American football team the New England Patriots are situated in the greater Boston area. As a member club of the American Football Conference East, they compete in the National Football League. The New England Patriots have produced a number of superstars over the years.
Running backs have been a particularly difficult position for the Patriots to develop over the years. the squad has not really needed an all-time running back because of its strong quarterback history.
Here is a list of The Top Five New England Patriots Running Backs of All-Time
1. Curtis Martin
With the Patriots, Martin became one of the greatest running backs in the history of the sport. Martin had a breakout season as a rookie, dominating the league. He rushed for just shy of 1,500 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in all.
He was one of the first running backs to possess the rare combination of raw power and lightning-quick acceleration.
The following season, he only carried for 100 yards twice, but he still amassed well over 1,000 yards.
2. Jim Nance
It is safe to say that Nance was one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. Nance was selected by the Boston Patriots in the nineteenth round of the 1965 NFL Draft. He played his whole NFL career for the Patriots.
Standing at 6’1″ and weighing over 250 pounds, he was a monster of a fullback at the time. His physical height was always going to be a major asset, and that was obvious from the get-go.
Over 1400 yards and 19 touchdowns in his second season were Nance’s accomplishments. Nance became the first player in the history of the AFL to rush for more than 1400 yards in a season, winning the AFL MVP award.
3. Kevin Faulk
In 1999, the Patriots drafted Louisiana State University running back Marshall Faulk in the second round of the NFL Draft. During his career, he caught more than 300 passes and established himself as one of the best pass catchers in the NFL. Faulk racked up more than 7,000 rushing yards and 68 touchdowns during his time with the Patriots.
4. Sam Cunningham
He was drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft, after a stellar career at the University of Southern California. However, Cunningham had a respectable career despite not being as terrific an athlete as he was while playing for the Trojans.
He rushed for 9 touchdowns and amassed 1,000 yards in his second season in the NFL.
5. Corey Dillon
He’s the perfect example of a person who values quality over quantity. When the Bengals signed Dillon in 2004, he was a sensational running back. A 1,000-yard rusher in each of his first seven seasons in Cincinnati, Dillon did it six times.
His first season in New England was one of the greatest full seasons by a running back in NFL history. Over 350 touches, Dillon racked up more than 1,700 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns.
