The 1990s were the last decade where dominant running backs were the most important building block of many championship teams. After that, the NFL became more of a passing game than ever and running back by committee became more of a common practice.
Here is a look back at the best running backs in the NFL during the decade of the 1990s. Keep in mind that anything these players did before 1990 or after 1999 is not considered in this article. Dominance, overall yardage and contributions to championships are also important factors in these rankings.
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4. Thurman Thomas, Buffalo Bills
Thomas was a dominant running back who could gain yards both carrying the ball and catching it. He went to four Pro Bowls during the 1990s and was the lynchpin of a talented Buffalo offense that also featured quarterback Jim Kelly and wide receiver Andre Reed.
The Bills went to four straight Super Bowls from 1990-93, something that no team has done before or since and Thomas was a major reason for the team’s success.
In 1991, he was named the NFL’s MVP when he gained 1,407 yards rushing and caught 62 passes for another 631 yards.
Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
3. Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams
Faulk earned four Pro Bowl berths during the 1990s and finished the decade with more than 10,000 yards combined rushing and receiving.
He started his career with the Colts and had four 1,000-yard seasons with them before being traded to the Rams to join “The Greatest Show on Turf” in 1999.
In 1994, the former San Diego State star was named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year and in 1999, he became only the second running back in NFL history to gain 1,000 or more yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
Faulk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
2. Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions
Few runners in NFL history were as exciting and elusive as Barry Sanders. The former Oklahoma State star was the biggest weapon on some very mediocre Lions teams in the 1990s. Despite playing for some weak teams, he went to the Pro Bowl nine times during the decade and was the co-winner of the league MVP Award in 1997.
Sanders never gained fewer than 1,115 yards in a season and in 1997, he gained a career-high 2,053 yards rushing which included a remarkable 14 straight games of 100 or more yards.
Sanders retired abruptly at the age of 30 after the 1998 season and finished the decade with 13,799 yards rushing.
1. Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Emmitt Smith was the key to the Dallas Cowboys offense in the 1990s. Dallas won three Super Bowls with Smith leading the way and while Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin got lots of attention, Smith was the true engine that made the Cowboys go along with his big and talented offensive line.
Smith won the league MVP Award in 1993 and went to eight Pro Bowls during the decade. He wasn’t the biggest or the fastest runner, but few followed their blocks as well as Smith did and he maximized his gain on every play.
The former Florida Gator gained 13,963 yards during the decade and scored 136 rushing touchdowns in the 1990s. He retired as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.