Who Was The Best NFL Running Back Of All Time?

There are many great NFL running backs of all time, but there is one who stands out above the rest. Who was the best NFL running back of all time?

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith is often considered the best NFL running back of all time. He played for the Dallas Cowboys for thirteen seasons and is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and was named the NFL MVP in 1993. He was also a member of the Dallas Cowboys teams that won three Super Bowls.

Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. The Cowboys traded up to select Smith with the 17th pick, after he played college football for the University of Florida.

Smith was an immediate success in the NFL, rushing for 1,563 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie. He went on to play thirteen seasons for the Cowboys, winning three Super Bowls and becoming the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards. Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys

Emmitt Smith was born on May 15, 1969, in Pensacola, Florida. Smith played football at Escambia High School and then at the University of Florida before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. Smith went on to have an illustrious career with the Cowboys, winning three Super Bowls with the team. He is widely considered to be one of the best running backs in NFL history and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Rushed for a then-record 18,355 yards

In 15 NFL seasons, Smith rushed for an NFL record 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns, adding 3,224 yards and 11 scores as a receiver, and 1,587 return yards with eight touchdowns on special teams. In league history, only Jerome Bettis has more combined rushing and receiving yards than Smith’s 21,579. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Walter Payton

Walter Payton was the best NFL running back of all time. He was a powerful runner with speed and agility. He had the ability to make people miss and was a great receiver out of the backfield. He was a complete back who could do it all.

Drafted by the Chicago Bears

Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. Payton was known around the NFL as “Sweetness”.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is remembered as a prolific rusher, once holding the record for most rushing yards in a career with 16,726 yards. He also holds the record for the most yards from scrimmage in a career with 21,803. He retired in 1987 after difficult negotiations with Bears owner Mike Ditka.

Payton’s legacy includes his highlight reel runs and sound fundamental play that earned him numerous awards including Most Valuable Player (MVP), All-Pro honors, and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Rushed for 16,726 yards and 110 touchdowns

Walter Payton was an American football player who was a running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. Payton was known around the NFL as “Sweetness”. A nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He ran for 16,726 yards in his career and notched 110 touchdowns, which was an NFL record at the time of his retirement.

Won one Super Bowl with the Bears

In 1985, Payton scored what would be the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, leading the Bears to their first Super Bowl appearance. In Super Bowl XX, Payton was named the Most Valuable Player of the game after rushing for Super Bowl records of 164 yards on 36 carries and scoring a touchdown. The Bears defeated the New England Patriots 46–10.

Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders was the best NFL running back of all time. He was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and a four-time first-team All-Pro. In his 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Sanders averaged 1,491 yards and 99.8 yards per game. He also had a career average of 5.0 yards per carry.

Drafted by the Detroit Lions

In 1989, the Detroit Lions drafted Sanders with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft. He began his rookie season as a backup to veteran running back James Wilder. In his first NFL game, Sanders scored a touchdown on his first carry. He finished the season with 1,470 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, earning him Rookie of the Year honors.

In his second season, Sanders became the Lions’ starting running back. He led the NFL in rushing with 1,554 yards and 13 touchdowns. The following year, he was named the NFL MVP after rushing for an astonishing 2,053 yards (a then-NFL record) and 22 touchdowns.

During his 10-year career with the Lions, Sanders was one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in eight of his 10 seasons, including a then-record six consecutive seasons (1994-1999). He also holds the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single season (2,053 yards in 1997).

Sanders retired from the NFL after the 1998 season at the age of 30. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Rushed for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns

In 1994, Sanders became the third player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He did it again the following year, becoming the first player to do so in back-to-back seasons. In 1997, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player after rushing for 2,053 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Won the NFL MVP award in 1997

Barry Sanders (born 16 September 1968) is a former American football running back. He played professionally for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). A ten-time Pro Bowl selection, Sanders was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1997, and is considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.

Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times, and he had five 1, 000-yard rushing seasons. In 1999, he was ranked #1 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility.