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

Praxit · Aug 31, 2019

....RB's careers are shorter because of all the processed food they eat. ....

NoLuv4Jerry · Aug 31, 2019

Red Dragon said:
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 game has always been brutal...but bigger, stronger, faster RBs.....along with bigger, stronger, faster defenders.....means collisions that are more violent. The criteria for RBs to get in the HOF will have to change...no one will physically be able to last long enough to get 12000+ yards. And even if they are healthy and able to still play...teams will want them to play for peanuts. Look at Adrian Peterson in Washington last year. I believe he gave them 1000 yards....but they may have only paid him like 1m bucks. When you consider his resume...and how flush the league is with cash....I can't think of another position where a marquee name produces at that level...for essentially the league minimum.

The way the RB is being treated is actually a turn off to me. "Run the wheels off of them for peanuts them dump them" is flat out embarrassing. If they don't have value to you...then don't stick it in their gut 300 times a season.

JD_KaPow · Aug 31, 2019

Red Dragon said:
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.

They are obviously getting hit harder than before: just look at the size and speed of players back then vs. now. But mostly, the game is simply more competitive now than it was then, primarily due to the money. There's so much money in college programs and in the NFL that they spend much more finding talent, much more on strength, conditioning, coaching, etc., plus the players need to work harder to beat out all the other guys that want a chance at that money. So for a position like RB, where players peak and decline at a young age, there's way more competition coming up to take those spots from them, players who are ready to step in right away (unlike at other positions, where experience counts for more) and are cheaper to boot.

That said, you're also just not remembering all the guys who had short careers in the past. Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, Marshawn Lynch and Frank Gore are all in the top 40 in games started for RBs, so it's not like all the older guys were iron men by comparison.

jnday · Aug 31, 2019

xwalker said:
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.

You have to consider that it was shorter seasons back then which effects the number of carries in a season. Another thing to consider is that the players was smaller back then and not as fast. I remember a lot of 260lb linemen back then.

jnday · Aug 31, 2019

bbailey423 said:
The game has always been brutal...but bigger, stronger, faster RBs.....along with bigger, stronger, faster defenders.....means collisions that are more violent. The criteria for RBs to get in the HOF will have to change...no one will physically be able to last long enough to get 12000+ yards. And even if they are healthy and able to still play...teams will want them to play for peanuts. Look at Adrian Peterson in Washington last year. I believe he gave them 1000 yards....but they may have only paid him like 1m bucks. When you consider his resume...and how flush the league is with cash....I can't think of another position where a marquee name produces at that level...for essentially the league minimum.

The way the RB is being treated is actually a turn off to me. "Run the wheels off of them for peanuts them dump them" is flat out embarrassing. If they don't have value to you...then don't stick it in their gut 300 times a season.

Running RBs into the ground is not a new thing. Earl Campbell had a lot of games over 30 carries a game. Look at him now. He was one of the best RBs ever and now he can’t hardly walk.

JayFord · Aug 31, 2019

jnday said:
Running RBs into the ground is not a new thing. Earl Campbell had a lot of games over 30 carries a game. Look at him now. He was one of the best RBs ever and now he can’t hardly walk.

But I heard he makes a good sausage .....one of the best

T-RO · Aug 31, 2019

Did an extensive thread here a few years ago to document how running backs decline. They've always declined after five, six seasons...even the best backs.

The difference now from 20 years ago is that teams understand the analytics and don't fall in love with shiny names.

Q_the_man · Aug 31, 2019

I hate the myth of a RB avg career. yeah RBs overall avg 3 years but 90% of just good RBs last 6-8 year and great RBs normally last 7-11 years.

The avg shelf life of a RB is low because a team might have 4 RBs and only 1-2 will get the rock while most 3rd and 4th stringers will be cut the following year.

Zeke will give us 8-12 great years period.

buybuydandavis · Aug 31, 2019

Red Dragon said:
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.

Maybe to do with the CBA. It holds down RB salaries on their rookie contracts, which are generally their best years. So you draft more over signing a veteran. The threshold veterans have to overcome to stick around has probably gotten higher.

Q_the_man · Aug 31, 2019

JayFord said:
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

I could pull up 200 RBs since 1990 that played 8-12 years. Earl still last long than the 3-4 window they give RBs

NoLuv4Jerry · Aug 31, 2019

jnday said:
Running RBs into the ground is not a new thing. Earl Campbell had a lot of games over 30 carries a game. Look at him now. He was one of the best RBs ever and now he can’t hardly walk.

I know it is not new....but the mentality of getting rid of them as soon as you ran them to death is disgusting...Emmit, Thurman, Campbell, Bettis, Sanders, Fred Taylor, ...all spent 7 years plus years with their teams...and I assume they all had more than one contract with their teams

Hadenough · Aug 31, 2019

Runwildboys said:
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.

Exactly!

buybuydandavis · Aug 31, 2019

Q_the_man said:
I hate the myth of a RB avg career. yeah RBs overall avg 3 years but 90% of just good RBs last 6-8 year and great RBs normally last 7-11 years.
...
Zeke will give us 8-12 great years period.

Great RBs may last 7-11, but they're not great 7-11 years. Even 5 or 6 is rare.

NeathBlue · Aug 31, 2019

For every RB you remember from yesteryear, there was a 100 that you don’t remember because their careers were so short.
RB’s in the 70’s and 80’s were likely to try and play longer due to not having earned the massive wages they do today, yes they earned a lot more than what an average person earns, but not the differential compared to today.

CF74 · Aug 31, 2019

Emmitt’s style and size allowed him to play longer. He avoided a great deal of contact not to say he didn’t lower his shoulder but he was elusive. Kinda like a boxer that ducks and slides away from a direct punch in the face, that was Emmitt running the ball.

links18 · Aug 31, 2019

joseephuss said:
Frank Gore might take offense to that statement.

And him too.

The Quest for Six · Aug 31, 2019

Todays game is much different, more wide open, more speed, more passing and all three of those require youth and speed, the running back position is a devalued position in todays game, teams use short passing as a run....it used to be a 34 year old was a valued veteran player, not anymore, with most postitions when you hit thirty, teams are looking to replace you and as a running back, 28 is your peak and teams are looking to replace you!

CowboyRoy · Aug 31, 2019

Vanilla2 said:
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

Yep...............RB's in the league more than 5-7 years generally just get passed over now. You can get a good young QB with a lower pick for cheap. And the new collective bargaining agreements increased veteran minimums and stuff like that. So it did increase pay for some of the veterans, but it also put many out of a job because they are not cap friendly.

justbob · Aug 31, 2019

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this , but how much difference is it playing on artificial turf. Was natural grass that much easier on the knees and the body

Melonfeud · Aug 31, 2019

Proll the same reason most scratch golfers don't make the masters tournament, they suck worse than those who do make the tourney.

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

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Just taking it easy

I Copy!,,, er,,,I guess,,,ah,,,maybe.