Greatest RBs...#14, #13, #12...

Greatest Rbs ever…#14, #13, #12...

Ok, now we are in the top 15 of my list of greatest running backs ever in the NFL.

I really hope I have not offended those that might have favorites that did not rank high (or at all) in my system. Don’t think for a second that if your favorite running back was not listed then they “suck”. That’s not what this is about. It is about me trying to recognize THE greatest running back to ever play in the NFL…to this date.

And you see, that can change easily inside the next few years. Heck, there could be a running back right now in high school that will change everything we know about rushing…or there could be one in college right now. We just don’t know what the future holds as far as what defines “greatest”. But one thing seems to be certain, the records and titles and awards that were held by legends of 30, 40, 50 or 60 years ago will fall, as time marches on.

The top ten running backs of NFL history back in 1968 are not the same as the top 10 of this year, and it is to be sure that the top 10 in 2018 will be different too. That’s not to say that some of the names we know now will be wiped out, it just means that the sport of football is still evolving, and better players are coming.

But as for NOW, we get to continue the debate of the greatest running backs ever, so let’s continue with…..

#14 Eric Dickerson: 40 points

This is actually another tie, with #13, but I will get to that in a moment. I still have one or two Eric Dickerson cards somewhere up in the attic and when the Rams were in Los Angeles, I was still a Raider fan. (when they were in Oakland, and to return after bouncing in CA for a bit). When you needed touchdowns, you looked to Eric. When you needed yards, you looked to Eric. Eric Dickerson was one of those elite backs that unfortunately was on a team that could not help him get to more playoff games. This was a guy who was one of the best EVER when he touched the ball. A Superbowl win OR loss would have easily made him an even greater player. I was not much of a Rams fan, but I can certainly appreciate what this cat did for the Rams, Colts, Raiders and Falcons as well as the NFL.

Why not higher? Eric Dickerson would be clearly one of the best IF the formula did not include team accomplishments. He played 10 wonderful years in the NFL but rarely saw post season accomplishments. His points on the team accomplishments is very low, only 2 points, and that kinda held him back from moving further up the rankings. But his individual stats and awards are, as they say, “off the hook”.

Why on the list? I can preach all about team accomplishments, because this is a team sport, but I’m not buying that crap about “there is no I in team”. It takes great individuals to help teams, and sometimes greatness is like a candle in a dark room. Eric Dickerson may not be THE best, but he certainly is on the list…there may not be an “I” in team, but there are FOUR in the word, “individuality. Eric was certainly a great one.

#13 Jerome Bettis: 40 points

Jerome “Bus” Bettis was a bruising running back that earned his Superbowl the hard way…he earned it. But it wasn’t until I saw a feature on Bettis a couple of years ago that really touched me. There was a package on ESPN that showed what Jerome Bettis goes through AFTER the football games are over. It really touched me to see how much this man gave to the Steelers every Sunday, and to be walking in so much pain from Monday to Thursday (maybe even up until kickoff). He was a guy that really laid it out there for his team AND teammates. If ever a Superbowl was earned by a hard working running back, this was clearly one of them.

Why not higher? Jerome Bettis is tied with Eric Dickerson, according to my rankings, but I give the nod to Bettis because of his team accomplishments. With him, the Steelers made a heck of a lot of noise in post season, but some of the higher ranking running backs have even more impressive numbers. To be sure, this is a very great position for Jerome Bettis, but as you will see in the coming blogs, there are those that reached even higher accomplishments.

Why on the list? Jerome Bettis is on this list because he is one of the best rushers the game has ever seen. He ranks top 5 all time in rushing and is in top 10 in touchdowns. He clearly is not an argument as far as best ever. Even with one Superbowl win, he still has an aura of greatness about him because of everything else he has done.

#12 Earl Campbell: 44 points

If Jerome Bettis was a “bus” then Earl Campbell was a freight train. I remember watching Earl Campbell when he played with the Oilers, and it was just maddening how somebody could be so punishing to a defense. If I ranked these guys ONLY from my individual awards element, Earl Campbell would be #3 ALL TIME. Any “old school” fans from the Houston Oilers days better have a football card, a jersey or something to remember this great legend. Heck, Earl Campbell’s name is even a verb. His career took a turn when those games on the artificial turf were really getting to him, and he quite literally played until he burned his knees out. Today when we see a running back that is being overly used, we say, “they’re gonna Earl Campbell that guy”.

Why not higher? There is a trend here that shows that a lot of the greater backs played for teams that could not get them to the next level. But the TRUE measure of greatness is based on the whole body of work. Sometimes just that element, if left off, can take off a lot when it comes to being THE best. Consider that IF Earl Campbell had ever one just one Superbowl, he would have cracked the top 10.

Why on the list? There are a lot of defensive guys that played against Earl Campbell that can answer that a lot better than I ever could. But the biggest drawback against Earl was the team accomplishments. Yet he is on the list because he has numerous individual awards, more than most, which makes him a highly decorated running back. He still ranks in the top 30 in yards rushed, yard per carry and touchdowns. He was literally a workhorse for his team and deserves his credit.

So now we are getting close to the top 10 running backs of all time, and the stakes are getting bigger. As you have read, a great running back does not have to have Superbowl rings or played in the last 10 years. But it is the balance of all three elements; team accomplishments, individual stats and individual awards that make the best running back. Eventually no one can evade era adjustments, but it is a necessary evil I had to use.

I want to share with you another guy that didn’t make the list, and this one comes with some raised eyebrows. I’ll explain what I mean.

Rocky Bleier: 42 points

This is odd because by my formula, Rocky Bleier (and I hope the spelling is right, it is spelled differently on a few other sites) has 42 points, which in THEORY should put him in 13th place all time, right? I mean, we know he also won 4 Superbowls with the Steelers, so shouldn’t he be considered amongst the GREATEST? And how can you ignore such a cool name?

This is an exception to the rule because the listing is of the GREATEST running backs ever. If I did a list of the GOOD running backs of the NFL, then that list would have to be twice as long as the one I am doing now. There is no question that Rocky Bleier was a good running back, in no way am I criticizing that, but the rankings are for the BEST ever.

Yes, Rocky was a good running back…but WHO was he backing up????

Someone else who is on this list….

I ran this through on the suggestion of a reader, and if you just go by the numbers, then Rocky would be amongst the greatest. But under that same formula, the second string or even third string tailback of a Superbowl winning team gets equal glory and greatness. Not true.

I am not devaluing Rocky Bleier, not at all, but for the list of greatest ever, the running back has to stand out alone as well as with the team. The elements must all be in some form of agreement to his greatness, and Rocky was not THE man for the Steelers when they won those Superbowls. He was an IMPORTANT man, no doubt, but not THE man.

Ok, so next time we’ll pick up on the next few backs as we continue to count down the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL…Join me next (insert day) at (insert time) on this station (insert any channel except Cartoon Network). Until next time..