Watters was dynamic in the 1994 run to the Super Bowl title, with a touchdown in the NFC Championship and two scores in the blowout win over the San Diego Chargers. He needs a jolt in the passing game with more durability in the running game to re-establish himself as a lead, stat. Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, is at the top of that list. Jackson is 18th on the NFL's career rushing list, just ahead of Hall of Fame running backs John Riggins and O.J. His absence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame might be most egregious when you look at the length of his career and the impact he had on one of the greatest teams of all time. At age 36, the future Hall of Famer is hoping to land on a Super Bowl contender for the 2021 season. With respect to Tom Jackson and Rod Smith, Gradishar remains the greatest Bronco who is still waiting for his place in Canton. 2021 stats:228 carries, 1,259 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per carry, 20 receptions on 25 targets, 174 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. And while his touches were somewhat limited during his first season in Denver, Gordon still managed to rush for nearly 1,000 yards while scoring 10 touchdowns for the fourth time in his career. (AP Photo/Greg Trott), Davis' bid for the Pro Football Hall of Fame is hurt because his career ended so abruptly. Getty Images. 2021 stats: 225 carries, 849 rushing yards, 3.8 yards per carry, 42 receptions on 51 targets, 301 receiving yards, 7 total TDs, Vinnie Iyer is an NFL writer at The Sporting News. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser). If you want to recognize him for being a guy who hung around longer than most big backs, fine. Was the running back the best player at his position for a multi-year span? A key member of the Bengals' 1981 AFC championship team, Riley returned a league-high three interceptions for touchdowns during his final two seasons. In 2011, the 30-year-old running back earned his second Pro Bowl selection while helping the Broncos advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. (National Football League), Craig was a huge part of the San Francisco 49ers' success during the 1980s. Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin During his seven full seasons in San Francisco, Willis earned Pro Bowl honors each year while also receiving five first-team All-Pro nods. Injuries are the reason why Mathews was out of football at age 29. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Edwards-Helaire hasn't lived up to being a first-rounder in 2020 for multiple reasons. To say Vrabel blew a gasket when Carthons predecessor Jon Robinson traded wide receiver A.J. 249 pick in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and the No. Hall of Fame RBs | Pro Football Hall of Fame - pfhof Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? A seven-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL's All-2000s Team, Holt played an integral role on theRams' 1999 championship team. He is also a member of the NFL's All-2000s Team. I could be totally wrong in this, but I feel Rodgers and Hopkins get traded before Henry ever does. But he's not given enough credit for being a great receiver out of the backfield. Muncie tied the single-season record with 19 touchdowns in 1981. Thomas Jones was an outstanding running back who had a stellar 12-year NFL career in which he rushed for over 10,000 yards. The Hall of Famer loses some points for being tied at the top of all running backs ever in terms of most fumbles lost. San Francisco 49ers (1992-94), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-97), Seattle Seahawks (1998-2001). A member of theBroncos' Ring of Fame, Gradishar is credited with over 2,000 tackles during his 10-year career. (AP Photo/Joe Giron), Perkins was one of the first offensive superstars of the Dallas Cowboys. (AP Photo/Al Golub), Do yourself a favor and Google this guy. 2196.8. Swift has some good Kamara-like assets and is now helped by strong blocking and a better complementary passing game. 1 pick has boom-bust potential. Freeman McNeil, New York Jets: 1981-1992 1 of 10 9. He earned Pro Bowl honors again in 1972 at the age of 30. "Playoff Lenny" gained 448 total yards and four touchdowns during the Buccaneers' 2020 playoff run. 10 Best Chicago Bears Running Backs of All Time Teams:Panthers (2001-13); Ravens (2014-16). Taylor is hurt by his lack of Pro Bowl nods, as he only notched one over the course of his career. There are still a slew of eligible former players who are still waiting for their call to Canton, Ohio. the future hall-of-fame bell-cow back could be dealt to the . Shady will be remembered as one of the toughest players to tackle in the open field and one of the best at the position in his prime. Check out some of the best photos from the 2023 NFL Draft! He does a little of everything well and gives them what's needed in the rushing and receiving game. The Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm) is a metric designed to estimate a player's chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame using AV, Pro Bowls, All-Pros, championships, and various stat milestones. Who knows, honestly? His success that season ultimately led to the team parting with Williams during the 2015 offseason. And while a hip injury slowed his roll at the end of the season, Edwards-Helaire still managed to gain 1,100 all-purpose yards in 13 regular-season games. A Pro Bowler each season from 1983-86, Jacoby's blocking helped John Riggins rush for a then Super Bowl record in Washington's win over Miami in Super Bowl XVII. He was the last running back to win MVP, and there's a chance we may not see it happen again for a very long time with how pass-happy the league has become. Second, he hasn't build on being a top-flight receiving back at LSU, which what he was expected to do in the Chiefs' pass-first offense. Jones didn't have a chance against Tasker, who beat Jones on an inside move before blocking Mike Saxon's punt. In 1965, Taylor spurned the NFL (he was drafted by theEagleswith the 203rd pick in theNFL draft) to play for the AFL'sKansas City Chiefs. at "Especially having this draft party and inviting everybody out and not knowing what's going to happen. Of course not. 10 running backs that barely missed the cut (in alphabetical order): Ottis Anderson Larry Csonka Corey Dillon Priest Holmes Bo Jackson Steven Jackson Fred Taylor Herschel Walker Ricky Watters. Durability and conditioning are mild concerns as he might start to cede some key work to rookie Rachaad White. Cowboys Miss On Kicker; Sign Gould? Jerry Reveals Plan section: | slug: nfls-top-20-players-not-in-the-hall-of-fame-torry-holt-zach-thomas-ken-anderson-headline-all-time-list | sport: football | route: article_single.us | He's been snubbed often, and it's a real shame that he's not a finalist this year. 2023 NFL Draft: Who is the CAN'T-MISS prospect? He was a key contributor to a powerful Colts team that won back-to-back NFL titles to close out the decade of the 1950s. Perhaps he was overlooked, since he played games in Jacksonville. A 2009 Pro Bowler, Williams led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2008 and in 2015. Bills (2004-06); Ravens (2007-10); Broncos (2011-12); Browns (2013). (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli), Andrews went to four consecutive Pro Bowls for the Atlanta Falcons from 1980-83. The former LSU Tiger bust out of the gates in rookie debut, rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown in theChiefs' opening-season win over theTexans. Did he reach 10,000 rush yards in his career? Nobody considers him the best of his generation. Pitta was the best tight end in college football in 2009, but the Mackey Award voters opted to give the award to Aaron Hernandez from Florida instead. Gore's career production alone merits a gold jacket. Which player earns the No. Although Elliott is still the lead in the Cowboys' eyes, it's become more of a 1-2 punch with the latter helping the former stay effective with less mid-career wear. A two-time Pro Bowler, McMichael had 92.5 career sacks for Chicago, second in franchise history. He rushed for over 1,000 yards (while averaging 5 yards per carry) for theDolphinsin 2011. Running Backs (Not) in the Hall of Fame When you think of the best running backs in NFL history, names like Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, and Walter Payton come to mind. It wouldn't be surprising if Stevenson jumps into the top-20 with an expanded role. The postseason success is obviously there, helping Seattle win its first-ever Super Bowl. Simpson. Running backs not in the Hall of Fame - NFL (AP Photo/Al Golub), You think of the great "Air Coryell" offenses in the late 1970s and early 1980s, you often forget Muncie was a huge part of the ground attack. Along with Ricky Williams, Brown has the distinction of being part of the NFL's charter "Wild Cat" offense. He has enjoyed a career resurgence with theBuccaneers, as Tampa Bay went 7-0 with Fournette in its starting lineup during the 2020 season. Bush enjoyed more success after leaving New Orleans. He still can produce well, but the Commanders seem to be committed to more of a situational committee approach to keep him fresh vs. putting more on him as a workhorse. While he continuously battled through injury, McFadden still managed to amass 1,664 all-purpose yards for the Raiders in 2010. That total is not only a Falcons' franchise record, it is unofficially the the most tackles ever credited to a player in NFL history,according to the Falcons' team website. A key member of the Panthers' 2003 Super Bowl team, Smith overcame a significant injury in 2004 to win Comeback Player of the Year after lading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches in 2005. Take a look at some of the best photos of Aaron Rodgers from throughout the years! Pro Football RB Hall of Fame Monitor I dont think he got bad intel because why would he lie and put his name on this? The fifth running back selected in the first round of the 2000 draft, Canidate spent his first three NFL seasons playing behind future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk. A 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Tomlinson led the NFL in rushing two times and rushing touchdowns three times. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Giants (2000-04); Broncos (2005); Texans (2006-07). Watters was a dual-threat playmaker who consistently produced. Derrick Henry has spent his entire NFL career out of Alabama with the Tennessee Titans, but there is a chance the future hall-of-fame bell-cow back could be dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles at some point in the 2023 NFL Draft. Injuries, however, would limited him to fewer than 700 yards over his remaining three years in Detroit. Predicting whether or not Derrick Henry will be traded by end of NFL Draft 6:28 pm ET, Matthews was inducted into the Browns' Ring of Honor, Ranking teams likely to land Williams in 2024 NFL Draft, Prisco's 2023 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams, Exploring Titans' options at wide receiver, Cowboys' 'ship has not sailed' on bringing back Zeke, Best post-draft fits for top-remaining NFL free agents, The 20 greatest NFL players not in the Hall of Fame, Prisco's draft grades for all 32 teams: Eagles ace it, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Winners, losers from the draft: Crafty Colts, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings, 10 veteran moves that should happen post-2023 draft, Report: Bucs star Barrett's daughter, 2, drowns in pool, NFL schedule release target date, plus 5 things we know, Steelers' draft haul one the team hadn't seen in 38 years. The physical, bruising back was consistently great and a player defenses had to plan for throughout his career. Thomas continued to have success with the Jets, where he posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons while earning his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2008. All HOFm Positions: QB RB WR TE G T C DT DE ILB OLB DB K P RB HOFm Leaders Bold indicates HOF player See full explanation here Share & Export Browns RB Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns - clevelandbrowns.com Beyond being dynamos in the rushing attack, the most talented players at the position are also key contributors as receivers and pass blockers. Cliff Branch, who was posthumously enshrined on Saturday, had been eligible for 30 years before his family received that long-awaited phone call. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. APRIL 29 ROSCHON TO BEARS The Cowboys want to take a running back somewhere in this Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but that guy won't be a favored Longhorn. Jacobs posted the best rookie season by aRaidersrunning back sinceMarcus Allen's1982 campaign. Tre Hodges-Tomlinson's hopes to continue family's NFL legacy Did rushing champion Josh Jacobs finish on top? (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara), Dupree was injured for most of his pro career, the majority of which was wasted in the USFL. Addai is currently seventh on the Colts' career rushing list. (AP Photo/David Drapkin), The aforementioned Dunn lost a lot of touchdown runs to Alstott. Maurice Jones-Drew assembles the perfect running back, combining the traits of some of today's top talent in the NFL. Little (1967-75) was. Ranking every NFL running back drafted in Round 1 since 2000: LaDainian ET on ABC), and when looking at this year's finalists list, I noticed there wasn't a single running back up for induction. A 1,000-yard rusher for three different franchises, McGahee earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007 as a member of the Ravens. Like another receiver who cracked the list, Johnson was not selected to the Hall of Fame in 2022, his first year of eligibility. Its college, but its also Ohio State. Chubb is known for his chunk running and special burst that comes out of his powerful style. Maurice Jones-Drew reveals his top five rushing duos in the NFL this season. 2: Eddie George -- He opened his career with five consecutive 1,000-yards campaigns, and then added two more over the course of his career. The Bills drafted McGahee with the understanding that he would need time to heal a serious knee injury sustained during the 2003 national championship. Multiple concussions resulted in Best appearing in just 22 NFL games. 13. Simpson in Buffalo. Elliott is polarizing in a different way at 27. The league's leading receiver on two separate occasions, Holt was the Rams' No. Expect Penny to be threatened, however, for key touches by rookie Ken Walker. Tre's uncle is legendary Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. 36 overall. Cincinnati Bengals (1997-2003), New England Patriots (2004-06). The Doug Pederson-Press Taylor offense also caters well to Etienne's versatility.