Was '78-thru-'80 "enough" for Earl Cambpell's HOF induction?

[bachslunch]

Gale Sayers had less than five years of great play, so he's become the poster child for this gauge. When he ripped up his knee in '68, he was averaging a league-leading 6.2 yards per carry that season and was on target for a 1,300-yard season/

I consider Sayers's first five seasons as "great," though YMMV.

[Gary Najman]

While not in Campbell or Sayers league (and less so Davis for his Super Bowl trophies), I think William Andrews and Billy Sims could've been HOFers with a couple more good/great seasons. Andrews had a good 1979 rookie season, the followed by four excellent ones. Sims had two great seaons followed by two good seasons.

For the record, the top six players with most yards per scrimmage from 1980 (Sims rookie year) to 1983 (Andrews last great year) were:

1) William Andrews
2) Walter Payton
3) Billy Sims
4) Tony Dorsett
5) Ottis Anderson
6) Earl Campbell

And Andrews had nearly 700 more yards than Payton.

[JohnH19]

Sayers did indeed have five great years; 65-69. He led both leagues in rushing in 1969 with 1,032 yards playing for a 1-13 team.

[JohnH19]

To me the cutoff is 4 absolutely unquestionable dominant years for Hall of Fame. If you've had an injury shortened career, but have had 4 absolutely insane years where you dominated pro football, good enough for me. if he retired after the 1900 yard season I don't put him in. The additional 1300 yard campaigns (one in 14 games) get him in for me

And I think that's where Terrell Davis was, with the 2,000-yard season, and the two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP, league MVP and all-rookie team. I do believe Davis was the main reason the Broncos won those two Super Bowls; Elway needed a franchise running back who could take the pressure off him so he didn't have to win every game by himself, and Davis was that man. In the 80's and early 90's, the Broncos had good teams, but Elway never had a strong running game or had a running game by committee, and when he got into big games, all the opposing teams had to do was to key on Elway, and Elway would be forced into making mistakes. With Davis, if you keyed on Elway, he would have Davis take over the game, and if you keyed on Davis, Elway and the passing game would blow you away.

If you look at 1,500-yard rushing seasons, there have been 87 in pro football history. Barry Sanders has the most of any rusher with five, right behind him is Payton, Dickerson and Edgerrin James with four. There have been seven with three - Emmitt, Jim Brown, OJ, LaDamian Tomlinson, Tiki Barber, Clinton Portis and Terrell Davis. There were five with two 1,500-yard rushing seasons - Campbell, Curtis Martin, Adrian Peterson, Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.

If you move the bar up to a slightly higher standard, 1,700-yard rushing seasons, there have been 30 of them in pro football history. Dickerson is the only person who has done it three times. Six men have done it twice - Peterson, Sanders, Emmitt, OJ, Terrell Davis and Larry Johnson.

This is why Terrell Davis deserved to be in the Hall of Fame with four stellar seasons. I don't think three truly great seasons will put you into the HOF, but four will.

To put these numbers in context; to gain 1,500 yards in a 16 game season a back has to average approximately 94 yards per game. Jim Brown averaged over 100 yards per game in seven of his nine seasons. Even with two “off” years, he averaged over 100 yards per game with 12,312 over his complete 118 game career.

[Rupert Patrick]

To put these numbers in context; to gain 1,500 yards in a 16 game season a back has to average approximately 94 yards per game. Jim Brown averaged over 100 yards per game in seven of his nine seasons. Even with two “off” years, he averaged over 100 yards per game with 12,312 over his complete 118 game career.

I've never seen anybody attempt to make an argument in favor of anybody besides Brown being the greatest running back in pro football history. He is on an island by himself. Barry Sanders is a distant second. The distance between Brown and Sanders is about the same distance between Sanders and the number 10 guy on the list.

[sheajets]

Sayers did indeed have five great years; 65-69. He led both leagues in rushing in 1969 with 1,032 yards playing for a 1-13 team.

And factor in his prowess as a returner. He returned 8 kicks/punts during his career for touchdowns. He led the NFL in yards per kick return twice.

[sheajets]

To put these numbers in context; to gain 1,500 yards in a 16 game season a back has to average approximately 94 yards per game. Jim Brown averaged over 100 yards per game in seven of his nine seasons. Even with two “off” years, he averaged over 100 yards per game with 12,312 over his complete 118 game career.

I've never seen anybody attempt to make an argument in favor of anybody besides Brown being the greatest running back in pro football history. He is on an island by himself. Barry Sanders is a distant second. The distance between Brown and Sanders is about the same distance between Sanders and the number 10 guy on the list.

Some say Brown is the single greatest, most dominant/unstoppable offensive football player.

Though when it comes to highlight packages on youtube, Barry Sanders Oklahoma State & Detroit are my favorites

[JohnH19]

It’s between Brown and Rice for the most dominant ball handler that isn’t a QB.

[BD Sullivan]

To put these numbers in context; to gain 1,500 yards in a 16 game season a back has to average approximately 94 yards per game. Jim Brown averaged over 100 yards per game in seven of his nine seasons. Even with two “off” years, he averaged over 100 yards per game with 12,312 over his complete 118 game career.

I've never seen anybody attempt to make an argument in favor of anybody besides Brown being the greatest running back in pro football history. He is on an island by himself. Barry Sanders is a distant second. The distance between Brown and Sanders is about the same distance between Sanders and the number 10 guy on the list.

Some say Brown is the single greatest, most dominant/unstoppable offensive football player.

Well, about 2-3 games into Campbell's career, Jimmy the Greek was already anointing him as better than Brown.