There are many ways to score in the , but none are both as satisfying to the fans and as electrifying to the sideline as a hard-nosed, physical, brutish run. It's a display not only of the will, strength, and determination of a player, but the controlled chaos and violence that football fans crave. There have been many powerful backs to rumble on the NFL's gridiron over the years, though with the game's shift to a more passing-centric model over the last couple of decades, these kinds of mudders are fewer and far between these days, which is why only two players on our top 10 list have played a snap in the last 20 seasons.
So, let's take a walk down memory lane and reminisce on some of the toughest, meanest, and most frustrating (from a defender's point of view) running backs ever to carry an NFL football. The way the NFL is today, it's probably safe to say Emmitt Smith's all-time rushing yards record will never be broken. Jim Brown is arguably the best running back in NFL history.
With a mix of speed, power, and finesse, Brown’s ability to make defenders miss in every way separates him from the pack. Brown finished top four in MVP voting in all but ONE of his nine seasons in the league, winning the award thrice, and is widely regarded as the toughest back to bring down that ever touched an NFL field. Brown's rough and tumble style clearly took a toll on the back, which is why he began considering retirement as young as 24 and ended up playing just nine years, despite leadi.
