(Last Updated On: January 13, 2019)

The NFL has unquestionably become a passer’s paradise as multi-threat quarterbacks built like defensive ends continue to effortlessly chuck up 400-yard, six-touchdown games like it’s middle school gym class. Excluding Dan Marino’s 5,084 yards in 1984, all single-season passing records have come within the last 10 years, headlined by Peyton Manning’s 5,477-yard explosion in 2013 and Brees’s 5,476-yard encore in 2011 (he also tossed 5,069 in 2008), solidifying a paradigm shift from gridiron ground and pound to copious gunslinging. But we miss the bruising running back days of old, when Barry Sanders ankle-twisted 11 hopeless head-turned defenders and Earl Campbell mashed 250-pound potatoes with a head-down bullrush. We decided to reminisce over the best NFL runs ever.

Update: Derrick Henry’s 238-yard, four touchdown explosion against the Jaguars in Week 14 of the 2018 NFL season included one run that’s been added to the list as a second beast mode.

Presenting the best NFL runs of all time..

25. Tony Dorsett

The 1982 season was shortened by a strike, but not before Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett scored the only 99-yard rushing touchdown in NFL history.. on a play where the Cowboys only had 10 players on the field against the Minnesota Vikings.

Today’s Classic Clip is from Jan 3,1983. It’s Tony Dorsett’s 4th qtr 99yd TD run in strike shortened ‘82 season finale on MNF at Min (1st year of the Metrodome). Dallas lined up with only 10 men. Dorsett went 16-153. Min won to go 5-4. Dal 6-3. Both lost to Redskins in playoffs. pic.twitter.com/BWpjEtfeaq — 3Rivers (@steelcitystar) August 7, 2018

24. Adrian Peterson

The first time All-Day AP faced the Cleveland Browns, he made sure they never forgot him. 180 yards was nice and all, but it was his 64-yard touchdown run to finish the day that had Brodney Pool, Brandon McDonald, and cornerback Eric Wright grasping at straws.

23. Jamaal Charles

Once a backup to Larry Johnson, Charles hit the spotlight in his second year as he rushed 190 times for 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns despite only starting 10 games. Here’s his lesson in angle maneuvering and patience.

top 5 Jamaal Charles runs ever. I’ve never seen anyone with the cut back abilities he possesses pic.twitter.com/fQp57QYXxW — ** – Montie (@RoyalsMLBChamps) October 21, 2016

22. Terrell Davis

Although there’s one play that originally got the sixth-round pick on the field at all.

.@Terrell_Davis gets the toss from @johnelway and takes it 71 yards to the 🏡, the longest run of his career! #TBT pic.twitter.com/uBIir9o5PW — NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) May 17, 2018

21. John Riggins

Specifically at 2:48 on the video. On a fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XVII, Dolphins cornerback Don McNeal made what looked like a form tackle attempt on Washington’s John Riggins, only to get thrown into the annals of got-trucked history among the best NFL runs. Riggins took off down the sideline to give the Redskins their first lead. Riggins won MVP honors as well.

20. Christian Okoye

Specifically the first run against the Seahawks in 1989. Simply put, the “Nigerian Nightmare” was an absolute monster with pigskin in his arms and gargantuan shoulder pads.

19. LeGarette Blount

The only blog post-playable footage found this side of the Mississippi. Or just click here.

Our toughest one yet, but y’all are right! This was LeGarrette Blount’s incredible 54-yard TD run vs. the Packers. 📰 » https://t.co/uDZg7MGuqZ#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/HNx3YoiRw6 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 19, 2018

18. Marion Barber

The best two-yard run in NFL history?

That time when Marion Barber (#Cowboys) had the best 2-yd run in HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/CbcCJ7fIcH — History of Sports (@BeforeFamePics) September 2, 2016

17. Steve Young

Terrelle Pryor’s 93-yard run (before he was a wide receiver) is a close second to quarterback runs of the past two decades.

49 days til’ Football: Relive this UNREAL 49-yard game-winning touchdown run by Hall of Famer Steve Young! Is it football season yet?!? #NFLAlumni #Kickoff2018 (@49ers) 🎥: NFL Films pic.twitter.com/UfzrAa1Z1u — NFL Alumni (@NFLAlumni) July 19, 2018

16. Saquon Barkley

The future of football already among the best NFL runs, even with a league-worst offensive line. Time to stop questioning the Giants’s choice at No. 2 in the 2018 NFL Draft.

15. Walter Payton

It’s all sweetness.

14. Bo Jackson

You may remember “snubbed by the Hall of Fame” safety Steve Atwater destroying previous best run pick Christian Okoye in 1990, but Atwater was no match for Bo Jackson.

On one side: Bo Jackson trucking defenders. On the other side: @JohnElway dropping dimes for TDs.@Broncos vs @Raiders in the 90s gave us some incredible games. 🙌 #OAKvsDEN pic.twitter.com/gyCz6A4zdK — NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) September 15, 2018

13. Jerome Bettis

Two former Hall of Famers slamming full speed into each other is old-school football at its finest and a lock for best NFL runs.

🔥😲💪🏈 That time Jerome Bettis ran through Brian Urlacher #TBT pic.twitter.com/G41ySvNLA7 — Fanatics View (@fanaticsview) February 17, 2017

12. Jamal Lewis

The lesser known Lewis of the 2000s Baltimore Ravens, Jamal Lewis is remembered best for a fantastic 2003 season during which he rushed for 2,066 yards (third-most all-time, behind Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson).

I remember this Jamal Lewis run like it was yesterday. pic.twitter.com/UHZ5Q2ocR0 — Wola (@WolaWriter) July 22, 2017

11. Mike Alstott

Two for one. Like a wrecking ball of talent, persistence, and fantasy points, Mike Alstott is the king of best NFL runs highlights.

The NFL really needs another Mike Alstott pic.twitter.com/XFuLY5ZsYI — Jonathan Valencia (@JonValenciaBF) February 19, 2018

10. Brandon Jacobs

Props to LaRon Landry for taking on a 6-foot-4, 264-pound behemoth, but more kudos to Brandon Jacobs for transforming the game.

Brandon Jacobs just walked through the office and I am STUNNED that a single homo sapien ever tackled that man against his will. Just an enormous scary man pic.twitter.com/SOOx7tgbA6 — YP🦈 (@YoungPageviews) May 4, 2018

9. Garrison Hearst

Picture Garrison Hearst among the best NFL runs, slugging a baseball and vehemently flipping the bat. It’s a walk-off.

Garrison Hearst with an amazing 96yd walk-off TD! (1998)

–

@GarrisonHearst @49ers pic.twitter.com/OoSi1lT1md — Rare Sports (@rare_sports) May 6, 2018

8. Marcus Allen

The 74-yard clincher to Super Bowl XVIII, Marcus Allen’s reverse created goosebumps everywhere.

Momentos del @SuperBowl: Marcus Allen escapa 74 yardas para TD en el triunfo de @RAIDERS sobre @Redskins en el Super Bowl XVIII. #SB51 pic.twitter.com/lAcre7nMol — NFL México (@nflmx) January 31, 2017

7. Jim Brown

And they say Jim Brown was better at lacrosse…

8 Rushing titles in 9 seasons

3 MVP’S

12,000+ rushing yards

106 rushing touchdowns

The Man

The Myth

The Legend Jim Brown pic.twitter.com/t45HjelKam — AL Bundy NFL®️ (@ALBundyNFL) August 3, 2018

6. David Johnson

David Johnson, 2015, Eagles defense.

David Johnson goes Beast Mode on the Eagles. pic.twitter.com/T6YcQhIERS — Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) December 21, 2015

5. Marshawn Lynch

Pete Carroll has no idea what words to utter.

4. Michael Vick

Turning back the clock to Madden 2004 Michael Vick.

Michael Vick on the Falcons was one of a kind 🏈 pic.twitter.com/1ettVHtX4X — Sports Highlights (@SportsHighIight) August 29, 2015

3. Barry Sanders

Decades of playoff-less suffering couldn’t keep Lions star Barry Sanders from annihilating defenders on a weekly basis and becoming a lock for best NFL runs lists.

There are only a handful of athletes you stop everything to watch play and Barry Sanders is one of my favorite athletes ever. 4.3-4.4 speed, cut on a dime, and when he got in that gallup it was a wrap. You actually laugh at what he did to defenses, especially the run on the Pats pic.twitter.com/6H8Wp4S0jc — Marl Kalone (@KaloneMarl) June 15, 2018

2. Roger Craig

1983 second round draft pick Roger Craig was a three-time Super Bowl champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV), four-time Pro Bowlers, and 1980s All-Decade Team member. Somehow, he’s not in the hall. But this showing is cemented among the best NFL runs.

It was always tough to bring down Roger Craig. It seemed impossible, though, in this 1988 battle against the Rams, when Craig put the @49ers on his back, running 22 times for 190 yards and three TDs to lead a 24-21 midseason win. (Oct. 16, 1988) #LARvsSF @histepper33 pic.twitter.com/q2V6Hs44nB — NFL Throwback (@nflthrowback) October 20, 2018

1a. Derrick Henry

Great Odin’s Raven, man did third-year machine-built Alabama running back Derrick Henry show what he’s made of on an unsuspecting Thursday Night Football game against the crumbling Jacksonville Jaguars. 17 rushes, 238 yards, four touchdowns, a night full of record-breaking memories.

DERRICK HENRY

BEAST MODE pic.twitter.com/KqT8yJqr4x — Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) December 7, 2018

1b. Marshawn Lynch

One magical 67-yard touchdown run in the 2011 wildcard round against the unsuspecting Saints gave Marshawn Lynch a cemented spot among best NFL runs ever. Eight broken tackles, Tracy Porter shoved to the ground with a vicious stiff arm, and a 1-3 magnitude earthquake. Beautiful.

Remember when Marshawn Lynch went complete BEAST MODE on the Saints defense. pic.twitter.com/bzW6fuGwId — 360°FantasyFootball (@360FFB) January 3, 2018

*cover photo by Tim Mielke on Unsplash

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