983,1990,1993)

Super Bowls - 1 (1983)

Championships - 1 (1983)

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1982

Offensive Player of the Year - 1 (1985)

MVP - 1 (1985)

Super Bowl MVP - 1 (1983)

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1982,1985)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1984)

Pro Bowl - 6 (1982,1984,1985,1986,1987,1993)

Hall of Fame - 2003

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #3

Total Touchdowns - #6

Scrimmage Yards - #8

Rushing Yards - #14

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1985, #4-1982, #10-1984,1987)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1982,1993, #3-1984,1985,1997, #4-1990, #8-1994, #9-1996, #10-1983)

Yards per Rush (#7-1982, #10-1995)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1985, #6-1982, #10-1987)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1982,1984, #2-1993, #4-1985,1990, #8-1983, #10-1997)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1982,1985, #4-1984, #6-1987, #9-1983)

Yards per Touch (#10-1982,1984)

Marcus Allen won the Heisman Trophy at USC as a senior after rushing for 2342 yards and 22 touchdowns in just 11 games, then was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders with the #10 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft.

His rookie season was shortened to 9 games by a strike, and he led the league with 11 rushing touchdowns and 1098 scrimmage yards, running away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He was also named to the All-Pro First Team and the Pro Bowl after a very impressive first season.

He reached 1014 yards in his second season and scored 9 more touchdowns, and he helped lead the Raiders to the Super Bowl. In the championship game, he rushed for 191 yards and scored 2 touchdowns as the Raiders beat the Redskins 38-9, and Allen was named the Super Bowl MVP.

In 1984, he ran for 1168 yards, and had career-highs with 13 rushing touchdowns and 758 receiving yards. He finished with 1926 scrimmage yards and led the league with 18 total touchdowns, and was named to his second Pro Bowl.

His greatness continued in 1985, when he led the league with 1759 rushing yards and 2314 scrimmage yards, which is the 9th-highest total in history. He led the Raiders to a 12-4 record on the season, and was named the MVP of the league.

His production began to drop in 1986, when he gained only 759 yards, exactly 1000 less than in his MVP season, and only gained 3.6 yards per carry, the worst of his career. The team brought on Bo Jackson the next year, and the pair split carries and playing time for the next 4 seasons, and Allen never cracked 900 yards in that time.

When Jackson retired from football, Allen didn't regain his role as the lead back, gaining only 588 total in his final 2 seasons with the Raiders. He finally found his way away from Los Angeles after the 1992 season, joining the Kansas City Chiefs.

In his first season with the Chiefs, Allen rushed for 764 yards and led the league with 12 rushing touchdowns, was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 6 years, and was named Comeback Player of the Year. He was Kansas City's lead back for 3 more seasons, but still never reached 900 yards, and he finally retired after the 1997 season.

When he retired, Allen held the league record for rushing touchdowns, though he has since been passed by Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson. He's #14 on the all-time rushing yards list, and is #8 in scrimmage yards. He won both an MVP and a Super Bowl MVP, but after his first 4 seasons, he was never quite the same player again, which is why he ended up at #25, though he is still obviously one of the best of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #26: Jim Taylor

Jim Taylor

Teams

Green Bay Packers (1958-1966)

New Orleans Saints (1967)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1960,1961,1962,1965,1966)

Conf Champ Games - 5 (1960,1961,1962,1965,1966)

Champ Games/Super Bowls - 5 (1960,1961,1962,1965,1966)

Championships - 4 (1961,1962,1965,1966)

Awards and Honors

MVP - 1 (1962)

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1962)

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1960,1963)

Pro Bowl - 5 (1960,1961,1962,1963,1964)

Hall of Fame - 1976

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #18

Total Touchdowns - #32

Rushing Yards - #42

Yards per Rush - #64

Rushing Yards per Game - #66

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1962, #2-1960,1961,1963,1964, #5-1965, #10-1966)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1961,1962, #2-1960,1963,1964, #7-1959)

Yards per Rush (#2-1962, #3-1961,1964, #6-1960)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1962, #2-1960,1961,1963,1964, #7-1965, #10-1966)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1961,1962, #3-1964, #6-1960,1963, #8-1959)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1962, #2-1961, #4-1964, #5-1960, #8-1963)

Yards per Touch (#9-1961, #10-1962)

Jim Taylor rushed for 762 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior at LSU, which was followed by the Green Bay Packers selecting him in the second round of the 1958 NFL Draft.

Taylor did not play much as a rookie, gaining only 247 yards, but his playing time started to increase when Vince Lombardi took over as coach in 1959. By 1960, he was showing signs of greatness, rushing for 1101 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Green Bay made it to the championship game for the first time in 16 years, and Taylor had 151 scrimmage yards in that game, but the Packers lost to the Eagles 17-13.

In 1961, Taylor was the MVP runner-up to teammate Paul Hornung after he led the league with 15 rushing touchdowns while amassing 1307 yards on the ground. Green Bay returned to the championship game, where they beat the Giants 37-0, with Taylor contributing 69 yards on the ground.

1962 was an historic year for Taylor. He led the league in rushing yards with 1474, becoming the first and only player ever to beat Jim Brown in rushing yards in a season, and he set a new league record with 19 rushing touchdowns. He also led the league with 1580 scrimmage yards, and was named the MVP of the league.

Green Bay lost only 1 game that season en route to a championship rematch with the Giants, and Taylor scored the only offensive touchdown in that game to go along with 85 rushing yards in Green Bay's 16-7 repeat championship victory.

Taylor surpassed the 1000-yard mark in each of the next 2 seasons as well, making him the first player ever to reach that mark in 5 straight seasons. Green Bay missed the postseason in those 2 years, but returned in 1965, just as Taylor's effectiveness began to decline. Though he had only 734 yards in the regular season, he had 96 in the team's championship win over the Browns.

Green Bay was still the best team in the NFL in 1966, reaching the first Super Bowl against the Chiefs at the end of the season, and just like the year before, Taylor's poor regular season numbers did not affect his postseason performance, and he had 56 yards and a touchdown as the Packers won 35-10.

Taylor left the Packers after that championship, his 4th, to join his hometown New Orleans Saints. He rushed for only 390 yards on the season, gaining just 3.0 yards per carry, before retiring at season's end. He had reached the championship game in half of his 10 seasons, and had 4 championships to show for it.

Taylor finished #2 in the league to Jim Brown in rushing yards 4 times, and was the only player to take a rushing title away from Brown, during his 1962 MVP season. He was a huge reason for the Packers dynasty of the 1960s, and was second to Brown in all-time rushing yards and touchdowns when he retired. Despite playing fullback, he missed only one game in his career, and he is easily one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #27: Hugh McElhenny

Hugh McElhenny

Teams

San Francisco 49ers (1952-1960)

Minnesota Vikings (1961-1962)

New York Giants (1963)

Detroit Lions (1964)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1957,1963)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1963)

Champ Games - 1 (1963)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1952,1953)

All-Pro Second Team - 3 (1954,1956,1957)

Pro Bowl - 6 (1952,1953,1956,1957,1958,1961)

Hall of Fame - 1970

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #24

Yards per Touch - #72

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#3-1956, #4-1952, #7-1953, #8-1954)

Rushing Touchdowns (#3-1952,1956, #7-1954, #8-1958)

Yards per Rush (#1-1952, #4-1956,1957, #7-1961, #9-1953)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1954, #3-1956, #4-1952, #8-1953)

Receptions (#7-1957)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1952, #8-1956)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1952, #6-1953,1956,1957)

Yards per Touch (#2-1952, #3-1957, #5-1956, #8-1953, #10-1958,1961)

After a great college career in which he set numerous records at Washington, Hugh McElhenny was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 1952 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

McElhenny was an all-around player throughout his career. He was a good rusher, but he also caught a lot of passes, and was one of the top kick returners in the league. As a rookie, he led the league with 7.0 yards per carry, which is the 11th-best average of all time, and had over 1000 scrimmage yards as he was named to the All-Pro First Team.

His production dropped to 4.5 yards per carry in his second season, but he was still named to the All-Pro First Team, then he started off the 1954 season very strong, leading the league with 515 rushing yards and 8.0 yards per carry through 6 games, when he went down with a separated shoulder that ended his season. Even though he missed half of the season, he still received an MVP vote.

His return from injury was not smooth, as he gained only 3.6 yards per carry in 1955, finishing the season with only 327 rushing yards. He was finally back at full health in 1956, when he set a career high with 916 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, as well as 1109 scrimmage yards, which got him onto the All-Pro Second Team.

He made his only playoff appearance as a 49er in 1957, rushing for 82 yards and gaining 96 through the air against the Lions, but San Francisco lost the game in spite of McElhenny's performance. He made a 5th Pro Bowl appearance in 1958, but injuries slowed him for the 2 years after that, and he was made available for the 1961 Expansion Draft, where he was picked by the Minnesota Vikings.

In his first season with Minnesota, he rushed for 570 yards and gained 283 through the air, which earned him a 6th Pro Bowl berth. At that point his age finally started to catch up to him, and he played one more year with Minnesota, followed by one each with the Giants and Lions, before retiring after the 1964 season.

When he retired, McElhenny was #3 in history in all-purpose yards, and he is currently #24 on the all-time list for yards per carry, the category where he led the league as a rookie and was on pace to lead it again in his third season before his shoulder injury. He was voted into the Pro Bowl 6 times, and into the Hall of Fame in 1970, and 60 years after his retirement is still one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #28: Paul Lowe

Paul Lowe

Teams

Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (1960-1968)

Kansas City Chiefs (1968-1969)

Playoffs

Appearances - 7 (1960,1961,1963,1964,1965,1968,1969)

Conf Champ Games - 6 (1960,1961,1963,1964,1965,1969)

Championship Games/Super Bowls - 6 (1960,1961,1963,1964,1965,1969)

Championships - 2 (1963,1969)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 2 (1960,1965)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1963)

Pro Bowl - 2 (1963,1965)

AFL Player of the Year - 1 (1965)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #16

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1965, #2-1960,1963, #4-1961, #7-1966)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1961,1965, #2-1960,1963)

Yards per Rush (#1-1960,1965, #2-1963, #4-1961, #6-1966, #8-1964)

Rushing Yards per Game (#1-1965, #2-1960,1963, #4-1961, #7-1966, #9-1964)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1963, #6-1960,1961, #7-1965)

Scrimmage Yards (#4-1960,1963,1965, #10-1961)

Yards per Touch (#2-1960, #5-1963, #8-1965, #9-1961)

Paul Lowe was a backup quarterback at Oregon State as a sophomore, but had to sit out his junior year due to grades, then was moved to running back as a senior, but gained only 162 yards on the season and went undrafted in the 1959 NFL Draft. When the AFL started in 1960, he tried out and made the Los Angeles Chargers roster.

As a rookie, he gained 855 rushing yards, #2 in the league, and led the league with 6.3 yards per carry, which earned him All-AFL First Team honors. The Chargers played in the initial AFL Championship Game, and Lowe rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in their 24-16 loss to the Oilers.

 He ended up rushing for only 767 yards in his second season, but he did lead the league with 9 rushing touchdowns on the season. The Chargers had a rematch with Houston in the championship game, but Lowe was held to 30 yards, and the Oilers won 10-3.

A broken arm caused him to miss the entire 1962 season, but he came back strong in 1963, rushing for 1010 yards with 8 touchdowns on 5.7 yards per carry, which earned him the Comeback Player of the Year Award. After the Chargers missed the playoffs with Lowe out, they made the championship game again in 1963, and Lowe's 94 yards and a touchdown contributed to a blowout 51-10 victory over the Patriots.

He played through injuries in 1964, but was limited to only 496 yards. When healthy again in 1965, he was named AFL Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year as he led the league with 1121 yards, breaking the league record, and also led the league with 5.0 yards per carry and 6 touchdowns. 

His production dropped to 643 yards in 1966, then 71 in 1967, and the Chargers released him after the first game of the 1968 season. He signed with Kansas City, but separated his shoulder on his first carry for the team. He came back in 1969, but gained only 33 yards before being forced to retire by an ulcer. The Chiefs went on to win that season's Super Bowl, and the team awarded him a ring.

Lowe played in the AFL for his entire career, and ended up #2 in the league's history in rushing yards, and his 4.9 yards per carry are the AFL record, and #16 among all players in AFL or NFL history. He helped the Chargers reach 5 AFL Championship games, and was a big part of the one they won. He was always among the league leaders in multiple rushing categories when he was healthy, and he should be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #29: Franco Harris

Franco Harris

Teams

Pittsburgh Steelers (1972-1983)

Seattle Seahawks (1984)

Playoffs

Appearances - 11 (1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1982,1983,1984)

Conf Champ Games - 6 (1972,1974,1975,1976,1978,1979)

Super Bowls - 4 (1974,1975,1978,1979)

Championships - 4 (1974,1975,1978,1979)

Awards and Honors

Offensive Rookie of the Year - 1972

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1977)

All-Pro Second Team - 2 (1972,1975)

Pro Bowl - 9 (1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980)

Super Bowl MVP - 1 (1974)

Hall of Fame - 1990

All-Time Ranks

Rushing Touchdowns - #11

Rushing Yards - #15

Total Touchdowns - #23

Scrimmage Yards - #31

Rushing Yards per Game - #42

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-1975, #4-1977, #5-1974, #6-1972, #7-1976,1978, #8-1979, #9-1982)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1976, #3-1972,1977, #6-1975,1979, #9-1978)

Yards per Rush (#2-1972, #4-1974, #5-1975, #9-1982)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1975, #3-1974, #4-1977, #6-1979, #8-1972,1976,1978)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1976, #4-1977, #7-1972, #8-1975,1979)

Scrimmage Yards (#4-1975, #8-1974, #9-1977, #10-1979)

Yards per Touch (#6-1972, #9-1974)

During his 3 seasons at Penn State, Franco Harris was used mostly as a blocking back, never gaining 700 rushing yards in a season, but he was still drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft.

Harris was named the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1972 after rushing for 1055 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry, which was #2 in the league. Pittsburgh made the playoffs that year for the second time in their history, and they got their first-ever playoff win when Harris caught the "Immaculate Reception," which gave them an upset win over the Raiders.

Harris was switched to fullback after his amazing rookie season, and there was an adjustment period. He gained only 698 yards in his second season, and only earned 3.7 yards per carry. He figured it out by 1974, when he gained 1006 yards and got 4.8 yards per carry, putting him back among the best backs in the league.

Harris helped lead the Steelers to their first-ever Super Bowl that year, and he was named the game's MVP after rushing for 158 yards and a touchdown as Pittsburgh beat Minnesota 16-6. He gained more yards by himself than the entire Vikings team, and had nearly half of Pittsburgh's total yards in the game.

He set a career-high with 1246 rushing yards in 1975, and also scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, while leading the Steelers to the Super Bowl again. He rushed for 82 yards in the championship game as the Steelers repeated as champions, defeating the Cowboys 21-17.

In 1976, Harris set a career-high and led the league by scoring 14 rushing touchdowns, but his per carry average dropped down to 3.9, and it would remain around that level for the rest of his career. The Steelers fell one game short of the Super Bowl that year, stopping them from becoming the first team every to win 3 in a row.

He was named to the All-Pro First Team in 1977 for the only time in his career, but his efficiency continued to drop. He averaged only 3.5 yards per carry in 1978, but when the Super Bowl rolled around, he gained 68 yards and scored a touchdown as the Steelers beat Dallas again, this time 35-31.

In 1979, the Steelers won their 4th Super Bowl in 6 years, and though Harris only gained 46 yards on 20 carries, he scored 2 touchdowns, and Pittsburgh was victorious over the Rams 31-19. Over the next 3 seasons, his rushing totals dropped off, and he failed to reach 1000 yards in any of those seasons, but in 1983, with the all-time rushing record starting to come into sight, he racked up 1007 yards on only 3.6 yards per carry.

After that season, he asked for another contract so that he could try to break Jim Brown's all-time rushing mark with the Steelers, but they could see that he was on the downside of his career, and he instead signed with the Seahawks. He played only 8 games for Seattle and gained only 170 before retiring short of the mark.

Early in his career, Harris was a very efficient back who was a big part of 2 champions. Later, he became a back who ate up a lot of yards slowly, and helped his team win 2 more titles. He only led the league in any category once, touchdowns in 1976, but he won a Super Bowl MVP, and is still #15 in all-time rushing yards 40 years after his retirement, and he is definitely one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #30: Charlie Garner

Charlie Garner

Teams

Philadelphia Eagles (1994-1998)

San Francisco 49ers (1999-2000)

Oakland Raiders (2001-2003)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1995,1996,2001,2002)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (2002)

Super Bowls - 1 (2002)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 1 (2000)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #35

Rushing Yards - #66

Scrimmage Yards - #93

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#8-1999)

Yards per Rush (#1-1995, #4-1999,2002, #6-1997, #10-2003)

Receptions (#10-2002)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-1999, #5-2002, #6-2000)

Yards per Touch (#6-1997, #7-1999,2002)

As a senior at Tennessee, Charlie Garner averaged 7.3 yards per carry, finishing the year with 1161 rushing yards, and then was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft.

Garner played with the Eagles for 5 seasons, starting at fullback as a rookie, then serving as a backup running back for the rest of his time with the team. In his second season, he led the entire league in yards per carry, with 5.4 yards each time he took the ball, and he also had 588 rushing yards that season, the most during his time with Philly.

After his time with the Eagles ended, he signed with San Francisco, where he became the team's starting running back. In his first season with the team, he rushed for 1229 yards, more than double his previous career high, and he did it while still gaining 5.1 yards per carry. He also became a receiving threat for the first time in his career, grabbing 56 passes for 535 yards, which gave him 1764 scrimmage yards, third-best in the league for the 1999 season.

He followed up that season with another very solid year, with 1142 yards on the ground and 7 touchdowns, a career best, plus another 647 yards through the air, putting him at 1789 from scrimmage. He was also named to his first and only Pro Bowl that season.

After a good 2-year run in San Francisco, he crossed the bay to play for the Raiders. In his second season with Oakland, he rushed for 962 yards and 7 touchdowns while catching 91 passes for 941 yards and 4 touchdowns, giving him 1903 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns, and the best season of his career at age 30. The Raiders made it all the way to the Super Bowl that year, but Garner was held to 10 rushing yards in the championship game, and they fell to the Buccaneers 48-21.

He played one more year with the Raiders, but his production dropped to only 553 yards on the season, and he left after that season to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in only 3 games before a knee injury sidelined him, and he was released by the team before the 2005 season, ending his career.

Garner was only among the leaders in rushing yards once in his career, but he was frequently among the leaders in yards per carry, and was one of the best receiving running backs later in his career, which put him near the top of the league in scrimmage yards several times. He was only voted to one Pro Bowl, but he probably deserved a few more, but at least he gets a spot here among the greatest to ever play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #31: Greg Pruitt

Greg Pruitt

Teams

Cleveland Browns (1973-1981)

Los Angeles Raiders (1982-1984)

Playoffs

Appearances - 4 (1980,1982,1983,1984)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1983)

Super Bowls - 1 (1983)

Championships - 1 (1983)

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 5 (1973,1974,1976,1977,1983)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #24

Yards per Touch - #90

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#6-1975, #7-1977)

Rushing Touchdowns (#10-1975)

Yards per Rush (#2-1978, #3-1975, #5-1976, #6-1977, #9-1974)

Rushing Yards per Game (#5-1978, #6-1975, #8-1977)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-1977, #7-1975, #9-1976)

Yards per Touch (#4-1974,1978, #5-1977, #10-1975)

After finishing #3 in the Heisman voting as a junior, then #2 as a senior, Greg Pruitt was drafted in the second round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Pruitt was used mostly as a kick returner in his first two seasons, but took over as the starting running back for Cleveland midway through 1974. He made the Pro Bowl as a kick returner in each of his first two seasons, but in his first full season as a starter, he missed the Pro Bowl, even though he gained 1067 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground with 4.9 yards per carry.

Pruitt reached the 1000-yard mark in each of the next 2 seasons as well, and was also voted to the Pro Bowl in each. In 1977, he also gained 471 yards receiving, which put him at 1557 scrimmage yards, which put him at #3 in the entire NFL for that season. 

He remained the team's starter until 1979, when he started to miss more time due to injury, and he saw a reduced role in his final two seasons with Cleveland. After the 1981 season, he was traded to the Raiders in exchange for an 11th-round draft pick.

In Los Angeles, he was used mostly as a kick returner, and in 1983, he led the league in punt returns, punt return touchdowns, and punt return yards, in which he set a record with 666 on the season. He was named to his 5th Pro Bowl, and the Raiders reached the Super Bowl that season, the only time he would experience a deep playoff run in his career, and it resulted in a championship ring.

After the 1984 season, in which he didn't gain any rushing yards, he retired from the league. He made the Pro Bowl 5 times in his career, surpassed 1000 yards rushing 3 times, and is among the top 25 all-time in yards per carry. He is not remembered by many fans today, but he was a great player, and deserves his spot on this list.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #32: Freeman McNeil

Freeman McNeil

Teams

New York Jets (1981-1992)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1981,1982,1985,1986,1991)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1982)

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1982)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1982,1984,1985)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #49

Rushing Yards - #53

Scrimmage Yards - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#1-1982, #5-1985)

Rushing Touchdowns (#8-1982)

Yards per Rush (#1-1982, #6-1987, #7-1984)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1982, #4-1985, #5-1984, #8-1986)

Total Touchdowns (#9-1982)

Scrimmage Yards (#5-1982,1985)

Yards per Touch (#4-1982, #5-1989, #6-1990)

After consecutive seasons of over 1000 rushing yards at UCLA, and an average of more than 5 yards per carry in all 4 seasons, Freeman McNeil was drafted by the New York Jets with the #3 overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.

McNeil had a solid rookie season, gaining 623 yards on the ground, but it was in his second year that he really made his mark. The season was shortened to 9 games due to a strike, and McNeil led the league with 786 rushing yards, and also with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. He was great in the playoffs, with 202 yards and a touchdown in the wild card game, and 101 yards in the divisional round, before being held to 46 yards in the AFC Title Game. He made the All-Pro First Team for the only time in his career that season, and he was by far the best back in the league that year.

He missed half of the next season with injuries, and when he did get on the field, he only gained 4.1 yards per carry, far below his league-leading level in 1982. He came back strong in the next 2 seasons, gaining 1070 rushing yards in 1984 and 1331 in 1985, with 1758 scrimmage yards total in 1985. He made the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons, bringing his career total to 3.

McNeil remained the Jets starter for 3 more seasons, with varying levels of success. He had 944 rushing yards in 1988, after finishing with only 530 the year before. He stayed with the Jets for 4 more seasons, mostly in a backup role, and by the time he retired, he was the Jets all-time rushing leader, and he now sits behind only Curtis Martin on the franchise list.

McNeil didn't pile up big numbers in most seasons, but he was always efficient, gaining at least 4 yards per carry in all 12 of his NFL seasons. His 1982 season was completely dominant, and he nearly got the Jets to the Super Bowl, something that hasn't happened in over 50 years now. He's inside the top 50 all-time in yards per carry, and just outside the top 50 in rushing yards, but he maintained his solid play for so long that he belongs on this list of the all-time greats.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #33: Ernie Caddel

Ernie Caddel

Teams

Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions (1933-1938)

Playoffs

Appearances - 1 (1935)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1935)

Champ Games - 1 (1935)

Championships - 1 (1935)

Awards and Honors

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-1935, #5-1934, #6-1936, #8-1937)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1935, #4-1937, #5-1936, #9-1934)

Yards per Rush (#1-1935,1936,1937, #5-1933, #6-1934)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1935, #5-1936, #6-1934, #9-1937)

Receptions (#3-1936)

Receiving Touchdowns (#1-1933)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1935, #6-1933,1936, #7-1934)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1935, #3-1936, #4-1934, #8-1937)

Yards per Touch (#1-1935,1936,1937, #2-1933, #4-1934)

Ernie Caddel went to Stanford on a baseball scholarship, but drew the attention of football coach Pop Warner and was persuaded to play both. He broke 2 ribs during a game in his senior year, which prevented him from playing baseball and cost him his scholarship, so he signed with the Portsmouth Spartans of the NFL to play football.

His very first professional carry resulted in an 82 yard touchdown, and he finished his rookie season as the league leader in receiving touchdowns, though he only caught 3. He followed the Spartans to Detroit in 1934, when they became the Lions, and in 1935 had his best pro season.

In 1935, he led the league with 6 rushing touchdowns, 621 scrimmage yards, 5.2 yards per rush, and 6.4 yards per touch. Along with Dutch Clark, he led the Lions to the championship game, where he gained 62 yards and scored a touchdowns in the Lions 26-7 win over the Giants.

He followed up that championship with an amazing 6.4 yards per carry in 1936, which once again led the league, along with 6.6 yards per touch, also best in the NFL. He raised his scrimmage yards to a career-best 730, but finished 3rd in the league in that category. He also finished 3rd in receptions, the second time he had been near the top of the league catching the ball. 

He led the league in both yards per carry and yards per touch for the third year in a row in 1937, but injuries caught up to him, and he played only 7 games in 1938 before retiring from football at age 27. 

He had a short career, only 6 seasons, but led the league 3 straight times in yards per carry and yards per touch, while also leading the league once each in scrimmage yards, rushing touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, and total touchdowns. He was a big part of Detroit's first championship, and though still not in the Hall of Fame, deserves to be remembered as one of the greats.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #34: Dutch Clark

Dutch Clark

Teams

Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions (1931-1932,1934-1938)

Playoffs

Appearances - 1 (1935)

Conf Champ Games - 1 (1935)

Champ Games - 1 (1935)

Championships - 1 (1935)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 6 (1931,1932,1934,1935,1936,1937)

Hall of Fame - 1963

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Passing Yards (#4-1934, #6-1932,1936)

Passing Touchdowns (#3-1936, #6-1932,1935)

Passing Yards per Game (#4-1934, #6-1932,1936)

Rushing Yards (#3-1934,1936, #4-1932,1935,1937)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1934,1936,1937, #2-1932,1935)

Yards per Rush (#2-1934,1936,1937, #4-1935, #8-1932)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1932,1934, #6-1935,1936,1937)

Receptions (#7-1932)

Receiving Touchdowns (#3-1932, #8-1935)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1935, #2-1932,1934,1936, #4-1937)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1934,1935, #3-1932, #5-1936, #10-1937)

Yards per Touch (#3-1934,1936,1937, #4-1935, #8-1932)

Dutch Clark was a 4-sport athlete at Colorado College, graduating in 1930, after which he stayed at the school as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. After 1 year, he took a leave of absence to join the Portsmouth Spartans of the NFL.

Individual yardage statistics were not recorded during Clark's rookie season, but he scored 9 rushing touchdowns on the season and led the Spartans to a second-place finish in the league. He was #1 in the league in touchdowns when he left the team to return to his college basketball coaching job, but was still named First Team All-Pro.

His second season was much like his first, with All-Pro First Team honors, a winning record with the Spartans, and leaving the team early to return to his coaching job. After the 1932 season, he decided to quit playing and focus on coaching full-time.

While he was away, the Spartans moved to Detroit and became the Lions, and they convinced him to return to the team in 1934. He had his best overall season, finishing third in rushing yards, 4th in passing yards, and first in the league in touchdowns, once again gaining All-Pro honors. 

He returned in 1935, and led the league with 6 total touchdowns, leading the Lions all the way to the championship game for the first time. In that game, he rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, and also kicked an extra point as the Lions beat the Giants 26-7.

In 1936 and 1937, he again led the league in rushing touchdowns and made the All-Pro First Team, which made 6 straight seasons to start his career. At that point, he retired as a player and was hired as the team's coach. He ended up playing in 6 games in 1938 as an emergency backup, rushing for 25 yards. 

After that season, he left the Lions to join the Cleveland Rams as head coach, still intending to play in a limited role, but the league ruled that the Lions still held his playing rights, so he spent the next 4 seasons coaching the Rams, and never played another game.

In his 6 full seasons as a player, Clark was named to the All-Pro Team every season, and led the league in either rushing touchdowns or total touchdowns 4 times. He also won a championship for the Lions, the first in their history, and was also frequently among the league leaders in passing and kicking throughout his career. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in the first group ever elected, and needs to be part of the list of the greatest runners of all time.