Throughout NFL history, the position of running back has been one of the most important. A great running back can carry a team in spurts. The reason running backs are so vital to success is because they can touch the football in so many ways. They can receive the ball via handoff, through a pass or even throw a pass themselves on occasion. Here is a look at some of the greatest running backs in NFL history, along with what made them special:

Eric Dickerson was certainly one of the greatest of all time. In a career shared between the Indianapolis Colts and LA Rams, he was one of the most consistent runners in NFL history. Dickerson was absolutely electric, and managed to accumulate over 15,000 total yards in his career. Dickerson was one of those guys that you could not help but wonder how they did it. He ran upright rather than down low like runners of today. It is a miracle that he survived the NFL as long as he did.

Barry Sanders was a running back that never fully met his potential, and he still outran the majority of running backs in history. He retired prematurely after a great career in Detroit. If I played in Detroit I would retire also. Still, Sanders was simply incredible to watch and could juke you out of your shoes. He had over 18,000 yds from scrimmage and rushed for over 2,000 yds in a single season. There will never be another Barry Sanders.

Emmitt Smith is the numbers leader for virtually every category in running back history. The reason? First off he was a great runner with a nose for the end zone. He leads the NFL in touchdowns all time. Second, he played behind an offensive line that my Grandmother could have run through, though that is no slight to Smith. To me, Smith is a bit overrated as running backs go, if only because he had better surrounding casts.

Jim Brown was the prototype, and he still stands among the greatest to play the game at any position. Brown could run through, around or above you at will, and he is another guy that had to retire premature. If Jim Brown had continued to play, who knows how many yards he would have ended up with? He ended up with almost 15,000 yds, and he only played nine seasons. Do the math. That is why Jim Brown is one of the greatest of all time.

Walter “Sweetness” Payton for my money is the greatest NFL running back in history. The man was simply not human in his prime, and he rarely had help along the offensive line. The Bears often had a great defense, but that line on the offensive side usually stunk. It mattered not to Payton as he accumulated over 21,000 yds. Another great thing about Payton was that he was a class act off the field as well. Nobody can deny that Walter Payton was about as good as it gets in NFL running backs.