Why did running backs last much longer in the past than today?

[Red Dragon]

Even in his era, Emmitt Smith and his 15-season-long, 18,000-yard career was an anomaly. But just why have running backs developed such a short career span these days? Are they getting hit harder than before? Sounds doubtful; the game was plenty brutal back then.

 

[CATCH17]

Emmitt was a unicorn.

RBs have always had shorter careers. Great RBs generally last a little longer.

 

[Vanilla2]

They’re easy to find

member?

Use them up and send them on their way and definitely don’t draft them top 5

Unless it’s barkley /purple

That guys the bees knees

 

[Blackthorn]

Running backs have always had the shortest careers. Emmitt was an anomaly as well as the others on the list of the GOATs. When I was a kid during the 70s the starters would last around 4 to 5 years while the backups had a short NFL life-span. I think the average back to make a roster only last 2 years. Think about the revolving roster of backs throughout the NFL. Those guys take a pounding during the game. Back in the day of actual padded practice with live tackling, backs would take a beat down from their teammates.

The game has changed as well from a running attack to an aerial attack. There are fewer running backs on the roster and the positioned has be devalued compared to receivers.

 

[Runwildboys]

Everything seemed like it lasted longer when you were younger, because it was literally a larger percentage of your lifetime to that point. Now that you're older, a year is practically meaningless. I don't think RBs lasted any longer, as a rule. Just, as was mentioned previously, the great ones.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Part of it is because there’s so many more good ones today. If you had a Jerome Bettis or a Fred Taylor, it was perceived that they were so much better than the reserve players that you needed them until they were 35.

Once upon a time people proclaimed that Dallas would never have a RB as good as Tony Dorsett. He was the pinnacle. Fast forward to today and now you’re considering letting one go because you’re confident you can replace him easily.

 

[links18]

When Barry Sanders retired, it was a shock, because he could still play. Walter Payton, John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Emmitt, that guy from Buffalo, even Hershel Walker all had long productive careers. Today, only AP is approaching that longevity. Use 'em up, don't give them a second contract, next man up is team's approach. Its a QB and passing driven league. Zeke knows this, knows the situation in Dallas is somewhat anomalous and wants to get paid before the dynamics turn against him. He remembers Demarco Murray and doesn't want to risk having to bargain for a contract with 2 more years of wear on his body.

 

[doomsday9084]

A long time ago, the NFL was a power game. People won by being bigger and stronger. Nowadays, its a speed game. While sure, they are still huge but they are big, strong and fast. Size and strength holds out longer than speed.

RB's have never lasted long but now that they can be run down by 6'6" linebackers who run 4.6 40's, they have to be super fast to be effective. That has shortened their effective career even more. Tony Dorsett is an example of a guy who would have lost a year or two off his career because defenders would have been able to run him down earlier in his career than when he played.

Emmitt was a unicorn because:
- He was durable
- He had great vision, which doesn't fade
- He could run full speed into the line and change direction in the hole, which is a skill most human beings don't have

He was the rare running back who didn't get a lot of his effectiveness from his top speed and as a result, didn't suffer as much when it started to reduce.

 

[kskboys]

Most players today are rocked up, and rocked up players get hurt more easily.

 

[remdak]

Salary cap doesn't help either. You have to allocate your money to positions that are harder to replace such as QB and defensive ends.

 

[joseephuss]

When Barry Sanders retired, it was a shock, because he could still play. Walter Payton, John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Emmitt, that guy from Buffalo, even Hershel Walker all had long productive careers. Today, only AP is approaching that longevity. Use 'em up, don't give them a second contract, next man up is team's approach. Its a QB and passing driven league. Zeke knows this, knows the situation in Dallas is somewhat anomalous and wants to get paid before the dynamics turn against him. He remembers Demarco Murray and doesn't want to risk having to bargain for a contract with 2 more years of wear on his body.

Frank Gore might take offense to that statement.

 

[Jake]

Even in his era, Emmitt Smith and his 15-season-long, 18,000-yard career was an anomaly. But just why have running backs developed such a short career span these days? Are they getting hit harder than before? Sounds doubtful; the game was plenty brutal back then.

Salary cap and free agency.

Back in the day if you liked a guy you kept him. These days you have to cut corners somewhere, and RBs are easier/cheaper to replace (especially with game being more pass-happy than ever).

 

[erod]

Pitchers used to pitch beyond 120 pitches on a routine basis, too.

Over trained athletes.

 

[xwalker]

Even in his era, Emmitt Smith and his 15-season-long, 18,000-yard career was an anomaly. But just why have running backs developed such a short career span these days? Are they getting hit harder than before? Sounds doubtful; the game was plenty brutal back then.

Did they?

We remember the HoF types like Emmitt, Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson, etc.. that were long time workhorse RBs but I don't if RBs on average were long time workhorses.

Roger Craig:
Averaged less than 200 carries/season.

Thurman Thomas:
Averaged 221 carries/season.

Joe Morris:
Had a relatively short career.

Curt Warner (not Kurt):
8 year career, averaged 212 carries/season.

 

[xwalker]

Even in his era, Emmitt Smith and his 15-season-long, 18,000-yard career was an anomaly. But just why have running backs developed such a short career span these days? Are they getting hit harder than before? Sounds doubtful; the game was plenty brutal back then.

The salary cap has likely limited RBs careers in the past couple of decades.

Demarco Murray started 15 games his final season. He probably could have played longer but why play for 900K when he had already made 26M?

 

[Runwildboys]

A long time ago, the NFL was a power game. People won by being bigger and stronger. Nowadays, its a speed game. While sure, they are still huge but they are big, strong and fast. Size and strength holds out longer than speed.

RB's have never lasted long but now that they can be run down by 6'6" linebackers who run 4.6 40's, they have to be super fast to be effective. That has shortened their effective career even more. Tony Dorsett is an example of a guy who would have lost a year or two off his career because defenders would have been able to run him down earlier in his career than when he played.

Emmitt was a unicorn because:
- He was durable
- He had great vision, which doesn't fade
- He could run full speed into the line and change direction in the hole, which is a skill most human beings don't have

He was the rare running back who didn't get a lot of his effectiveness from his top speed and as a result, didn't suffer as much when it started to reduce.

He was also very good and avoiding the big hits. That had a while lot to do with his longevity.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Teams don’t utilize feature backs anymore.

And you can’t dispute the reasoning.

The longitudinal historical data has demonstrated you can get instant performers in the later rounds and even off the streets.

Why lock yourself into multiple multi year contracts with a single player.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Salary cap. You make a guy your bell cow he will expect to be paid as such.

 

[Established1971]

Even in his era, Emmitt Smith and his 15-season-long, 18,000-yard career was an anomaly. But just why have running backs developed such a short career span these days? Are they getting hit harder than before? Sounds doubtful; the game was plenty brutal back then.

I think its more about money. But if it is physical, its weird though isnt it, sort of like baseball pitchers, back in the day they would pitch so many more innings and have fewer injuries and longer careers but now with conditioning and medical care so much better they are all paper thin wimps

 

[JayFord]

They didn’t we were just blessed with Emmitt

My favorite back (other than Emmitt) Earl Campbell didn’t even last ten seasons

Barry retired early

Running backs as a whole last 2-4 years it’s way to much punishment and the Emmitt and Adrian Peterson’s and Frank Gores are few and far between