San Francisco is playing Detroit in the NFC Championship, assuring that a first-round running back will be represented in the Super Bowl. That’s notable, with it becoming a devalued position.
Christian McCaffrey was the 8th pick of the 2017 draft, while the Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs 12th in the draft last April. Both backs contribute in both the running game and as pass catchers.
The more common route nowadays if for teams to fill the running back position with cheaper alternatives. On the AFC side, Isiah Pacheco was a 7th-round pick, while Gus Edwards wasn’t drafted at all. The Ravens got some explosive runs from Keaton Mitchell earlier in the year; he also wasn’t drafted.
Below see the 28 running backs who’ve run for at least 50 yards in Super Bowl games in the 32-team era (since 2002). Ten of these running backs (including Joseph Addai twice) were first-round picks, but seven of them entered the league as undrafted free agents (in bold). Eight of the players began their careers with other teams, and I’ve got them tagged with black dots.
Note that only three of the players listed below were (like McCaffrey and Gibbs) selected in the first half of the first round, but all three began with other franchises: Leonard Fournette, Thomas Jones and Marshawn Lynch. (This would also be the case with McCaffrey, should San Francisco win on Sunday.)
Note that the chart below shows only players who ran for 50 yards in Super Bowl games. Todd Gurley and Reggie Bush were both top-10 overall picks who played in Super Bowls, but neither ran for 50 yards in those games.
| RUNNING BACKS: 50 RUSHING YARDS IN SUPER BOWLS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rd | Opp | Result | Att | Yds | TD |
| 2002 | Michael Pittman, T.B. | 4 | Oak. | W 48-21 | 29 | 124 | 0 |
| 2006 | Dominic Rhodes, Ind. | FA | Chi. | W 29-17 | 21 | 113 | 1 |
| 2006 | • Thomas Jones, Chi. | 1 | Ind. | L 17-29 | 15 | 112 | 0 |
| 2012 | Frank Gore, S.F. | 3 | Balt. | L 31-34 | 19 | 110 | 1 |
| 2019 | Damien Williams, K.C. | FA | S.F. | W 31-20 | 17 | 104 | 1 |
| 2014 | • Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 1 | N.E. | L 24-28 | 24 | 102 | 1 |
| 2004 | Shaun Alexander, Sea. | 1 | Pitt. | L 10-21 | 20 | 95 | 0 |
| 2018 | Sony Michel, N.E. | 1 | LAR | W 13-3 | 18 | 94 | 1 |
| 2004 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | FA | Sea. | W 21-10 | 10 | 93 | 1 |
| 2013 | • LeGarrette Blount, Phil. | FA | N.E. | W 41-33 | 14 | 90 | 1 |
| 2015 | C.J. Anderson, Den. | FA | Car. | W 24-10 | 23 | 90 | 1 |
| 2026 | • Leonard Fournette, T.B. | 1 | K.C. | W 31-9 | 16 | 89 | 1 |
| 2000 | • Antowain Smith, N.E. | 1 | Car. | W 32-29 | 26 | 83 | 1 |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai, Ind. | 1 | Chi. | W 29-17 | 19 | 77 | 0 |
| 2009 | Joseph Addai, Ind. | 1 | N.O. | L 17-31 | 13 | 77 | 1 |
| 2022 | Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 7 | Phil. | W 38-35 | 15 | 76 | 1 |
| 2004 | • Corey Dillon, N.E. | 2 | Phil. | W 24-21 | 18 | 75 | 1 |
| 2016 | Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 4 | N.E. | L 28-34 | 11 | 75 | 1 |
| 2011 | Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG | 7 | N.E. | W 21-17 | 17 | 72 | 1 |
| 2021 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 2 | LAR | L 20-23 | 15 | 72 | 0 |
| 2020 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C. | 1 | T.B. | L 9-31 | 9 | 64 | 0 |
| 2010 | Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt. | 1 | G.B. | L 25-31 | 14 | 63 | 1 |
| 2020 | Ronald Jones, T.B. | 2 | K.C. | W 31-9 | 12 | 61 | 0 |
| 2012 | Ray Rice, Balt. | 2 | S.F. | W 34-31 | 20 | 59 | 0 |
| 2021 | • Raheem Mostert, S.F. | FA | K.C. | L 20-31 | 12 | 58 | 1 |
| 2017 | • Jay Ajayi, Phil. | 5 | N.E. | W 41-33 | 9 | 57 | 0 |
| 2008 | Willie Parker, Pitt. | FA | Ari. | W 27-23 | 19 | 53 | 0 |
| 2010 | James Starks, G.B. | 6 | Pitt. | W 31-25 | 11 | 52 | 0 |
—Ian Allan