The NFL Running Backs Mount Rushmore of the Super Bowl Era
By Erik Lambert
Marshall Faulk (St. Louis Rams)
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Before LaDainian Tomlinson, there was another NFL running back who really embodied what it meant to be an all-purpose player.
Marshall Faulk was one of the most dominant running backs in the history of the NFL when he played, finishing with 11 seasons with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage including a whopping 5.3 yards per touch for his career as a runner and receiver.
Faulk’s only season without over 1,000 yards from scrimmage was his last in the NFL, a career in which he averaged 64 receptions per year (12 NFL seasons).
Faulk was a dynamic all-around back but perhaps never imposed his will quite like he did in the 2001 playoffs when he had 432 all-purpose yards as the Rams’ attempt to win two Super Bowls in three seasons fell just short when the Patriots’ dynasty began.
Faulk understood better than any running back how to win before the snap. It seemed like he could see plays unfolding before the ball even got into his hands, and he manipulated defenses like that all the time.
Whether it was in his time with the Rams or Colts, Faulk was impossible to track down.