Barry Sanders

[kcxiv]

A human body should not be able to do this.

[Moontayle]

Emmit may hold the all time rushing yards record, but I have wet dreams about what Barry could have done with a team that was an actual contender. He is, without a doubt, the greatest running back the NFL has ever had.

[psu199]

He is, without a doubt, the greatest running back the NFL has ever had

I think he's on a pretty short list, but that's a pretty bold statement to make. Especially in a position with guys like Jim Brown and Walter Peyton usually ahead of him on the list. I wouldn't put Emmit all that high, despite his gaudy stats. He was a very consistently solid back on a good running football team (maybe had the best offensive line of all time), and he stayed healthy throughout a very long career. He was good for sure, but there's probably 10 other backs in history who could have done the same thing he did in his position, if not more.

[Moontayle]

I won't argue with you in saying that there's lots of other good backs there right next to him. However, by and large those backs were surrounded by good teams and their stats reflect this to a point. That's always a big argument against Emmitt because of how Dallas ran their offense during their 90s run as well as how scary good the team was in the first place. However, Barry landed on what I consider to be one of the greatest loser franchises in the history of the NFL. The things he could do with a shitty team around him just defies probability, and yet he did it anyways. Like I said above, with a good team he would have been even more of a beast, but history denied him the chance.

[cdyhybrid]

Gale Sayers > anything else in this thread.

[Grimmlokk]

It's Barry Sanders and Jim Brown at the top then a whole mess of people a good deal behind them. Sayers didn't last long enough or he'd be up there or above them.

If Tomlinson stays healthy he'll be up there too.

[Phlean]

Barry Sanders is the reason I really started watching football back in the day. That video really displays how fast he really was, just insane how quick he gets through the hole and keeps his tree trunk like legs going. I like the Cowboys and Emmitt but he should be glad Barry retired when he did as he was around 1500 yds from breaking the all time record 3-4 years before Emmitt eventually got to it.

[Grimmlokk]

Oh Barry would have broken 20k probably. Just imagine if he didn't have a shit team where defenses focused 7+ men on him almost every play.

[kcxiv]

In no particular order.

Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton. Gayle Sayers, O.J Simpson


Thats the cream of the crop.

2nd tier would be Erik Dickerson. Thurman Thomas, Marcus Allen, Terrell Davis, Tony Dorsett, and i am sure you could add a few more in here.


I dont think you can label 1 person the best running back ever.

[Locithon]

Sanders is good, but he wasn't as consistent as most other greats. He would get those amazing runs for 50 yards, but he'd also get those rushes for -2 yards when his cutback didn't work. He wasn't the kind of back that could give you 5-6 yards every time, he was still great though.

[kcxiv]

Thats becuase he had a freaking horrible team. Look at most of them plays, He made most of that shit happen on just pure football skill.

[Moontayle]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

Thats becuase he had a freaking horrible team. Look at most of them plays, He made most of that shit happen on just pure football skill.

Hence my declaration. Early into the clips there's one where the guy has him completely wrapped up and begins to swing him around to the ground. Barry just uses the momentum to break free and bust a move down the sideline. You can't teach shit like that. And yeah, he has the dubious honor of being the back with the most all time plays with lost yards (correct me if I'm wrong), but I put that with Babe Ruth being at the top of the struck-out list.

[Twobit Whore]

If Bo Jackson hadn't split time with baseball and hadn't ruined his hip.. I think he would be in that top tier as well.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by Twobit Whore

If Bo Jackson hadn't split time with baseball and hadn't ruined his hip.. I think he would be in that top tier as well.

I agree, its a shame he didnt go out on his own terms. Hell, i would say you can put Tomlinson in the 2nd tier. He's going to make his way to the first in another few years.

[Rush]

Can you imagine trying to prepare a college team to defend Oklahoma State when they had both Barry Sanders AND Thurman Thomas?

And if Bo Jackson would of not gotten hurt, he would've been the most dominant back in NFL history. Swap Barry and Emmit, and Barry runs for well over 20k yards in his career.