The greatest running back of all time is Jim Brown. He played in an era where the running game was everything and he dominated like no one else. He led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons and retired as the all-time leading rusher. He was a three-time NFL MVP and made the Pro Bowl in each of his nine seasons.
I have to throw Barry Sanders’ name into the mix. He played for the Detroit Lions, which was not exactly a powerhouse team, yet he still managed to rush for over 15,000 yards in his career. He was incredibly elusive and could make defenders miss like no one else. He won the NFL MVP award in 1997 and was named to the Pro Bowl 10 times. In my opinion, he is the greatest running back of all time.
Gale Sayers played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971 and was known for his speed and explosiveness. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, won the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 1965, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.
I think the greatest running back of all time is Walter Payton. He was incredibly versatile and could run, catch, and block with equal proficiency. He played in an era where the game was more balanced and he still managed to become the all-time leading rusher at the time of his retirement. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and was named the NFL MVP in 1977.