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

[Shake_Tiller]

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.

This is one of the most logical, intelligent, succinctly expressed arguments I have seen made on this board concerning any subject. Thanks for this.

 

[Shake_Tiller]

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.

This is one of the most logical, intelligent, succinctly expressed arguments I have seen made on this board concerning any subject. Thanks for this.

 

[DFWJC]

There are a dozen that you can throw into a bag, shake it, and come up with any number of rankings.

But Emmitt as 11th?
Come on, Gil

 

[mcmvp]

There are a dozen that you can throw into a bag, shake it, and come up with any number of rankings.

But Emmitt as 11th?
Come on, Gil

When I said earlier in the thread that I wasn’t alone in thinking Emmitt wasn’t the ‘best ever’, I wasn’t really agreeing with Gil’s list (Emmitt at 11th is nonsense imo).

I agree that there are many in the conversation as best ever. Emmitt is part of that conversation with about 3 or 4 others. The bottom line is that there are just so many great RBs that’s it’s hard to pick a clear “#1”. This is not a slight on Emmitt. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of RBs. That should be enough.

 

[DogFace]

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.

Trouty, you’re my man and I hate to diasgree with you so strongly, but Imo Bo Jackson is one of the most universally underrated running backs. His 5.4 career avg is one of the best. Lets not forget often he came straight from baseball season with no training camp etc. and was stud game one. He was a natural. Maybe the fastest ever rb. He says he ran a 4.13. Others say it’s true. He was also one of the biggest and most powerful.

Dickerson speed with Jim Brown power.

We all have our opinions. Just wanted to express mine about one of the best of all time. (IMO of course) (and Gil’s)

 

[Trouty]

Trouty, you’re my man and I hate to diasgree with you so strongly, but Imo Bo Jackson is one of the most universally underrated running backs. His 5.4 career avg is one of the best. Lets not forget often he came straight from baseball season with no training camp etc. and was stud game one. He was a natural. Maybe the fastest ever rb. He says he ran a 4.13. Others say it’s true. He was also one of the biggest and most powerful.

Dickerson speed with Jim Brown power.

We all have our opinions. Just wanted to express mine about one of the best of all time. (IMO of course) (and Gil’s)

Hey, Car, all good brother. I appreciate your feedback, thank you. I love that we all can have this discussion and see everyone's opinion, here, as Cowboys fans.

Bo was a wonderful athlete, perhaps the greatest pure athlete in the last 3 decades, it's a shame his career was cut short.

 

[JW82]

That list is awful. I’m embarrassed for Gil. Barry Sanders behind Bo Jackson. Lol

 

[cowboyec]

I'd have Herschel rated over Bo on my list.
Im biased tho.
but don't care...Herschel was a better back in my opinion.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I'd have Herschel rated over Bo on my list.
Im biased tho.
but don't care...Herschel was a better back in my opinion.

I saw both players play. I agree.

 

[DogFace]

Much Bo hate, I believe, comes from all the hype he received.


NO ONE can deny he was the best player of all time!!!!

(on tecmo bowl)

 

[dfense]

I don't know why anybody cares about lists made by morons.

What a stupid list. Bo Jackson had 16 career TDs. That's a 4 a year average. Julius Jones had better stats.
I love Tony D, but he had half the TDs Emmitt had. Gale Sayers, he had like a quarter of the yards Emmitt had.
I love how great Jim Brown was. He weighed as much as most of the Dlineman he played against. And more than most of the LBers he ran over.

 

[Risen Star]

You knew he'd have Dorsett over Emmitt.

 

[Bobhaze]

All lists like this are subjective. I don’t agree with the order of many on this list, like Emmitt, who should be top 3. But I do agree with Jim Brown being number one. He remains the greatest RB I have ever seen play. I actually got to see him play once in person as a kid. He is the GOAT IMO.

My top 5 all time:
1. Jim Brown
2. Walter Payton
3. Emmitt Smith
4. Earl Campbell
5. Barry Sanders

 

[LocimusPrime]

He was an absolute monster. Top 4 RB for me. Its a shame he's left the way he is nowadays. The price of being a wrecking ball monster.

Jane slater huh ?

 

[tyke1doe]

Jim Brown will always be No. 1.
Bo Jackson was a phenomenal back, but he can't be at No. 4 with such a short career.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Hey, Car, all good brother. I appreciate your feedback, thank you. I love that we all can have this discussion and see everyone's opinion, here, as Cowboys fans.

Bo was a wonderful athlete, perhaps the greatest pure athlete in the last 3 decades, it's a shame his career was cut short.

Quite possibly the greatest athlete ever. At the very least physically speaking

Who else past the recent 3 decades is above him? Thorpe? Jackie Robinson?

 

[Trouty]

Quite possibly the greatest athlete ever. At the very least physically speaking

Who else past the recent 3 decades is above him? Thorpe? Jackie Robinson?

Thorpe. Not Jackie, imo. Deion. MJ. 99 (Wayne)... just a few off the noggin. Past the last thirty years, we’ll, I’m not qualified (other than the obvious Thorpe), and I know there are a few I’m missing.

Oh yeah, Mike Trout. Ted Williams. Ruth as pitcher/hitter, maybe Shohei Ohtani, tho he has a long way to go.

I’m sure there are many other all time great athletes missing in this hipshot list of mine that others can add. Good stuff, Blue56

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Thorpe. Not Jackie, imo. Deion. MJ. 99 (Wayne)... just a few off the noggin. Past the last thirty years, we’ll, I’m not qualified (other than the obvious Thorpe), and I know there are a few I’m missing.

I'm not too familiar with Jackie Robinson's physical tools, but he played four sports at UCLA, and baseball was his worst lol. But yea, I don't think Jackie is really on Thorpe or Bo's level.

MJ is up there, he was ridiculously good at basketball, but I don't know that his abilities were as translatable to other sports. Wasn't that great of a baseball player.

Oh yeah, Mike Trout. Ted Williams. Ruth as pitcher/hitter, maybe Shohei Ohtani, tho he has a long way to go.

I’m sure there are many other all time great athletes missing in this hipshot list of mine that others can add. Good stuff, Blue56

Maybe if Ruth took care of himself lol. But yea he was stupid good at baseball.

Trying to think of some others: Wilt was a freak. He's up there

LeBron and Usain Bolt also come to mind.

It can be a tricky question. I am putting a little more weight on pure physical ability and being able to play multiple sports well. That's where I think some of the baseball guys might lack a little, to be honest.

 

[Bobhaze]

I'm not too familiar with Jackie Robinson's physical tools, but he played four sports at UCLA, and baseball was his worst lol. But yea, I don't think Jackie is really on Thorpe or Bo's level.

MJ is up there, he was ridiculously good at basketball, but I don't know that his abilities were as translatable to other sports. Wasn't that great of a baseball player.


Maybe if Ruth took care of himself lol. But yea he was stupid good at baseball.

Trying to think of some others: Wilt was a freak. He's up there

LeBron and Usain Bolt also come to mind.

It can be a tricky question. I am putting a little more weight on pure physical ability and being able to play multiple sports well. That's where I think some of the baseball guys might lack a little, to be honest.

Here’s the thing too many of us forget about Jackie Robinson. Not only was he a great three sport athlete (baseball, football and track) but none of us will ever be able to understand what kind of hatred and pressure he was under in 1947 as he broke the color barrier. The verbal abuse, spitting, spiking and chin music he received would have crushed most athletes mentally.

Jackie Robinson’s greatest athletic gift was his mental toughness. That is one of the most underrated qualities of a great athlete. Mental toughness. It’s not speed or quickness or strength. Its the ability to overcome the vice-like pressure of people constantly hating on you and hoping you fail. Not to mention the pressure of representing an entire ethnic group as the icon of that sport. None of us could ever know what kind of mental toughness that required. And he was a great player despite all that. Jackie Robinson is an American hero, regardless of athletic ranking.

 

[Trouty]

Dropping that Jackie knowledge, thanks Blue and Hayes

I did watch a recent documentary on him, tho I don’t remember where. Sad also that it was recent and I don’t remember where lol

It’s apparent I woefully overlooked him, even as it was spoon fed to me via the boob-tube.

Thanks fellas, for educating this 30-something dude over here