Tyreek’s top-5 RBs in NFL history

[Andyman]

Perhap you need to actually watch some of his runs. While he was a powerful running back, he also ran with speed and was elusive.

Many people including myself listed Earl Campbell as one of the top 5 running back. Yet he was a big back who was able to run over smaller defensive backs, just like Brown did.

By the way, both Campbell and Brown both ran the 40 in 4.5 seconds.

Perhaps you need to be less condescending. I’ve watched plenty of Jim Brown run through and over defensive lineman that weighed 225 lbs. Great athlete and I could care less about his speed which is also not disputed. The issue is comparing eras which is hard no matter how much you enjoy living in the past. He was a huge man in his era and that helped. He would be one of many huge men at his position today. Imagine Derrick Henry running for the Browns in 1962.

 

[1972forever]

Perhaps you need to be less condescending. I’ve watched plenty of Jim Brown run through and over defensive lineman that weighed 225 lbs. Great athlete and I could care less about his speed which is also not disputed. The issue is comparing eras which is hard no matter how much you enjoy living in the past. He was a huge man in his era and that helped. He would be one of many huge men at his position today. Imagine Derrick Henry running for the Browns in 1962.

Derrick Henry would have been a very good second string RB for the Browns in 1962. I just don’t think he would have received very many carries playing behind Brown.

 

[Martel13]

I forgot about Adrian Peterson he was pretty dang good too

 

[AquaHawk]

Jim was nearly unstoppable in his career and that alone is enough to secure his greatness as one of the best ever to play the game.

But does that mean his talent/skills projects to all eras with equal amounts of dominance?

IMO, no, and here’s why…

At 6’2” 230lbs, running 4.5/40, Jim was clearly big and fast enough to play in any NFL era (remarkably he never missed a game due to injury). Give him access to the same year-round training and financial benefits and he likely is one of the best backs in the current NFL.

Despite his considerable natural talents, however, he would unlikely dominate today’s league as much and how long as he did in the 50’s-60s for these three reasons:

(a) the league no longer averages 55-60% runs per game - i.e. less run play opportunities​

(b) his physical stature while very good is no longer an outlier against significantly faster/larger front-7s - i.e. less ability to impose physical dominance​

(c) up to 25% more games and an additional 18 different coaches/defenses to outplay - i.e. greater risk for injury and scheme challenges​

​

These reasons are less about Jim and more about the evolution of strategy and physics of the modern game. But they do still apply and thusly do not favor workhorse RBs, and over time, even elite ones like Jim.

 

[Mindtornado]

Campbell was one of my favorite ever non-Dolphins player. He would just carry defenders and eat up yards.

Same. And his thighs were almost as big as Tua’s.

 

[MrChadRico]

1) Walter Peyton
2) Barry Sanders
3) Jim Brown
4) LaDainian Tomlinson
5) Bo Jackson

HM: Emmitt, Ricky, Gale, Henry, Chris Johnson, Peterson, Thurman Thomas, Priest Homles, Thorpe, Dickerson, Campbell, Refrigerator Perry

 

[1972forever]

Jim was nearly unstoppable in his career and that alone is enough to secure his greatness as one of the best ever to play the game.

But does that mean his talent/skills projects to all eras with equal amounts of dominance?

IMO, no, and here’s why…

At 6’2” 230lbs, running 4.5/40, Jim was clearly big and fast enough to play in any NFL era (remarkably he never missed a game due to injury). Give him access to the same year-round training and financial benefits and he likely is one of the best backs in the current NFL.

Despite his considerable natural talents, however, he would unlikely dominate today’s league as much and how long as he did in the 50’s-60s for these three reasons:

(a) the league no longer averages 55-60% runs per game - i.e. less run play opportunities​

(b) his physical stature while very good is no longer an outlier against significantly faster/larger front-7s - i.e. less ability to impose physical dominance​

(c) up to 25% more games and an additional 18 different coaches/defenses to outplay - i.e. greater risk for injury and scheme challenges​

​

These reasons are less about Jim and more about the evolution of strategy and physics of the modern game. But they do still apply and thusly do not favor workhorse RBs, and over time, even elite ones like Jim.

The reality is that how effective he might be today is totally irrelevant. The request by the OP was to name the best 5 running backs in NFL History.
The names that most people mentioned were players who are no longer in the league and who played before the league became the passing league it is today.

So everything you mentioned regarding the game today would also apply to just about every single running back who played in the past.

Brown was the most dominant player of his era and that is shown by his 8 rushing titles in 9 years in the league. He was the rookie of the year in his first year in the league and he won the leagues MVP award 4 times in his career.

As one of the few people on this forum that actually saw Brown play. I know I have never seen a better running back in the NFL but those who want to demean his stats because of when he played, there is obviously nothing I can say to change their mind.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Even us old timers and those individuals who never saw Jim Brown play a single down in the NFL.

 

[djphinfan]

You couldn’t be more wrong…stat people give no consideration to the era…much bigger stronger linebackers geared to stop the run versus modern era……

Ok.. you might be right, but I still don’t know if he belongs top 5

 

[dolphinheel]

You can tell the age of the poster by who’s on their list, but I can assure everyone that the greatest RBs didn’t play in the modern passing era. The common denominator about all of these greats is that they were all unstoppable despite what defenses tried to do to stop them, and most were on bad teams much of their careers.

Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Barry Sanders
OJ Simpson
Walter Payton

 

[phinman1]

You can tell the age of the poster by who’s on their list, but I can assure everyone that the greatest RBs didn’t play in the modern passing era.
Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Barry Sanders
OJ Simpson
Walter Payton

Nailed it.

 

[bigfoot]

Nobody cares about your 60's and 70's running backs that were playing against local plumbers and volunteer firefighters.

 

[BlueFin]

You can tell the age of the poster by who’s on their list, but I can assure everyone that the greatest RBs didn’t play in the modern passing era. The common denominator about all of these greats is that they were all unstoppable despite what defenses tried to do to stop them, and most were on bad teams much of their careers.

Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Barry Sanders
OJ Simpson
Walter Payton

Absolutely right…I’ve seen all of them play extensively…except Jim Brown who was winding down about the time I became a football fan……

Saw OJ’s prime in Buffalo, Earl Campbell (that 35-31 Monday night classic against Dolphins is engrained in my memory, classic game)….etc etc etc…..Nobody moved like Barry!

 

[BlueFin]

Ok.. you might be right, but I still don’t know if he belongs top 5

Anybody who saw him play has zero doubt….

 

[fin007]

Nobody cares about your 60's and 70's running backs that were playing against local plumbers and volunteer firefighters.

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don't know anything about.”

— Wayne Dyer

 

['Deep]

Nobody’s ever going to agree because there’s been way too many great RB's in history.

Brown
Payton
Dickerson
Campbell
Sanders