Who Is The Best Running Back Of All-Time?

[mikesilvia]

ESPN NFL football analysts discuss who they think is the best running back of all time. A few names that came up were Walter Peyton and Barry Sanders. None of them pick Emmitt Smith due to the great Dallas Cowboy offensive line and so many Hall of Famers like Troy Aikmen and Michael Irvin. Ladainain [...]

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[RedGoneWILD]

easy question, easy answer!

[bearfield]

this is a "NO BRAINER". my opinion is that anybody that doesn't pick barry sanders knows little about the game. i could explain why, but if you don't already know, no explanation would suffice. harsh statement, but it was a harsh question.

time for a disclaimer--notice i said "my opinion", although in this case i believe opinion to be fact.


i think walter payton and jim brown are tied for 2nd and 3rd, i can't decide, but it really gets hard picking 4 through 10. i just lump them in a bunch. its cowardly, i know, but very hard to place them in order.
you really can't count on the experts, like the guys from sports illustrated, they don't know much, remember, those are the guys that said when he got drafted, he wouldn't amount to much, you know, MICHAEL JORDAN.

[theproudestmonkey]

1 barry sanders
2 jim brown
3 walter payton

[palantri]

Id say its a tie- Jim Brown and Barry Sanders. The reason I say this is that both were explosive, dynamic runners who were nearly impossible to tackle. They could both move and cut amazingly, and made guys miss.

The reason I put both in a tie, is because both walked away before they had to- so we really dont know who would have been more dominant in the second half of their respective careers.

Ed

[br.ett]

1 barry sanders
2 jim brown
3 walter payton

EXACTLY!!! i don't know why but everyone i talk to always thinks that walter payton was the best...im like NO! BARRY SANDERS!!!

[puffster31]

1) Barry Sanders - the man
2) Tony Dorsett - he made his teammates better
3) Marcus Allen - he was fun to watch

[selby56]

I might be a little biased here...but I think its Jimmy Brown. Barry is a very close second. But growing up a Browns fan, I had to pick Jimmy. My Grandpa has told me so many stories about the guy and how amazing he was.

[htwheelz01]

Its either Jim Brown or Barry Sanders.

[mikesilvia]

Wouldn't you give Emmitt Smith some props though for sticking it out for so long? Barry Sanders and Jim Brown left the game early. Emmitt Smith never quite early. Not slamming Jim Brown or Barry Sanders, but there is a reason they are not the leading rushers; the quit. If Ladainian Tomlinson quits early then he shouldn't be considered the best of all time. Unless we are looking at "best RB in a single season."