Top Ten Running Backs in NFL History

 10. Frank Gore 

 09. Earl Campbell 

 08. Adrian Peterson 

07. Eric Dickerson

06.  Marshall Faulk

05. Ladainian Tomlinson 

04. Emmitt Smith 

03. Walter Payton

02. Jim Brown 

01. Barry Sanders 

 

10. Frank Gore 

Seasons 

2005 - 2019 

Career Games 

226 

Career Yards 

15,347 

Career Rushing Touchdowns 

79 

Career Rushing Average 

4.3 

Career Receiving Yards 

3896 

Career Receiving Touchdowns 

18 

Career Accolades 

- 5x Pro Bowl Selection 

- 1x Second Team All Pro 

- 2010 NFL All Decade Team 

- 3rd Most Rushing Yards in NFL History 

I didn't vote for Gore , I like him and he is the epitome of reliability and consistency in the NFL and you could always and probably even still rely on Gore. He deserves credit for his career , especially after it was never supposed to even get off the ground after injuries ... so what he's accomplished deserves a ton of credit.

I don't think though he was ever the best at his position in the NFL and probably not even Top 3 at any one point aside from maybe... one year? He was always there middling around the top five. If he had a higher more dynamic peak to his career he'd be in the conversation a lot higher.

He would have been probably #12 on my list. I get him being at ten and am fine with it.

Gore was my #10. To play 14 years and rack up over 15,000 rushing yards is all you need to know.

Frank Gore was never really a thought. Sure, he's highly durable, but his stats are meh. He's done so little with so many extra games than most, imo. He's been a little better than average for a really long time

Apr 23, 2020 13:48:04 GMT thereallt said:

Gore was my #10. To play 14 years and rack up over 15,000 rushing yards is all you need to know.

It speaks to his consistency and durability. Hardly elite and the 15000 yard mark means far less when he’s barely in the Top 50 for yards per game as a running back.

That’s FIFTY.

He had moments and deserves credit but his 15K Mark is a bit overblown.

Apr 23, 2020 14:16:58 GMT UT said:

Apr 23, 2020 13:48:04 GMT thereallt said:

Gore was my #10. To play 14 years and rack up over 15,000 rushing yards is all you need to know.

It speaks to his consistency and durability. Hardly elite and the 15000 yard mark means far less when he’s barely in the Top 50 for yards per game as a running back.

That’s FIFTY.

He had moments and deserves credit but his 15K Mark is a bit overblown.

I hate to use the word compiler, but that's how I feel about Gore.

Apr 23, 2020 14:21:42 GMT @ck said:

Apr 23, 2020 14:16:58 GMT UT said:

It speaks to his consistency and durability. Hardly elite and the 15000 yard mark means far less when he’s barely in the Top 50 for yards per game as a running back.

That’s FIFTY.

He had moments and deserves credit but his 15K Mark is a bit overblown.

I hate to use the word compiler, but that's how I feel about Gore.

I don’t like crushing him at all , dude was a gamer and deserves respect but you can’t just post two of his compiled stats and pretend that’s the whole story of his career. There’s simply more to it , including a bunch of 50 yard games.

Frank Gore missed my list for the same reasons as UT . Gore earns points for consistency, longevity, and piling up the stats, but I just never thought of him as a truly top tier RB aside from maybe one year. I'd have him in that 11-15 range.

Gore would have been top 20. His 4.3 yards per carry over 15 years is pretty impressive, ahead of the likes of Earl Campbell, Marshawn Lynch and Herschel Walker. Dependable but not too flashy, I agree with most everyone here.

YES! GOOORRRRREEEEEE! GOREEEEEEEEEE! GORE!

Happy he cracked the list. Had him at 10 and slid him to 9 right before I clicked 'send' because this dude doesn't get the respect he deserves. He's got the career yards to garner a spot in the top 10 for sure!

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Apr 23, 2020 21:50:39 GMT thereallt said:

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Marshawn Lynch was a late cut for me, but yup!

Apr 23, 2020 21:50:39 GMT thereallt said:

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Marshawn who?

Apr 23, 2020 21:50:39 GMT thereallt said:

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Again 50 running backs averaged more yards per game than him. That’s not a small number at all - you keep citing his YPC but this also tells a story of a ton of 50 yard games.

Also the whole “always one better” is bullshit. He finished in the Top 10 in rushing yards only 4 times in his 14 year career. Top 10 rushers in the NFL. Come on now. 10/14 times at least 10 running backs finished with more yards than him.

You’re wrong and just being stubborn. I respect Gores career and even one voting for him but it’s not as set in stone.

Apr 23, 2020 22:08:10 GMT @ck said:

Apr 23, 2020 21:50:39 GMT thereallt said:

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Marshawn who?

The guy from Westworld.

Apr 23, 2020 22:31:23 GMT UT said:

Apr 23, 2020 21:50:39 GMT thereallt said:

All of you(except Kid) are nuts. 4.4 yards a carry ovr 14 years is boss. His yearly average is also over 1000 yd per season.

Only ONE running back can ever be the best at any given season. And I'll bet dollars to donuts A TON of people had Marshawn Lynch on their list, and Gore's career shits on his.

Again 50 running backs averaged more yards per game than him. That’s not a small number at all - you keep citing his YPC but this also tells a story of a ton of 50 yard games.

Also the whole “always one better” is bullshit. He finished in the Top 10 in rushing yards only 4 times in his 14 year career. Top 10 rushers in the NFL. Come on now. 10/14 times at least 10 running backs finished with more yards than him.

You’re wrong and just being stubborn. I respect Gores career and even one voting for him but it’s not as set in stone.

And only TWO people are ahead of him on the all-time list.  And his career isn't over yet.

I'm pretty sure I'll eee names on this list ahead of Gore that will make me laugh my ass off.

Yet guys have 1000 yards less than him in four less seasons.

Helo Edge has 3000 less than him in 4 less seasons.

The actual best have more yards than him in less seasons.

Good career. Not a top ten back.

Apr 23, 2020 22:34:49 GMT CM Punk'd said:

Apr 23, 2020 22:08:10 GMT @ck said:

Marshawn who?

The guy from Westworld.

I don't know that either... 

Apr 23, 2020 23:22:31 GMT thereallt said:

Apr 23, 2020 22:31:23 GMT UT said:

Again 50 running backs averaged more yards per game than him. That’s not a small number at all - you keep citing his YPC but this also tells a story of a ton of 50 yard games.

Also the whole “always one better” is bullshit. He finished in the Top 10 in rushing yards only 4 times in his 14 year career. Top 10 rushers in the NFL. Come on now. 10/14 times at least 10 running backs finished with more yards than him.

You’re wrong and just being stubborn. I respect Gores career and even one voting for him but it’s not as set in stone.

And only TWO people are ahead of him on the all-time list.  And his career isn't over yet.

I'm pretty sure I'll eee names on this list ahead of Gore that will make me laugh my ass off.

I have a feeling judging by your handle that other LT is one of them? He made my list, the guy set records and managed to do damage with a sometimes middling offensive line.

Wow, thereallt, you're really going hard for your #10 back. I figured if you had such a hard-on for the guy you would've voted him higher. All the evidence you've referenced is basically matched or had others be that much more impressive than him. Him being 3rd in yards is basically him staying healthy and doing his job in most games, for a long career. To me, he's the Eli Manning of running backs.

Apr 23, 2020 23:57:23 GMT Shootist said:

Apr 23, 2020 23:22:31 GMT thereallt said:

And only TWO people are ahead of him on the all-time list.  And his career isn't over yet.

I'm pretty sure I'll eee names on this list ahead of Gore that will make me laugh my ass off.

I have a feeling judging by your handle that other LT is one of them? He made my list, the guy set records and managed to do damage with a sometimes middling offensive line.

I will NEVER refer to him as LT, but yes Tomlinson made my list.  Higher than Gore as well.

Apr 24, 2020 0:14:31 GMT @ck said:

Wow, thereallt, you're really going hard for your #10 back. I figured if you had such a hard-on for the guy you would've voted him higher. All the evidence you've referenced is basically matched or had others be that much more impressive than him. Him being 3rd in yards is basically him staying healthy and doing his job in most games, for a long career. To me, he's the Eli Manning of running backs.

That’s a pretty fair comp.

Apr 24, 2020 0:14:31 GMT @ck said:

Wow, thereallt , you're really going hard for your #10 back. I figured if you had such a hard-on for the guy you would've voted him higher. All the evidence you've referenced is basically matched or had others be that much more impressive than him. Him being 3rd in yards is basically him staying healthy and doing his job in most games, for a long career. To me, he's the Eli Manning of running backs.

it ain't just about the stats.   His game film measures up as well.   I ranked him 10 because that is a fair ranking.  10 running backs better?   I don't think so.

Apr 24, 2020 0:22:43 GMT thereallt said:

Apr 24, 2020 0:14:31 GMT @ck said:

Wow, thereallt , you're really going hard for your #10 back. I figured if you had such a hard-on for the guy you would've voted him higher. All the evidence you've referenced is basically matched or had others be that much more impressive than him. Him being 3rd in yards is basically him staying healthy and doing his job in most games, for a long career. To me, he's the Eli Manning of running backs.

it ain't just about the stats.   His game film measures up as well.   I ranked him 10 because that is a fair ranking.  10 running backs better?   I don't think so.

Meh. He was solid and dependable but hardly jumps off the screen on tape.

I don't get it, but whatever...opinions/assholes...we all have 'em and think they're correct.

So LT I’m guessing Bruce Smith is better than Reggie or LT because of his sacks... right?

Apr 24, 2020 0:51:58 GMT UT said:

So LT I’m guessing Bruce Smith is better than Reggie or LT because of his sacks... right?

No but he damn sure would be in my top 10 defensive players list.  Much less a top 10 defensive lineman list

Using LT or White just makes you look silly.   Those are legit GOAT contenders on defense.   I never made that claim for Gore at the RB position

Apr 24, 2020 1:23:58 GMT thereallt said:

Apr 24, 2020 0:51:58 GMT UT said:

So LT I’m guessing Bruce Smith is better than Reggie or LT because of his sacks... right?

No but he damn sure would be in my top 10 defensive players list.  Much less a top 10 defensive lineman list

Using LT or White just makes you look silly.   Those are legit GOAT contenders on defense.   I never made that claim for Gore at the RB position

No but you’re making a totality argument.

I've never understood why NFL people look down on accumulation like it's not a valid measure of greatness - it's not viewed like that in any other sport. Longevity isn't some sort of side issue, it's legitimately impressive - and all the more so at the position of running back. If Gore gets signed for the upcoming season he'll have played more games than any other back in the NFL, that alone is worthy of some serious kudos. 

For the record he was #3 on my list (of guys who I've seen play).