Factoid
I swapped emails with Eric Scolnick on Redmond. He was wondering about 30-year-old running backs – specifically, should we be worried that Fred Jackson will burn out? Jackson is on his way right now to becoming the 25th running back in the last 14 seasons to run for over 1,000 yards.
The common worry with running backs is that they burn out at 30. As you look at the numbers, however, it seems to be that the more common burnout age is 31 or 32.
On the chart below (which doesn’t include Jackson yet), you’ll see 14 guys who are 30. There are seven at age 31 (and this is the age when the season ends), and only three at 32. In this time period, there have been no backs 33 or older running for 1,000 yards. Only two backs ever have run for over 1,000 at age 33-plus, and they’ve both done it twice – John Riggins and John Henry Johnson.
30-YEAR-OLDS RUSHING FOR 1,000, 1998-
Yds Year Player, Team (age)
1491 1998 Barry Sanders, Det. (30)
1397 1999 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (30)
1210 1999 Ricky Watters, Sea. (30)
1203 2000 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (31)
1242 2000 Ricky Watters, Sea. (31)
1139 2000 Lamar Smith, Mia. (30)
1021 2001 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (32)
1206 2001 Garrison Hearst, S.F. (30)
1021 2002 James Stewart, Det. (30)
1308 2003 Curtis Martin, NYJ (30)
1420 2003 Priest Holmes, K.C. (30)
1031 2003 Eddie George, Tenn. (30)
1697 2004 Curtis Martin, NYJ (31)
1635 2004 Corey Dillon, N.E. (30)
1014 2005 Mike Anderson, Den. (32)
1860 2005 Tiki Barber, NYG (30)
1416 2005 Warrick Dunn, Atl. (30)
1662 2006 Tiki Barber, NYG (31)
1140 2006 Warrick Dunn, Atl. (31)
1146 2006 Fred Taylor, Jac. (30)
1202 2007 Fred Taylor, Jac. (31)
1312 2008 Thomas Jones, NYJ (30)
1121 2009 Ricky Williams, Mia. (32)
1402 2009 Thomas Jones, NYJ (31)
—Ian Allan
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