Have we seen the last of the hall of fame running back era?

[Eleazar]

Have we seen the last of the hall of fame running back era?
By Cameron Wolfe
The Denver Post
POSTED: 11/18/2015 10:56:56 AM MST


Up until this decade, the running back was a valued position. I mean a truly valued position.

Every kid wanted to run the ball and every team wanted a superstar running back. Then, the 2010s came and the back became the most disposable position in the NFL.

From 1986-90, there were at least five running backs taken in the first round in each year. In 2013 and 2014 zero first-round backs were selected.

The new-age NFL is a passing league built for elite quarterbacks to shine. Even for teams that rely on their run game, it's usually a platoon role or running back by committee.

I talked to Broncos' running back Ronnie Hillman about it last week. He said nobody gets 35 carries any more, the era of the back is over.

That brought to mind an interesting question: have we seen the last of the Hall of Fame running back era?

There's one active sure bet: Adrian Peterson. An old-school bell cow playing in the wrong decade.

After that, does anybody else get in for the foreseeable future?

There's a few contenders we'll take a look at including the one with the best chance:

Frank Gore, Colts — The NFL's all-time active leading rusher with 11,672 yards. He's No. 16 on the all-time list with a decent chance to move up to No. 9 if he could amass 642 yards in his final seven games. He's given little inclination retirement is on the brink.

But Gore could run into the same problem that Edgerrin James (No. 11), Corey Dillon (No. 19) and Warrick Dunn (No. 22) faced: they were never the best back in the league. They got their total by being consistent, not elite.

The Others

Marshawn Lynch and Chris Johnson are the next two backs to come to mind. Both are on the verge of 10,000 career yards. They both possess something an argument for something that Gore can't — being the best back in the NFL at some point.

Yet, both appear at the end of their career. Johnson needed a revival in 2015 with Arizona to even play this season. Lynch has hinted at retirement at the end of the season. They might run out of time.

The next crop includes Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy. All dominant, quick, new-age backs, who excel just as much catching passes as they do touting the rock. How much will the voters account for their dual-threat ability? It may also not matter as each has entered the injury-laden portion of their career.

Whether we realize it or not, the days of the elite hall of fame back are over.

Maybe Todd Gurley can save it, but that's a while away.

http://www.denverpost.com/knowthis/c...nning-back-era

[TLO]

The rule changes and emphasis on illegal contact have had a lot to do with this.

[JoeyChuckles]

Ebb and flow. They'll be back in favor in a few years. Just like every 5-10 years offense and defense switch priority.

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by JoeyChuckles

Ebb and flow. They'll be back in favor in a few years. Just like every 5-10 years offense and defense switch priority.

I think the same thing... in due time, someone will win again with that dominant RB and make it trendy again because it's 'new'. I give it 7 years, but it sorta depends on the style of the college game as well and what happens there.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Mile High Mania

I think the same thing... in due time, someone will win again with that dominant RB and make it trendy again because it's 'new'. I give it 7 years, but it sorta depends on the style of the college game as well and what happens there.

One could make the argument that Seattle did just that with Marshawn Lynch a couple years ago.

QB has always been the single most important positon.

SB teams are built differently from era to era, even from year to year.

QB is the one constant, with only a couple of anomalies.

[Eleazar]

It does seem like the rule changes and the flag-footballing of some aspects of the game have made the league so QB centric that there's no need to have a dominant ground game. The era of the feature back seems to be over. How many guys are getting 25 carries anymore, as the article says?

I think this piece is interesting because people miss the fact that football wasn't always so one dimensional. It was better when defenses were better, and running games were better IMO

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Cochise

It does seem like the rule changes and the flag-footballing of some aspects of the game have made the league so QB centric that there's no need to have a dominant ground game. The era of the feature back seems to be over. How many guys are getting 25 carries anymore, as the article says?

I think this piece is interesting because people miss the fact that football wasn't always so one dimensional. It was better when defenses were better, and running games were better IMO

I agree it was a better all around game back in the day. 20-30 years ago.

But not to the casual fan. Casual fan likes scoring and the passing assaults we witness weekly. Frankly, thats part of why the NFL has become so huge.

It feels like alot of teams dont even have a RB anymore. Do teams like the Patriots even have a RB? I never even hear their RBs name mentioned?

[Saccopoo]

Ezekiel Elliot
Leonard Fournette

Both have the potential to be insanely good running backs in the NFL.

Thing is, there just haven't been real elite level RB's come out. Just like all positions, generational talent is generational talent.

This guy is pining for Eric Dickerson, Gayle Sayers, Herschel Walker, Walter Payton and Jim Brown, but the problem is that guys like that aren't a dime a dozen. Peterson is that good because he's that good.

[Mother****erJones]

Absolutely not. There will always be great RBs

[ThaVirus]

I certainly hope not. It's my favorite position.

Love me a great running back.

[GloucesterChief]

The emphasis on PI and hits really opened up the passing game. I believe Montana said that the biggest difference between his time and now is that if he made some of the passes over the middle that are common today he wouldn't have that receiver next week.

There aren't really anymore big hitters at safety anymore. No more Ronnie Lott, John Lynch, or Lawyer Milloy's.

[staylor26]

Gurley and Fournette are going to be HUGE stars.

[Gadzooks]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I agree it was a better all around game back in the day. 20-30 years ago.

But not to the casual fan. Casual fan likes scoring and the passing assaults we witness weekly. Frankly, thats part of why the NFL has become so huge.

It feels like alot of teams dont even have a RB anymore. Do teams like the Patriots even have a RB? I never even hear their RBs name mentioned?

I hope when Manning retires we can change the rules back to the 80's-90's days. None of these sissy PI calls, 10 yds for breathing on the QB, etc...

The NFL seems to be targeting to get 13 year old girls interested in fantasy/fancy football. Old, white, goateed, bald, beer bellied dudes are no longer their demo because the NFL knows they'll watch regardless.

When Dakota is making her first pick in the fantasy draft she'll choose Tom Brady because he's "hot n' stuff", Madison has the second pick and takes Aaron Rodgers because he's "Dreamy", Brooklyn takes the "hot ginger" Andy Dalton "Grrrrrr"

I want my old NFL back.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by JoeyChuckles

Ebb and flow. They'll be back in favor in a few years. Just like every 5-10 years offense and defense switch priority.

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I agree it was a better all around game back in the day. 20-30 years ago.

But not to the casual fan. Casual fan likes scoring and the passing assaults we witness weekly. Frankly, thats part of why the NFL has become so huge.

It feels like alot of teams dont even have a RB anymore. Do teams like the Patriots even have a RB? I never even hear their RBs name mentioned?

Belichick does not believe in building a team around a RB. His offense will get by with a solid back who will take what is there and will NOT fumble.

We won two SBs ('01 and '03) with Antwain (three yards and a cloud of dust) Smith. Another with Corey Dillon ('04), who was the only truly awesome RB of the last 15 years with the Patriots.

'07 SB run with an undefeated team was Lawrence Maroney. Please...

Kevin Faulk was the exceptional 3rd down back for all of these teams.

'11 SB run was Law Firm, BenJarvus Green Ellis. Please...

Last year was Shane Vereen as 3rd down back and Blount as primary back.


Patriots will abandon the run and go pure pass faster than any team in NFL history. Some games they simply do NOT run from the get go. Brady has thrown 50+ passes in a game more often than any QB in NFL history.

"The Patriots are 15-7 (.682) when Brady passes the ball 50 or more times, including the postseason. Every other team in modern NFL history (since 1960) has combined to go 100-386-6 (.209) in this situation. The Brady Patriots have singularly won 13 percent of all the 50-attempt victories during the past 55 years of professional football. Lamonica, by the way, never attempted 50 passes in a game.

Victory in these bombing campaigns is difficult for two reasons: First, it’s usually a sign of desperation. Most NFL teams tend to pass the ball that often only when they’re down big. Second, desperate quarterbacks tend to throw interceptions, sometimes multiple. And teams simply don’t win when they throw interceptions.

Brady and the Patriots, however, are utterly unique in their ability to win these games: Brady is the career leader in 50-attempt games (22), 50-attempt wins (15) and 50-attempt winning percentage (.682).

Nobody else is close.

Peyton Manning is second with 17 50-attempt games, and he’s just 4-13 (.235) in those contests."

Aaron Rogers has never had to do this, not even once.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/p...ver_gunslinger

[Chromatic]

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

I hope when Manning retires we can change the rules back to the 80's-90's days. None of these sissy PI calls, 10 yds for breathing on the QB, etc...

The NFL seems to be targeting to get 13 year old girls interested in fantasy/fancy football. Old, white, goateed, bald, beer bellied dudes are no longer their demo because the NFL knows they'll watch regardless.

When Dakota is making her first pick in the fantasy draft she'll choose Tom Brady because he's "hot n' stuff", Madison has the second pick and takes Aaron Rodgers because he's "Dreamy", Brooklyn takes the "hot ginger" Andy Dalton "Grrrrrr"

I want my old NFL back.

Uhh, the concussion and CTE epidemic across sports pretty made them changing anything back to the way things were impossible.

The whole "They might as well put them in dresses hurr durr!" thing really doesn't ****ing cut it anymore.