Total Pro Sports
Detroit Lions legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders was asked for his pick of the greatest running back in NFL history, and his choice will surprise you.
With four rushing titles, 10 Pro Bowl selections, 1997 MVP honors and the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history (15,269) Sanders certainly has a strong case as the running back GOAT.
If Barry Sanders hadn’t retired early, he could be the one standing atop the career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns leaderboard over Emmitt Smith.
During an appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show”, Sanders was asked to share his pick for the best running back ever. Needless to say, the Lions icon didn’t waste a second to share his answer.
“I’ll go with Walter (Payton),” Sanders said. “I’ll go Walter, or Jim (Brown).”
Payton spent his entire 13-year career with the Chicago Bears, leading them to a Super Bowl championship in 1985. The nine-time Pro Bowler is second in career rushing yards (16,726) and fifth in rushing touchdowns (110). Only Emmitt Smith (18,355) has more yards, but it’s worth noting that he played 36 more games than Payton.
Two months ago, Barry Sanders revealed he suffered a heart attack last year while on a recruiting visit for his son. Thankfully, Sanders made a full recovery and is healthy again.
Though Smith has the rushing records, Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown is the consensus choice for the best RB ever. But if you want to go by a player’s explosiveness and independent ability to take over a game, there’s a case to be made that Sanders is the best to ever line up in the backfield.
