Here are some highlights of RB Eric Dickerson's career as he is featured in NFL Films "The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players" (original air date in 2010).
Marcus Allen was absolutely correct, Eric doesn't get near the credit he deserves. He was a once in a lifetime type of player. He had NOTHING at QB to take the pressure off of him, so teams KNEW he was gonna get the ball--and he still shredded defenses routinely. And he was also a very tall player at 6'3", so as Marcus said he had so much more of his body that would get hit on every play. He couldn't slip through holes with minimal contact like shorter running backs could. Dickerson was just amazing and it's a shame he's not put up there with Brown, Sanders, Payton, etc. as he should be
Rick Darcy hahah yeah they golf at the course I golf at all the time man, pretty crazy to see them all the time considering how legendary their careers were in the nfl
My son and myself met Eric Dickerson at the 2018 Cotton Bowl. Made my son the focus of the conversation. I sat back and let them have the moment. Thanks Eric. My now 16 year old son still talks about it.
I find Dickerson and Deion to be so odd.....to me, they never looked like they were moving fast, but they were moving faster than everyone around them (obviously)
Dickerson should be in the TOP 20! @ 1:40 this is the most beautiful run (85 yards!) ever! He was 6'3 at 221 lbs. running a 9.4 /100 yard dash! His first 2 seasons speak for themselves! AWESOME! He's from my generation ( I am now 53)..I watched him at SMU, just an UNREAL RB! Perfect era he played in too! He still holds about 4 or 5 major NFL records....His first 2 seasons of course and fastest RB to get to 10,000 yards ( only 91 games!) His first 7 seasons he avg. 109 yards rushing per game! also that playoff record vs Dallas ( 248 yards rushing!) I loved watching him play!
Not even close. Jesus, nothing worse than millennials who weren't actually around to see players make sweeping judgments based on numbers. He ran for all that yardage because the Rams force fed him the football. If Marcus Allen had gotten all those carries with the Raiders, he would've put up similar numbers.
No sir. Walter Payton is the greatest back/player of all time. As a runner, Payton could run north/south, cut and juke and run players over and do all three and more in a single run.
Na'ah. Dickerson was a one trick pony. Benefited from a scheme where the received the ball a ton. But he wasn't a good receiver, was a below average blocker, and fumbled a ton. But his running was so damn good, he warrants this place.
The top 5 is OJ, Barry, Brown, Payton and Emmitt. Dickerson may have broken the record but it took him 2 more games to do it. OJ broke 2000 in 14 games with 12 tds and 6 yards per carry average. Best single season by a RB ever
For me Dickerson should be way up higher in the list, I would say at the top 15, at least the top 20. This guy was something else, his crazy atheltisism, feel for the game, moves etc. And it's very sad that he isn't getting the credit he deserves, best HB that the game has ever seen for me.
+Lars Wölk I agree Lars. I could even put him in the top 10. He had everything you could want in a running back---size, strength, and wide receiver speed at 6'3'' 230. His only deficit may have been mental. He tended to pout at times. That's probably why he's not higher on this list. But at his best, I'd put him up against any running back of any era. He could do it all.
How he ran is how everybody should sprint. Fast and relaxed. It's how you get the most out of your speed. That run against the Jets when he pulled from the 2 defenders is the definition of how you're suppose to run.
Eric Dickerson was one of the best players to ever participate in the NFL. Hitting the line with that upright stance. And you knew the defense was keying on him. Two thousand yards rushing in a single season, that's just major pwnage.
So underrated. People were so lucky to watch him. I wasnt born at the time so I didn't but man. I'm a colts fan and he is my favorite colts running back in our history. So much akill and talent in one human.
+daquan jackson III I was lucky to watch him live... 200 yds on 20 carries vs St.Louis in his record setting year... It was sick watching him juke, jive & pound people... It was must see TV when he was on. Saw him break the all-time playoff record yds, too. He was just a flat out machine...
Sometimes you live in an era that people wished they had lived in too. Looking back I wished I had relished it more. My neighbor had Rams seasons tix for two years and took me to every home game when the Rams played at Anaheim stadium. Saw Dickerson play every Sunday. Saw Montana, Rice, Elway, Barry Sanders and the list goes on. But Dickerson was the most elegant runner I had ever seen carry the football. Never seen another RB run the ball like him since. Congratulations Dickerson for making the NFL s 100 year top 12 RB squad.
Best opening four rushing seasons to start a career ever. It will never be equaled. 1,808 rookie record, 2,105 single season record, 1,234 in his third and 1,821 yards in his fourth.
Taj M Jackson there are a lot of really young really talented running backs in the NFL with a great chance to break it Adrian Peterson almost broke it he came up less than 10 yard try of breaking it so nothing saying that he can't do it
Adrian Peterson is talented enough to break it, so is Todd Gurley. Le'Veon Bell would have to stay healthy and sober long enough to play a full 16 games. Will any RB in the league get enough carries to get a chance to break it, is the reason why that record will last a little bit longer.
No he wouldn't have. His career would've had a similar trajectory. All the usage caught up with him. He may have been good for another 1000 yards at most. The Rams fell off after 1989. Dickerson ran for 1011 in 8+ games in 87, led the league in rushing in 1988, and ran for 1311 yards in 1989. Right around the same production he would've had in LA...especially with Ernie Zampese utilizing the passing game with Jim Everett throwing to Flipper Anderson, Henry Ellard, and Pete Holohan.
It sucks when a great player gets traded to bad team. John Jefferson would be on the top 100 list if he stayed with the Chargers. Randy Moss might not be if he stayed with Oakland.
I always though his neckpad was like a special collar on his jersey, I always thought that looks really cool and no one else that I can think of has a pad that does that.
Eric Dickerson was the most dominant running back I've ever seen play. Eric Dickerson at number 52 somebody need their head examined. Along with Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor those guys were super freaks !!!!!
23jakesmith23 Yeah but he only has that because he played on the most dominant team of his era. If he played on another team he wouldnt have anything close to those numbers.
I met Mr Dickerson when i was a kid . He was in Lakeland Florida hosting the Miss Teen USA pageant and he came outside and was walking past me and my mom said go ask for his autograph . His security team stopped me and said he is too busy . Mr Dickerson stopped in his tracks and looked at me and said "I ALWAYS HAVE TIME FOR MY FANS ! WHAT IS YOUR NAME SON?" He then signed the autograph and even spent a couple minutes talking to me . I was only about 12 years old but i will never forget it . Great on the field and off . You can sum up Mr. Dickerson with one word . CLASS .
Eric Dickerson was the F-14 Tomcat of running backs. He had the maneuverability of a short, small back, and a top-end speed faster than pretty much all the corners and safeties that tried to catch him. Marcus Allen nailed it - he was a true "freak of nature", the likes of which we'll never see again in our lifetimes. It's what happens when you have the perfect combination of a lethal running back, and a track star.
ThePacemaker45 and his he leading rusher and has the most rushing TDS I don't think so and if u say bc of his oline look at dickerson too he had the best o-line in his era
I WAS A YEAR OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL WEN E D WAS DRAFTED SO I SAW GREAT RUNNING BACKS B4 HIM O J, FRANCO HARRIS, DORSETT TO NAME A FEW! BUT HE WAS NO DOUBT HANDS DOWN IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF!!🙌🏾👊🏾
Eric is the closest thing to watching a guy look like he was toying with the other team's Defense. He was THAT good. So great it didn't even look like he was trying. When that happens, you know the guy is great. Eric had jack squat at QB's to help too, and that always gets overlooked. He was the only offense most of his career
I went to high school with Eric Dickerson AND Jonathan Taylor at IVC in Chillicothe, Illinois. Granted not THE Eric Dickerson and Jonathan Taylor...but still....
Nicky check this out Tex Schramm the GM of the Dallas Cowboys told Dickerson that the Cowboys wouldn't draft him because they felt that no RB of his size 6-3 220 had the speed.He had a private workout for Dallas they clocked him in back to back 4.3s in 4.30-4.31.Schramm said they thought he was too soft I guess setting the NFL postseason mark for rushing yds had to show him what he could have had(248) the old mark was held by Jim Brown.
Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Eric Dickerson were all great running backs, but also carried themselves the way great men should. Very humble and respectful to their team and the game, but still had a great passion to win and be the best. They didn't have to make up dances and showboat everytime they scored. They just let their running be their legacy.
I have so much respect for the old time players. The NFL did not have any soft rules back then. Everyone who played the game hit you as hard as they could. They were true athletic warriors 1980's football was a fantastic era of football ... so many Hall of Famers played in that era of football !
I remember watching him play. When he got the pitch on a sweep it was practically an automatic 6-yard gain. He was running downhill and into the second level by the time anyone could even get near him. And he deserves WAY higher than #52.
High Guise At my high scool we pass about 7 times a game. Great coaches have said if you can run the ball your unstopable thats why I beilieve a great RB is the key to win. And also a defense.
I had Rams season tickets back then and Dickerson was amazing to watch. He was like Magic Johnson in that he was not your typical running back at 6’3” just like Magic wasn’t your typical guard at 6’9” and they both made it look easy.
Been ram fan for 47 years ! My opinion Eric Dickerson is my 1 pick for running back ! All due respect! He should be ranked at least in top 20 players ever in NFL !
Grew up in SoCal and watched Dickerson play at Anaheim Stadium many times. Not only size and speed, but he was at top speed within 3-4 steps. And once hit got past the line at top speed he was gone.
