What happened to running backs in the NFL? They’re so fragile and soft in comparison to just a few years ago.
Barry Sanders was still at the top of his game when he hung it up after 10 years.
Emmitt played 15 years. So did Adrian Peterson.
Earnest Byner played 14, Jerome Bettis 13, Thurman Thomas 13, Ricky Watters 10, Eddie George 9, and a long list of guys played 8 seasons.
Nowadays, it’s magical if a guy can play 6 seasons and still be worth a crap. Why?
The game isn’t as physical as it was in the 90s and 00s. Guys played hurt and through concussions a lot more.
Running backs used to have a lot more carries than they do today. Two-back systems weren’t utilized much.
Is it the money? Laziness? Lack of commitment? Social media distractions?
The breed of running backs had changed.
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