100 Years of NFL: The Running Backs Quiz

Answer: LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson, usually referred to by his initials - LT - was an 11-year veteran of the NFL for the San Diego Chargers and the New York Jets. He was drafted in 2001 in a move where the Chargers gave up their #1 overall pick for the #5 overall pick and a bunch of other picks. The first pick of the draft that day was Michael Vick, some some people say that LT had been traded for Vick.

LT was an efficient rusher, receiver, and, believe it or not, passer. He passed for seven touchdowns in his career. He also caught 17 touchdowns and ran for 145 more. In 2006, LT set the record for touchdowns in a season with a whopping 28. That same year he was chosen as the league MVP. He was also named to Pro Bowl five times in his career, but he never did get to win a Super Bowl. When talking about great running backs, LT is certainly one of them.

(Lt. is also short for lieutenant)

Answer: Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin were known as "The Triplets" - a very potent offence for the Dallas Cowboys. Together, the three of them won three Super Bowls in the 1990s (XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX). Emmitt Smith's running game played a large part of their efficiency.

Emmitt Smith was considered small and slow, so he was not selected very high in the draft. However, Dallas snagged him in 1990 as the 17th overall pick and this paid off for them greatly. Smith turned out to be a very elusive runner and also a threat as a receiver. In 1993, Emmitt Smith was chosen as the NFL league MVP. His best year statistically was 1995 which was the last of the Cowboys' Super Bowl wins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, which truly shows how great he was as a running back.

Answer: All 10

Known for his speed and agility, Barry Sanders was known for being an amazing running back from the moment he set foot on the football field. Even in his rookie season, Sanders exploded with offence. He was named to the Pro Bowl in all ten of his NFL seasons and was the 1997 league MVP. He helped the Lions make the playoffs five times.

As a ball-carrier, Barry Sanders was very difficult to catch. He would change direction quickly, had amazing field vision, turn on a dime, and accelerate very fast. However, when it came to the playoffs, Sanders was not as successful. His Lions only won one playoff game with him, and his worst game in football happened in the 1994 playoffs against the Green Bay Packers. Sanders was held to -1 yards on 13 rushes. Nevertheless, when it comes to marquee rushers, Barry Sanders' name is usually near the top of the list.

Answer: Million Dollar Backfield

Also known as "The King" and "Hurryin' Hugh", Hugh McElhenny was a college start who immediately rose to fame in the NFL in his rookie season. Aside from being a good receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner, McElhenny was one of the best running backs of all time. He was praised for his field vision, knowing to turn and jinx when defenders weren't even in his field of view.

As a member of the 1953 49ers, McElhenny joined forces with quarterback YA Tittle, fullback Joe Perry, and halfback John Henry as the "Million Dollar Backfield". As the most talented backfield in football, these four are the only entire backfield elected to be in the Football Hall of Fame. As an individual, McElhenny was only the third player to gain more than 11,000 all-around yards. Inducted into the Hall of Fame, McElhenny also was a six-time Pro Bowler and had his number retired by the 49ers.

Answer: St. Louis Rams

Marshall Faulk played for the Indianapolis Colts for five seasons. In that time he almost made it to the Super Bowl but the Colts lost in the AFC Championship game in a game that Faulk missed due to injury. He was there for Peyton Manning's rookie season and the two connected on passes many times. However, he felt that he was not a good fit for the team and opted for a trade. He went to St. Louis.

On the Rams, his impact was immediate. In his first year, Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner led the Rams to their first Super Bowl win though Faulk's impact int he game was as a receiver - he was held to only 17 yards rushing. In 2000, the Rams went to the playoffs again with Faulk as the league MVP. The following year saw Faulk lead the team to the Super Bowl again, though the team lost a close one to the Patriots (the first for Brady, Belichek and co.)

Faulk was a great rusher and receiver and held many NFL records when he retired. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and is truly one of football's greatest rushers.

Answer: Buffalo Bills

Thurman Thomas was one of the key reasons that the Buffalo Bills made it to four straight Super Bowls, from 1990 to 1993. As a part of Jim Kelly's no-huddle hurry-up offence, Thurman Thomas was able to get big yards. Arguably, in Super Bowl XXV, Thomas had more yards and catches than the MVP winner, but, since the Bills lost the game, Thomas did not get chosen as the MVP. Nevertheless, in the Bills' other three Super Bowl losses, Thomas did not play up to his potential.

Over his career, Thurman Thomas was not only an effective rusher, he was also a very good receiver. Jim Kelly would target Thomas often and for good yardage. Thomas was always a leader in all-purpose yards. He was the league MVP in 1991 and he was named to the Pro Bowl five times.

Answer: Over 100 yards

Jim Brown was setting records even from his rookie season. In only his ninth NFL game, Brown set the single-game rushing record, one that would stand for another 40 years. Over his career he rushed for over 104 yards per game, the very first (and up until 2020, only) player to do so.

Jim Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1957. He played for nine season in the NFL, all with the Browns. He was In seven of those seasons he averaged over 100 yards per game, and in 1963, his average was 133.1. Brown was also a good receiver and averaged 9.5 yards per catch. Generally he is regarded as being one of the greatest players ever.

Answer: Volunteer and charity work

Even more important that Walter Payton's on field play was his performances off of it. As a humanitarian, Walter Payton was an advocate and a leader. When Payton passed away in 1999 from cholangiocarcinoma, the NFL renamed the NFL Man of the Year Award in his honour, especially since Payton himself had been the winner of this award in 1977. At the time of his death, Payton was advocating for organ transplants, especially since he had needed one.

As a player, Payton was dynamic and mobile. Though he wasn't back around, Payton had explosive speed and excellent field vision. He set NFL records for rushing in many categories and, more importantly, never missed a game (though, in his rookie season he was once a healthy scratch on a coach's decision). He even played through a fever to set the record of most yards in a single game. As a player and as a person, Walter Payton was definitely one of the game's greatest running backs.

Answer: Pittsburgh Steelers

Franco Harris was a star running back on a talented team. The Pittsburgh Steelers was a dominant team in the 1970s let by a brilliant quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, and anchored by a steel wall of a defence. Certainly, a brilliant run game didn't hurt either. Franco Harris was just that.

Franco Harris was the pride of the Italian-American community. Born to an Italian mother and an American father, the Italian-Americans embraced Harris and gave him a solid fan base that would walk around with army helmets with Harris' number on them. Even Frank Sinatra was a fan.

Harris was able to find holes in the defence and make yardage when it counted. Named to nine Pro Bowls, his best achievement was his performances in the Super Bowls that the Steelers were in. A contract dispute with the owners of the Steelers led to him signing with the Seahawks, but, that proved to be Franco Harris' final year in the NFL. After 13 seasons, Franco Harris fell only 192 yards short of the all-time rushing record at that time. Nevertheless, Harris remains one of the best running backs of all time.

Answer: Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP

All of the aforementioned awards, Marcus Allen won them. However, very few players have won the Heisman Trophy as well as the Super Bowl MVP. Up to Marcus Allen, the previous dual-award winners were Roger Staubach and Jim Plunkett.

Marcus Allen had an amazing career with the Los Angeles Raiders and then he made a significant comeback when he signed with the Chiefs. Winning the Super Bowl with the Raiders in only his second season would highlight the kind of career he was going to have. His 191-yard performance in the game capped by a 74-yard run for a touchdown showed how explosive his speed was.

Marcus Allen, however, had a tumultuous relationship with team owner Al Davis and this led to his signing with the Kansas City Chiefs. A second reason that Allen moved to the Chiefs was their signing of quarterback legend Joe Montana. All in all, Marcus Allen played sixteen great seasons that led to his induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
(In actuality, winning the Heisman Trophy usually means that you won't play in the Super Bowl, if you look at the numbers)