Who is the best running back ever?

Answer 1

Jim Brown. One of the highest averages per carry, and a shorter career than most. With a 12 year career this guy would have put up huge numbers.

Honorable mention: Barry Sanders

Also, Ladainian Tomlinson could potentially emerge as one of the best, if not the best of all time upon retirememnt, pending injury.

Answer 2

This is a tuff one! You have different styles, different eras and different team characteristics.
Watching film and seeing Jim Brown run, I would have to list him the best. He was an absolute amazing runner way ahead of his time. He would be considered a big back with incredible speed today. I would rank Walter Payton second for not have the greatest skills set of other runners but having the heart of a champion. Barry Sanders would probably be my best pure running back. He was behind a suspect line and the things he did were just ...... amazing!!
so my list would be...
1. Jim Brown
2. Walter Payton
3. Barry Sanders
but it really gets crazy because how can you forget about runners like Gale Sayers, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, i think LT can be one of the best ever if he plays long enough.

So, this is a very good around the fire conversation but being a former running back myself, running backs are the heart of football. They can make a good QB better and make a great QB a Super Bowl Champ!!!
Don't ever forget the great ones!!

Answer 3

Hard to compare guys from different eras. I'm 21 and the best I've seen are:
1) Barry Sanders
2) Ladanian Tomlinson
3) Marshall Faulk
4) Emmitt Smith is Curtis Martin with a line
5) Clinton Portis

If I were to put them in a historical context it would go something like this:
1) Jim Brown
1a) Barry Sanders
3) Walter Payton
4) Emmitt Smith
5) Ladanian Tomlinson
6) OJ "If the glove doesn't fit you must acquit" Simpson
7) Marshall Faulk
8) Gale Sayers
9) Earl Campbell
10) Eric Dickerson

Answer 4

Jim Brown was not only the best running back ever, he is the best football player ever, period. He had a career average of 5.2 yard per carry, which is unheard of. Some of his records have since been broken, but he accomplished all of that in 12 game seasons. In the next 10 years, LaDainian Tomlinson will be recognized as the best running back ever, if he keeps up his current pace.

1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Emmit Smith
5. Gale Sayers

Some honorable mentions are Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, OJ Simpson, and Bo Jackson.

Answer 5

jim Brown, yards/carry was awesome. I know Sanders was a highlight reel and i liked him but east west runners are not superbowl runners. Sanders could have a negative for yards in a half and end up with 200 yards. You can't run an offense with that.

Payton, E Smith, Dickerson, O.J. may not have been as flashy but you knew each run you were getting at least 3 yards. In Jim Browns case you knew you'd probably get 4.

Answer 6

Barry Sanders

Honorable mention: Jim Brown, LaDamian Tomlinson

Answer 7

Barry Sanders, no contest whatsoever. Payton was great, Brown was great, Walker, Smith, Dickerson, and Dorsett where great; but no one would have been able to touch Barry if he hadn't retired at 30. No one ever made loss of yards on a run play a highlight.

Answer 8

It depends, because if you look at the number of the back up running backs you will see that LT is getting those numbers from the offensive line.

The Lions didn't have a good offensive line (or wide recievers), yet Barry Sanders was able to pick up big numbers.

Answer 9

Barry Sanders

Answer 10

I don't think you can answer this question with just one answer. There are so many great running backs that you could name. Smith, Payton,Brown,Dickerson,Dorsett,Allen(Marcus). Plus there are several running backs that are playing today that will be in that category if they're not in there already. But great question!
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