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 - #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 - #67: Timmy Brown

Timmy Brown

Teams

Green Bay Packers (1959)

Philadelphia Eagles (1960-1967)

Baltimore Colts (1968)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1960,1968)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1960,1968)

Champ Games/Super Bowls - 2 (1960,1968)

Championships - 1 (1960)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1965)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1962,1963,1965)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Touch - #63

Yards per Rush - #86

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#3-1963,1965)

Rushing Touchdowns (#5-1963,1965, #10-1964)

Yards per Rush (#1-1965, #8-1963)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1965, #4-1963)

Receptions (#10-1965)

Total Touchdowns (#4-1964, #5-1962,1963, #9-1965)

Scrimmage Yards (#2-1965, #3-1962,1963)

Yards per Touch (#1-1962,1965, #5-1963, #7-1964)

After graduating from Ball State, Timmy Brown was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 27th round of the 1959 NFL Draft, but he only appeared in one game for them during his rookie season, and did not record any statistics before being released.

Brown was picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles at the start of the 1960 season, and mostly returned kicks for Philadelphia during his first couple of seasons with the team, including in the team's championship win over his former team, the Packers. 

In 1961 he led the league in kick return yards, including a 105 yard return for touchdown, and it earned him the starting running back role in 1962. That year he led the league in yards per touch with 7.4, finished third in the league in scrimmage yards with 1394, and scored 11 touchdowns, all of which got him to his first Pro Bowl.

His 1963 season was pretty close to the previous year, and he even led the league in return yardage again, then he missed several games in 1964, but he returned at full strength in 1965, when he set a career high with 861 rushing yards, led the league in yards per carry with 5.4, and in yards per touch for the second time, again with 7.4. It was definitely his best season, and it earned him a 3rd trip to the Pro Bowl and his only appearance on an All-Pro Team.

His drop off started in 1966, when his yards per carry plummeted to 3.4, and after a subpar season in 1967, he was released by the Eagles. He joined the Baltimore Colts as a backup running back for the 1968 season, and scored a touchdown in the NFL title game, which earned them a trip to Super Bowl III, where they fell to the New York Jets of the AFL, after which Brown retired to pursue a career in acting.

Brown was very good in all the roles he was put into. He was one of the top receiving running backs throughout his career, which helped him finish in the top 3 in scrimmage yards 3 times, and he led the league in yards per touch twice. He was also a great kick returner, leading the league twice in yardage and taking 5 back for touchdowns, and he should be remembered as one of the all-time greats.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #81: Chet Mutryn

Chet Mutryn

Teams

Buffalo Bisons/Bills (1946-1949)

Baltimore Colts (1950)

Playoffs

Appearances - 2 (1948,1949)

Conf Champ Games - 2 (1948,1949)

Champ Games - 1 (1948)

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 1 (1949)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1948)

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-1949, #3-1948, #4-1947)

Rushing Touchdowns (#1-1948, #2-1947, #3-1949)

Yards per Rush (#2-1947, #3-1949, #5-1948)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1949, #4-1947,1948)

Receptions (#7-1948, #9-1949)

Receiving Yards (#4-1948)

Receiving Touchdowns (#10-1946,1948)

Yards per Reception (#1-1948)

Receiving Yards per Game (#5-1948)

Total Touchdowns (#1-1948, #2-1947)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1948,1949, #5-1947)

Yards per Touch (#2-1948, #5-1947,1949)

After 3 years at Xavier where he was the team's leading scorer, Chet Mutryn was drafted in the 20th round of the NFL Draft by the Philadelphia/Pittsburgh Steagles, which had combined teams temporarily due to World War II causing player shortages. Mutryn decided instead to join the Navy and fight in World War II.

After the war, he signed with the Buffalo Bisons of the AAFC, where he played sparingly as a rookie in 1946. In 1947, he really started to show signs of stardom. He rushed for 868 yards and 9 touchdowns that year, finishing in the top 5 of every rushing category.

The recognition finally came in 1948, when he led the league with 10 rushing touchdowns, 1617 scrimmage yards, and 20.4 yards per reception, and he was named to the All-Pro Second Team as a result. He and the Bills also advanced to the AAFC Championship Game that season, but Mutryn gained only 13 total yards in that game as the Browns demolished them 49-7.

He led the league in scrimmage yards again the next season, though his other stats dipped a bit, but he was still named to the All-Pro First Team. They had a rematch with Cleveland with a trip to the championship on the line, and he performed better this time, with 105 total yards and 2 touchdowns, but they still fell 31-21.

The Bills folded after that season, and Mutryn was transferred to the Baltimore Colts. His performance there was far below his previous standard, with only 3.3 yards per carry one year after averaging 5.3. The Colts folded after that season, and Mutryn was drafted in the first round by Philadelphia in the offseason, but decided to retire instead.

Mutryn only played 5 seasons of pro football, but in 3 of those seasons, he was in the top 5 in every rushing category. He twice led the league in scrimmage yards, and scored 15 total touchdowns in 14 games in 1948. His is just another example of a short but sweet career for an all-time great.

Top 50 NFL Quarterbacks: #20 - Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas is often remembered as one of the greatest passers of all time, leading the league in many different categories multiple times, but he also struggled to get his team to the playoffs for much of his career, which contributed to him just barely making the top 20.

He was drafted in 1955 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 9th round, but was cut before the season began, and instead spent what would have been his rookie year working in a steel mill. He signed on with the Baltimore Colts in 1956, and even started 7 games in his rookie year.

In his second season, he led the entire league in passing yards and touchdowns, getting 2550 yards and 24 TD's, but the Colts missed the championship by a game. He led the league in touchdowns again in 1958, but this time they ended up in first place and got to play the Giants for the title. They won that game 23-17 in overtime behind Unitas' 349 yards in the very first overtime game in league history, and Johnny U went from being cut to winning a championship in just 3 seasons.

He followed up that championship performance with the best season of his career, leading the league with 2899 yards and 32 touchdowns and winning the league MVP award while taking Baltimore back to the title game. He threw 264 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game as they repeated as champions by beating the Giants again.

In 1960 he led the league in passing yards and touchdowns again, but set a new career high in interceptions while setting a new career low for winning percentage, with a final record of 6-6, ending his chance at a 3-peat. His overall production continued to drop for the next couple seasons, with his interceptions remaining high, and the Colts could not get back to the title game.

Things finally came together for him again in 1964, when he was able to drop his interceptions to a career-low of 6, and the Colts finished at 12-2 and made it back to the title game after a four year absence. Although he won his second MVP during the regular season, he didn't play like it in the championship, throwing only 95 yards and 2 interceptions as the Colts were shut out by the Browns 27-0.

In 1967 he led the league in completion percentage and nearly set a career high in passing yards, finishing at 3428, but the Colts missed the playoffs due to losing a tiebreaker to the Rams, even though the two were tied for the league's best record. He was rewarded for his efforts with his 3rd MVP award, but no third title.

The next year he injured his throwing shoulder in the preseason, which led to Earl Morrall taking over the starting job, which he did to near perfection, taking Baltimore to a 13-1 record and winning the MVP. He also led them all the way to the Super Bowl, but when he struggled in the title game, Unitas came in and led the team to its lone touchdown, although it wasn't enough to beat the Jets.

Unitas started struggling with interceptions again the next season, tossing 20 of them with only 12 touchdowns, and the Colts missed the playoffs after the Super Bowl loss. He had one last hurrah in 1970, when he led Baltimore to the top record in the AFC and back to the Super Bowl, where he threw a touchdown before getting hurt early in the game. Earl Morrall came in and led them to a comeback victory, but Unitas still got his Super Bowl win.

He lost his starting job after that game, and though he hung around for 3 more years, he didn't have much left. In all, he won 3 titles in his career, 1 Super Bowl and 2 NFL titles. He also won three MVP awards and led the league in passing 4 times, but he also made the playoffs only 6 times in an 18 year career. His team's best season came in the year that he was out with an injury, but there is no denying that he was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Top 50 NFL Quarterbacks: #44 - Y. A. Tittle

Y. A. Tittle

Yelberton Abraham Tittle is the full name of the quarterback who is often named as one of the early greats, but he was always known as Y.A. for obvious reasons. He retired over 50 years ago, so it's actually somewhat impressive that his career still stands up to many of today's offensive-minded quarterbacks.

He began his career with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC, a short-lived league that was absorbed into the NFL after Tittle's second year. One year later, the team folded, and Tittle and his teammates were thrown back into the draft to be dispersed among the remaining teams, and Tittle ended up being picked up by San Francisco.

He spend the entire decade of the 1950's in San Francisco, starting most of the games for a team that was almost always in the middle of the pack in the Western Division, back in the days before playoffs existed and you had to win your division to play in the championship game. During his 10 years leading the 49ers, they tied for the division lead once, which put them in a one-game playoff with Detroit, who beat them to advance to the title game.

The 49ers felt that he was washed up, so he was traded to the New York Giants prior to the 1961 season, and he most likely wouldn't be on this list if that hadn't happened. Despite playing only four seasons in New York before retiring, Tittle amassed some amazing numbers that made him one of the greats. He was named MVP in 1961, 1962, and 1963, leading the Giants to the Eastern Division title each time, but losing in the championship game all three times, twice to Green Bay and once to Chicago.

Even though he did not win a championship during his career, or even a playoff game, his passing prowess was amazing. In 1962 he threw for 3224 yards and 33 touchdowns, 4 more than any other quarterback that season and a new record. The following season was even better, with 3145 yards and another NFL-record 36 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions.

He is one of the quarterbacks who holds the record for most touchdowns in a game with 7, and was the league leader in touchdowns three times, and his great play in those two seasons at the end of his career were enough to push him over the edge and get him included on this list of the greatest of all time.

Top 50 NFL Quarterbacks: #12 - Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas

Johnny Unitas is often remembered as one of the greatest passers of all time, leading the league in many different categories multiple times, but he also struggled to get his team to the playoffs for much of his career, which contributed to him just barely missing the top 10.

He was drafted in 1955 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 9th round, but was cut before the season began, and instead spent what would have been his rookie year working in a steel mill. He signed on with the Baltimore Colts in 1956, and even started 7 games in his rookie year.

In his second season, he led the entire league in passing yards and touchdowns, getting 2550 yards and 24 TD's, but the Colts missed the championship by a game. He led the league in touchdowns again in 1958, but this time they ended up in first place and got to play the Giants for the title. They won that game 23-17 in overtime behind Unitas' 349 yards in the very first overtime game in league history, and Johnny U went from being cut to winning a championship in just 3 seasons.

He followed up that championship performance with the best season of his career, leading the league with 2899 yards and 32 touchdowns and winning the league MVP award while taking Baltimore back to the title game. He threw 264 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game as they repeated as champions by beating the Giants again.

In 1960 he led the league in passing yards and touchdowns again, but set a new career high in interceptions while setting a new career low for winning percentage, with a final record of 6-6, ending his chance at a 3-peat. His overall production continued to drop for the next couple seasons, with his interceptions remaining high, and the Colts could not get back to the title game.

Things finally came together for him again in 1964, when he was able to drop his interceptions to a career-low of 6, and the Colts finished at 12-2 and made it back to the title game after a four year absence. Although he won his second MVP during the regular season, he didn't play like it in the championship, throwing only 95 yards and 2 interceptions as the Colts were shut out by the Browns 27-0.

In 1967 he led the league in completion percentage and nearly set a career high in passing yards, finishing at 3428, but the Colts missed the playoffs due to losing a tiebreaker to the Rams, even though the two were tied for the league's best record. He was rewarded for his efforts with his 3rd MVP award, but no third title.

The next year he injured his throwing shoulder in the preseason, which led to Earl Morrall taking over the starting job, which he did to near perfection, taking Baltimore to a 13-1 record and winning the MVP. He also led them all the way to the Super Bowl, but when he struggled in the title game, Unitas came in and led the team to its lone touchdown, although it wasn't enough to beat the Jets.

Unitas started struggling with interceptions again the next season, tossing 20 of them with only 12 touchdowns, and the Colts missed the playoffs after the Super Bowl loss. He had one last hurrah in 1970, when he led Baltimore to the top record in the AFC and back to the Super Bowl, where he threw a touchdown before getting hurt early in the game. Earl Morrall came in and led them to a comeback victory, but he still got his Super Bowl win.

He lost his starting job after that game, and though he hung around for 3 more years, he didn't have much left. In all, he won 3 titles in his career, 1 Super Bowl and 2 NFL titles. He also won three MVP awards and led the league in passing 4 times, but he also made the playoffs only 6 times in an 18 year career. His team's best season came in the year that he was out with an injury, but there is no denying that he was a great QB, just not quite great enough to be in the top 10.

Top 50 NFL Quarterbacks: #47

Y.A. Tittle

Yelberton Abraham Tittle is the full name of a quarterback who is often named as one of the early greats, but Y.A. barely made it into my top 50. He retired over 50 years ago, so it's actually somewhat impressive that his career still stands up to many of today's offensive-minded quarterbacks.

He began his career with the Baltimore Colts of the AAFC, a short-lived league that was absorbed into the NFL after Tittle's second year. One year later, then team folded, and Tittle and his teammates were thrown back into the draft to be dispersed among the remaining teams, and Tittle ended up being picked up by San Francisco.

He spend the entire decade of the 1950's in San Francisco, starting most of the games for a team that was almost always in the middle of the pack in the Western Division, back in the days before playoffs existed and you had to win your division to play in the championship game. During his 10 years leading the 49ers, they tied for the division lead once, which put them in a one-game playoff with Detroit, who beat them to advance to the title game.

He was traded to the New York Giants prior to the 1961 season, and he most likely wouldn't be on this list if that hadn't happened. Despite playing only four seasons in New York before retiring, Tittle amassed some amazing numbers that made him one of the greats. He was named MVP in 1961, 1962, and 1963, leading the Giants to the Eastern Division title each time, but losing in the championship game all three times, twice to Green Bay and once to Chicago.

Even though he did not win a championship during his career, or even a playoff game, his passing prowess was amazing. In 1962 he threw for 3224 yards and 33 touchdowns, 4 more than any other quarterback that season. The following season was even better, with 3145 yards and an NFL-record 36 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions.

He is the second quarterback in a row to make this list without earning any credit for playoff performance, but his great play in those two season in particular were enough to get him included on the list of the greatest of all time.