The Top 10 NFL Running Backs of the 80s
The Top 10 NFL Running Backs of the 1980s. There are a lot of names that were worthy of making this list, who were kept off. This is a list of the best of the very best. A countdown of the 10 best at the Running Back position for the Decade. So let the debate begin and find out who is at the top of this list.
Before we start be sure to check out my Top 10 Running Backs of the 70s:
Let's Begin!
10. Billy Sims: Detroit Lions
Stats for the Decade: 5,106 Rushing Yards, 42 Rushing TD, 2,072 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1980 All-Rookie Team, 1x Offensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Pro
The Breakdown:
If it wasn’t for injuries, Sims might’ve had a Hall of Fame Career. He finished the decade with three 1,000 Yard Rushing seasons in only five seasons played in the decade. Sims was also a good pass-catcher out of the backfield. He had multiple 400 Yard Receiving seasons.
9. Gerald Riggs: Atlanta Falcons & Washington
Stats for the Decade: 7,465 Rushing Yards, 52 Rushing TD
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 3x Pro-Bowler
The Breakdown:
The first surprise on this list. Most people who’ll read this article have probably never heard of Riggs. The truth is, he was a very productive player. He had as good a run as you can have with the Falcons from 1984 — 1986. For a player most have forgotten about, Riggs carved out a nice career for himself and was able to make 3 Pro-Bowls in the ’80s. Not bad for a player that most have never heard of.
8. Ottis Anderson: St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals & New York Giants
Stats for the Decade: 9,317 Rushing Yards, 69 Rushing TD, 2,882 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1x Super-Bowl Champion, 1x Comeback Player of the Year, 1x Pro-Bowler
The Breakdown:
Anderson played for a small market team for most of his career. That didn’t help his perception amongst fans, media, and analysts. For someone that had Five 1000 Yard Rushing seasons in the decade, to only make 1 Pro-Bowl, just shows how underrated Anderson was. He even went on to win a Super-Bowl with the Giants during the 80s and later the 90s.
7. Curt Warner: Seattle Seahawks
Stats for the Decade: 6,705 Rushing TD, 55 TD
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1983 All-Rookie Team, 3x Pro-Bowler
The Breakdown:
Warner was the first star “Curt” Warner, before the real Hall of Fame Quarterback, “Kurt Warner”. Warner was a highly touted prospect from what is a long lineage of high-profile Penn State Running Backs. Warner for the most part delivered on his hype and helped those 80s Seattle teams, with Dave Krieg, become relevant and exciting to watch. Had Warner not been injured throughout his career maybe he would’ve been higher on this list.
6. Marcus Allen: Oakland Raiders
Stats for the Decade: 7,275 Rushing Yards, 63 Rushing TD, 3,661 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1x Super-Bowl Champion, 1x Super-Bowl MVP, 5x Pro-Bowler, 2x All-Pro, 1982 Offensive Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Rookie Team, 1x MVP, 1x Offensive Player of the Year, 1x Comeback Player of the Year
The Breakdown:
Allen was a do-it-all Running Back. The man could catch passes and was a speedy Running Back that could break for big runs. The 1985 MVP even had 3 passing touchdowns in 1983. Talk about a “do-it-all” Running Back.
5. Earl Campbell: Houston Oilers/ Tennessee Titans & New Orleans Saints
Stats for the Decade: 6,260 Rushing TD, 42 Rushing TD
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 3x Pro-Bowler, 1x All-Pro, 1x Offensive Player of the Year
The Breakdown:
He only played six seasons in the Decade and was dominant in only three of them. Still, Campbell’s impact and his style of running are too legendary to keep him lower than 5th on this list. Campbell made running look so easy and had his prime lasted longer, he very well could’ve made a run for the number one spot on this list.
4. Tony Dorsett: Dallas Cowboys & Denver Broncos
Stats for the Decade: 9,300 Rushing Yards, 52 Rushing TD, 2,528 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 3x Pro-Bowler, 1x All-Pro
The Breakdown:
Had Dallas run the Offense more through Dorsett, in the 80s, not only would they have won a Super-Bowl but Dorsett would have had much better numbers. The fact that his numbers were still elite despite this, just shows how talented he was. It’s a shame that Dorsett couldn’t capture another Super-Bowl in the 80s. He was certainly the type of Running Back that you build your team around.
3. Roger Craig: San Francisco 49ers
Stats for the Decade: 6,625 Rushing Yards, 49 Rushing TD, 4,241 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 3x Super-Bowl Champion, 4x Pro-Bowler, 1x All-Pro, 1x Offensive Player of the Year
The Breakdown:
Craig was one of the most overshadowed players at the Running Back Position in the 80s. When you play with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, two of the greatest players at their position in the history of the NFL, that’s bound to happen. Craig was a Hall of Famer in his own right though and his production in the 80s was a huge reason why. His phenomenal 1985 season was his “coming out party”.
Craig had over 1000 Yards Rushing and, a ridiculous 1000 yards receiving. He was the best pass catcher at his position for his era and, that 1985 breakout season was just a foreshadowing of things to come from Craig.
2. Eric Dickerson: Los Angeles Rams & Indianapolis Colts
Stats for the Decade: 11,226 Rushing Yards, 82 Rushing TD
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1983 All-Rookie Team, 1983 Offensive Player of the Year, 1x Offensive Player of the Year, 6x Pro-Bowler, 5x All-Pro
The Breakdown:
This was a tough one. Payton or Dickerson. Ultimately Payton edges Dickerson out, but it wasn’t by much. Dickerson was a one-man show for the Rams for a long stretch in the 80s. He ran for the most Yards in the Decade and led the NFL in that category 4 times in the Decade.
1. Walter Payton: Chicago Bears
Stats for the Decade: 9,800 Rushing Yards, 51 Rushing TD, 3,114 Receiving Yards
Accolades/Awards for the Decade: 1x Super-Bowl Champion, 1x Super-Bowl MVP, 5x Pro-Bowler, 3x All-Pro
The Breakdown:
This wasn’t a surprise. The man had it all. The winning, the stats, and the individual accolades. Payton is quite simply the best Running Back of his era. He was also the number one Running Back in my 1970s list of top Running Backs. Payton was a great man off the field and, has a prestigious award named after him (Walter Payton Man of the Year).
There you have it! The Top 10 NFL Running Backs of the 80s. If you liked this post please share and also be sure to check out some more of my content at:
