The Top Ranked Running Backs of the 1970s Help Keep the Site Ad Free By Supporting us at Patreon
AinsworthSports.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Top Ranked Running Backs of the 1970s
Notes: Ranking Explanation
| Rnk | Athlete | Overall Decade Rank |
| 1 | Walter Payton | 3 |
| 2 | Chuck Foreman | 12 |
| 3 | O.J. Simpson | 21 |
| 4 | Lydell Mitchell | 27 |
| 5 | Larry Brown Jr. | 33 |
| 6 | Franco Harris | 48 |
| 7 | Floyd Little | 52 |
| 8 | Lawrence McCutcheon | 54 |
| 9 | Calvin Hill | 101 |
| 10 | Ron A. Johnson | 108 |
| 11 | Delvin Williams | 113 |
| 12 | John Brockington | 114 |
| 13 | John Riggins | 123 |
| 14 | Greg Pruitt | 124 |
| 15 | Mark van Eeghen | 129 |
| 16 | Larry Csonka | 136 |
| 17 | Terry Metcalf | 137 |
| 18 | Sam Cunningham | 143 |
| 19 | Donny Anderson | 144 |
| 20 | Ed Podolak | 161 |
| 21 | Sherman Smith | 165 |
| 22 | MacArthur Lane | 168 |
| 23 | Mike Thomas | 171 |
| 24 | Marv Hubbard | 179 |
| 25 | Tony Galbreath | 198 |
| 26 | Rickey Young | 205 |
| 27 | Altie Taylor | 210 |
| 28 | Leroy Kelly | 216 |
| 29 | Boobie Clark | 218 |
| 30 | Emerson Boozer | 221 |
| 31 | Chuck Muncie | 223 |
| 32 | Dave Hampton | 225 |
| 33 | Walt Garrison | 239 |
| 34 | Mercury Morris | 253 |
| 35 | Essex Johnson | 261 |
| 36 | Norm Bulaich | 266 |
| 37 | Otis Armstrong | 276 |
| 38 | Jim Braxton | 277 |
| 39 | Carl Garrett | 285 |
| 40 | Frenchy Fuqua | 286 |
| 41 | Don McCauley | 287 |
| 42 | Tony Dorsett | 289 |
| 43 | Wilbur Jackson | 297 |
| 44 | Tom Sullivan | 300 |
| 45 | Dexter Bussey | 308 |
| 46 | Jim Otis | 312 |
| 47 | Robert Newhouse | 317 |
| 48 | Preston Pearson | 341 |
| 49 | Rocky Bleier | 345 |
| 50 | Fred Willis | 348 |
| 51 | Art Malone | 353 |
| 52 | Ken Willard | 354 |
| 53 | Vic Washington | 364 |
| 54 | Clarence Davis | 372 |
| 55 | Jim Kiick | 378 |
| 56 | Jim Bertelsen | 382 |
| 57 | Charlie H. Smith | 396 |
| 58 | Willie Ellison | 397 |
| 59 | Charlie Harraway | 400 |
| 60 | Steve Owens | 401 |
| 61 | Joe Dawkins | 407 |
| 62 | Dave Osborn | 418 |
| 63 | Don Woods | 421 |
| 64 | Don Nottingham | 422 |
| 65 | Jon Keyworth | 432 |
| 66 | Pete Banaszak | 437 |
| 67 | Mike Garrett | 445 |
| 68 | Cid Edwards | 453 |
| 69 | Ronnie Coleman | 459 |
| 70 | Wayne Morris | 463 |
| 71 | John Cappelletti | 465 |
| 72 | Roland Harper | 479 |
| 73 | Haskel Stanback | 491 |
| 74 | Doug Kotar | 492 |
| 75 | Duane Thomas | 499 |
| 76 | Archie Griffin | 508 |
| 77 | Benny Malone | 509 |
| 78 | Jess Phillips | 511 |
| 79 | Clark Gaines | 517 |
| 80 | Earl Campbell | 520 |
| 81 | Bo Scott | 534 |
| 82 | Wendell Hayes | 554 |
| 83 | Larry Schreiber | 571 |
| 84 | Pete Johnson | 574 |
| 85 | Barty Smith | 584 |
| 86 | Andy Johnson | 594 |
| 87 | Les Josephson | 659 |
| 88 | Don Calhoun | 662 |
| 89 | Bobby Anderson | 668 |
| 90 | Mel Farr | 692 |
| 91 | Cleo Miller | 705 |
| 92 | Wilbert Montgomery | 725 |
| 93 | Ed Marinaro | 727 |
| 94 | Tony Reed | 729 |
| 95 | Cullen Bryant | 741 |
| 96 | Ricky Bell | 746 |
| 97 | Paul Robinson | 759 |
| 98 | Bill D. Brown | 761 |
| 99 | Joe Washington | 770 |
| 100 | Lenvil Elliott | 797 |
| 101 | Bob Gresham | 801 |
| 102 | Steve Jones | 826 |
| 103 | Horace King | 832 |
| 104 | Tony Baker | 834 |
| 105 | David B. Sims | 835 |
| 106 | Po James | 859 |
| 107 | Clint Jones | 860 |
| 108 | Oscar Reed | 863 |
| 109 | Mike Strachan | 871 |
| 110 | Robert Holmes | 885 |
| 111 | Jimmy Thomas | 886 |
| 112 | Doug Dressler | 888 |
| 113 | Ottis Anderson | 892 |
| 114 | Brent McClanahan | 910 |
| 115 | Mike Montgomery | 920 |
| 116 | Don Shy | 922 |
| 117 | Ken Brown | 927 |
| 118 | Hugh McKinnis | 931 |
| 119 | Mike Pruitt | 944 |
| 120 | Gary Davis | 954 |
| 121 | Steve Davis | 956 |
| 122 | Roland Hooks | 958 |
| 123 | Johnny Roland | 970 |
| 124 | Roosevelt Leaks | 981 |
| 125 | Jeff Kinney | 985 |
| 126 | Bill Olds | 990 |
| 127 | Eric Torkelson | 993 |
| 128 | Mike Hogan | 996 |
| 129 | Mack Herron | 1003 |
| 130 | Larry Watkins | 1007 |
| 131 | Paul Hofer | 1009 |
| 132 | Don Hardeman | 1015 |
| 133 | Rob Carpenter | 1017 |
| 134 | Scott Dierking | 1028 |
| 135 | Cyril Pinder | 1033 |
| 136 | Bubba Bean | 1037 |
| 137 | Doug Dennison | 1038 |
| 138 | Kevin Long | 1058 |
| 139 | Scott Laidlaw | 1067 |
| 140 | Willard Harrell | 1077 |
| 141 | Bo Matthews | 1083 |
| 142 | Mike Adamle | 1084 |
| 143 | Leroy Harris | 1101 |
| 144 | Terdell Middleton | 1117 |
| 145 | Hewritt Dixon | 1125 |
| 146 | Ed L. Williams | 1130 |
| 147 | Sammy Johnson | 1149 |
| 148 | Terry Miller (1956) | 1150 |
| 149 | Lee Bouggess | 1151 |
| 150 | Fran Lynch | 1153 |
| 151 | Wendell Tyler | 1159 |
| 152 | Jeff Queen | 1165 |
| 153 | Robert Miller | 1171 |
| 154 | Rick Kane | 1173 |
| 155 | William Andrews | 1178 |
| 156 | Ted McKnight | 1179 |
| 157 | Doug Cunningham | 1181 |
| 158 | Alvin Maxson | 1194 |
| 159 | Wayne Patrick | 1205 |
| 160 | Lonnie Perrin | 1215 |
| 161 | Woody Green | 1221 |
| 162 | Jim Harrison | 1228 |
| 163 | Jim Nance | 1247 |
| 164 | Rob Lytle | 1250 |
| 165 | Tim Wilson | 1251 |
| 166 | Don Testerman | 1262 |
| 167 | Tucker Frederickson | 1289 |
| 168 | John Tarver | 1295 |
| 169 | Bruce Harper | 1302 |
| 170 | Cannonball Butler | 1313 |
| 171 | Clarence Harmon | 1327 |
| 172 | Warren Bankston | 1342 |
| 173 | Louis Carter | 1349 |
| 174 | Perry A. Williams | 1357 |
| 175 | Sidney Thornton | 1373 |
| 176 | Willie Rodgers | 1374 |
| 177 | Harmon Wages | 1405 |
| 178 | Horace Ivory | 1409 |
| 179 | Josh Ashton | 1410 |
| 180 | Cliff McClain | 1414 |
| 181 | George Nock | 1434 |
| 182 | Stan Fritts | 1435 |
| 183 | Dan Doornink | 1442 |
| 184 | Jerry Eckwood | 1446 |
| 185 | Eddie Ray | 1455 |
| 186 | Curtis Brown | 1466 |
| 187 | Clarence Williams | 1472 |
| 188 | Bill E. Butler | 1492 |
| 189 | Ron Lee | 1494 |
| 190 | Charley Young | 1514 |
| 191 | Billy Taylor | 1530 |
| 192 | Ken Grandberry | 1534 |
| 193 | Hubert Ginn | 1541 |
| 194 | Jerry Latin | 1600 |
| 195 | Theotis Brown | 1614 |
| 196 | Arnold Morgado | 1625 |
| 197 | Tom Bailey | 1630 |
| 198 | Bobby Hammond | 1631 |
| 199 | Joe Morrison | 1640 |
| 200 | Don Highsmith | 1655 |
| 201 | Rob Scribner | 1670 |
| 202 | Willis Crenshaw | 1713 |
| 203 | Jim Strong | 1714 |
| 204 | Hank Bauer | 1715 |
| 205 | James McAlister | 1740 |
| 206 | Tom Matte | 1747 |
| 207 | Bob Ferrell | 1750 |
| 208 | Ike Forte | 1768 |
| 209 | Al Hunter | 1771 |
| 210 | Lawrence Gaines | 1775 |
| 211 | Ted Brown | 1783 |
| 212 | Bob L. Thomas | 1784 |
| 213 | Rod Phillips | 1792 |
| 214 | Reggie Harrison | 1799 |
| 215 | Ronnie Bull | 1805 |
| 216 | Charlie Leigh | 1811 |
| 217 | Bobby Duhon | 1820 |
| 218 | Tommy Reamon | 1830 |
| 219 | Charlie Evans | 1835 |
| 220 | Rod McNeill | 1838 |
| 221 | Jack Maitland | 1839 |
| 222 | Larry Poole | 1841 |
| 223 | Moses Denson | 1855 |
| 224 | Bob Brunet | 1871 |
| 225 | Warren McVea | 1872 |
| 226 | Roy Hopkins | 1888 |
| 227 | Howard Stevens | 1897 |
| 228 | Bill Enyart | 1900 |
| 229 | Dickie Post | 1913 |
| 230 | Joe Orduna | 1916 |
| 231 | Tom Nowatzke | 1922 |
| 232 | Bob Gladieux | 1926 |
| 233 | Woody Thompson | 1942 |
| 234 | Lee White | 1943 |
| 235 | Jim Lindsey | 1946 |
| 236 | Mark Bailey | 1953 |
| 237 | Tom Barrington | 1962 |
| 238 | Joe Profit | 1965 |
| 239 | Herb Lusk | 1966 |
| 240 | Dan Reeves | 1967 |
| 241 | Hoyle Granger | 1973 |
| 242 | Billy Lefear | 1976 |
| 243 | Lynn Cain | 1987 |
| 244 | Jim Grabowski | 1995 |
| 245 | Clem Turner | 2003 |
| 246 | Mike W. Richardson | 2004 |
| 247 | Roy Shivers | 2005 |
| 248 | Dave Williams | 2007 |
| 249 | George Amundson | 2017 |
| 250 | Dave Preston | 2049 |
| 251 | Jim D. Jensen | 2093 |
| 252 | Tony Davis | 2095 |
| 253 | Tom Newton | 2097 |
| 254 | Ron Springs | 2105 |
| 255 | Harold Hart | 2108 |
| 256 | Leon Burns | 2111 |
| 257 | Bill Tucker | 2141 |
| 258 | Johnny Davis | 2161 |
| 259 | Gary Kosins | 2165 |
| 260 | Roger Lawson | 2166 |
| 261 | Russ C. Smith | 2177 |
| 262 | Paul Gipson | 2190 |
| 263 | Sam Scarber | 2208 |
| 264 | Greg M. Jones | 2209 |
| 265 | Mike Esposito | 2216 |
| 266 | Glen Bonner | 2221 |
| 267 | Sonny Campbell | 2231 |
| 268 | Johnny Musso | 2233 |
| 269 | Bill Triplett | 2235 |
| 270 | Reece Morrison | 2238 |
| 271 | Vince Clements | 2255 |
| 272 | Billy Campfield | 2260 |
| 273 | Arthur Whittington | 2267 |
| 274 | Jim Hooks | 2287 |
| 275 | Nate Simpson | 2309 |
| 276 | Gordon Bell | 2314 |
| 277 | James Ford | 2318 |
| 278 | Mike An. Williams | 2329 |
| 279 | Rocky Thompson | 2334 |
| 280 | Mike Hull | 2339 |
| 281 | Joe H. Williams | 2340 |
| 282 | Jack Deloplaine | 2344 |
| 283 | Woody Campbell | 2348 |
| 284 | Bo Robinson | 2351 |
| 285 | Lloyd Pate | 2358 |
| 286 | Ralph Nelson | 2369 |
| 287 | Willie Belton | 2378 |
| 288 | Mike Collier | 2381 |
| 289 | Larry Smith | 2396 |
| 290 | Ross Montgomery | 2409 |
| 291 | Larry Canada | 2415 |
| 292 | Hank Bjorklund | 2419 |
| 293 | Anthony Davis (RB) | 2425 |
| 294 | Joe Moore | 2436 |
| 295 | Steve Harkey | 2443 |
| 296 | Jerry Hill | 2454 |
| 297 | Larry Krause | 2460 |
| 298 | Bobby Thompson | 2465 |
| 299 | Willie Spencer | 2475 |
| 300 | Jimmy DuBose | 2476 |
| 301 | Bob D. Hudson | 2480 |
| 302 | Leon McQuay | 2484 |
| 303 | Brad Hubbert | 2488 |
| 304 | Marsh White | 2499 |
| 305 | Larry Brinson | 2505 |
| 306 | Ron Lamb | 2516 |
| 307 | Odell Lawson | 2518 |
| 308 | Elvis Peacock | 2536 |
| 309 | George Ragsdale | 2545 |
| 310 | Manfred Moore | 2546 |
| 311 | Ricky Patton | 2548 |
| 312 | Booker Russell | 2555 |
| 313 | Sonny Davis | 2563 |
| 314 | Tom Woodeshick | 2569 |
| 315 | Dave Kopay | 2571 |
| 316 | Charlie Davis | 2574 |
| 317 | Virgil Robinson | 2583 |
| 318 | Deacon Turner | 2586 |
| 319 | Billy Pritchett | 2593 |
| 320 | Jazz Jackson | 2594 |
| 321 | Greg Boykin | 2604 |
| 322 | Claxton Welch | 2606 |
| 323 | Robert Burns | 2616 |
| 324 | Louie Giammona | 2617 |
| 325 | Mickey Zofko | 2621 |
| 326 | Charles Alexander | 2634 |
| 327 | Les Strayhorn | 2646 |
| 328 | Dennis D. Johnson | 2648 |
| 329 | Sonny Collins | 2654 |
| 330 | Ward Walsh | 2656 |
| 331 | Oliver Ross (RB) | 2660 |
| 332 | Stan Winfrey | 2663 |
| 333 | Dick Hoak | 2674 |
| 334 | Jeff Moore | 2676 |
| 335 | Eddie Moss | 2680 |
| 336 | Tony Nathan | 2700 |
| 337 | Travis Williams | 2704 |
| 338 | Tommy Mason | 2712 |
| 339 | Joe Wilson | 2714 |
| 340 | Larry Barnes | 2715 |
| 341 | Kim Jones | 2716 |
| 342 | Brian Duncan | 2718 |
| 343 | Horace Belton | 2720 |
| 344 | Buddy Hardeman | 2725 |
| 345 | Jimmie Jones (RB) | 2728 |
| 346 | Stan Mitchell | 2732 |
| 347 | Jim Jodat | 2736 |
| 348 | Elijah Pitts | 2744 |
| 349 | Phil Francis | 2747 |
| 350 | Mike Franckowiak | 2753 |
| 351 | Earl Gant | 2779 |
| 352 | Vince Kendrick | 2783 |
| 353 | Les Goodman | 2801 |
| 354 | Leon Crosswhite | 2803 |
| 355 | Andrew Jones | 2810 |
| 356 | Henry Dyer | 2812 |
| 357 | Chuck Mercein | 2818 |
| 358 | Derrick Jensen | 2819 |
| 359 | Andy Bolton | 2832 |
| 360 | Nick Eddy | 2841 |
| 361 | Charlie Pittman | 2843 |
| 362 | James Betterson | 2846 |
| 363 | Kermit Johnson | 2847 |
| 364 | James Mayberry | 2852 |
| 365 | Randy Minniear | 2855 |
| 366 | Rick Moser | 2858 |
| 367 | Jim Culbreath | 2864 |
| 368 | Jesse Taylor | 2867 |
| 369 | Sid Blanks | 2871 |
| 370 | Larry Todd | 2878 |
| 371 | Charlie White | 2886 |
| 372 | Greg Oliver | 2896 |
| 373 | Eddie Hill | 2905 |
| 374 | Tony Green | 2915 |
| 375 | Darnell Powell | 2917 |
| 376 | Cleveland Franklin | 2920 |
| 377 | Jack DeGrenier | 2923 |
| 378 | Lewis Jolley | 2924 |
| 379 | Allen Carter | 2934 |
| 380 | Willie McClendon | 2947 |
| 381 | Randy Jackson | 2949 |
| 382 | Cliff Taylor | 2954 |
| 383 | Allan Clark | 2958 |
| 384 | Jeff Jordan | 2959 |
| 385 | Craig Baynham | 2966 |
| 386 | Tony Benjamin | 2967 |
| 387 | Oscar Dragon | 2974 |
| 388 | Terry Cole | 2975 |
| 389 | Terry Robiskie | 2976 |
| 390 | Terry Wells | 2980 |
| 391 | Greg Hawthorne | 2984 |
| 392 | Joe W. Washington | 2986 |
| 393 | Bob McCall | 2998 |
| 394 | Dino Hall | 3003 |
| 395 | Ray Strong | 3014 |
| 396 | Pete Van Valkenberg | 3026 |
| 397 | Ralph Kurek | 3027 |
| 398 | Steve Crosby | 3028 |
| 399 | Les Shy | 3037 |
| 400 | Herb Mul-Key | 3044 |
| 401 | Jack Holmes | 3048 |
| 402 | Ernie Koy | 3055 |
| 403 | John Isenbarger | 3057 |
| 404 | Mosi Tatupu | 3062 |
| 405 | Anthony Anderson | 3066 |
| 406 | Morris LaGrand | 3069 |
| 407 | Art Best | 3076 |
| 408 | Mark Kellar | 3077 |
| 409 | Bruce Maxwell | 3080 |
| 410 | Lincoln Minor | 3081 |
| 411 | Mike Brunson | 3088 |
| 412 | Bill Thomas | 3095 |
| 413 | Bill Dusenbery | 3113 |
| 414 | Pat Moriarty | 3119 |
| 415 | Rick Berns | 3127 |
| 416 | Larry Collins | 3142 |
| 417 | Arthur Green | 3151 |
| 418 | Henry Hynoski Sr. | 3153 |
| 419 | Monroe Eley | 3169 |
| 420 | Leroy Sledge | 3178 |
| 421 | Steve Rogers | 3179 |
| 422 | Junior Coffey | 3185 |
| 423 | Dave Gagnon | 3203 |
| 424 | Gary Hayman | 3204 |
| 425 | Pat McNeil | 3206 |
| 426 | Woody Bennett | 3218 |
| 427 | Gene Foster | 3223 |
| 428 | Glynn Harrison | 3224 |
| 429 | Larry Stegent | 3226 |
| 430 | Molly McGee | 3227 |
| 431 | Thomas Lott | 3229 |
| 432 | Rufus Crawford | 3238 |
| 433 | Ben Garry | 3244 |
| 434 | Dave Atkins | 3245 |
| 435 | Eddie Payton | 3246 |
| 436 | Paul N. White | 3249 |
| 437 | Alois Blackwell | 3257 |
| 438 | Dave Smith (1947) | 3258 |
| 439 | Gale Sayers | 3260 |
| 440 | Mike Voight | 3273 |
| 441 | Rick Jennings | 3274 |
| 442 | Henry Matthews | 3282 |
| 443 | Tommie Smiley | 3298 |
| 444 | George Franklin | 3302 |
| 445 | Jack Rizzo | 3303 |
| 446 | Willie Shelby | 3306 |
| 447 | Steve Howell | 3315 |
| 448 | Tom Thompson | 3317 |
| 449 | Champ Henson | 3324 |
| 450 | Rickey Anderson | 3338 |
| 451 | Steve Powell | 3339 |
| 452 | Wayne Wilson | 3350 |
| 453 | Ken Callicutt | 3354 |
| 454 | Earl Carr | 3368 |
| 455 | Rich Ellender | 3369 |
| 456 | Kenny King | 3375 |
| 457 | Ira Matthews | 3386 |
| 458 | Nathan Poole | 3402 |
| 459 | Secdrick McIntyre | 3403 |
| 460 | Terry Kunz | 3404 |
| 461 | Clayton Heath | 3419 |
| 462 | Steve Atkins | 3432 |
| 463 | Ken Johnson (RB) | 3442 |
| 464 | Laverne Smith | 3456 |
| 465 | Walter Landers | 3478 |
| 466 | Clarence Hawkins | 3481 |
| 467 | Jim Van Wagner | 3483 |
| 468 | Bob Torrey | 3490 |
| 469 | Zachary Dixon | 3520 |
| 470 | Wilbert Haslip | 3534 |
[Home] [Updates] [Sports] [Upcoming/Recent Events] [Polls] [Contact Us] [Links] [Our Facebook Page] [Our Twitter Page]