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.