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For three straight seasons now, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have formed the best running back tandem in the NFL. The Detroit Lions duo can do it all out of the backfield. Gibbs is elite as a pass catcher and brings the speed that gives Detroit arguably the most unstoppable offense in the league. Montgomery complements him perfectly because of his strength and ability to run through defenders or punch the ball into the end zone.
The duo that is nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles had yet another impressive showing together in Week 7, and it is safe to say they are entrenched as one of the best running back duos ever. So, what other backfield partnerships rank among the best ever?
Jim Brown and Ernie Davis, both alumni of Syracuse, were paired up to form the ultimate dream running back duo in 1962. Brown had already won two of his three MVPs and was well on his way to establishing himself as one of the best NFL players ever, which is a truth that still stands to this day. Davis, meanwhile, was coming off a Heisman Trophy win and had been traded to the Browns after the Washington Redskins took him first overall.
Brown and Davis both had the talent to each make a claim as the best running back in all of football, but a battle with leukemia prevented them from ever sharing the field. Davis tragically passed a year after being drafted, so not only did Brown and Davis never share a backfield, but the Heisman winner never stepped foot on an NFL football field. Had these two had played together like originally planned, there would likely have been nothing that could have stopped them from becoming the best running back duo ever.
Although the Brown-Davis pairing doesn’t qualify for this list, the Browns have had plenty of other dynamic running back duos. Brown retired in 1965, but the Browns still managed to lead the NFL in rushing yards in the two years that followed. Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green both became Pro Bowlers after Brown’s departure.
Both ball carriers finished in the top 10 in rushing in back-to-back seasons, and Kelly even earned a rushing title, something his predecessor had done a record eight times before. The Browns have become known for struggles and draft busts in recent years, but in their earlier days, they certainly knew how to dominate in the running game.
Another Browns’ running back tandem, Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner, found loads of success together. Mack spent his entire career in Cleveland, and he surpassed 1,000 yards in 1985 during his rookie season. At that point, fullbacks weren’t gaining tons of yards as frequently.
Byner also went for over 1,000 that year. Following their great season together, Byner had a few injury-riddled seasons, so his production...
