Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #46: Ollie Matson

Ollie Matson

Teams

Chicago Cardinals (1952-1958)

Los Angeles Rams (1959-1962)

Detroit Lions (1963)

Philadelphia Eagles (1964-1966)

Playoffs

Appearances - 0

Conf Champ Games - 0

Champ Games - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

All-Pro First Team - 5 (1952,1954,1955,1956,1957)

Pro Bowl - 6 (1952,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958)

Hall of Fame - 1972

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Rush - #64

Yards per Touch - #72

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#2-1956, #3-1959, #6-1957, #10-1954,1958)

Rushing Touchdowns (#3-1957, #7-1959, #9-1956, #10-1952,1958)

Yards per Rush (#3-1959, #5-1956, #7-1954, #8-1957)

Rushing Yards per Game (#2-1956, #3-1959, #7-1957)

Yards per Reception (#6-1961, #10-1954)

Total Touchdowns (#3-1957, #4-1958, #5-1954, #6-1952, #8-1956)

Scrimmage Yards (#3-1957, #4-1954, #5-1956, #8-1958, #9-1959)

Yards per Touch (#2-1954, #3-1957, #6-1956, #7-1964, #8-1959, #9-1955,1958)

As a senior at the University of San Francisco, Ollie Matson led the entire nation in rushing yards and touchdowns, and led the Dons to an undefeated season, and he was then drafted #3 overall by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1952 NFL Draft. Before joining the Cardinals, Matson represented the USA in the Olympics, winning a silver and bronze medal in track events.

During his time with the Cardinals, Matson moved around between running back, wide receiver, and kick returner, and his play in all of these areas combined earned him 5 straight All-Pro First Team spots. He missed his entire second season due to serving in the Army, but didn't miss a beat when he returned.

In 1954,1956, and 1957, he gained over 1000 yards from scrimmage, and he gained at least 1200 all-purpose yards in each of his first 7 seasons. He led the league in kick return touchdowns 3 times, and punt return touchdowns twice, but he was also a very solid running back at the same time.

The 1954 season was his best, with 506 yards on the ground, 611 through the air (a career-best), and 449 on kick returns. He tied with Otto Graham for second in the MVP voting that year, behind Joe Perry of the 49ers. After 6 seasons with the Cardinals, Matson was traded to the Rams for 9 players.

He had one of his best seasons in that first year in Los Angeles. He gained 863 yards on the ground and scored 6 touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, but failed to make the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. He played 3 more seasons with the Rams, but was used less and less as he entered his thirties. He later finished his career with one season in Detroit and 3 with the Eagles.

When Matson retired, he was #2 on the all-time list for all-purpose yardage, behind only Jim Brown. He had gained over 5000 yards rushing, and over 3000 each receiving and returning kicks. He never made the playoffs in his career, despite playing 14 seasons, but was named to 6 Pro Bowls and 5 All-Pro Teams, and needs to be remembered as one of the greatest of all time.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #64: Ward Cuff

Ward Cuff

Teams

New York Giants (1937-1945)

Chicago Cardinals (1946)

Green Bay Packers (1947)

Playoffs

Appearances - 5 (1938,1939,1941,1943,1944)

Con Champ Games - 5 (1938,1939,1941,1943,1944)

Champ Games - 4 (1938,1939,1941,1944)

Championships - 1 (1938)

Awards and Honors

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1943)

Pro Bowl - 3 (1938,1939,1941)

All-Time Ranks

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#4-1943, #7-1944)

Rushing Touchdowns (#6-1943, #7-1937)

Yards per Rush (#1-1943,1944)

Rushing Yards per Game (#4-1943, #7-1944)

Receptions (#9-1941)

Receiving Yards (#5-1941)

Receiving Touchdowns (#8-1941)

Receiving Yards per Game (#6-1941)

Total Touchdowns (#10-1937)

Scrimmage Yards (#6-1941,1943, #9-1944)

Yards per Touch (#4-1944, #6-1943)

After playing fullback at Marquette and playing in the first ever Cotton Bowl, Ward Cuff was drafted by the New York Giants in the 4th round of the 1937 NFL Draft.

In his first 4 seasons, Cuff was used mainly as a placekicker, leading the league in scoring during his second season, with the most extra points and field goals of any player. The Giants won the championship that season, with Cuff losing 12 yards on the ground, but scoring on a field goal and 2 extra points in the 23-17 victory over the Packers.

He was used more in the backfield over the next couple of seasons, but he really broke out in 1943, when he led the league with 6.5 yards per carry while finishing 4th in rushing yards. He led the league in yards per carry again in 1944, this time with 5.6 yards each time he got the ball. He led the Giants to the playoffs in both of those seasons, but fell short of a title each time, though he had 80 yards and a touchdown in the title game in 1944.

He played one more season with the Giants, then he was traded to the Chicago Cardinals before the 1946 season, where he was back to mostly playing kicker. He then moved on to the Green Bay Packers for one final season, where he led the league in field goals made for the 4th time in his career.

Cuff was a very good kicker throughout his NFL career, but when he was given the chance to start at running back, he did so at a high level, leading the league in average yards twice in a row. He contributed to a championship, though more as a kicker than a back, but also helped get the Giants to 3 other title games, and should be recognized as one of the best to play the game.

Top 100 NFL Running Backs - #99: John David Crow

John David Crow

Teams

Chicago/Saint Louis Cardinals (1958-1964)

San Francisco 49ers (1965-1968)

Playoffs

Appearances - 0

Conf Champ Games - 0

Super Bowls - 0

Championships - 0

Awards and Honors

Pro Bowl - 4 (1959,1960,1962,1965)

All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1960)

All-Time Ranks

Yards per Touch - #72

Yards per Rush - #86

Total Touchdowns - #95

League Leads

Rushing Yards (#3-1960, #8-1962, #10-1959,1964)

Rushing Touchdowns (#2-1962, #3-1964, #5-1960)

Yards per Rush (#1-1960, #7-1959, #8-1966, #10-1965,1967)

Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1960, #8-1962, #10-1959,1964)

Receiving Touchdowns (#9-1965)

Yards per Reception (#9-1960, #10-1965)

Total Touchdowns (#3-1962, #9-1965, #10-1960)

Points Scored (#5-1962)

Scrimmage Yards (#1-1960, #8-1959, #9-1965)

Yards per Touch (#2-1960, #3-1965, #6-1959,1967, #9-1966)

After a college career at Texas A&M that ended with him winning the 1957 Heisman Trophy, finishing with 6 rushing and 5 passing touchdowns, John David Crow was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1958 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. 

He scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery in his very first NFL game, and was named to the Pro Bowl in just his second season. After those first two seasons in Chicago, the Cardinals moved to Saint Louis, and Crow had his best pro season during that first year in Missouri. He led the league with 5.9 yards per carry, 1533 scrimmage yards, but also with 11 fumbles. He finished 3rd in MVP voting that season and was named to his only All-Pro Team.

He struggled through injuries the next year, but bounced back in 1962, scoring a career-high 17 touchdowns, while also leading the league in fumbles again with 14. He missed all but three games the following season, and struggled when he returned in 1964, leading to his leaving the Cardinals to head west and play for the 49ers.

In his first season with San Francisco, he surpassed 1000 total yards for the second time in his career, and came in 3rd in Comeback Player of the Year voting while being named to the Pro Bowl for the 4th and final time. He played 3 more seasons with the 49ers, and his production dropped each year, and in his final season he switched over to tight end before retiring.

After his playing career ended, Crow joined the coaching ranks, starting out as an assistant to his college coach, Bear Bryant, at Alabama. He also spent time as an assistant in the NFL, then 6 seasons as a head coach at Northeast Louisiana. He passed away in 2015.

His pro career may not have lived up to the hype of a Heisman winner, but he had one very good season, and was a solid player for several other years. He overcame a minor stroke at birth that left his face disfigured, and was still able to become one of the best running backs of all time.