In today’s NFL, a traditional workhorse running back is a dying breed.
Most teams prefer to utilize a back-by-committee, citing improved offensive efficiency and a play scheme that is, by design, much less predictable than giving one person 30-plus straightaway touches. But even as football moves away from backfield centerpieces dominating the conversation, a good running back will never go completely extinct. They’re far too important, far too ingrained in the DNA of a punishing sport that highlights and champions physicality above everything else. Running backs do, in fact, matter.
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Below is a list of the greatest running backs ever to don a helmet and shoulder pads. These men are giants of the NFL, dedicated pioneers of a game that has changed so much over a century-plus. In some cases, they are exactly who we think of when we ponder about certain teams. They are icons, symbols of a game that could still often be boiled down to “Who wants it more?”
And the best part?
Each of these runners brings something new and fresh to the table that their peers don’t. Let’s dive in.
