Best Fullbacks of "All Time"?

[Rack]

Was discussing this with beer in hand, in the garage, and it made for a heated discussion. This usually depends on what era the football fan came from.

I Think of Czonka, Riggins, Alstott (help me with the spelling), DJ Moose, but most of them were the feature Back.

What is your Top 5, and I'll take that back to the garage to da boyz to discuss, and why.

DJ is my number one,,, period. no need to tell why here

I'd have to go with Jim Brown.

He was listed as a FB back in the day.


If you mean FB in the sense of Blocker/Receiver/Runner... then that's different. Moose was great, but he wasn't the best at all three of those.

Larry Centers was probably the best ever at running/receiving.

Moose and Rathman were the best at blocking/receiving.

Not many great running fullbacks though (of that FB mold).

 

[trickblue]

Don Perkins is the best this team ever had as a runner, but the role was different then. Moose was the best we've ever had as a blocker. Robert Newhouse is my all time favorite FB.

Around the NFL I have always loved Lorenzo Neal. Larry Csonka was as good as I have ever seen. Jim Brown was a FB, but again different role than today's. I liked the way Tom Rathman of the 49ers played. Similar to Moose, less of a blocker, more of a receiving threat.

If I was going with anyone who was a true FB as we define it today, I suppose I'd say Csonka was the best. Brown wouldn't be a FB in this era, Csonka still would be.

I'm not positive... but if you look back into the old days, I think Calvin Hill was a FB at one time... I could be wrong...

 

[trickblue]

ILarry Centers was probably the best ever at running/receiving.

I agree. How he escaped a D1 school is a mystery...

Shout out to the Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks once again...

Axe' em Jacks...

 

[THUMPER]

earl campbell was not a freaking fullback.

He was listed as one for quite a bit of his career. He and Rob Carpenter were interchangeable at HB/FB. Kinda like Perkins and Marsh were for us in the early 60s, and Hill/Thomas/Garrison were in the early 70s.

 

[trickblue]

earl campbell was not a freaking fullback.

Actually he was listed as such although scheme-wise he wasn't...

He was a halfback...

 

[THUMPER]

Actually he was listed as such although scheme-wise he wasn't...

He was a halfback...

Yeah, but if I had him and Dorsett in the same backfield, Campbell would be the freakin fullback!

That was my dream backfield in the late 70s. I loved Campbell and wished that somehow we could get him.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Moose and Rathman were the best at blocking/receiving.

So... the FB position has gone through some changes over the years....


According to your post... I was right.... MOOSE was the best (by his generation/definition of the FB position)

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Why no 3/4 back ?

You have half, full, and quarter.

Is the WR the 3/4 guy ?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Why no 3/4 back ?

You have half, full, and quarter.



Is the WR the 3/4 guy ?

Add up your quarterbacks...(starter,backup & 3rd string)

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Add up your quarterbacks...(starter,backup & 3rd string)

Some teams only carry 2.

Hmmm...

 

[trickblue]

Some teams only carry 2.

Hmmm...

Wasn't Riggins listed as a FB?

He certainly deserves consideration...

 

[Zaxor]

HOF Jim Taylor for the KC Chiefs was a FB and a darn good one...our own Don Perkins was most excellent when we didn't have much else...

 

[Doomsday101]

Jim Brown and yes he was a FB

Fullback >>> 6-2, 232
(Syracuse)
1957-1965 Cleveland Browns

 

[THUMPER]

HOF Jim Taylor for the KC Chiefs was a FB and a darn good one...our own Don Perkins was most excellent when we didn't have much else...

Jim Taylor played for the Packers.

 

[Zaxor]

Jim Taylor played for the Packers.

:doh: sorry you are correct of course... don't know why I typed the chiefs

 

[burmafrd]

If you want the CLASSIC Fullback that could block, catch a short pass, and could move the pile on short yardage plays then its really Jim Taylor. Jim Brown was a much better runner but nowhere near as good a blocker. Csonka was a great short yd back but was not that great of a blocker.

 

[Hostile]

If you want the CLASSIC Fullback that could block, catch a short pass, and could move the pile on short yardage plays then its really Jim Taylor. Jim Brown was a much better runner but nowhere near as good a blocker. Csonka was a great short yd back but was not that great of a blocker.

I completely disagree with that. The guy was a freaking battering ram.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

If you're talking all time, Bronko Nagurski deserves some mention.


The one thing the NFLN doesn't do well that I hoped they would is show "old time" film, especially in the off season. People would have a greater appreciation for some of the greats from the past.

 

[Hostile]

If you're talking all time, Bronko Nagurski deserves some mention.


The one thing the NFLN doesn't do well that I hoped they would is show "old time" film, especially in the off season. People would have a greater appreciation for some of the greats from the past.

I wish I got the NFLN, but you are right that would be a bonus. Especially for the know nothing Hall of Fame voters.

 

[BouncingCheese]

Mike Alstott equals overrated. Moose's career wasn't long enough to be HOF worthy IMHO, but if you look at Emmits numbers, Emmit had his career years when Moose was blocking for him. Oh and Alstott was more of a RB for the Tampa offense than anything else.

Larry Czonka is fine with me on the all time list.

Lorenzo Neal will be a HOF'er for his blocking for a few players named Corey Dillon, Warrick Dunn, Eddie George, and Ladanian Tomlinson. All of those guys had great years running the ball, possibly career years when Lorenzo Neal was blocking for them.

John Riggins was a Running Back plain and simple. I don't care what he was listed at, I never thought he was a FB.