Best runningback of all time

[fugazi]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The fact that Bo Jackson isnt on the list is a foul, IMO.

There is an argument for him being #1.

Bo did what Jim Brown did against "better competition" if you wanna go that route.

More powerful than Payton, way more so than Sanders...and as fast as anyone needs to be.

If I had to pick my #1, Im going with Bo. My post above choosing JB is wrong.

[CW McGraw]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The fact that Bo Jackson isnt on the list is a foul, IMO.

There is an argument for him being #1.

Bo did what Jim Brown did against "better competition" if you wanna go that route.

More powerful than Payton, way more so than Sanders...and as fast as anyone needs to be.

If I had to pick my #1, Im going with Bo. My post above choosing JB is wrong.

Comparing a guy who never broke a thousand yards in the NFL to the guy who retired with the most yards and TDs ever is disrespectful to Jim Brown. Jackson is a story of what could have been. He has few meaningful accomplishments in the NFL. Bo Jackson did not do what Jim Brown did against better competition. What Jim Brown did was be the undisputed greatest player ever by the time he retired. What Jim Brown did was average more yards per game than any player in NFL history. He was a man amongst boys for a decade. Bo Jackson was in commercials and played a little football.

[Scottdau]

Re: Best runningback of all time

If you go that route about better talent (Sanders) I will go with Jim Brown just for fact defense players had less rules to bring him down and still had a tough time doing it.

[lonewolf371]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The last RB that you can even compare to Jim Brown physically is Jerome Bettis.

Brown was faster and had a different running style. Bettis had amazing feet and simply couldn't be toppled, but Brown had more of a bulldozing style I believe (someone may be able to correct me on that, I know more about his physicality than his style).

The fact that Bo Jackson isnt on the list is a foul, IMO.

There is an argument for him being #1.

Bo did what Jim Brown did against "better competition" if you wanna go that route.

More powerful than Payton, way more so than Sanders...and as fast as anyone needs to be.

If I had to pick my #1, Im going with Bo. My post above choosing JB is wrong.

I think a guy should have at least some longevity to be #1, in addition to an easily identifiable peak period where he was arguably the best player in the game. Bo has neither.

[fugazi]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Bo Jackson did not do what Jim Brown did against better competition.

That comment was in reference to the argument--made in a handful of posts--that Jim Brown faced a lower standard of competition than Payton, Sanders, etc.

And, yeah, longevity is a weak link with Bo. That isn't debatable.

[CW McGraw]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I think the closest guy to Brown nowadays is Adrian Peterson. It's not just that he's the best RB in the league today. Both are kinda tall for RBs and can through/around defenders. Neither were remarkable at much but pure running, but both are so good at it that you can ignore their other deficiencies.

[The15thunter]

Re: Best runningback of all time

jim brown is adrian peterson in, say, a jamal lewis body.

bo jackson should not be in this discussion as you can't name 4 things he accomplished in the nfl.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Best runningback of all time

I never got to see Jim Brown play. My dad swears by him as the best ever period. I saw Oj on his last legs. So I can't say they are the best I ever saw.

This is about who I watched growing up, then in my 20', 30's and now 41 years old. Holy crap....anyway.

I will rank my top 5 ever.

Now before I do that if some how Chris Johnson is not run into the ground in 5 years I think he has the chance to go down as one of the GOAT. He is a freak of nature with his speed, but more importantly his agility. I have never seen a guy able to just make the slightest angle adjustments going full speed. He moves like a Triple Crown contender. It's really a thing of beauty. Plus he has surprising lower body strength. He is a very special and rare talent.


1) Eric Dickerson - Simply the best I ever saw. What grace and speed he had as the best cut back runner ever. A superstar from the moment he got his first carry. Amazing vision.

2) Barry Sanders - Pure amazement. Every time I watched him break a signature run out of nothing.
3) Tony Dorsett - This guy was a machine, and had the very best spin move ever.
4) Emmitt Smith - the lunch pail RB. He was a yardage machine, chain mover, TD scorer, huge heart.
5) Ladainian Tomlinson - LT2 in his prime was the best 3 down back I have ever seen. He can do it all.


Honorable mentions:

Walter Payton
Earl Campbell
Marcus Allen
Roger Craig
Marshall Faulk
Franco Harris
Curtis Martin
The Edge
James Brooks
Terrell Davis
Thurman Thomas
Warrick Dunn
Tiki Barber

[SPTO]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Wait? How in the world do you have Walter Payton as an "honorable mention"?????

I'm not going to slag you or anything but that's, well that's plain loco in my mind. Could you enlighten me as to why you have him so low?

[Automatik]

Re: Best runningback of all time

1. Barry Sanders
2. Walter Peyton
3. Jim Brown
4. Eric Dickerson
5. Marshall Faulk

[MARTZball]

Re: Best runningback of all time

The top 3-5 guys of all-time you can't lose either way. Personally, I've never seen anyone better than Barry Sanders.

Good to see this debate continues nearly a decade or so after it reared it's head on MaddenMania

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Wait? How in the world do you have Walter Payton as an "honorable mention"?????

I'm not going to slag you or anything but that's, well that's plain loco in my mind. Could you enlighten me as to why you have him so low?

I would have him 6th just out of my personal top 5. I watched him, he was amazing. But I liked the other 5 better.

[coogrfan]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Wait? How in the world do you have Walter Payton as an "honorable mention"?????

I'm not going to slag you or anything but that's, well that's plain loco in my mind. Could you enlighten me as to why you have him so low?

Agreed...and imo, a top 2 list without Sweetness would be equally absurd. Jim Brown, Payton...everyone else is fighting for third place.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Best runningback of all time

Agreed...and imo, a top 2 list without Sweetness would be equally absurd. Jim Brown, Payton...everyone else is fighting for third place.

I can't rank my daddy's players (Jim Brown, Bart Starr etc etc) If I never watched them over the course of their entire career.

When I see threads that ask the top 5 of all time I always put during my lifetime.....not history.

I agree Jim Brown was a monster. A beast and probably one of the greatest if not greatest to play.....but I never saw him. I only say NFL films. Sweetness....amazing player. I just prefered the running styles of the 5 I mentioned. I don't just go by stats. I am talking speed, hands, moves just the thrill of watching them play. Payton was playing when I was quite young and retired when I was 16 so my memories of him are faint. But Dorsetts career who pushed Payton out of my top 5 remains much more vivid in my memory of his playing days. He was just insane how good and smooth he was. I know his numbers may not stack up to Paytons but his on the field game was just as good.

It's all subjective. We are comparing the best ever. I am not dissing any back on this poll at all. They are all legendary.

[galesayers777]

Re: Best runningback of all time

What did you forget Bo Jackson?? I never seen anyone amaze the heck out of you when he touches the ball than Bo Jackson Freak Of Nature!

My list go like this: 1. Bo Jackson 2. Barry Sanders 3. Gale Sayers 4. Eric Dickerson 5.Walter Payton With these 5 guys on my team i will win 99% of the time!!! With the mighty 5 i got speed, muscle, power, break away burst, agility & ankle breakers!!