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

[Roadtrip635]

These all time lists are fun to argue, everyone has their own take and criteria and it's tough to compare different eras, how much do you use stats versus sheer talent. Me and my buddies would use different scenarios and argue about who would we pick like if you started a franchise which would you pick, thinking about an RB that you would want over a 10 yr career, or if you had to pick an RB for just one season, or just one game, or just one drive or what RB would you pick for a 4th and 2. This was also assuming the rest of the team was the same so the only difference was the RB.

None of us ever picked the same RB for all the scenarios, it's a small group of players that, I think could would be considered in each one. Or who would you pick for each situation if you couldn't pick the same RB? The only consensus pick we ever had was 4th and 2, we all picked Earl.

 

[cowboyec]

My All-Time Top 5:
1.Emmitt Smith,Cowboys.
2.Walter Payton,Bears.
3.Jim Brown,Browns.
4.Tony Dorsett,Cowboys.
5.Eric Dickerson,Rams.

flame away....but my opinion remains.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

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

I'll never forget that game. That was greatness pure and simple.

 

[Jipper]

Hey Jipper, sorry for my snarky reply to you earlier in the thread. I was in nitro mode and accidentally let it out a lil on you. my full apologies, never feel reluctant to post. ever. im so sorry if my post turned you off to the thread or the Zone. from the bottom of my heart, Jipper

Dude...you are a totally cool character and I never even suspected anything malicious....i have seen much much worse between my time on the old dc.com site and the short time I've been here....

I'm a Trouty fan for life...i wish more would want the type of environment you are fostering here dude...with all respect, I look forward to many more interactions

 

[cowboyec]

I'll never forget that game. That was greatness pure and simple.

greatest performance of pure gutts I ever saw.

 

[cowboyec]

3 games by a RB I'll never forget.
Tony Dorsett's 99yd TD vs Minnesota on Monday Night.

Herschel Walker's 292yds of total offense...and 2 84yd TDs vs eagles.

Emmitt's triumph of the will vs nyg...runnin' and guttin' with one arm.

 

[Point-of-the-Star]

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.

VERY, VERY, succinct analysis. Personally I'd put Emmitt in the top 5 with Payton and Dickerson added to your 2. OJ, would start me 2nd 5 with then Brown, Sanders, Peterson. My 3rd 5 would be Dorsett, Tomlinson, Franco Harris, C. Martin, and that big dude from Washington ... Riggins.

Czonka ... we beat his arse in the SB.
<

 

[jobberone]

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.

College hand timed of course as all were. He played against some great players but I agree players didn't train all year and some weren't good enough to play at a good SEC school. You can't try to compare across generations though. Still I'd bet no one worth their salt wouldn't say Brown couldn't be one of the best backs even today.

He's the GOAT but some came close. Bo no injury was the same type player as was Walker.

 

[DakBringMeBack]

Would have Barry Sanders and Payton 1-2. Regardless.

 

[lukin2006]

11th ... seriously. The all-time rushing leader 11th. yeah right. There'll never be another ES.

 

[Tabascocat]

Emmitt was not the flashiest nor the most skilled with natural athleticism but he was the greatest IMO. Any list with Barry in the top three is null and void in my book!

I do think Bo would have ended up being a monster if he had a longer, injury-free career. Earl tops my list of the bruisers.

 

[jobberone]

@Trouty

 

[Ren]

Or paid. How ever you want to look at it.

English is my 2nd language, thanks for pointing that out

 

[jobberone]

English is my 2nd language, thanks for pointing that out

Where have you been dude?

 

[ifixoldhouses]

Bo Jackson is so overrated. He's the buzzword in these lists. I know that that is football treachery to some, but they fell in love with the mystique. Like *The Natural (Roy Hobbs). Sayers that high? Golly. And a Brandt article, too. Unfortunate.

I saw him play baseball live once, he was on the Royals I think, and they were playing the Phillies, he struck out every time. No way he's better than Emmitt.

 

[rynochop]

Emmitt played almost another season of post season games. I think if he played on some non polarizing team he'd get more love as the best ever
Weird list by Gil being a sort of pioneer of the game

 

[Flamma]

My All-Time Top 5:
1.Emmitt Smith,Cowboys.
2.Walter Payton,Bears.
3.Jim Brown,Browns.
4.Tony Dorsett,Cowboys.
5.Eric Dickerson,Rams.

flame away....but my opinion remains.

Good opinion. I wouldn't have Jim Brown in there because I didn't see him play. One other reason but I'll leave it at that. I didn't read through this entire thread so I'll just post my ignorant opinion. Sorry if it is a repeat.

Emmitt smith IMO is the best RB I have ever seen play. He did everything from running like a lunatic, to pass blocking, to catching out of the backfield. He had no weaknesses. He also holds the NFL rushing record, he's #1, done deal.

I understand people love Barry Sanders and he was a great runner. But he also was a minor liability as he had to run out of the spread formation. So the Lions were basically a run and shoot team that took Barry out at the goal line. And if I remember correctly Barry didn't do too much catching out of the backfield. No Bueno. As good of a runner as he was, no way that team is winning a Super Bowl with the crazy defenses that ate that crap alive come playoffs.

 

[Cowboys22]

Emmitt had undeniably the best career of an RB ever. That makes him the best ever. If your favorite team just drafted a RB and you could choose and RB in history for him to have an equal career to, everyone in the world would choose for him to have Emmitts career. Emmitt is the RB equivalent of Jerry Rice and everyone considers him the best WR ever so why is Emmitt dismissed by so many? Simple Cowboys bias. Emmitt holds all the same records as Rice and won the same awards. Neither was the fastest or best pure athlete at their position. Both played with high end talent for the bulk of their career. Everything positive you can say about Rice applies to Emmitt and everything negative you can say about Emmitt applies to Rice as well. As far as history is concerned they are the same exact player yet one is universality considered the best and the other is pushed aside by many. Emmitt is clearly the best RB ever.

 

[glimmerman]

More rushing yards than any other RB. SB rings and a great player and only gets #11?

 

[FaSho]

LMAO @ Gil.

Emmitt at 11, and Barry at 7? Joke.