20 finest operating again seasons in NFL historical past
Jamal Anderson #32, Operating Again for the Atlanta Falcons in movement operating the soccer in the course of the Nationwide Soccer Convention Championship sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings on seventeenth January 1999 on the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Atlanta Falcons received the sport 30 – 27. (Picture by Elsa Hasch/Allsport/Getty Pictures)
It was as soon as the glamour place within the NFL. There have been some memorable single-season performances by operating backs in the course of the league’s lengthy historical past.
The place was again when it got here to NFL offenses this previous season. A complete of 14 operating backs ran for 1,000-plus yards in 2022, led by the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs (1,653). Solely seven operating backs reached the 1,000-yard mark the earlier season.
Jacobs was additionally one in all three backs (together with Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard) to get the “franchise” tag this offseason. On the primary evening of the 2023 NFL Draft, operating backs Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions) had been each High 10 alternatives.
There’s already been a have a look at the 20 best seasons by a quarterback in league annals. So why not give some equal time to the boys who carry and catch the rock? Not one of the aforementioned gamers made this listing, however the enclosed submission options some memorable single-season performances.
20 finest operating again seasons in NFL historical past
20. Jamal Anderson, Falcons (1998)
The staff seemingly got here out of nowhere. Dan Reeves inherited a 3-13 Atlanta Falcons squad and led them to a 7-9 end in his first season in 1997. His second marketing campaign with the membership noticed the Falcons double their victory whole through a shocking 14-2 displaying.
The principle cog within the Atlanta offense was operating again Jamal Anderson. A seventh-round choice in 1994, he was coming off a pair of 1,000-yard seasons on the bottom. His fifth 12 months within the NFL noticed him rack up a league-high 410 carries for 1,846 yards and 14 scores. The previous College of Utah product completed ‘98 with 2,165 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns.
Anderson wasn’t achieved. He ran for 113 yards and two scores in a 20-18 win over the 49ers within the divisional spherical. He got here up with 100 whole yards from scrimmage, together with a TD reception, within the Falcons’ 30-27 time beyond regulation win at Minnesota within the NFC Championship Sport. He additionally ran for 96 yards in Tremendous Bowl XXXIII however did lose a fumble within the 34-19 setback. This “Soiled Chicken” was filthy good that season.
