There have been a bunch of great running backs in NFL history, but when it comes to settling on the No. 1 guy, it’s not even close. Jim Brown’s body of work stands well above anybody else.

He was in the league for nine years, and he won the rushing title in eight of them. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry for his career. He averaged 104 rushing yards per game for his career.

Brown played before the Super Bowl was created (the first championship game came the year after he left the league). So some will argue that players weren’t as good at that time. The league wasn’t fully, properly integrated, for example. But I think the defenses trying to stop Brown were plenty capable. Consider O.J. Simpson. He’s also one of the greatest running backs and came into the league in 1969 (just 4 years after Brown left), yet averaged only 3.9 and 4.1 yards per carry in his first two seasons. If players weren’t as good at that time, why wasn’t Simpson averaging 6 yards per attempt?

To me, there are a bunch of great, great running backs. If you look at the best seasons of guys like Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Adrian Peterson, Eric Dickerson and LaDainian Tomlinson, they’re all really good. When those guys were at their peak, I wouldn’t want to say any one of them (including Brown) stood above the rest.

It's when you get out the total body of work that Brown separates. Despite playing a punishing position, he played in all 118 games of his career. He also lifted the Browns to their last NFL championship.

If you want to consider numbers, think about rushing yards per game. That helps to level the playing field, with the size of the season growing from 12 to 14 to 16 to now 17 games. In league history, there have been 66 seasons with a player averaging 100 yards (dividing his production by his team’s scheduled number of games). Brown has done it 7 times. He’s got more than twice as many such seasons as all but one other running back. (Eric Dickerson had 4, while O.J. Simpson, LaDainian Tomlinson and Walter Payton each had 3).

Brown was the greatest at his position, and given the way the position has evolved, I don’t see there being anyway another back will ever even get in the conversation.

RUNNING BACKS AVERAGING 100 YARDS IN A SEASON
YearPlayerGAttYdsAvgTDYds/G
1973O.J. Simpson, Buff.143322,0036.012143.1
1963Jim Brown, Cle.142911,8636.412133.1
1977Walter Payton, Chi.143391,8525.514132.3
1984Eric Dickerson, LAR163792,1055.614131.6
2012Adrian Peterson, Min.163482,0976.012131.1
1975O.J. Simpson, Buff.143291,8175.516129.8
2003Jamal Lewis, Balt.163872,0665.314129.1
1997Barry Sanders, Det.163352,0536.111128.3
1958Jim Brown, Cle.122571,5275.917127.3
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.163782,0275.417126.7
1998Terrell Davis, Den.163922,0085.121125.5
2009Chris Johnson, Ten.163582,0065.614125.4
1980Earl Campbell, Hou.163731,9345.213120.9
2003Ahman Green, G.B.163551,8835.315117.7
1994Barry Sanders, Det.163311,8835.77117.7
2005Shaun Alexander, Sea.163701,8805.127117.5
2005Tiki Barber, NYG163571,8605.29116.3
2002Ricky Williams, Mia.163831,8534.816115.8
1998Jamal Anderson, Atl.164101,8464.514115.4
2014DeMarco Murray, Dall.163921,8454.713115.3
1986Eric Dickerson, LAR164041,8214.511113.8
2006LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.163481,8155.228113.4
1983Eric Dickerson, LAR163901,8084.618113.0
2006Larry Johnson, K.C.164161,7894.317111.8
1995Emmitt Smith, Dall.163771,7734.725110.8
1959Jim Brown, Cle.122901,3294.614110.8
1965Jim Brown, Cle.142891,5445.317110.3
2008Adrian Peterson, Min.163631,7604.910110.0
1985Marcus Allen, Oak.163801,7594.611109.9
2005Larry Johnson, K.C.163361,7505.220109.4
1997Terrell Davis, Den.163691,7504.715109.4
1985Gerald Riggs, Atl.163971,7194.310107.4
1976O.J. Simpson, Buff.142901,5035.28107.4
1992Emmitt Smith, Dall.163731,7134.618107.1
2000Edgerrin James, Ind.163871,7094.413106.8
2021Jonathan Taylor, Ind.173321,8115.518106.5
2008Michael Turner, Atl.163761,6994.517106.2
2004Curtis Martin, NYJ163711,6974.612106.1
1979Earl Campbell, Hou.163681,6974.619106.1
2004Shaun Alexander, Sea.163531,6964.816106.0
2006Frank Gore, S.F.163121,6955.48105.9
1992Barry Foster, Pitt.163901,6904.311105.6
1962Jim Taylor, G.B.142721,4745.419105.3
1984Walter Payton, Chi.163811,6844.411105.3
2002LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.163721,6834.514105.2
1960Jim Brown, Cle.122151,2575.89104.8
1981George Rogers, N.O.163781,6744.413104.6
1997Jerome Bettis, Pitt.163751,6654.47104.1
2006Tiki Barber, NYG163271,6625.15103.9
1988Eric Dickerson, Ind.163881,6594.314103.7
1964Jim Brown, Cle.142801,4465.27103.3
1981Tony Dorsett, Dall.163421,6464.84102.9
2003LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.163131,6455.313102.8
2003Deuce McAllister, N.O.163511,6414.78102.6
1947Spec Sanders, NYY142311,4326.218102.3
2004Corey Dillon, N.E.163451,6354.712102.2
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.163221,6315.115101.9
2010Arian Foster, Hou.163271,6164.916101.0
2002Priest Holmes, K.C.163131,6155.221100.9
2012Alfred Morris, Was.163351,6134.813100.8
1979Walter Payton, Chi.163691,6104.414100.6
1961Jim Brown, Cle.143051,4084.68100.6
1974Otis Armstrong, Den.142631,4075.49100.5
2013LeSean McCoy, Phil.163141,6075.19100.4
2011Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.163431,6064.78100.4
1979Ottis Anderson, St.L.163311,6054.98100.3

—Ian Allan