NFL: Gil Brandt's 25 greatest NFL running backs of all time (Emmitt 11th)

[cowboyec]

Emmitt and Walter Payton are the two best I ever saw.
Great Goal-Line and Short Yardage backs.
Great Inside Runners...tough,physical.
Could go out-side also.
Excellent pass-receivers.
But what seperates these 2 from the others...they were outstanding blockers...and that is an area that gets over looked with Emmitt.
He was not just a willing blocker...he was outstanding.

and I never remember Emmitt getting caught from behind...interesting for a guy that some say didnt have speed.

for my money...Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith are the 2 greatest I had the pleasure to watch.
Loved Tony D.
but Walter and Emmitt are the greatest.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Aikman was a busdriver and now Emmitt was overrated . I don't know where I'd put Emmitt all time but he'd be in the top 3 or 4. And yes I'd chose him over Barry Sanders anyday.

 

[Trouty]

Aikman was a busdriver and now Emmitt was overrated . I don't know where I'd put Emmitt all time but he'd be in the top 3 or 4. And yes I'd chose him over Barry Sanders anyday.

Yup. Can't win with some of this crowd, PA. Everything is a circumstance of something else. no credit where it is due.

and we're talking 22, not some scrub, or even a Danny White. Emmitt Smith. Man. Just, man.

And then the way some of these fools try to twist words and play games. like Cowboys fans are some dunces here and are gonna let it happen???!!!!

 

[Trouty]

I disagree

Walter Payton was significantly more gifted athletically than Emmitt Smith.

"Significantly" ey? How so? Cuz he ran a quicker 40? Emmitt had in-game pull away speed. How often was he caught from behind?

Walter could hurdle, bruise, run, change direction. good at it all, but not elite in any one category imo -- edit -- he was elite at finding the endzone, my bad there

top ten back, but closer to the middle, 5-6-7 than 1, imo

actually, i can see a case for your reply. my bad.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

A high percentage of Barry Sanders carries went for negative yardage by getting caught dancing in the back field.
I've always said when Barry and Emmitt were still in the league that Barry was a great runner but Emmitt was a great running back.

One of the reasons I'd never put Barry over Emmitt.

 

[JoeKing]

Straight up, GP. Barry had a higher peak, same with AD, but Emmitt's longevity, plus his ability to undress and destroy the psyche of the opposing D makes him the GOAT. Winner. Class. Warrior.

GOAT

(in before all of those members who "saw Jim Brown play" in a watered-down league and call him the GOAT/tho yes, his numbers vs his contemporaries, and how they've held up, are remarkable. Just not GOAT worthy in a league still trying to find elite talent to fill up their squads)

Preach Brother!!!

 

[jobberone]

Agree Brown best. Small tier follows with Sayers, Payton, Sanders, Smith, Dorsett, Simpson, and Martin followed by Motley, Johnson, Allen, Matson and Perry. Then the rest. Would add Walker to tier with Allen.

Yes, Brown was that good esp 6-2 230 4.32. He was bigger than many DL.

 

[Point-of-the-Star]

You may not agree with the list but Gil Brandt is not a moron.

Jeesh.

I agree. There is a distinct difference between a demented old codger with an axe to grind and a moron ... not a lot of difference but yes, a difference. Cowboy fan since 1966 here.

I'd say Brandt had a helluva lot to do with the decline of the Cowboys in the 1980's.

 

[Diehardblues]

I agree. There is a distinct difference between a demented old codger with an axe to grind and a moron ... not a lot of difference but yes, a difference. Cowboy fan since 1966 here.

I'd say Brandt had a helluva lot to do with the decline of the Cowboys in the 1980's.

First I’ve heard of Brandt having “ a hell of a lot to do with the decline of the Cowboys in the 1980’s”.

I’ve always heard it had more to with the rest of the league catching up with us, losing some great Asst coaches like Ditka, Reeves and Stallings.

And Not recovering from Danny White going down in 1986 after starting 6-2 finishing 7-9 which Danny last full season in 1985 would be their last winning and playoff season with Landry not finding a QB in his last 2 seasons with the likes of Hogeboom and Pueller.

 

[Cowpolk]

First I’ve heard of Brandt having “ a hell of a lot to do with the decline of the Cowboys in the 1980’s”.

I’ve always heard it had more to with the rest of the league catching up with us, losing some great Asst coaches like Ditka, Reeves and Stallings.

And Not recovering from Danny White going down in 1986 after starting 6-2 finishing 7-9 which Danny last full season in 1985 would be their last winning and playoff season with Landry not finding a QB in his last 2 seasons with the likes of Hogeboom and Pueller.

Troy was going to be drafted even if Landry had not been fired he was Landry's pick

 

[Trouty]

Agree Brown best. Small tier follows with Sayers, Payton, Sanders, Smith, Dorsett, Simpson, and Martin followed by Motley, Johnson, Allen, Matson and Perry. Then the rest. Would add Walker to tier with Allen.

Yes, Brown was that good esp 6-2 230 4.32. He was bigger than many DL.

Was that 4.3 accurate, Doc? He was a dynamo, but what are your thoughts of the talent in the league at that time, a half decade after the draft that took so many players out of the NFL? His beast numbers against a watered down league, for me, make it too fuzzy to proclaim him GOAT. With respect, Jobber, always.

 

[cowboyec]

Yup. Can't win with some of this crowd, PA. Everything is a circumstance of something else. no credit where it is due.

and we're talking 22, not some scrub, or even a Danny White. Emmitt Smith. Man. Just, man.

And then the way some of these fools try to twist words and play games. like Cowboys fans are some dunces here and are gonna let it happen???!!!!

revisionist history...they forget Barry played with an all-pro OT in Lomas Brown.
but doesnt fit the narrative that "anybody could do what Emmitt did behind that OLine" crap.
They tried that with Derrick Lassic when Emmitt held out.(whoops...they forget that)

Didnt work.
Who you got runnin' the ball matters.
Not Emmitt's fault he played for an organization that knew what the hell it was doing.

 

[Diehardblues]

Troy was going to be drafted even if Landry had not been fired he was Landry's pick

Yep

 

[Captain-Crash]

NFL: Gil Brandt's 25 greatest NFL running backs of all time (Emmitt 11th). hum this seems to be Gil's list, it's just an opinion like all of ours. No two every will look the same, well maybe.

 

[cowboyec]

Marcus Allen
Adrian Peterson
Curtis Martin
Marshall Faulk
they are SEVERLY under-rated on this list.

 

[Trouty]

I inherently have an issue with an Eagles fan coming in here and telling us where Emmitt ranks.

Maybe some of you are cool with it in the name of "welp, can't be a homer. nuh huh" but I am not.

I aint a homer. But **** the Eagles and their wretched fans. Always. The CZ I know chases those kind of fans off. Don't tuck tale because they won now. The bandwagon is real now with their ilk, most of their new fans are under 20.

This is CowboysZone, and dissenting opinions are what makes this train run. This isn't a homer site. But one thing we should never have, are punk Eagles fans coming in here to tell us about our greats.

I will gatekeep on division rivals. Stay in the NFL Zone if you don't have something productive to say about our squad, Rival Fan. Doesn't even need to be homer, just productive, rival fan. Yup. Gatekeeping. Always. Unless they're like @Shunpike, a respectful rival fan. Come in here and act aghast when a COWBOYS fan comes at you.

Cry me a river.

 

[cowboyec]

I inherently have an issue with an Eagles fan coming in here and telling us where Emmitt ranks.

Maybe some of you are cool with it in the name of "welp, can't be a homer. nuh huh" but I am not.

I aint a homer. But **** the Eagles and their wretched fans. Always. The CZ I know chases those kind of fans off. Don't tuck tale because they won now. The bandwagon is real now with their ilk, most of their new fans are under 20.

This is CowboysZone, and dissenting opinions are what makes this train run. This isn't a homer site. But one thing we should never have, are punk Eagles fans coming in here to tell us about our greats.

I will gatekeep on division rivals. Stay in the NFL Zone if you don't have something productive to say about our squad. Doesn't even need to be homer, just productive, rival fan. Yup. Gatekeeping. Always. Unless they're like @Shunpike, a respectful rival fan. Come in here and act aghast when a COWBOYS fan comes at you.

Cry me a river.

Cowboys Congregation says...DAMN RIGHT.
and Amen.

 

[Nav22]

Why is Michael Jordan considered the greatest NBA player ever?

Because with 6 rings, 6 Finals MVPs, 5 regular-season MVPs and countless other achievements, he is the most SUCCESSFUL player of the modern era.

By that same exact standard, Emmitt Smith is the greatest RB to ever play. Period.

 

[Shake_Tiller]

It is really difficult, if not impossible, to compare players from different eras, and "eras" change swiftly in sports. Human beings get larger, faster. Big $$$ allow for year-round training. Then there is the elephant in the room; the unconscionable sluggishness of integration.

To me, the only logical way to judge players is by what they did against their contemporaries. Maybe they weren't as big or as fast as players would be 20 years down the road, but they might have been given the same resources.

For his time, Jim Brown was probably the most dominant single player, much less RB. He is probably number one.

Then there is an interesting debate. At his peak, I would put Earl Campbell number two. Keep in mind that Texas used him first as a wishbone fullback and later as a workhorse tailback. He had given up a lot of tread before he played in the NFL. At his peak, the Tyler Rose might have been better than Brown. Very close.

Emmitt is in the top 3. How high depends on your definition of greatness. His peak was extremely high and lasted longer than any other RB. And nobody has done more to win football games. Nobody. And isn't that the point?

Barry Sanders was a great player; an exciting player. But he did give up negative yardage, and it is difficult to win by relying heavily on a handful of big plays.

Walter Payton was most similar to Emmitt. If results are a tiebreaker, Emmitt wins.

No player was as electric as Sayers. But he had a short peak. Not his fault, but there it is.

The problem with interesting Emmitt - you have to discount so much. He is a multiple Super Bowl winner. He is the all-time leading rusher. He played big in big games. He was durable. He was consistent. He made big plays. He was a team player. What else do you want?

Tony Dorsett is one of my favorite players and an all-time great. But his team's did not accomplish as much as Emmitt teams. At what point must we simply acknowledge Emmitt's greatness?

Did Emmitt run behind a great OL? Sure he did. But he ran beautifully behind that line. And I'm not sure that line was all that much better than Neely, Wright, Niland, Nye and Manders. Not for the time they played.

Give me Brown for sheer domination. Give me Campbell for one run to win a million-dollar bet. Give me Emmitt Smith to win a lot of football games.

 

[cowboyec]

Emmitt Smith.
The Giants game.
One arm.
nuff said.