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Top 25 seasons by a running back ever: Which Kansas City Chiefs make the cut?

By Jordan Mannix

SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Running back Priest Holmes #31 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs the ball during the game against the San Diego Chargers on November 30, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chiefs defeated the Chargers 28-24. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 30: Running back Priest Holmes #31 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs the ball during the game against the San Diego Chargers on November 30, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chiefs defeated the Chargers 28-24. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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Running back, edgerrin james
Colts runningback Edgerrin James in first quarter action as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 28 to 3 at Monster Park, San Francisco, California, October 9, 2005. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary) /

13. Edgerrin James, 2000

Because of how transcendent Peyton Manning was for so long for the Indianapolis Colts, a lot of people likely forget just how good running back Edgerrin James really was.

James had an incredible 11-year career ending with 15,610 yards from scrimmage and 91 total touchdowns. He’s currently 13th all time in rushing yards and 20th in rushing touchdowns.

The season that makes this list is his 2000 season, where he had 1,709 rushing yards, 594 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns. They were career highs for him in all categoriesm and if it weren’t for another back on this list, you could argue he was the best that season.

NORMALIZED SEASON SCORE: 2450.43

12. Jim Brown, 1958

This is Brown’s second entry on this list. It’s amazing to think how productive Brown was in an era where players weren’t cared for in the way they are today. Even more, the NFL didn’t switch to 16 games until the 1978 season. Even if you didn’t normalize Brown’s stats to fit the 16 game measuring stick, he’d still have one or two season in the top 25.

The particular season in question at No. 12 is his 1958 season. During this season Brown only played in 12 games. Some might remember, but the NFL didn’t even transition to a 14 game schedule until 1961. This makes Brown’s season that much more incredible.

He averaged 127 rushing yards per game en route to an NFL record, at the time, of 1,527 rushing yards in a season. He added to that 119 receiving yards and 18 total touchdowns. Brown’s 1958 season is the only one from the 1950s to make this list, and it is well deserved.

NORMALIZED SEASON SCORE: 2482.17

11. Barry Sanders, 1997

Barry Sanders is one of the most recognizable names in football. He was a ridiculously dominant back at Oklahoma State, rushing for an incredible 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns his final year with the team. Even though that was a college season, it might be incredible enough to be the top season on this list. All jokes aside though, Sanders was amazing. His final year he was an All-American, won the Heisman Trophy, won the Maxwell Award, and was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year. It might be the greatest season a player has had at their respective position in college football history.

Sanders had a remarkably consistent professional career for the Detroit Lions, rushing for greater than 1,300 yards every single season except one. For his 10 year career he had 15,269 rushing yards, 2,921 receiving yards, and 109 total touchdowns. He is currently third all time in career rushing yards and 10th all time in rushing touchdowns.

The year that checks in at No. 11 on this list is 1997. During that season, Sanders became the fourth running back to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season with 2,053. He also added 305 yards through the air and had 14 total touchdowns. It was a remarkable season and deserves to be amongst the greatest all time.

NORMALIZED SEASON SCORE: 2501.24

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