The 100 Greatest Pro Running Backs of All Time: Nos. 75-51

I wrote this article after extensive research. The list was compiled after looking at about 175 candidates. Some of the stats that I focused on in coming up with the list were rushing yards, yards per game, rushing touchdowns, yards per carry, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

After placing all the candidates in order based on stats I weighed each stat appropriately. For example, I feel that rushing yards are more important than receiving touchdowns, therefore they are weighed heavier in my rankings.

After compiling the list based solely on stats I took other factors into account such as career length, whether injuries played a part, and when they played.

Finally I injected my own opinion into the list since after all, it is my list.

The list will consist of fullbacks, tailbacks, halfbacks and anyone else you might consider a running back.

It should be noted that this list is about players who handled the ball so you won't see great fullbacks that were strictly blockers on the list.

The stats for current players are up through week 6 of the current NFL season.

I know this list won't be the same as everyone else's, but I hope you enjoy.

75. Calvin Hill

Dallas Cowboys: 1969-1974
Washington Redskins: 1976-1977
Cleveland Browns: 1978-1981

Rushing Yards: 6083
YDS/ATT: 4.2
Rush TD: 42

1x Super Bowl Champion
1969 Rookie of the Year
4x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All Pro

Hill was the first Cowboy ever to run for over 1,000 yards in a season. He placed in the top 10 in rushing yards four times, rushing attempts three times, and rushing touchdowns three times.

74. Robert Smith

Minnesota Vikings: 1993-2000

Rushing Yards: 6818
YDS/ATT: 4.8
Rush TD: 32

2x Pro Bowler

Smith is currently the Vikings all-time rushing leader. Smith had a very nice career that came to a surprising end when he retired after leading the NFC in rushing. Smith was known for being able to get the most out of every run. His 4.8 yard a carry average is good for 36th all time.

73. James Wilder

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1981-1989
Washington Redskins: 1990
Detroit Lions: 1990

Rushing Yards: 6008
Rush TD: 37
Receptions: 431

1x Pro Bowler

Wilder is the Buccaneers' all-time leader in rushing yards and in receptions. In 1984, he came 16 yards short of setting an NFL record for rushing and receiving yards with 2229. His 492 touches that season are still an NFL record.

72. Lawrence McCutcheon

Los Angeles Rams: 1972-1979
Denver Broncos: 1980
Seattle Seahawks: 1980
Buffalo Bills: 1981

Rushing Yards: 6578
YDS/ATT: 4.3
YDS/GM: 60.3

5x Pro Bowler

McCutcheon was one of the best in a long line of great Rams running backs. He was a leader for the team in some of their best years in Los Angeles. On four different occasions he ran for over 1000 yards and in each of those seasons he was in the top five in the league in rushing yards.

71. Bill Brown

Chicago Bears: 1961
Minnesota Vikings: 1962-1974

Rushing Yards: 5838
Rush TD: 52
Receptions: 286

4x Pro Bowler

"Boom-Boom" ran with a violent edge and set many Vikings records during his running days. He holds the record for most games played by a running back, most rushing attempts, and is Minnesota's third all time rusher. He ran often for Minnesota and his 251 rushing attempts in 1966 led the league.

70. Ken Willard

San Francisco 49ers: 1965-1973
St. Louis Cardinals: 1974

Rushing Yards: 6105
Rush TD: 45
YDS/GM: 46.3

4x Pro Bowler

Willard was one of San Fran's first big stars. He ran hard and often as he was in the top 10 in rushing attempts in six different seasons. His finest season came in 1968 when he was the runner up for the rushing title, he ran for 967 yards that season.

69. Rudi Johnson

Cincinnati Bengals: 2001-2007
Detroit Lions: 2008

Rushing Yards: 5979
Rush TD: 49
YDS/GM: 62.9

1x Pro Bowler

For a three-year span Rudi was the most consistent running back in the league, and in 2004 he set the Bengals record for most rushing yards in a season with 1454. He broke that record the very next year with four more yards.

68. Rodney Hampton

New York Giants: 1990-1997

Rushing Yards: 6897
Rush TD: 49
YDS/GM: 66.3

1x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowler

Hampton was a hard runner that seemed to always run for over 1,000 yards, in fact he did just that in five consecutive season from 1991-1995. When he retired he was the Giants all team leading rusher. (since broken by Tiki Barber)

67. Mike Pruitt

Cleveland Browns: 1976-1984
Buffalo Bills: 1985
Kansas City Chiefs: 1986-1986

Rushing Yards: 7378
Rush TD: 51
YDS/ATT: 4.0

2x Pro Bowler

Pruitt was a workhorse for the Browns and during his career he finished in the top ten is rushing attempts and rushing yards three times while he finished in the top ten in rushing touchdowns twice.

66. Larry Brown

Washington Redskins: 1969-1976

Rushing Yards: 5875
YDS/GM: 57.6
Rush TD: 35

1972 MVP
1972 Offensive Player of the Year
4x Pro Bowler
2x First Team All Pro

Brown was a star in his day and was the leader of some very good Redskins teams. He led the league in rushing in 1970 and was in the top five on two other occasions. Twice in his career he led the league in rushing yards-per-game. He also led the league in combined rushing/receiving touchdowns and yards from scrimmage.

65. Chris Warren

Seattle Seahawks: 1990-1997
Dallas Cowboys: 1998-2000
Philadelphia Eagles: 2000

Rushing Yards: 7696
Rush TD: 52
YDS/ATT: 4.3

3x Pro Bowler

Warren was a bit of a late bloomer but when he finally got his chance he became a deadly rusher for the Seahawks. In 1994 he was the runner up in the rushing title and three different times in his career he was in the top 10 in rushing yards. When he left Seattle he was their all time leading rusher which has since been broken by Shaun Alexander.

64. Charlie Garner

Philadelphia Eagles: 1994-1998
San Francisco 49ers: 1999-2000
Oakland Raiders: 2001-2003
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2004

Rushing Yards: 7097
YDS/ATT: 4.6
Receptions: 419

1x Pro Bowler

Garner was a good running back with excellent receiving skills. In one season with the Raiders he had over 900 yards in rushing and over 900 yards in receiving. At one time he had the 49ers record for most rushing yards in a game with 201 which was later broken by Frank Gore. In 1995 he led the NFL in rushing yards per attempt with 5.4.

63. Larry Johnson

Kansas City Chiefs: 2003-present

Rushing Yards: 5947
YDS/ATT: 4.4
Rush TD: 55

2x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All Pro

Johnson might not be the most liked player around but there is no doubting the impressiveness of some of the numbers he has put up. He was the first player ever to run for over 150 yards in his first three starts. He holds the Chiefs record for rushing yards in a game with 211. He was in the top three in rushing yards twice and was second in rushing touchdowns twice He is currently eighth among active players in rushing yards and seventh in rushing touchdowns.

62. Thomas Jones

Arizona Cardinals: 2000-2002
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2003
Chicago Bears: 2004-2006
New York Jets: 2007-present

Rushing Yards: 8296
Rush TD: 54
YDS/GM: 60.6

1x Pro Bowler

Jones is a running back that often is overlooked but he seems to always get the job done. He has now run for over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons and is well on his way to a fifth. He is currently sixth among active players in rushing yards and is already 32nd overall.

61. Floyd Little

Denver Broncos: 1967-1975

Rushing Yards: 6323
YDS/GM: 54.0
Rush TD: 43

5x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All Pro

From 1968-1973 no one had more rushing yards than Little. He was the first Bronco to run for over a 1,000 yards in a season in 1971, he led the league in rushing that year. During his career he also led the league in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards per attempt, rushing yards a game, yards from scrimmage, all purpose yards, touches, and yards a touch. When he retired he was the seventh all time leading rusher.

60. George Rogers

New Orleans Saints: 1981-1984
Washington Redskins: 1985-1987

Rushing Yards: 7176
Rush TD: 54
YDS/GM: 78.0

1x Super Bowl Champion
1981 Rookie of the Year
2x Pro Bowler
1x First Team All Pro

Rogers only played seven seasons but he made the most of his time in the NFL. He led the league in rushing in his rookie season and set a then record for rushing yards by a rookie with 1674. He also led the league in rushing yards-per-game that season. Rogers also led the league in rushing touchdowns once during his career.

59. James Brooks

San Diego Chargers: 1981-1983
Cincinnati Bengals: 1984-1991
Cleveland Browns: 1992
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1992

Rushing Yards: 7962
YDS/ATT: 4.7
Rush TD: 49

4x Pro Bowler

Brooks was a great all around back who could run with speed and also was a valued receiver. When he left the Bengals he was their all time leading rusher which has since been broken by Corey Dillon. In 1986 he led the league in yards per attempt with 5.3. Twice during his career he led the league in all purpose yards.

58. Garrison Hearst

Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals: 1993-1995
Cincinnati Bengals: 1996
San Francisco 49ers: 1997-2003
Denver Broncos: 2004

Rushing Yards: 7966
YDS/ATT: 4.4
YDS/GM: 63.2

1995 Comeback Player of the Year
2001 Comeback Player of the Year
2x Pro Bowler

Hearst was a quick back that often dealt with injuries. In 1998 he set a 49er record for most rushing yards in a season with 1570 which has been broken by Frank Gore. That year he also set the franchise record for combined rushing/receiving yards which was also broken. That year he also had the longest run of the season with a 96 yarder. He also led the league in yards per attempt with a 5.1.

57. Stephen Davis

Washington Redskins: 1996-2002
Carolina Panthers: 2003-2005
St. Louis Rams: 2006

Rushing Yards: 8052
Rush TD: 65
YDS/ATT: 4.1

3x Pro Bowler

Davis had to wait to get his chance but when he did get a chance he broke out. In 1999 he led the NFC in rushing yards and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns. He also led the league in rushing yards per game that season. He set a then franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 1432 yards in 2001.

56. Wendell Tyler

Los Angeles Rams: 1977-1982
San Francisco 49ers: 1983-1986

Rushing Yards: 6378
YDS/ATT: 4.7
Rush TD: 50

1x Super Bowl Champion
1x Pro Bowler

Tyler seemed to be an off-and-on player but when he was on he was spectacular. In 1979 he led the league in rushing yards per attempt with 5.1, and was in the top ten in yards per attempt a total of four times during his career.

55. Neal Anderson

Chicago Bears: 1986-1993

Rushing Yards: 6166
Rush TD: 51
YDS/ATT: 4.1

4x Pro Bowler

Anderson had a tough man to follow in Walter Payton but he did a very nice job and became one of the best backs in the league. His career was shortened by injuries but during his time he was in the top ten in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing yards an attempt, and rushing yards a game three different times.

54. Larry Csonka

Miami Dolphins: 1968-1974, 1979
New York Giants: 1976-1978

Rushing Yards: 8081
Rush TD: 64
YDS/ATT: 4.3

2x Super Bowl Champion
1x Super Bowl MVP
1979 Comeback Player of the Year
5x Pro Bowler
2x First Team All Pro

Csonka was part of some of the greatest teams in NFL history. During his career he was known for running over defenders. In 1971 he lead the league in yards per attempt with 5.4. Over the course of his career he was in the top 10 in rushing yards four times, rushing touchdowns five times, yards-per-attempt six times, yards-per-game seven times.

53. Steve Van Buren

Philadelphia Eagles: 1944-1951

Rushing Yards: 5860
Rush TD: 69
YDS/GM: 70.6

2x NFL Champion
5x First Team All Pro

Van Buren was the best runner of his generation. He was the first running back ever to lead the league in rushing three consecutive seasons, he also led the league in rushing in one other season. He was ranked 77 in Sporting News' list of the 100 greatest players of all time. He not only led the league in rushing yards but also in rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, yards-perattempt, rushing yards-per-game, total touchdowns, points scored, yards from scrimmage, touches, all-purpose yards, and yards-per-kick return.

52. Lenny Moore

Baltimore Colts: 1956-1967

Rushing Yards: 5174
YDS/ATT: 4.8
Touchdowns: 113

2x NFL Champion
1956 Rookie of the Year
7x Pro Bowler
5x First Team All Pro

Moore was hybrid player as he was both a running back and a wide receiver for the Colts. He was number 71 on Sporting News' greatest football players of all time. He led the league in rushing yards-per-attempt four different times and led the league in rushing touchdowns once.

51. Gale Sayers

Chicago Bears: 1965-1971

Rushing Yards: 4956
YDS/ATT: 5.0
Total Touchdowns: 48

1965 Rookie of the Year
4x Pro Bowler
5x First Team All Pro

Sayers is one of the most talented runners ever but his career was cut short by injuries. He scored 22 total touchdowns his first year in the league, which was a record. He is tied for the most touchdowns in a game with six. He has the highest career kick return average with 30.56. He twice led the league in rushing.