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Rick Gosselin: Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith was great -- but he wasn't the greatest
01:35 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 4, 2010
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Emmitt Smith carried the football more times for more yards and more touchdowns than any other running back in NFL history. He also played more games than any other runner.
That made Smith the king of quantity and a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Smith was elected in his first year of eligibility and will be enshrined in Canton on Saturday in the Class of 2010.
Smith joins an elite fraternity of backs who won a combined 44 NFL rushing titles and 12 MVP awards. So where does the king of quantity fit among the 43 Hall of Fame runners in terms of quality?
I asked five experts to rank their top five running backs of all time. All had been on NFL payrolls for the better part of four decades, serving the league as coaches, general managers and talent evaluators.
This panel has seen all the great runners of the modern era and was granted anonymity in exchange for their lists. Not a one mentioned Smith in his top five – five experts, 25 potential slots and no Emmitt.
Jim Brown was the only back mentioned by all five panelists. Brown was No. 1 on four lists with Barry Sanders receiving the other top spot.
Earl Campbell and O.J. Simpson were included on four lists, Walter Payton on three with Sanders, Gale Sayers and Eric Dickerson two apiece. Marcus Allen , Tony Dorsett and Marshall Faulk were the only other backs mentioned by the panel.
But no Emmitt.
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01:35 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 4, 2010
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
rgosselin@dallasnews.com
Emmitt Smith carried the football more times for more yards and more touchdowns than any other running back in NFL history. He also played more games than any other runner.
That made Smith the king of quantity and a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Smith was elected in his first year of eligibility and will be enshrined in Canton on Saturday in the Class of 2010.
Smith joins an elite fraternity of backs who won a combined 44 NFL rushing titles and 12 MVP awards. So where does the king of quantity fit among the 43 Hall of Fame runners in terms of quality?
I asked five experts to rank their top five running backs of all time. All had been on NFL payrolls for the better part of four decades, serving the league as coaches, general managers and talent evaluators.
This panel has seen all the great runners of the modern era and was granted anonymity in exchange for their lists. Not a one mentioned Smith in his top five – five experts, 25 potential slots and no Emmitt.
Jim Brown was the only back mentioned by all five panelists. Brown was No. 1 on four lists with Barry Sanders receiving the other top spot.
Earl Campbell and O.J. Simpson were included on four lists, Walter Payton on three with Sanders, Gale Sayers and Eric Dickerson two apiece. Marcus Allen , Tony Dorsett and Marshall Faulk were the only other backs mentioned by the panel.
But no Emmitt.
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