If Walter isn’t the greatest, it has got to be Jim Brown. The rare combination of size and speed, he could run over a defender or run past them. He had a way of lumbering back to the huddle as though it was his last few steps, yet when the ball was snapped he was a monster again. He was one tough runner.

All respect to Payton, in my mind he was the best. The 9 years thing not even considered, he was special and terrifying. I've only seen scraps of film of him playing but it was enough. He didn't run by people he ran through them, dragging three and four tacklers on his back with every run. He never quit, he never played the twinkletoes game, he knew he was a monster.

he is still one of the 5 leading rushers in nfl history, and he played only 9 years. even barry sanders' father said he was the best of all time.

One of the greatest Lacrosse players of all time. Oh, he was a pretty good RB as well. Just a big, strong, talented athelete who could have excelled in many sports.

Tougher than rent. Never missed a game. Not a beautiful runner, by any means, but the best package ever. Flat ran over defenses that had nothing else to key on but him. The best ever.

The most dominant running back of all time because he was big and durable, breaking tackles consistently, quick and agile making defenders miss and also had incredible breakaway speed. He was an All-American at Syracuse in two sports, football and lacrosse, also a pretty capable basketball player in college. My father-in-law (God be good to him) used to tell the story of a defensive back for the Browns, excitedly telling a Cleveland sportswriter of this young back they had drafted out of Syracuse, and he might be the best running back ever. Better than Marion Motley? the sportswriter skeptically asked. When Marion Motley is in the open field, I can catch him from behind. Nobody is going to catch this guy from behind. Led the NFL in rushing yards 8 of his 9 seasons, never missing a single game, and when he threatened (at age 50) to return if Franco Harris broke his rushing record, anyone who had seen him play knew that he meant it. It was OK for Sweetness to win it, though, unfortunately for Browns' fans.

IMO Jim Brown was the most complete back in the history of the NFL. He was without a doubt the meanest,badest,nastiest,most dominating runningback of all time.And,IMO his take no prisoners,SMASH MOUTH running style would be even more successful in todays game as NFL offensive lines are also bigger,stronger and faster than in his day.

Jim Brown was an excellent back and one of the best ever, but todays defenses are bigger,stronger and faster than in his day.

I am not old enough to realize how good this guy really was, but I do have the ESPN Classics netword, and I have seen him play. There actually came a point in the game where I began to feel sorry for the defense everytime he was given the ball. I don't know if anyone else was able to average 100 yds. rushing per game in their career, but it is a damn amazing feat of excellence. Adding to that, I have heard people say he was the greatest lacrosse player they ever saw!! An amazing athlete, one, if not the, best back of all time and is considered by some the greatest lacrosse player they ever saw. Fullbacks today are not like they were in Brown's day.