In a debate on another forum over this topic(picked Marshall Faulk myself). Trying to be fair and cover multiple eras here:
Opinions encouraged
Opinions encouraged
Poll: Best Multipurpose Back in NFL history
- Thread starter ScWildthing61
- Start date
Best straight up running back of all time is Sanders. Even Emmitt conceded that. If Sanders didn't play for a crap team he wouldn't have retired early.
Best all purpose back was Gale Sayers.Most fun to watch.Unfortunately he played before Orthapedics improved greatly.Watch some of his clips on YouTube.
Best running back and arguably the best player was Jim Brown.He also was All American lacrosse player.
Best running back and arguably the best player was Jim Brown.He also was All American lacrosse player.
Matter of opinion I'd say. I've seen many clips of both. Both great players. Sayers galloped for many yards and many long td's in his short career. I don't think there's many clips of him getting tackled.
Don’t know about multi-purpose. This will be unpopular, but the best nfl running back ever to my eye was OJ Simpson. My opinion.
OJ was right there among the best.6-3 230 lbs and was a world class sprinter running I believe a 9.3 100 yd dash when the record was 9.1.
When people said no way 1 person could have killed both Ron Goldman and Nicole I don’t they know how powerful somebody like OJ was.
When people said no way 1 person could have killed both Ron Goldman and Nicole I don’t they know how powerful somebody like OJ was.
In the pre-pro bowl days there was like an nfl all-star game; maybe that’s what it was actually called, I can’t remember. In Simpson’s rookie year he was in that game, took a swing pass, got downfield and straight out trucked the other teams’ linebacker; it was astonishing to see that power from a rookie against an nfl vet. At Southern Cal he was mostly speed and athleticism; didn’t really start showing the power too til he got in the nfl.
Used to watch Gayle Sayers at my grandmothers house on Sundays. Loved watching him return kickoffs. My second favorite running back
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How in the #€££ did I forget Gale SayersIn the pre-pro bowl days there was like an nfl all-star game; maybe that’s what it was actually called, I can’t remember. In Simpson’s rookie year he was in that game, took a swing pass, got downfield and straight out trucked the other teams’ linebacker; it was astonishing to see that power from a rookie against an nfl vet. At Southern Cal he was mostly speed and athleticism; didn’t really start showing the power too til he got in the nfl.
Used to watch Gayle Sayers at my grandmothers house on Sundays. Loved watching him return kickoffs. My second favorite running back
Tried to go on a decade by decade basis going back to the 50s(figuring that was the earliest anyone on here started following football) and tried to figure out which backs were being talked about as multipurpose threats in each decade. There are several that I did miss(Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, etc).I remembered seeing a video once(don't remember if it was NFL films or something youtube related) talking about how underrated Chuck Foreman was in the 1970s and how he was a threat not just as a runner but as a receiver as well, so that's why I thought of him for that decade.
How is Gale Sayers not on the poll? If its MULTI Purpose? The Kansas Comet, played 4 full seasons and made the HOF. Dude was a ridiculous multi purpose back, played special teams as a returner as well as running back.
Had 39 rushing touchdowns, 9 receiving, 1 passing, 6 kickoff return, 2 punt returns in 4 full seasons and 1 part and 2 seasons he only played 2 games in. Less games back then.
On 12/12/65, against SF, he scored 6 touchdowns, one on a 80 yard pass reception, 4 on touchdown runs, and had a 85 yard punt return for a td, that's a Multi Purpose back!
Had 39 rushing touchdowns, 9 receiving, 1 passing, 6 kickoff return, 2 punt returns in 4 full seasons and 1 part and 2 seasons he only played 2 games in. Less games back then.
On 12/12/65, against SF, he scored 6 touchdowns, one on a 80 yard pass reception, 4 on touchdown runs, and had a 85 yard punt return for a td, that's a Multi Purpose back!
Kordell "Slash" Stewart needs a mention, because he did it all. Not a RB, but you said all-purpose back, not RB.
And in those 4 years, only had more then 10 catches, in a season, one year, 1987, other years he had 10 or less catches, I'm not sure ever returned kicks and punts?
I don't think he was a multi purpose back, seemed to have one purpose, get the handoff and go fast.
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