10 Greatest Rushers of the 1960s

The 1960s saw the ground game become the foundation of every offense in pro football. Power, vision, and durability defined the decade’s best rushers. These backs not only racked up yards but also changed how the game was played, setting the standard for the modern rushing attack. Here are the 10 greatest rushers of the 1960s. 

1. Jim Brown

Teams: Cleveland Browns (1957–1965)

Career Highlights: NFL champion (1964), 3x NFL Most Valuable Player (1957, 1958, 1965), NFL Rookie of the Year (1957), 8x First-team All-Pro (1957–1961, 1963–1965), Second-team All-Pro (1962), 9x Pro Bowl (1957–1965), Hall of Fame (1971)

8x NFL rushing yards leader (1957–1961, 1963–1965), 5x NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1957–1959, 1963, 1965), NFL scoring leader (1958)

NFL records for most rushing yards per game (104.3), most yards per carry with minimum 1,500 attempts (5.22), yards per carry in a season with minimum 200 attempts (6.4), and most games with at least four touchdowns (6).

2. Bill Brown

Teams: Chicago Bears (1961), Minnesota Vikings (1962–1974)

Career Highlights: NFL champion (1969), 3x Second-team All-Pro (1964, 1965, 1968), 4x Pro Bowl (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968)

3. Abner Haynes

Teams: Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs (1960–1964), Denver Broncos (1965–1966), Miami Dolphins (1967), New York Jets (1967)

Career Highlights: AFL champion (1962), AFL Most Valuable Player (1960), AFL Comeback Player of the Year (1964), AFL Rookie of the Year (1960), 3x First-team All-AFL (1960–1962), Second-team All-AFL (1964), 4x AFL All-Star (1960–1962, 1964)

3x AFL rushing touchdowns leader (1960–1962), AFL rushing yards leader (1960), AFL kickoff return yards leader (1965)

4. Paul Hornung

Teams: Green Bay Packers (1957–1962; 1964–1966), New Orleans Saints (1967 offseason)

Career Highlights: Super Bowl champion (1966), 4x NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966), NFL Most Valuable Player (1961), 2x First-team All-Pro (1960, 1961), Second-team All-Pro (1959), 2x Pro Bowl (1959, 1960), Hall of Fame (1986)

NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1960), 3x NFL scoring leader (1959–1961)

5. Leroy Kelly

Teams: Cleveland Browns (1964–1973), Chicago Fire (1974)

Career Highlights: NFL champion (1964), 4x First-team All-Pro (1966–1968, 1971), Second-team All-Pro (1969), 6x Pro Bowl (1966–1971), Hall of Fame (1994)

2x NFL rushing yards leader (1967, 1968), 3x NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1966–1968), NFL scoring leader (1968)

6. John Henry Johnson

Teams: Calgary Stampeders (1953), San Francisco 49ers (1954–1956), Detroit Lions (1957–1959), Pittsburgh Steelers (1960–1965), Houston Oilers (1966), Hall of Fame (1987)

Career Highlights: NFL champion (1957), 2x Second-team All-Pro (1954, 1962), 4x Pro Bowl (1954, 1962–1964)

7. Lenny Moore

Teams: Baltimore Colts (1956–1967)

Career Highlights: 2× NFL champion (1958, 1959), NFL Most Valuable Player (1964), NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1964), NFL Rookie of the Year (1956), 5x First-team All-Pro (1958–1961, 1964), 2x Second-team All-Pro (1956, 1957), 7x Pro Bowl (1956, 1958–1962, 1964), Hall of Fame (1975)

NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1964), NFL scoring leader (1964)

NFL record for most consecutive games with a touchdown (18, tied)

8. Don Perkins

Teams: Baltimore Colts (1960, offseason), Dallas Cowboys (1961–1968)

Career Highlights: NFL Rookie of the Year (1961), 3x All-Pro (1962, 1967, 1968), 6x Pro Bowl (1961–1963, 1966–1968)

9. Gale Sayers

Teams: Chicago Bears (1965–1971)

Career Highlights: NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1969), NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1965), 5x First-team All-Pro (1965–1969), 4x Pro Bowl (1965–1967, 1969), Hall of Fame (1977)

2x NFL rushing yards leader (1966, 1969), NFL scoring leader (1965)

NFL record for most touchdowns in a rookie season (22), highest combined yards per game average, career (138.75), most all-purpose touchdowns in a single game (6, tied)

10. Jim Taylor

Teams: Green Bay Packers (1958–1966), New Orleans Saints (1967)

Career Highlights: Super Bowl champion (1966), 4x NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966), NFL Most Valuable Player (1962), 3x First-team All-Pro (1960–1962), 3x Second-team All-Pro (1963, 1964, 1966), 5x Pro Bowl (1960–1964), Hall of Fame (1976)

NFL rushing yards leader (1962), 2x NFL rushing touchdowns leader (1961, 1962), NFL scoring leader (1962)

Conclusion 

The running backs of the 1960s defined toughness and versatility. From Jim Brown’s power to Gale Sayers’ breathtaking agility, these rushers carried the league and left a legacy that still influences football today. They were the heartbeats of their offenses and the faces of the sport during a transformative decade.