Breaking down the greatest NFL runners of them all. Where does Frank Gore fit in?
On the topic of all-time great running backs, these names dominate the landscape:
Jim Brown. Walter Payton. Emmitt Smith. Barry Sanders. Earl Campbell.
And Frank Gore?
Well, yes, statistically and through longevity, if not by popular consensus.
Gore may not be as brutish and feared as Brown from his Cleveland Browns days, retiring in 1965 to try his hand in Hollywood with a then-NFL record 12,312 yards over nine roughshod seasons. Gore may never have been as sternum-busting as Campbell, the NFL rushing champion in 1978 and ‘79 with the Houston Oilers with thighs as big as Texas.
Gore was never a shifty and quick as Smith, the Hall of Fame Cowboys great who stands atop the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 18,355 yards. He is not as versatile as hard-charging Bears great Payton, second on the all-time rushing list with 16,726 yards. Nor does Gore have the stop-and-start bursts of Sanders, the 1990s Lions star who is fourth on the NFL list with 15,269 yards.
Gore did not lead the rushing attack through four Super Bowl championship seasons like Franco Harris of the Steelers in the 1970s while amassing 12,120 yards.
But the ageless, tireless Gore of the New York Jets has remarkably muscled his way to third on the NFL list with the most unassuming 15,371 yards one could imagine. He churned out 11,073 of those with the 49ers from 2005-14.
Gore may be the most unsung, prolific back of them all. You would stand to win a lot of cash waging a bet on whom the third-leading rusher in the NFL is with the mandate of no peeking on Google.
Gore and the Jets host the 49ers on Sunday. He has the attention of San Francisco coach Kyle Shannahan, who said of the Miami Hurricanes product, “I love Frank Gore. I think he’s one of the best running backs to ever play. I think he’s one of the more underrated running backs to ever play. His longevity and his numbers now have finally given him a little bit more attention that is past due.”
How we’d rank them
As an NFL buff/nerd since 1970, I’d go with Jim Brown as the greatest back of them all, followed by Payton and Smith.
The most powerful big back with speed was Campbell. The most elusive was Sanders. The most explosive was O.J. Simpson, appreciated for his world-class speed in the 1970s and repulsed for other reasons now.
The most dangerous on the goal line was LaDanian Tomlinson. The one who aged the best not named Gore and owner of the best nickname is John Riggins, The Diesel, who rushed for more yards in his 30s with the Redskins than he did his 20s. The most unsung outside his camp might be Marcus Allen, also a tremendous blocker and receiver.
The three with the most unfulfilled careers due to injury are Gale Sayers, Billy Sims and Bo Jackson. The most overlooked or underappreciated over time are Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett and Joe Perry, whose 49ers rushing marks were eclipsed by Gore.
Brown played in 12-game seasons. Others ran amok in 14-game regular seasons. The NFL extended seasons to 16 games in 1978 helped elevate the rushing totals for Curtis Martin, Adrian Peterson, Edgerrin James, Jerome Bettis, Thurman Thomas, Fred Taylor and Steven Jackson. Still active and producing: Peterson, a burner who is fifth on the all-time list with 14,309 yards. As good and great as these backs were, they are not viewed as all-time Top 5 backs, unless you wear one of their jerseys to bed.
Buckle up and go
All-time NFL rushing leaders, the 10,000-plus club (bold is for active players)
1. Emmitt Smith, 18,355 yards
2. Walter Payton, 16,726
3. Frank Gore, 15,371
4. Barry Sanders, 15,269
5. Adrian Peterson, 14,309
6. Curtis Martin, 14,101
7. LaDainian Tomlinson, 13,684
8. Jerome Bettis,13,662
9. Eric Dickerson, 13,259
10. Tony Dorsett, 12,739
11. Jim Brown,12,312
12. Marshall Faulk, 12,279
13. Edgerrin James, 12,246
14. Marcus Allen, 12,243
15. Franco Harris, 12,120
16. Thurman Thomas, 12,074
17. Fred Taylor, 11,695
18. Steven Jackson, 11,438
19. John Riggins, 11,352
20. Corey Dillon, 11,241
21. O.J. Simpson, 11,236
22. LeSean McCoy, 11,071
23. Warrick Dunn, 10,967
24. Ricky Watters, 10,643
25. Jamal Lewis, 10,607
26. Thomas Jones, 10,591
27. Tiki Barber, 10,449
28. Eddie George, 10,441
29. Marshawn Lynch 10,413
30. Ottis Anderson, 10,273
31. Ricky Williams, 10,009
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com