Top 10 "Power Backs" in NFL History (1 Viewer)

[5Rings]

I have a tough time classifying Franco as a power back. My recollection of him was of a guy who would rather run out of bounds and avoid a hit than fight for an extra yard. I know its splitting hairs, but IMO, Earl Campbell was head and shoulders above Riggins. The Tyler Rose was the best power back I've seen in the last 30 years.eta

I seem to recall Franco taking a lot of heat for running out of bounds all the time instead of welcoming contact.

You are correct -- Franco did get this reputation because he definitely did this in his last three or four years. Unfortunately a lot of people in Pittsburgh don't remember the Franco in his first 8 or 9 seasons. He was a pretty tough back.

Thanks GB.

 

[Doug B]

Two 80s guy that deserve to be in the discussion -- George Rogers and Gerald Riggs. Both started with terrible teams (New Orleans and Atlanta, respectively), but both ended up as heavy contributors to solid Redskins squads. Rogers, I believe, has a ring (SB XX1 or XXII, I forget).

Another 80s stalwart, former Bengal Larry Kinnebrew, never gained 1,000 yards but was a noted goal-line/short-yardage freak.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Greg Jones could make a future list if he ever gets enough carries. The year he had to play a lot for Fred T, before MJD got to Jax, he was plowing over people left and right.

 

[NY/NJMFDIVER]

I think the rationale for Riggins ahead of Campbell(which I also disagree with FWIW) is that power was Riggins ENTIRE game, whereas Earl had power plus good wheels and an ability to move. He just seemed to have fun truckin those backers!

I think I would also ammend my list to include OJ Anderson as a possible 10th slot. I'm quite biased and only watched the tail end of his career, never saw the Cardinals days beyond NFL films highlights(which, lets face it, there weren't many of the 1980's Cardinals). But he was an absoulte Hoss running the ball.

 

[Steady Mooobin]

4th and 1 ? Give me Marcus Allen Emmitt Smith

Fixed

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Loved the power backfield of John Brockington and MacArthur Lane.

Loved the work Larry Brown did in Washington for a couple of years.

Rod Bernstein had the style but it burned him up awefully quickly.

 

[pecorino]

Riggins is too high at #2 imo and Bettis is too low. the Bus is the leading rusher in terms of yards for the big backs. I'd consider Franco a power back, too. He had a pretty rare combination of power and speed for his day.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Over a four or five year period, Lawrence McCutceon of the Rams brought a pretty hard game.

 

[redman]

Riggins is too high at #2 imo and Bettis is too low. the Bus is the leading rusher in terms of yards for the big backs. I'd consider Franco a power back, too. He had a pretty rare combination of power and speed for his day.

Bettis was not a power back the way these other guys were. He had amazing agility for a guy his size and was most noteworthy for his ability to make tacklers miss, rather than running through/over them. This faded late in his career as he relied more on his size and strength, but that wasn't what made his name.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Their "Honorable Mention" list of guys who didn't make the Top-10 is as follows.- Sam "Bam" Cunningham- Ironhead Heyward- Walter Payton- Kevin Mack- Tank Younger- John Henry Johnson- Alan Ameche- Bo Jackson- Ricky Williams- Jamal Anderson- Pete Johnson- Natrone Means- Bam Morris

No Jim Nance?

 

[nashua55]

I have a tough time classifying Franco as a power back. My recollection of him was of a guy who would rather run out of bounds and avoid a hit than fight for an extra yard. I know its splitting hairs, but IMO, Earl Campbell was head and shoulders above Riggins. The Tyler Rose was the best power back I've seen in the last 30 years.eta

I seem to recall Franco taking a lot of heat for running out of bounds all the time instead of welcoming contact.

You are correct -- Franco did get this reputation because he definitely did this in his last three or four years. Unfortunately a lot of people in Pittsburgh don't remember the Franco in his first 8 or 9 seasons. He was a pretty tough back.

Thanks GB.

I have to agree about Franco Harris, though a HOFer, to me he was not a really a power back. He was very good at hitting the whole, but I really dont remember him bolling over defenders. Plus, he had enough speed to hit the outside, but always seemed to run out of bounds. I would consider putting Robert Newhouse on the list. That guys was a horse.

 

[56]

I'm surprised that Marion Motley wouldn't have been higher on the list. I guess he is remembered more for breaking the color barrier, but he was a beast in his day. He was 6-1, 240 at a time when even the biggest lineman was under 200 lbs., and he absolutely destroyed defenders.

Honestly, I didn't really know much about the guy until I saw an NFL Films documentary on him, years ago as some late night ESPN filler. It was shocking to see this massive guy just dominate the much smaller defense. It is a shame that racism and WWII kept this guy from entering professional football until he was in his late 20's.

 

[The_Man]

One contemporary player who merits discussion on this list is Jamal Lewis. He's got a lot of mileage on his tires now, but as a rookie and in his 2000 yard season, he was a frightening combo of speed and power. The Wild Card game vs. Denver where he ran through Al Wilson for the clinching TD is one example. In his 295-yard game vs. the Browns, Cleveland DBs were diving at his ankles because they wanted no part of him any higher than that.

 

[Steady Mooobin]

Marion Barber

 

[guitarmonkiy]

Greg Jones could make a future list if he ever gets enough carries. The year he had to play a lot for Fred T, before MJD got to Jax, he was plowing over people left and right.

 

[KoolKat]

Greg Jones could make a future list if he ever gets enough carries. The year he had to play a lot for Fred T, before MJD got to Jax, he was plowing over people left and right.

That clip never gets old.

 

[The Goat]

Earl Campbell is only #3?

Seriously?

 

[Wildman]

Bo Jackson and Payton are no-brainers. How you don't put Payton on that level amazes me.

Another guy never mentioned, but was a great power back in his time was William Andrews. Anyone remember him knocking Ronnie Lott cold on a head on collision after catching a pass in the flat?