Redefining the Hall of Fame Running Back
The NFL Hall of Fame is a shrine to the greatest football players ever to play the game. Housed in the hallowed halls of its Canton, Ohio home are reminders of those who excelled like few others could. Outside of the offensive line, no position is more represented than running back, which outnumbers even quarterback. Among the ball carriers enshrined are some of the game's most beloved players, with Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Earl Campbell among others. Running backs spent many years as a premium spot for the most talented guys, but there's been a shift in that thinking.
Looking at the modern-era running backs who are enshrined, a pattern emerges, especially if you look at the backs who have been elected over the past 30-40 years. Nearly to a man, they have at least 10,000 rushing yards and 10 years experience starting in the league. Using the list of all-time leaders in rushing yards, 14 of the top 20 rushers of all-time are in the Hall, with another a good shot at being a first ballot inductee (LaDanian Tomlinson). Also, two more of those 20 are still active, and thus, not eligible yet (Stephen Jackson, Frank Gore).
After Tomlinson, the future of Hall of Fame running backs looks bleak. Adrian Peterson is probably a safe bet, with Jackson and Gore having solid arguments, but who else?
In today's NFL, running backs are no longer positions of glory. Many teams have moved to two-back systems, and few are willing to pay big contracts to the elite. Among active players, after the previously mentioned three, Marshawn Lynch is next in yards, and is almost a guarantee for 10,000 yards, but there's nothing but questions after that. Chris Johnson (5th active rushing yards) isn't likely to make the magic number. Maurice Jones-Drew (6th) is retired. Matt Forte is next at 7,700, then Jamaal Charles at 6,800. DeAngelo Williams and LeSean McCoy round out the top 10.
The question is whether the running back position will produce many more Hall of Famers, or if we'll ever see careers like Emmitt Smith or Curtis Martin ever again. There's a good chance that we won't, with the NFL content instead to draft players, ride them for a few years, then replace them with cheaper options. Will the Hall of Fame take that into consideration? Could a player who is dominant for four years, part of a rotation for three more, and then retires at 29 be the new norm for enshrinement? A player like Chris Johnson could be a test case. He was an elite player for four seasons, then fell off quickly.
Should the Hall of Fame change the way it thinks about running backs? As years pass, this could become a more and more relevant issue. There will be players entering the league with Hall of Fame talent, but whether or not teams will give them the time necessary to put up the numbers remains to be seen. Will voters adust their thinking when deciding on who to elect, or will running backs going into the Hall become a thing of the past?
Looking at the modern-era running backs who are enshrined, a pattern emerges, especially if you look at the backs who have been elected over the past 30-40 years. Nearly to a man, they have at least 10,000 rushing yards and 10 years experience starting in the league. Using the list of all-time leaders in rushing yards, 14 of the top 20 rushers of all-time are in the Hall, with another a good shot at being a first ballot inductee (LaDanian Tomlinson). Also, two more of those 20 are still active, and thus, not eligible yet (Stephen Jackson, Frank Gore).
After Tomlinson, the future of Hall of Fame running backs looks bleak. Adrian Peterson is probably a safe bet, with Jackson and Gore having solid arguments, but who else?
In today's NFL, running backs are no longer positions of glory. Many teams have moved to two-back systems, and few are willing to pay big contracts to the elite. Among active players, after the previously mentioned three, Marshawn Lynch is next in yards, and is almost a guarantee for 10,000 yards, but there's nothing but questions after that. Chris Johnson (5th active rushing yards) isn't likely to make the magic number. Maurice Jones-Drew (6th) is retired. Matt Forte is next at 7,700, then Jamaal Charles at 6,800. DeAngelo Williams and LeSean McCoy round out the top 10.
The question is whether the running back position will produce many more Hall of Famers, or if we'll ever see careers like Emmitt Smith or Curtis Martin ever again. There's a good chance that we won't, with the NFL content instead to draft players, ride them for a few years, then replace them with cheaper options. Will the Hall of Fame take that into consideration? Could a player who is dominant for four years, part of a rotation for three more, and then retires at 29 be the new norm for enshrinement? A player like Chris Johnson could be a test case. He was an elite player for four seasons, then fell off quickly.
Should the Hall of Fame change the way it thinks about running backs? As years pass, this could become a more and more relevant issue. There will be players entering the league with Hall of Fame talent, but whether or not teams will give them the time necessary to put up the numbers remains to be seen. Will voters adust their thinking when deciding on who to elect, or will running backs going into the Hall become a thing of the past?
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