Ranking the top 25 running backs in NFL history…
Signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 1948 after Navy service and junior college play at Compton, Joe Perry, nicknamed “The Jet,” became a trailblazing running back/fullback in the All-America Football Conference before the NFL merger in 1950. He starred for the 49ers (1948-1960, 1963), with a two-year stint at the Baltimore Colts (1961-1962).
Perry’s landmark seasons were 1953 and 1954, becoming the first player to rush for 1,000 yards consecutively (1,018 and 1,049), leading the NFL in carries, rushing yards, and yards from scrimmage both years.
In 1954, he earned NFL MVP as the first African-American recipient, part of the famed “Million Dollar Backfield” with Hugh McElhenny, John Henry Johnson, and Y.A. Tittle.
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He held the NFL’s all-time rushing record from 1958 to 1963 with 8,378 yards until Jim Brown surpassed it.
His top accomplishments include three Pro Bowl selections, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1969), and his No. 34 jersey retired by the 49ers in 1971. Perry’s 49ers rushing record stood for nearly 60 years until Frank Gore broke it in 2011.
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His career totals include 9,723 rushing yards on 1,929 attempts (5.0 average), 71 rushing touchdowns, 260 receptions for 2,021 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 183 games across 16 seasons. Perry had elite speed for his era, power, and elusiveness, making him a dual-threat runner and receiver.
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But who ranks ahead of Perry at [No. 22 all-time](https://nesn.com/2025/08/nfl-all-time-rb-rank-no-22-ollie-matson/)?
Featured image via Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports