Edward Nathan George Jr. is an American football coach and former player who is the current head football coach at Tennessee State University. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily for the Houston / Tennessee Oilers / Titans franchise.
Barry Sanders is an American former professional football running back who played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Sanders led the league in rushing yards four times and in rushing touchdowns once, establishing himself as one of the most elusive runners in the history of the NFL with his quickness and agility, despite being only 5 ft 8 in tall and weighing 203 lbs. Sanders played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. As a junior in 1988, he compiled what is widely considered the greatest individual season by a running back in college football history, rushing for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in 11 games. He won the Heisman Trophy and was unanimously recognized as an All-American.
Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Thomas developed into an all-around threat as a runner, pass catcher, blocker, and special teams player. He led the Saints in rushing yards in 2008 and 2009 and again in 2013, when he also led all NFL running backs in receiving yards. He became known for his excellence in executing the screen pass; it was a screen pass on which he scored the Saints' first touchdown in their 31–17 win in Super Bowl XLIV, two weeks after he had scored two touchdowns in the Saints' 2009 NFC Championship game victory.
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American former football running back who played for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals, for whom he later played one season.
Adrian Lewis Peterson is an American former professional football running back who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners, setting the freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards in 2004. Named a unanimous All-American that year, he became the first freshman to finish as a runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.
Stevan Todd Ridley is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. Ridley was also a member of the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Patriots, he won Super Bowl XLIX.
The 2012 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 83rd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 79th as the Detroit Lions and the fourth under head coach Jim Schwartz. The Lions failed to improve from their 10–6 record in 2011, during which they made it to the postseason as a wild card team. The Lions spent most of the season at the bottom of their division, and ended the season with an eight-game losing streak, their worst skid since the winless 2008 season. It was also the franchise's 21st consecutive season without a playoff win.
Derrick Lamar Henry Jr. is an American professional football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "King Henry", he is known for his imposing style of play and larger build than the average running back.
Ameer Abdullah is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 2013, Abdullah rushed for 1,690 yards, fourth most for a single season in University of Nebraska history. He decided not to enter the NFL draft at the end of his junior year, but instead to return for his senior season. He was considered a contender for the 2014 Heisman Trophy. He is a native of Homewood, Alabama.
Ezekiel Elijah Elliott, nicknamed "Zeke", is an American professional football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. Elliott was selected by the Dallas Cowboys fourth overall in the 2016 NFL draft. In eight seasons in the NFL, he was a three-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro selection, and led the league in rushing yards in 2016 and 2018. After being released by the Cowboys after the 2022 season, Elliott played the 2023 season for the New England Patriots before re-signing with the Cowboys in 2024.
Geronimo John Allison is an American professional football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Illinois, and was signed by the Green Bay Packers in 2016 as an undrafted free agent.
D'Onta Foreman is an American professional football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, and was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has also played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and Chicago Bears.
Bo Scarbrough is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at Alabama before a four year National Football League (NFL) career, largely for the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions. Following his tenure in the NFL, Scarbrough played two seasons in the USFL with the Birmingham Stallions, winning back to back USFL Championships. He currently serves as an analyst with “The Bama Standard” podcast on “The Bama Standard Network” YouTube channel (2021–present).
David Montgomery is an American professional football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.
D'Andre Tiyon Swift is an American professional football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Detroit Lions with the third pick of the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. In 2023, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he earned his first Pro Bowl selection before signing with the Bears in 2024.
Augustus Edwards is a Liberian professional American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL) before transferring to Rutgers and signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Edwards' nickname is "Gus the Bus"; he is known for his large size and "bruising" running style.
Jermar Jefferson is an American professional football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon State and was selected by the Lions in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Joshua Cordell Jacobs is an American professional football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. Jacobs rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, while being named to NFL All-Rookie Team in 2019 and to his first Pro Bowl in 2020. In 2022, he led the league in rushing yards with 1,653 and became the first Raider since 1985 to surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards. After five years with the Raiders, Jacobs signed with the Packers in 2024.
Jahmyr Gibbs is an American professional football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Alabama Crimson Tide, earning All-American honors twice with Alabama. Gibbs was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, where in his first NFL season he was an All-Rookie Team selection and voted to the Pro Bowl. In 2024, Gibbs was again selected to the Pro Bowl and set a Detroit franchise-record for the most touchdowns scored in a single-season, leading the NFL with 20 total touchdowns scored.
Rhamondre Stevenson is an American professional football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma, where he was a bowl game MVP, and was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
