Ten Best Running Backs of All Time in NFL

#4 Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith crossed the 1000 yard mark for the first time in his sophomore season

When you are an NFL running back longevity in the sport is usually the last on the list but now and then there are some exceptions who go onto to play for a very long time, one such exception was Emmitt Smith who played in the NFL for 15 long and fruitful years.

Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with a 17th overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft, in his rookie season, he rushed for 937 yards with 11 TD's to win the NFL offensive rookie of the year award.

Smith crossed the 1000 yard mark for the first time in his sophomore season when he rushed for 1,563 yards with 12 TD's and led the league in total rushing yards.

The Cowboys won the Super Bowl in the 1992 season riding on the back of Smith's over-the-top season where he rushed for 1,713 yards with 18 TD's to lead the league in both total rushing yards and TD's.

The Cowboys won the Super Bowl for the second time in a row during the 1993 season but this time Smith got recognition for his efforts on the field as he was elected the NFL MVP for his league-leading 1,486 rushing yards with nine TD's.

He is still the only RB to win the Super Bowl, NFL MVP, league rushing title and the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

Smith crossed the 1000 yard rushing mark for the next eight seasons in a row during which he won his third Super Bowl and led the league in total rushing yards and TD's during the 1995 season.

Smith finally finished his career with 18,355 rushing yards and 164 rushing TD's both of which are NFL records to date.

He was eight-time Pro Bowler, four-time First Team All-Pro member, four-time NFL rushing yards leader and a four-time NFL rushing TD's leader.

Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.