Nick Chubb has rushed into the top five of all-time Browns running backs in only three seasons. (Getty Images)
The Browns at 75 years old: My top 10 running backs
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Browns, I will commemorate the franchise with periodic lists honoring top moments, players, coaches, games and characters from my history as a beat writer and analyst.
The category: Top 10 running backs
More so than any position, running backs have elicited the loudest roars at Browns games.
The tradition of great Cleveland running backs precedes Jim Brown. But he became the symbol of the Browns’ great legacy, even though Brown arrived after the Paul Brown dynasty had flamed out. Brown experienced only one NFL Championship in nine seasons before retiring prematurely to pursue a Hollywood acting career.
The tradition of Browns running backs is so rich that the following players, who all had their shining moments, didn’t break into my top 10 – Bobby Mitchell, Eric Metcalf, Peyton Hillis, Leroy Hoard, William Green, Jerome Harrison and Kareem Hunt.
10. Ernie Green: 1962-68, 89 games, 3,204 yards, 4.8 average, 15 TD.
Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 14th round and traded to the Browns, he holds a unique position in history, having shared the backfield with Pro Football Hall of Fame backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly. His personal numbers were always going to suffer as second fiddle to those backs, but his blocking made him a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
9. Jamal Lewis: 2007-09, 40 games, 2806 yards, 3.9 average, 13 TD.
He defected from the rival Baltimore Ravens at the age of 28 and produced a 1,304-yard season, which, at the time, was the highest total for a Browns running back other than Jim Brown. He added 1,002 his second season before flaming out.
8. Kevin Mack: 1985-93, 99 games, 5,123 yards, 4.0 average, 46 TD.
Although fifth on the Browns’ all-time yardage list, Mack had only one 1,000-yard season – his first in 1985. Yet he was so valuable that when he suffered a drug suspension in 1989, GM Ernie Accorsi sought to trade for Herschel Walker to fill Mack’s role. When Mack returned from a nightmare episode that included a knee injury, suspension and a short incarceration, he literally carried the Browns to the division title with a heroic game in Houston.
7. Mike Pruitt: 1976-84, 124 games, 6,540 yards, 4.1 average, 47 TD.
He’s second in games, third in yards and third in touchdowns among Browns running backs. If not for the 1982 players strike, he might have had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons starting in 1979. He was a workhorse fullback who should have been handed the ball in the infamous 1980 wild card game against the Oakland Raiders with the game on the line.
6. Earnest Byner: 1984-88 and 1994-95, 99 games, 3,364 yards, 3.9 average, 27 TD.
The heartbeat of four consecutive playoff teams, Byner is another player whose numbers don’t do justice to his impact on the team. Add 2,630 passing yards and 10 TD receptions to his totals for a fuller picture of his production out of the backfield. After being traded to Washington, he rushed for 1,219 yards for coach Joe Gibbs’ third Super Bowl championship team. Returned to the Browns by Bill Belichick, Byner’s 121 yards rushing in the final game in Municipal Stadium epitomized his determination and heart.
5. Nick Chubb: 2018-20, 44 games, 3,557 yards, 5.2 average, 28 TD.
His 1,494 yards in 2019 rank fourth on the Browns’ all-time list and is the highest total for any back other than Jim Brown. Chubbs’ runs of 92 and 88 yards are first- and third-longest in Browns’ history. He has 17 100-yard rushing games in 44 games overall. His 80.8 yards per game rank second to Brown’s 104.3, and his 5.2 average matches Brown’s.
4. Greg Pruitt: 1973-81, 118 games, 5,496 yards, 4.7 average, 25 TD.
One of the most under-rated players in Browns history, his knee injury in 1970 derailed what could have been a Hall of Fame career. Only 5-10 and 190 pounds, Pruitt had three electrifying 1,000-yard rushing seasons and averaged 4.8 yards in his first three years as starting halfback. He was known for his “tearaway” jerseys, which enabled him to run through one-handed tackle attempts. In truth, he hated the mesh jerseys because he was forced to the bench when the jersey came apart.
3. Leroy Kelly: 1964-73, 136 games, 7,274 yards, 4.2 average, 74 TD.
A six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro, he succeeded Jim Brown and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns three consecutive seasons. He had 42 rush TDs in 42 games. He is first in games among Browns all-time backs, second in yards and second in touchdowns. Until he succeeded Jim Brown in his third season, Kelly averaged 16.7 yards on punt returns with three touchdown returns in two seasons.
2. Marion Motley: 1946-53, 99 games, 4,712 yards, 5.7 average, 31 TD.
Originally signed by Paul Brown to serve as a roommate to Bill Willis to break the racial barrier in professional football in 1946, he became an integral player in Brown’s dynasty teams. Motley, a 232-pound fullback, averaged 6.2 yards in four years in the All-America Football Conference. Motley was 30 years old when the Browns joined the NFL in 1950. He led the league in rushing (810 yards) and average (5.8), and completed four years with the Browns in the NFL at age 33 with a 5.0 average. Motley also played linebacker, and Paul Brown said Motley could have made the Hall of Fame at that position alone.
1. Jim Brown: 1957-65, 118 games, 12,312 yards, 5.2 average, 106 TD.
When he retired, Brown led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing average and touchdowns. At the age of 85, Brown is the greatest living NFL player and remains relevant as the conscience of the running back position.PreviouslyMy top 10 gamesMy top 10 head coachesMy top 10 wide receivers
